By far among the most entertaining broadcasts on Sunday night, yet way less interesting than last year's event, this year's Creative Arts Emmy broadcast was a strong dose of celebrities, high fashion and ridiculously expensive accessories for anyone addicted to stars and their fabulous lives.
Moving past the overused "What are you wearing?" question, the show is also about honoring the best in the television business. The Emmy voters correctly heaped praise on "John Adams," "Recount," "Mad Men" and "Damages." There were few categories where the most worthy did not shine. Even AMC's terrific, yet little-seen period drama "Mad Men" was rightfully proclaimed the year's best drama. Series creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner also won a trophy for writing the pilot script.
Tina Fey and her awesome show "30 Rock" scored major Emmy victories being the night’s top victor among comedy shows, taking home seven statues including ones for best comedy, best actor and actress for Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey, while she won the best writer award too.
"I thank my parents for somehow raising me to have confidence that is disproportionate with my looks and abilities. Well done. That is what all parents should do," Fey said in her acceptance speech.
The actress had to answer a lot of questions about her recent Sarah Palin impersonation on Saturday Night Live, which got rave review becoming the number one most watched viral video on NBC.com. Fey said Palin is not a character she plans on playing again, and she was initially hesitant to even acknowledge the uncanny resemblance. However she gave in when her daughter was watching Palin on TV and thought she was Fey.
HBO's miniseries "John Adams" won for best miniseries, directing, and for lead actors Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti, who played Adams.
"I'm living proof, kids at home watching, that anybody can play the president — a-n-y-b-o-d-y can play the president," he said in an acceptance speech that followed the running theme throughout the night about presidential politics. The son of a former baseball commission, Giamatti got his biggest break in "Sideways" but was first noticed in Hollywood when he starred opposite Howard Stern in "Private Parts."
"I had to do everything," said Giamatti in a near stutter. "We did five movies in six weeks." Giamatti stood at the podium humbly clutching his Emmy. "I’ve never done TV like this before. I’m at a loss for words," said Giamatti.
Laura Linney revealed that the victory helped her reflect on "the community organizers who helped form our country." Community organizers in general -- and Barack Obama in particular -- were a favored target at the Republican National Convention.
Meanwhile, "Recount," a dramatization of the controversial 2000 US presidential election, was named best made-for-television movie and won outstanding directing for a miniseries, movie or dramatic special.
"Mad Men," a drama about a 1960s advertising company and "Breaking Bad," a show about a high school chemistry teacher turned criminal, beat out big network names like "House," "Lost" and "Boston Legal" to put AMC on the map as a television show network. "Mad Men" is the first basic cable show to win an outstanding drama Emmy award.
Actress Glenn Close was honored with the best actress award in a drama for playing a ruthless, fire-breathing lawyer in "Damages," an FX production. She beat off stiff competition from Sally Field and Holly Hunter.
"We're proving that complicated, powerful, mature women are sexy and are high entertainment and can carry a show. I call us the sisterhood of the TV drama divas," she said.
Here’s the list of primetime winners.
Supporting actor, comedy series: Jeremy Piven, "Entourage," HBO.
Supporting actress, comedy series: Jean Smart, "Samantha Who?," ABC.
Supporting actor, drama series: Zeljko Ivanek, "Damages," FX.
Direction, music comedy or variety program: Louis Horvitz, "60th Academy Awards," ABC.
Supporting actress, drama series: Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment," HBO.
Writing variety, music or comedy program: "The Colbert Report," Comedy Central.
Commemorative Emmy for comedy writing: Tommy Smothers.
Lead actress, miniseries or movie: Laura Linney, "John Adams," HBO.
Outstanding, variety, music or comedy series: "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," Comedy Central.
Guest actor, comedy series: Tim Conway, "30 Rock," NBC.
Guest actress, comedy series: Katherine Joosten, "Desperate Housewives," ABC.
Directing, comedy series: Barry Sonnenfeld, "Pushing Daisies," ABC.
Writing, comedy series: Tina Fey, "30 Rock," NBC.
Made-for-TV movie: "Recount," HBO.
Supporting actor, miniseries: Tom Wilkinson, "John Adams," HBO.
Directing, miniseries, movie or dramatic special: Jay Roach, "Recount," HBO.
Writing, miniseries, movie, dramatic special: Kirk Ellis, "John Adams," HBO.
Supporting actress, miniseries, movie: Dame Eileen Atkins, "Cranford," "Masterpiece Theatre," PBS/BBC.
Reality competition program: "The Amazing Race," CBS.
Miniseries: "John Adams," HBO.
Individual in a variety or music program: Don Rickles, "Mr. Warmth," HBO.
Guest actor, drama series: Glynn Turman, "In Treatment, " HBO.
Guest actress, drama series: Cynthia Nixon,"Law & Order Special Victims Unit," NBC
Directing, drama series: Greg Yaitanes, "House." Fox.
Writing, drama series: Matthew Weiner, "Mad Men," AMC.
Lead actor, miniseries, movie: Paul Giamatti, "John Adams, " HBO.
Lead actor, comedy series: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock," NBC.
Lead actress, drama series: Glenn Close, "Damages," FX.
Lead actor, drama series: Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad," AMC.
Lead actress, comedy series: Tina Fey, "30 Rock," NBC.
Reality host: Jeff Probst, "Survivor," CBS.
Comedy series: "30 Rock," NBC.
Drama series: "Mad Men," AMC.
