White men over 30 living in a bygone era, and the white women who support them — that is the focus of the winning programs in the Outstanding Miniseries and Outstanding Drama Series categories at the 60th Annual Emmy Awards (John Adams and Mad Men, respectively).

Unfortunately, it's also an accurate description of this year's Emmy awards show.

The Emmys have never been known as a bastion of diversity, but watching the 60th Annual Emmy Awards tonight was like going back in time several decades, to the days when sexism was funny, and everyone important was white, male, and over 40.

I knew things were were going to take a bad turn 10 minutes in, when the Dancing With the Stars host and William Shatner physically pulled off Heidi Klum's pants suit to reveal her skimpy glittering outfit beneath.

Klum just smiled, struck a sexy pose, and said, "Now that I've got your attention..." (Because who would pay attention to her with her clothes on?)

It only got worse from there. … continue reading

For an analysis of this year's Emmy ceremony, read my review. Here's a lighter look of some of our favorite women on the red carpet at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards tonight.

Kate Walsh (Private Practice)

The women of The Office: Mindy Kaling, Melora Hardin, and Jenna Fischer
… continue reading

Remember those long, insufferable clip montages from the Oscars? Apparently, the Emmys do. This year, the awards show is putting the content in our hands (so if it sucks, I guess we’re to blame). You can cast your vote for “Television’s Most Memorable Moments” in the categories of drama and comedy, and the winning clips will air during the live broadcast on September 21. The ABC site lists all 40 nominees and has videos of each one to refresh your memory.

You’ll find plenty of Emmy darlings, like The Sopranos and M*A*S*H, but there are also some surprises. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which never took home a major Emmy, gets the nod (and my vote) for Sarah Michelle Gellar’s “death” scene in season five’s “The Gift.” I’m hoping the producers will re-cut the clip for the broadcast because the one up now stops awkwardly short of the episode’s trademark line: “Dawn, the hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me.” (*Single tear* — it gets me every time!)

The big one for us is in the comedy category. Our girl, Ellen DeGeneres, is up for her groundbreaking coming-out episode from 1997. The highlighted clip covers the funny and moving airport scene, in which Ellen tells guest star Laura Dern she’s gay over the loudspeaker.

If that’s not enough to send you to the online poll immediately, check out these other nominees with strong female leads. … continue reading

Saturday Night Live has always been classified as a variety show by the folks who make the Emmy laws (yeah, I have no idea who those people are either). This year, however, a rule change pushed SNL to the comedy category, and the only Emmy contender left standing was Amy Poehler.

Poehler is up against Kristin Chenoweth from Pushing Daisies, Jean Smart from Samantha Who?, Vanessa Williams from Ugly Betty, and Emmy favorite Holland Taylor from Two And A Half Men for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at this year's Emmy Awards.

She chatted with L.A. Times award guru Tom O'Neil this week about her chances of winning in such a tough category. "There may be some last-minute injuries," she told O'Neil. "There might be some Nancy Kerrigan, Tonya Harding thing coming your way. You never know. Maybe I'll reject the award on behalf of someone. I'll think of something controversial. It's better to burn out than fade away, right?" … continue reading

Have you ever wondered which TV shows came thisclose to getting an Emmy nomination and never did? No? Well regardless, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (aka the people that give out the Emmy awards) are now letting us know who those losers shows will be.

Recently they announced the official Top Ten Finalists for both Outstanding Drama Series as well as Outstanding Comedy Series — with no official mention of the actors or actresses, supporting or otherwise, that may be in contention. Who knew Emmy could be such a tease?

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Academy released this information: “In an unprecedented move designed to head off the kind of cyberspace leaks that have played havoc with the nomination process the past two years.”

Really? There has been internet “havoc”? And by "havoc" do they mean public speculation? Forums on discussion? Emmy buzz? I thought these were all good things that would inevitably lead to getting people to actually sit through three hours of Emmy award distribution. Clearly I know nothing about award shows.

Here is a peak at the nominees that may get nominated, or may not get nominated (in case you are a "glass half-empty" kind of person.)

Top 10 Comedy Series Semi-Finalists

Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
The Office
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds

Out of this list, only five will go on the hopes of becoming America’s Next Top Emmy Finalist — or something like that. If I had to guess who those lucky final five would be, my money would be on 30 Rock (because Tina Fey is amazing and deserves all the Emmy gold they can dish out), The Office, Weeds, Ugly Betty and Two and Half Men (because they always seem to nominate this show. Does anyone out there watch this? Seriously, I’m asking.) … continue reading

First of all, relax. There will be no tractors in this post. I don’t want any closet Tibetters experiencing post traumatic stress syndrome from the title. Instead, this post is an affirmation of my continual adoration of Tina Fey. After Tina’s Emmy night thanking of all the gay partners of her cast and crew, I thought it wasn’t possible to love her more. But, oh, how I was wrong. Earlier this week, she flew back from Los Angeles to New York, Emmy in tow. This picture reaffirms my adoration, and then some. How do I love Tina Fey? Let me count the ways.

1. Bi-curious Shoes. Come on. Seriously. After two beers those shoes would totally make out with you at a party.

2. Bubble Wrap: She wrapped her Emmy in bubble wrap. Oh, God, I may pass out from the cuteness. … continue reading

Ellen wears a weird outfit! Katherine Heigl blames her mom! Tina Fey thanks the gays! Kyra Sedgwick, Glenn Close, and Mary Louise Parker form a gang and offer to jump in anyone who will create more good roles for women on TV! (Where do I sign up?!)

In this very special Emmy's edition of She Made Me Watch This! Lori and I give our take on the night's fashion winners and losers, best acceptance speech, and worst musical number; ask what Joely Fisher and Brad Garrett were thinking with that tasteless banter; and throw in a bonus rant about Fox censoring Sally Field. All this and more below! … continue reading

Can we all agree that the American Idolification of the Emmys, what with its theater-in-the-round and hiring of Ryan Seacrest, was a bad idea? A very bad idea. The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards was a largely dull affair interspersed with some worthy winners, fitting send-offs, head-scratching choices and spectacularly bad jokes.Two gags about Hayden Panettiere finally reaching the age of consent? Classy, people, classy. And then there was the bleeping: Brad Garrett making an off-color milk remark about his co-star’s décolletage? Fine. Sally Field making a political statement about “goddamned wars”? Censored. Context, censors, context.

Here's a look at some of the highlights and lowlights from the telecast (for a complete list of winners, go here). Let’s kick things off with Ellen and Portia. Sure, they didn’t win anything. But they did color coordinate. Plus, if you look closely, in the top right corner you’ll see Ellen’s mom.

Tina Fey, Marry Me: Fine, she’s already married. But you can understand my inclination when after winning Best Comedy for 30 Rock, she said, “I want to thank the parents, child, spouse and gay partner of every person that works on our show ... and our dozens and dozens of viewers.” She then told the press backstage that she was going to celebrate by overeating. Sigh. The good ones are always taken.

… continue reading

Kathy Griffin won an Emmy, then gave a sarcastic acceptance speech. Quelle surprise.

This time, though, Griffin seems to have stepped on more toes than usual. Opinions are all over the map, so let me tell you what happened and get your take.

Griffin’s show, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, won Outstanding Reality Program at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards — you know, the ones not important enough to be on the Sept. 16 broadcast. Griffin is one of my favorite comedians and I love her show, so I think the award is richly deserved. Kathy, being Kathy, used her acceptance speech to mock acceptance speeches. Here’s what she said.

“A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. So, all I can say is, suck it Jesus, this award is my god now.”

Now here in the buckle of the Bible Belt, we watch the sky for lightning when somebody disses Jesus. But I like to think most of us giggled at Griffin's joke while we ran for cover. Besides, what she said is a lot less offensive to me than hearing someone thank God that they weren’t in New Orleans when Katrina hit. … continue reading

Salma Hayek is sort of amazing. Not amazing as in the most talented actress in the business, and not amazing solely for her looks — though just two days ago she won a Hottest Celebrity in the World e-poll.

No, she’s amazing because the woman knows how to get things done, and that’s not easy, especially for a woman. A 5'2", 40-year-old Mexican woman? In the entertainment industry? Industry implies money, big money, and she’s a player. ¡Excelente! … continue reading

As you've probably already heard, The Sopranos got a whopping 15 Emmy nominations this morning. Meanwhile, the HBO movie Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee did even better, with 17. (I missed that one entirely, so for me it's more like Scratch My Head at HBO Monopoly.)

Here are the big ones:

2007 Primetime Emmy Nominations

Outstanding Drama Series
Boston Legal (ABC)
Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
Heroes (NBC)
House (Fox)
The Sopranos (HBO)

Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock (NBC)
Entourage (HBO)
The Office (NBC)
Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Ugly Betty (ABC)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Sally Field, Brothers and Sisters (ABC)
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
Partricia Arquette, Medium (NBC)
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer (TNT)
Minnie Driver, The Riches (FX)
Edie Falco, The Sopranos (HBO) … continue reading

As you've probably heard, earlier this week TheEnvelope.com leaked a short list of Emmy nominations. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has made no comment on the list's accuracy, choosing instead to remind academy members that they have signed a confidentiality agreement (the Academy will mess you up, Emmy voters!) and also reminding the public that nominees won't be officially announced until July 19.

I don't know why it matters, really — we're used to hanging chads and other forms of disenfranchisement in the U.S., so what's a little spilled ink among TV fans? Plus, who really tunes in for the nominee announcements anyway? (There's a motivating factor this year, though: Kyra Sedgwick will be one of the announcers. Won't it be weird if she has to announce herself?)

Anyway, whether these nominees are guesses or sure things, I'm happy to post some photos. The Emmy Awards ceremony airs Sept. 16 at 8/7c on Fox. (Visit TheEnvelope.com for the full, unverified short list.)

1. Possible nominees for Best Comedy Actress:
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Teri Hatcher, Desperate Housewives
Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

America Ferrera … continue reading