News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

The Emmy Awards: Win, lose or snore

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.

Hello, Foreshadowing: First-time winner for Best Actress in a Comedy America Ferrera shows us how many Emmys she’ll have by the end of her career. I think she’s being too modest.

Ladies in Red: Somewhere, Chris de Burgh is smiling.

Baby Bump Watch: Cunning use of bows and draped fabric, Christina Aguilera. But the bow, uh, it’s not fooling anyone.

New BFF Alert: Helen Mirren has this delicious habit of posing with random people I adore. And note to award voters: Give Helen a trophy and she’ll deliver like FedEx with her acceptance speech every time. “I’m going to keep talking until that very dramatic music comes in.” Genius.

Their Roots Are Showing: Wow, this is what the cast of Roots looks like 30 years after the landmark miniseries? Forget about their roots, I want to know their secret.

What the Bleep: Who would have guessed that the three people who got censored would be the guy from Everybody Loves Raymond, Izzie and the Flying Nun?

Full Length Mirrors Save Lives, People: Uh, should someone tell Paula Abdul that something is awry here? Yeah, this is awkward. This is also why you should never get dressed in the limo.

Why I Watch These Shows: Hot women in hot dresses. Er, I mean, to honor the craft. Yes, definitely the craft. And my, what a lovely craft it is.

gooby's picture

Yabba habba!

Yabba habba! That's all I have to say... Kyra Sedgwick, Glenn Close and Mary-Louis Parker. Holy crap! And Katherine Heigl looked STUNNING as well. And she's the best thing that happened to Grey's Anatomy so totally deserved the win.

30 Rock won, wheeee!

carolinagrrrl's picture

Thank you!

While I seemed to have, perhaps, enjoyed the awards show a little more than you, I was impatiently waiting for an AfterEllen post on it! You did not disappoint, providing commentary on the beautiful women, (of course) Ellen, and Tina Fey in all her glory.

However, I was elated when Glen Close took the stage with Mary-Louise Parker and Kyra Sedgwick. My elation turned into pure pride when Close made a remark about being so proud and excited to have so many strong central characters on TV now... "that just happen to be women."

Oh Glen, thanks for the reminder of why we love you.

 

ps--Did anyone else find it painstakingly ironic that Neil Patrick Harris was the one who made the off-color remark about Hayden Panettiere being "legal"? That was just odd.

 

"Whatever people consider to be normal, it never is." -Ashley Davies

NLL's picture

zz

Sally Field almost topped her "you like meee...." speech. Ugh.

Is Ellen terrified if she lets go of Portia's {hand,hip, whatever other appendage} she'll run away? Even in the pics that aren't posed Ellen has good ole grip on her.

cosmiccowgirl's picture

I actually thought the Emmys

I actually thought the Emmys were extremely entertaining this year. Maybe I was just comparing them to the Oscars, which even Ellen could not save from being a snoozefest. Sally Field's crazy speech alone made it worth watching. I wonder what she said exactly. They kept the camera off of her a long time, so it must have been more than just the "goddamn war" thing. She used my favorite curse word, but I hope we'll learn that she also dropped the f-bomb. I don't know why that would amuse me so much, but it would.
pecola's picture

Palpable Disappointment

I thought the Emmys were dreadful...there were a few funny moments (Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart should co-host next year), but overall I was disappointed.

First, Sara Ramirez was there...looking stunning...and I didn't see her once (thanks for the picture Dorothy).

Also I was ticked off by the censoring of Sally Field's acceptance speech (particularly when you consider that she's playing a mother of a soldier on Brothers and Sisters) and I couldn't get over how awful the seating arrangement was. I mean, it's kinda cool to have all the stars of a show sitting in one place (so I can swoon over Chandra Wilson and Sandra Oh simultaneously), rather than the awkward random placements like they do at the Oscars/Grammys, but seats behind the podium? It was dreadful and put a damper on the whole experience for me.

Plus, I'll admit...I was wholly disappointed in the lack of Sopranos love. I can take Aida Turturro or Lorraine Bracco or Michael Imperioli not winning in their supporting categories (I didn't think their characters were pivotal in the closing season)...and maybe, if I squint real hard, I can see the rationale behind giving the Best Actress Emmy to someone other than Edie Falco (though I love Sally Field, if someone who's not Edie Falco was going to win it, it should've been Kyra Sedgwick, hands down)...but...James Spader beating out James Gandolfini for the Best Actor Emmy?!

Oh, hell naw.

Gobias Somecoffee's picture

Boo!

I stopped watching because it was so incredibly boring and then 30 Rock wins.  I didn't think they had a chance in hell (to semi-quote Heigl, heh) of winning.  Now I wish I had stuck around through the end.  Anyone have a clip of Tina Fey's acceptance speech?

The whole set up really sucked.  Having it as a "theatre in the round" does not work.  The one funny thing I remember is Colbert and Stewart giving Gervais's award to Steve Carell and then the three of them jumping up and down.

KJaneway's picture

Oh yeeeaah! That was

Oh yeeeaah! That was entertainment! I loved the ceremony.  I am just disappointed that Mariska didn't get the Emmy, but I am biased.  She is just too damn hot, and was so cute in that fabulous black number she wore yesterday night!  Hargitay rules!
Nati's picture

Mariska

 was so the reason I watched the Emmy's and any other award show. She's so awesome!

I stayed home from school on friday so I could watch her on Ellen.

It okay that she didn't win tho, she won last year, so every one still knows that she's awesome!

~Natasha<3~

MandaLeah's picture

Tina Fey is my God

I was so exstatic when 30 Rock won! I thought for sure it would go to the Office again (I know it gets much love, but I just don't see the humour in it) Plus Tina's speech was great. Anyone willing to call out to the gay partners during an acceptance speech is gold in my mind. The moment was better than how excited I got when my 30 Rock DVD arrived. In a blog I did I posted the following top and bottom 5 moments:

The worst:

1. Ryan Seacrest - He was barely there thankfully, but hopefully will never be asked to host anything again.

2. James Spader wins. Really???

3. The poor people who had to look at everyone's backs the whole show

4. When it would cut off and show the lame disco ball with no sound. Boo on censorship.

5. The general lame attempts at comedy and all the other lack of good nominations.

 

The Best:

1. 30 Rock surprisingly wins Best Comedy! YAY!!!

2. Kristin Bell gets to sit in the front row in the Hero's section (She may have not gotten nominated (BOO) but hopefully things are looking up)

3. Just how cute was Katherine Heigl's mom?

4. The call out from Glenn Close, Kyra Sedgwick and Mary Louise Parker on the strong female characters that shows are finally being centred on on cable.

5. Terry O'Quinn winning best supporting actor.
jetblack's picture

Mirren and Oh

Did anyone see, on the red carpet, that Sandra Oh actually asked for that picture. She was talking to Mirren very excitedly, like a true fan. Then before walking away, since it was Mirren's turn with the press, she looked at the photographers and raised a finger as if saying "just one picture of the two of us". No wonder she looks so happy. Now I can add another item to my "Why I love Sandra Oh" list - she likes Helen Mirren and it's not afraid to show it.

Also, I almost fainted when I saw Glenn Close's arms. Holy Katee Sackhoff! I wanna look like that when I'm 60. Or date someone who looks like that. Whatever comes first.

addicted2AandO's picture

Portia

Has anybody else noticed how odd Portia looked? I would even dare call it creepy. What has she done?? At least turned her lips into a blow-up rubber boat. But she just looked odd overall - before she started talking (on the red carpet) I even doubted for a moment that it was really her. (Of course she'd probably have Ellen killed hanging on to anybody else that way!) Can somebody shed some light on it? I am always good at being thoroughly creeped out by (previously beautiful!!!!) actresses having so-called beauty jobs done but I also always stink at figuring out exactly what they had done.


"At that point, you could have all gotten naked, gotten in your pool and had four bottles of champagne in your house."  ~~ Stephanie March
LLgood's picture

The Emmys were a bore

There were few laughs all night. I loved the opening with Family Guy,though.

Also, my man Steve C from the Office is always funny.

Anastasiaaah's picture

This is why I'm the last person alive who likes award shows.

LOVE what I've seen so far of the clothes. Paula Abdul kind of bungled her dress, but if her boobie was covered, it might've been half-dece! Maybe we should just commend her on being able to bloody-well get dressed while being intoxicated 99.9 per cent of the time.

Like girls? Like Clothes? So do we. Tune in. Trust.

www.lefashioncast.podomatic.com

NorthernStar's picture

no censorship in Canada

We heard Sally Field loud and clear and watched Katherin Heigl mouth s*** upon winning. :)
oneartsugar's picture

"Forget about their roots, I want to know their secret"

Sweety they are black and as we all know (if you are black that is ...like me btw)

Black don't crack!

~JMB


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