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« Ausiello Report
2008 Dream Emmy Ballot Part One: Best in Comedy
Tyler Labine by Jack Rowand/The CW, Dana Delany by Danny Feld/ABC, James Roday by Alan Zenuk/USA Network Photo
Dear Emmy Voters:
When ballots for this year's ceremony arrive in your mailboxes the week of June 2, you don't have to stress about how to choose from the hundreds of eligible nominees, like, at all. Seriously. See, I realize you're very busy and, therefore, could not possibly have seen enough to make educated choices. But me? It's my job to watch TV, so for the seventh straight year, I've done the work for you via this, my Dream Emmy Ballot. First up are my top picks in the major comedy acting categories. (Come back tomorrow to see my choices in the drama acting slots, followed by best comedy and drama series on Wednesday.) If you check them off on your ballots, you'll not only make my dreams come true on July 17 (nominations day!), you'll get to impress your friends and colleagues with your impeccable taste. It's win-win!
Sincerely,
Michael Ausiello (with strong input from Matt Roush and Bruce Fretts)
Lead Comedy Actress
Marcia Cross (Bree, Desperate Housewives)
Dana Delany (Katherine, Desperate Housewives)
America Ferrera (Betty, Ugly Betty)
Tina Fey (Liz, 30 Rock)
Julia Louis-Dreyfuss (Christine, Old Christine)
Talk about girl power! Delany gave Housewives -- and already-impressive on-screen frenemy Cross -- a shot in the arm; the remarkable Ferrera did the impossible by peeling back new layers of Betty that made us love her even more; Fey established herself as brilliant an actress as she is a writer (and that's saying something); and Louis-Dreyfuss reminded us why, when you look up "impeccable comic timing" in the dictionary, it's her picture that you find there.
Lead Comedy Actor
Alec Baldwin (Jack, 30 Rock)
Larry David (Larry, Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Adhir Kalyan (Raja, Aliens in America)
Jim Parsons (Sheldon, Big Bang Theory)
James Roday (Shawn, Psych)
Good luck separating the men from the boys in this club! Baldwin can chew scenery, spit it out, then go all subtle on us without even taking breath; David brought charity home, opening up our hearts along with his alter ego's; Kalyan's sweet, soulful performance was a big reason we fell in love with America; Parsons made his character the season's breakout; and even a fake psychic could tell you Roday, the most underrated comic actor on TV, is going places.
Supporting Comedy Actress
Kristin Chenoweth (Olive, Pushing Daisies)
Swoozie Kurtz (Lily, Pushing Daisies)
Amy Pietz (Franny, Aliens in America)
Wanda Sykes (Barb, New Christine)
Vanessa Williams (Wilhelmina, Ugly Betty)
Among Daisies' many (many) kooky characters, Chenoweth and Kurtz pushed to the front of the pack; Pietz revealed herself as Aliens' secret weapon (secret because, alas, no one watched); Sykes' walking BS detector proved the perfect comic foil to Louis-Dreyfuss' scatterbrained softhead; and Williams delivered her bitchy one-liners with the perfect pitch of a Joan Collins... er, a Joan Collins who knows she's being funny.
Supporting Comedy Actor
Neil Patrick Harris (Barney, How I Met Your Mother)
Tyler Labine (Bert, Reaper)
Jack McBrayer (Kenneth, 30 Rock)
Chi McBride (Emerson, Pushing Daisies)
Michael Urie (Marc, Ugly Betty)
While Harris kept Barney from careening into caricature, and Labine improved even as his show devolved, McBrayer cemented his status as this decade's Urkel and McBride reinvented himself as a gumshoe who's so cranky, you'd swear he actually had gum on his shoe. Urie, meanwhile, went beyond flamboyance, hitting a bull's eye himself when Cupid took aim at his character.
OK, Ausholes, now that I've had my say, it's your turn to influence Emmy voters. What comedy performers did we forget? Who shouldn't have been included on our but was? And, please, if we got something right, let us know that, too!
Tomorrow: My picks in the dramatic acting categories.
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May 19, 2008 2:25 AM
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Anna Friel, Anna Friel, ANNA FRIEL!
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May 19, 2008 3:29 AM
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You're crazy! Have you seen Charlie Day in "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"! On no planet is Chi McBride funnier than him. And don't get me started on Wanda Sykes
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May 19, 2008 3:48 AM
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I won't comment on your love affair with Old Christine, cause I've never watched a single episode. But Jim (yes he's adorable) Parsons getting an Emmy for Lead Comedy actor? Are you kidding me? Over Lee Pace?! And lastly, can we please remove Tyler Labine who does not deserve an Emmy nod for a Jack Black impersonation and instead finally acknowledge Doug Savant for his brilliant work on Desperate Housewives?
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May 19, 2008 5:09 AM
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Go Dana Delany! She's the main reason DHW is so good this year.
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May 19, 2008 5:37 AM
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Hmm seems like they all come from the same shows. I realize there isn't much great comedy out there but there are other great shows to besides, 30 Rock, Aliens in America...
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May 19, 2008 8:00 AM
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Michael,
No love for Ray Wise's Devil? I love Sock as much as the next guy (and by the way it took a minute for it to sink in why he was listed as "Bert" on you ballot), but Wise is absolutely perfect as the charming yet heartless Devil. Personally, I feel like his performance makes the show.
Of course, with all that said, it's hard to go against NPH in that category.
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May 19, 2008 8:32 AM
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Surprisingly, I don't care much about the lead categories this year (in comedies).
I'd love to see Jack McBrayer and Tyler Labine get nominated (Bert/Sock is *way* more than a Jack Black imitation!). Oh, and Michael Urie too! Gosh, I think supporting actor may be the strongest of all the categories this year!
I do hope Emmy gets it right and Neil Patrick Harris wins it though.
For the ladies, it's Kristin Chenoweth all the way!!
Side note: I wonder how shows like Pushing Daisies that did NOT come back after the strike will be hurt in terms of nominations.
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May 19, 2008 8:33 AM
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I may be in the minority, but Tina Fey can't act...playing yourself isn't acting.
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May 19, 2008 8:49 AM
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Supporting Actress Comedy
Kaitlin Olsen - "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". She is one of the funniest women on television. Her performance as "Sweet Dee" is an actual comedic performance. She isn't just a pretty girl doing comedy, like almost all of your other choices.
Melora Hardin "The Office". If for the dinner party episode alone....
Elizabeth Perkins "Weeds" - another outstanding year as her and Nancy's relationship disintegrated.
Lead Actress Comedy
Mary Louise Parker - "Weeds" This was her best year ever and you forget her on your list. Marcia Cross has never been as good as her, nor will she ever be. Watch the first episode of "Weeds" from last season again and see if you can still leave her off your list.
Jaime Pressley - "My Name is Earl" - deserves a permanent spot on your list.
Lead Actor Comedy
David Duchovny - "Californication" He was exceptional on this pretty good show. He deserves a nom. for playing Hank Moody. (Evan Handler and Pamela Adlon were also stellar on this show.)
Ray Wise - "Reaper" (This show will get zero nominations but if anyone has a chance it has to be Ray Wise.)
Supp Actor Comedy
Danny DeVito - "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" I would gather that none of you contributing to this list even watch this show since it is never mentioned. You are missing the funniest half hour on television.
Ethan Suplee - "My Name is Earl" With Earl in a coma for much of the season we got a lot more good stuff from Randy.
Dulay Hill - "Psych" Roday would have nothing without this discovery that remained completely under wraps for the entire run of "West Wing". He is fantastic as "Gus" and this show isn't successful without him AND Roday.
Just a few suggestions.
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May 19, 2008 9:06 AM
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Michael~ Where in the world is Christina Applegate or Jennifer Esposito?
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May 19, 2008 9:09 AM
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huh... Have you decided to nominate the entire cast of The Office in a brand new category of "The Most Awesome Cast Ever"? Otherwise, I'm pretty sure that not having any of them on your lists is what I would call a glaring omission.
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May 19, 2008 9:11 AM
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Thanks for including 2 for Aliens in America. I can't believe the CW canceled that show. What about Ray Wise getting a nomination with Sock?
What about Scrubs?? I think you left a few nominations off your list...
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May 19, 2008 9:12 AM
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bhm1304 makes a lot of good suggestions above, particularly Dule Hill and any of the cast from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, although that show may be too far off people's radars to actually garner nominations.
I do want to applaud the inclusion of Adhir Kalyan on your list. I fell in love with Aliens in America, and I was so sad watching last night's episode knowing it was the final one. I am so disappointed in the CW, or for any network that may have passed on that incredible gem of a show leaving it in the incapable hands of the CW!
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May 19, 2008 9:13 AM
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I am disappointed in the lack of "The Office" love here. Steve Carell HAS to be nominated and IMO should win. Especially after the performance he pulled in the last episode.
While I am glad Jenna Fischer was nominated last year and believe she is better than some of the people on this list, I don't think she will make the cut this year.
However, Rainn Wilson deserves to get a nod this year for Supporting Comedy Actor. If not him, then John Krasinski.
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May 19, 2008 9:17 AM
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