Presidential and VP Impersonators, Other Mad Men Take Home Hollywood Honors

The 60^th Annual Emmy Awards went out without much of a hitch last Sunday night – besides a few quiet mikes, running long, and pulling in a sad number of viewers.  But perhaps during such an entertaining political season, it was the lack of drama, comedy and surprises that really set the show apart as such a bore.

While the race for president is neck and neck – and celebrity political jibes at the dirty campaign of a certain candidate definitely abounded – there was nothing risky in the race for Emmy.  Top honors went predictably to AMC’s Mad Men and NBC’s 30 Rock, while HBO took home the most gold statuettes of any network (shocking!) with its mini-series John Adams sweeping most of its awards.

Of course, sometimes the right man wins.  Glitzy, smooth, sharply intelligent and ominously beautiful, AMC’s critical darling Mad Men will go down in history as the first basic cable show to take home an Emmy, and its shiny, glamorous cast looked like winners as they took the stage to receive the evening’s big prize. Writer and producer Matthew Weiner also took home another statuette for outstanding writing for a drama series for the series’ pilot episode.  The only shock of the night was the upset in the outstanding actor drama category.  Smart money was on Mad Men‘s John Hamm.  His Don Draper’s mysterious identity and oh-so-intriguing inner demons are an addictive drug in the smoky, boozy world of 1960s Madison Avenue.  But it was the dark horse and star of AMC’s other quirky series Breaking Bad, virtual unknown Bryan Cranston, who took home the Emmy once all the votes were cast.  No CNN poll could have seen that coming.

However, everyone should’ve predicted that Sarah Palin impersonator and generally fabulous funny lady, Tina Fey would have conquered the stage on Emmy night.  The SNL-vet who had us chuckling with her impersonation of the VP nominee just last week, was having a great last laugh herself after taking home the Emmy for best writing comedy series, best actress comedy and best comedy series.  Her show might not be getting many viewers (as Tina reminded us in one of her acceptance speeches, the show premieres October 30 on NBC – why aren’t you watching it?), but Tina’s a hit.  Alec Baldwin, despite his troubling personal life of late, also took home top comedy honors and was glowing as he pointed to Tina Fey and called her this generation’s Elaine May (that’s quite a compliment for those not in the know).  All together, Fey’s acerbic comedy wrapped up with 7 Emmys.

But it was another presidential mock-up (minus the mock) that cleaned up on Sunday: HBO’s mini-series John Adams.  Hollywood bigwigs Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney took home the Emmys for best actor and supporting actress in a miniseries or movie for their roles as John and Abigail Adams.  The series itself picked up the Emmy for the best in its category (for a whopping 13 Emmys in all) with producer Tom Hanks accepting the award.  And as expected, the cast was deliciously, passive-aggressively political.  Giamatti quipped that if he can do it, anyone can pretend to be president; Linney thanked community organizers; and Tom Hanks smirked as he quipped: “The election between Jefferson and Adams was filled with innuendo, lies, a bitter partisan press and disinformation.  How great we’ve come so far since then.” (Snicker, snicker.)

HBO’s other political program, the made-for-TV movie Recount, about the 2000 election, also took home Emmys for outstanding made-for-TV movie and outstanding direction for Jay Roach.  Meanwhile, political satirists and comedians extraordinaire, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, won statuettes for The Daily Show and writing on The Colbert Report, respectively.

Sunday night, politics were certainly in the air.  Winners tried not to gloat.  Losers conceded politely.  And the reality hosts (Heidi Klum, Tom Bergeron, Howie Mandel, Jeff Probst and Ryan Seacrest – listed in order of height) were just as boringly scripted as their political counterparts.  Yawn.  Seriously, where’s Sally Field to set off the censors when you need her?

For more thoughts on the 60th Annual Emmy Awards, check out The Five Minute Primetime Emmy Awards Show by J.B. Perlow

Full list of Top Winners (thanks to imdb.com):

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Jeremy Piven – Entourage

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart – Samantha Who?

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Zeljko Ivanek – Damages

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Dianne Wiest – In Treatment

Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: Louis J. Horvitz – 80th Annual Academy Awards

Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: The Colbert Report

Commemorative Emmy for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy, Variety: Tommy Smothers – The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie: Laura Linney – John Adams

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Tim Conway – 30 Rock

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Kathryn Joosten – Desperate Housewives

Outstanding Director in a Comedy Series: Barry Sonnenfeld – Pushing Daises – “Pie-Lette”

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Tina Fey – 30 Rock

Outstanding Made for Television Movie: Recount

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie: Tom Wilkinson – John Adams

Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Series: Jay Roach – Recount

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special: Kirk Ellis – John Adams

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie: Eileen Atkins – Cranford (Masterpiece)

Outstanding Reality-TV Competition: The Amazing Race

Outstanding Miniseries: John Adams

Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program: Don Rickles – Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Glynn Turman – In Treatment

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Cynthia Nixon – Law + Order: Special Victims Unit

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Greg Yaitanes – House

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Matthew Weiner – Mad Men – “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (Pilot)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie: Paul Giamatti – John Adams

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Glenn Close – Damages

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Tina Fey – 30 Rock

Outstanding Host for a Reality Competition Show: Jeff Probst – Survivor

Outstanding Comedy Series: 30 Rock

Outstanding Drama Series: Mad Men

Photographs courtesy of AMC and NBC