"An Ashtray From the Friars in New York"

As a self-confessed fan of all things Hollywood, I have to talk about the Emmys. The show certainly had more low points than high and there seemed to be no cadence to the show. The hosts were, to say the least, the worst in the 60 years of the Emmys and I sincerely hope the producers don't make the same mistake next year. Kudos to Jeremy Piven for calling them out on it: "...what if I just kept talking for 12 minutes, what would happen? That was the opening..."

I'll hit on the low points first so that I can end my post on a happier note.

- Tommy Smothers I'm all for belatedly awarding people for their accomplishments. Hooray for Tommy Smothers' award. I realize that "The Smothers Brothers" was a "politically aware" show and that they were canned far sooner than they'd have liked. But was all the blathering on really necessary?
- Jennifer Love Hewitt's hair Medusa?
- Laura Linney Speaking to her support to Barack Obama, she was a bit smug and presumptuous when she said, "...community organizers that help form our country." Heh. We'll see.
- Steven Colbert & Jon Stewart I don't watch either of them but the bit about the prunes was annoying.
- Celebrities' behavior The brazen and deplorable use of camera time to step up on a collective soapbox to cheer Democrats and boo Republicans. Again, I know that not everyone thinks like I, and other Republicans, do. That's the beauty of America and the principle it was founded on: we can think what we want, vote how we wish, speak what we will, and basically do as we please within reason. But save that for the appropriate venues. I turn on the Emmy Awards to see celebrities win awards, wear clothes that cost more than we make in month, catch them in candid moments, and to remember who's died this past year. I don't watch it to be inundated with an actors convictions and snide remarks toward the GOP. I don't care which side of the House your beliefs sit on, an awards show should be just that: for awards. Nothing else.

Then there was the stuff that made me smile.


- Ricky Gervais & Steve Carell How hysterical was that bit? I love Steve Carell. His ability to hold a straight face while staring down something that was cracking thousands of people up around him is incredible. If you watched closely though, you could see the corner of his mouth twitching.


- Josh Groban His medley of TV theme shows throughout the years was absolutely sensational! Who knew Josh Groban could rap? Or do "South Park" voices so dead-on? Fabulous, I tell you.

- Kathryn Joosten She won for Guest Actress in a Drama Series ("Desperate Housewives," where she plays neighbor Karen McCluskey) and I think she really deserves it. Check out her bio.

- Don Rickles I can't find a YouTube video yet but when I do, I will absolutely post it. He was, dare I say it, the funniest part of the evening. I loved that Kathy Griffin (who, by the way, I can't stand) had to keep him on track with the teleprompter. "Let's read the funny lines they wrote for us," he said, when she told him that it was flashing, indicating they needed to hurry up. When he won his Emmy for Variety, Music or Comedy Special with "Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project", he said, "I've been in the business 55 years, and the biggest award I got was an ashtray from the Friars in New York."

Not the best Emmys ever, but certainly not the worst. Thoughts?