WARNING: SEXUAL CONTENT AND NAUGHTY WORDS!
With FIFTY SHADES OF GREY such a huge sensation, erotic fiction is the zeitgeist of the day (or is it night?. Not that erotica was ever out of favor per se (I’m sure Erica Jong still outsells George Will), but now more than ever the genre is selling through the roof.
I have never written this form of literature. Not even in an AfterMASH script. Every year some organization comes out with a list of the worst sex scenes in novels and they are excruciatingly uproarious. And it’s sooo easy to fall into that trap. You try to create this turgid mood and be descriptive, but you also try to be original – find new ways to convey sexual acts. Which can lead to a passage like this:
From Ed King by David Guterson:
"In the shower, Ed stood with his hands at the back of his head, like someone just arrested, while she abused him with a bar of soap. After a while he shut his eyes, and Diane, wielding her fingernails now and staring at his face, helped him out with two practiced hands, one squeezing the family jewels, the other vigorous with the soap-and-warm-water treatment. It didn't take long for the beautiful and perfect Ed King to ejaculate for the fifth time in twelve hours, while looking like Roman public-bath statuary. Then they rinsed, dried, dressed, and went to an expensive restaurant for lunch."
Yikes! And major authors are not immune from writing truly klutzy sex scenes. The great John Updike:
She said nothing then, her lovely mouth otherwise engaged, until he came, all over her face. She had gagged, and moved him outside her lips, rubbing his spurting glans across her cheeks and chin. He had wanted to cry out, sitting up as if jolted by electricity as the spurts, the deep throbs rooted in his asshole, continued, but he didn't know what name to call her. 'Mrs Rougement' was the name he had always known her by.
I’m not sure if I could write one of these passages without a voice in the back of my head saying, “This is the Springtime for Hitler of sex scenes.”
Several renown romance writers read this blog. Somehow they know how to walk that fine line between erotica and Letters to HUSTLER. So some questions to them (and you):
How do you avoid cliches?
Is it possible to write a sexy novel without using the word throbbing at least once?
Comedy writers rarely laugh at what they’ve written. Do romance writers get turned on by their work?
Do editors give you a lot of notes? If this was television, you’d be getting notes like, “Do we like him when he chains her naked to his car?” “Instead of an ice cube, could she use a cold pack?”
Do you need to get in the mood? With my training in television where we're always up against a deadline, I’ve learned to just sit down and crank it out. Can you do that with erotica? Can you drop off the dog to the groomer, pick up the cleaning, come home, empty the dishwasher, then sit down and write TROPIC OF CANCER?
At what point do you realize that imagery is not your friend?
What do you think of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY?
Those are few things I’ve wondered about. Let me know if any erotica writer has a blog with Friday Questions.
But it’s definitely an art. A good sex scene can get you really aroused. More than just watching porn, written material taps into your imagination and can heighten the experience. Unfortunately, if not written well, you’re left with this.
Here are a few more samples of scenes that make me laugh, cringe, and worry I couldn’t write any better:
From Sashenka, by Simon Montefiore:
His hands pulled her dress off her shoulders and he buried his face in her neck, then her hair, scooping up between her legs. He pulled down her brassiere, cupping her breasts, sighing in bliss. 'The blue veins are divine,' he whispered. And in that moment, a lifetime of unease about this ugly feature of her body was replaced with satisfaction. He licked them, circling her nipples hungrily. Then he disappeared up her skirt.
From To Love, Honour and Betray, by Kathy Lette
I kissed his mouth ravenously, devouring his neck, earlobes, chest. He broke free with muscular ease, unhooked my bra with composed expertise, found my nipple and flicked his tongue back and forth until it went hard. His towel fell away. Sebastian's erect member was so big I mistook it for some sort of monument in the centre of a town.
And finally, from another not-too-shabby writer, Paul Theroux:
'Baby.' She took my head in both hands and guided it downward, between her fragrant thighs. 'Yoni puja - pray, pray at my portal.' She was holding my head, murmuring 'Pray,' and I did so, beseeching her with my mouth and tongue, my licking a primitive form of language in a simple prayer. It had always worked before, a language she had taught me herself, the warm muffled tongue.
14 Eylül 2012 Cuma
Bad sex writing... or rotten erotica
9/11 and David & Lynn Angell
I re-post this every year on this date.
9/11 affected us all, profoundly and in many cases personally. Two of my dear friends were on flight 11. David and Lynn Angell. There hasn’t been a day I haven’t thought of them, missed them, and not felt grateful that they were in my life.David and I worked together on CHEERS, WINGS, and FRASIER (the latter two he co-created). We used to call him the “dean”. In his quiet way he was the one we always looked to for final approval of a line or a story direction. He brought a warmth and humanity to his writing that hopefully rubbed off on the rest of us “schickmeisters”. And he could be funny – sneaky funny. During long rewrite sessions he tended to be quiet. Maybe two or three times a night he’d pitch a joke – but they were always the funniest jokes of the script.
For those of you hoping to become comedy writers yourselves, let David Angell be your inspiration. Before breaking in he worked in the U.S. Army, the Pentagon, an insurance firm, an engineering company, and then when he finally moved out to L.A. he did “virtually every temp job known to man” for five years. Sometimes even the greatest talents take awhile to be recognized.
I first met David the first season of CHEERS. He came in to pitch some stories. He had been recommended after writing a good NEWHART episode. This shy quiet man who looked more like a quantum physics professor than a comedy writer, slinked into the room, mumbled through his story pitches, and we all thought, “is this the right guy? He sure doesn’t seem funny.” Still, he was given an assignment (“Pick a con…any con”) and when the script came back everyone was just blown away. He was quickly given a second assignment (“Someone single, someone blue”) and that draft came back even better. I think the first order of business for the next season was to hire David Angell on staff.
After 9/11, David’s partners Peter Casey & David Lee called me and my partner into their office. There was a FRASIER script David Angell was about to write. (It was the one where Lilith’s brother arrived in a wheelchair and became an evangelist. Michael Keaton played the part.) Peter & David asked if we would write it and for me that was a greater honor than even winning an Emmy.
David’s wife, Lynn, was also an inspiration. She devoted her life to helping others – tirelessly working on creating a children’s library and a center that serves abused children.
My heart goes out to their families. To all of the families.
I still can’t wrap my mind around it.
So tragic, so senseless, and even eleven years later, so inconceivable.
Remembering Larry Gelbart
As if 9/11 wasn't already the bleakest day in modern history, three years ago on that date Larry Gelbart passed away. He was 81. He was a dear friend, mentor, and inspiration. Thought I'd share with you again my thoughts on Larry. 
In addition to everything else, he wrote beautiful eulogies. With his flair for words and wit and warmth he constructed eloquent touching tributes. I used to kid him that he had to live forever because no one else could write them as well. And now I find myself in the agonizing position of trying to write his. First off, let me say, it won’t be as good.
So rather than tell you what you probably already know – that he was the Mozart of comedy writing and recipient of every honor but the Heisman Trophy – I’ll try to share some things you might not know; some personal stories.
In many ways the hardest part of writing scripts is turning them in. Because then you have to wait. And wait. And wait. It’s a stomach churning exercise filled with angst and insecurity and flashbacks of high school. After a day you’re an utter basket case. After a week you’re confessing to crimes you didn’t even commit.
When you turned in a script to Larry at 5:30 he called you at home to say he loved it… at 6:30. The first Rolaid hadn’t even dissolved in your stomach yet. Trust me, this is unheard of. But that was Larry. Empathetic, considerate, a mensch. He was the kindest man in an industry that seriously frowns on that sort of thing. Fortunately, he had the talent to overcome it.
And despite his enormous success, he was just as human as the rest of us mere boulevard
rd farcitiers. He arranged for house seats for my wife and I to see the original production of SLY FOX. Jacqueline Kennedy was sitting next to me. When I called the next day to thank him and tell him who was sitting on my left, he got very nervous. “Did she like it? Did she laugh? Which jokes?” He was thrilled to learn she did laugh, and I’d like to think thrilled that my wife and I laughed too but probably more Jackie. After all, she paid for her seat.
I mentioned one day in a rewrite that my favorite MASH episode was “the More I See You” with Blythe Danner guesting as Hawkeye’s former flame. A few days later I received a gift. In those days Larry used to write his scripts longhand on legal pads. He gave me a Xeroxed copy of his original first draft. And the Mozart comparison continues. There were no cross-outs. Every line was perfectly constructed. Emotion and humor flowed from speech to speech with absolute ease. How does one do that? It’s impossible! That draft (now bound) remains one of my most cherished possessions.
And by the way, he could write an entire MASH script in one night. He was incredibly fast. Stanley Donan was going to direct a movie called BLAME IT ON RIO. He was not happy with the draft his writer had ,turned in and asked Larry if as a favor, he’d read it and offer his suggestions. Larry said sure (Larry always said sure). The script was delivered to him Friday at 5:30. No, he didn’t call back with his reaction at 6:30. He waited until Monday morning. But he said he had so many problems with it that instead of just scribbling down some notes he took the liberty of REWRITING the whole screenplay himself. Unbelievable. Even Mozart didn’t compose an opera over the weekend. Larry said use what you like. Donan used every word.
A similar story: For rewrites we would dictate to our assistant, Ruth, who was lightening quick. There was a big Radar speech. Larry started pitching and was just on fire. We were in stitches. Ruth broke in, telling him to slow down. Even she couldn’t write that fast. Larry said, “Just get half” and kept going. The half she didn’t get was better than anything else on television.
Larry always sent thank you notes. Larry always dropped you a line wishing you well on your upcoming project. Larry always returned phone calls. Larry always emailed you right back. Larry even left comments on my blog. I half expect a thank you note for this essay.
His legacy will last forever. His work was timeless, universal, steeped in humanity, and brilliant. MASH will always air eight times a night, TOOTSIE and OH GOD! will forever be on your screens (be they 64” plasmas or 2” iPods), FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, and CITY OF ANGELS will be revived as long as there are stages.
Like any screenwriter, Larry had drawers and drawers of unproduced or unsold or unfinished projects. In June he just had a reading of a pilot he conceived. Last year he mounted a play in Chicago he was shepherding to Broadway. At the time of his death he was adapting one of his films into a musical and one of his musicals into a film. So yes, he left behind an amazing body of work but still we “just got half”.
Many people who knew him felt that Hawkeye Pierce was an idealized version of Larry. I’d like to think one of his other character creations was a more accurate representation of just who he was. God.
Enjoy the work of Larry Gelbart. You will laugh until you hurt. And for those of us who were blessed to have known him, we will hurt until we laugh.
I miss NBC WEEK
The networks are rolling out their new fall shows.
I think.
The premieres are scattered; some not even airing in their regular time slots. Or they premiere and are re-run later that same week. Or re-run on a sister cable network.
Some shows premiered in August. Others will debut after the World Series (which is now what, Christmas?).
And many shows now have two premieres. This is primarily a cable convention. A series is on for six weeks in the summer and then returns in January.
A few network series don’t even premiere on television. They get sneak previewed online. I once got a DVD of some new show in my ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY.
And the notion of the Fall Season itself is becoming antiquated. Shows are premiering all year long. What’s a TV nerd to do?
This is understandable, of course. With the current dizzying number of channels and series, anything conventional or unconventional a network can do to scare up an audience is good programming.
But what’s lost in all of this is the “event” status that the Fall Season used to have. Back in the Pleistocene Era when there were just three networks (there’s a real good book about life in the ‘60s written by… oh wait – that’s my book). Shows premiered only twice a year – the Fall and Mid-Season (January). New programming in the summer was either “Failure Theater” (airing the pilots they didn’t pick up) and variety shows hosted by guys hoping to snare a regular slot (some like Johnny Cash made it, others like John Gary didn’t).
There was great anticipation for the Fall Season. Promos ran all summer. And by promos I mean fifteen seconds, not the movie trailers we see today.
By September we were whipped into an utter frenzy. Only two weeks left before the world premiere of CAMP RUNAMUCK! How will I last that long? After a summer of interminable reruns, suddenly there was NEW STUFF again! Oh, the joy! 
Of the three networks, no one did premieres better than NBC. First off, you have to really use your imagination to picture NBC as a major influential network but it once was. And they billed their rollout as NBC WEEK. All of their shows – new or returning – premiered over one seven-day period in mid-September. You knew the date as well as your birthday.
They also offered a written program – like a yearbook – that you could send away for. Uber geek that I was (am) I used to send away for that sucker every year. There were big color pictures of all their new shows. Wow! PLEASE DON’T EAT THE DAISIES! I would pour through those pages with awe and wonder. 90 BRISTOL COURT – three sitcoms set in the same complex. What a concept!! (Forget that two were canceled by January.) 
In a way, I think the anticipation made the shows seem better than they actually were. I call this the “Dark Knight Rises Syndrome.” But there were usually enough cool new shows that NBC WEEK was never a disappointment. It’s not like the Oscars.
Today I don’t even bother to watch premieres. Most are so dreadful anyway. Jami Gertz moves into a neighborhood of space aliens. No thanks. If a show is good and gets decent buzz I will catch up with ON DEMAND or find it online. But I miss the days when the Fall Season was important to me. On the other hand, spending an afternoon studying a glossy multi-page brochure for NBC WEEK is the true definition of “Get a Life.”
My worst directing experience
You know what day it is.
First Friday Question is from DyHrdMET:
Have you ever had (or heard of) an audience boo at a scene, an actor, or more likely, a joke? Does the creative team simply re-write, or do they re-think whatever it was that went wrong?
Never heard of an actor being booed. Most writers on the stage are able to restrain themselves. But seriously folks, generally you avoid getting actors the audience might hate. Manny Ramirez will have a better chance of re-signing with the Red Sox than being hired to guest on HOT IN CLEVELAND.
Audiences won’t boo a joke per se but they will groan if a joke is terrible, and to me that’s worse. It’s usually a good idea to avoid puns or rape jokes. My position is if a joke doesn’t get a laugh, that happens; if it gets a groan that’s inexcusable because you should have known better. And yes, you would re-write and replace the offending line.
Except on ASK HARRIET. This was a short-lived sitcom on Fox in the ‘90s. I directed a couple of episodes. What a nightmare. My tenure was brief because I was constantly at odds with one of the executive producers. He constantly would insert horrible tasteless jokes and despite my pleading and the cast’s, he wouldn’t take them out. So we got any number of groans. And he just ignored them.
Fortunately, Fox didn’t. The series was quickly axed. And the shame is there were some terrific writers and actors on that show. Julie Benz, Ed Asner, and Willie Garson to name three. And they all deserved better. As did America.
Thomas Tucker asks:
Thanks for your story about Johnny Carson. For follow-up, did you ever work with Merv? 
Nope. Never did. But from what I always heard, Merv Griffin was a gentleman and pleasure to work for. I have been to his hotel. Does that count?
Here’s one from Mr. First Nighter:
Why do so many characters address others so formally? In real life, people are less formal, especially years into a relationship. One example that comes to find was Daphne always calling Frasier "Dr. Crane".
Well, Mr. First Nighter, in some cases people do address others formally as a sign of respect. In the case of Daphne, I feel calling Frasier Dr. Crane is appropriate.
There was a great episode of THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW where Mary just couldn’t call Mr. Grant “Lou.” Hasn't that happened to all of us at one time or another?
Recently I received a call from my old high school basketball coach. (He had read and enjoyed my book – have you ordered your copy yet????) I hadn’t spoken to him in years and yet I still called him Mr. Furlong. “John” just seemed wrong.
The best example of this involves my kids. They were in a school summer camp program. Annie was a camper (she was 14) and Matt (18) was a counselor. Campers were instructed to address the counselors formally. So she had to address her brother as “Mr. Levine.” That went over well.
Tim wonders:
What happens if an actor needs a sick day? If the actor has a minor role in the episode, do you simply just quickly rewrite his or her parts for the other characters? If possible, do you shoot around his or her scenes? Do you hire a goon somewhere to drag them out of bed and get them on stage?
You don’t need a goon. Most actors I know are troopers. If they’re sick, they’ll suck it up and be there on show night.
If they’re sick during the week of rehearsal usually you can get by without them for a day or two. I’m forever amazed at how quickly they can come in, learn 40 pages of dialogue and blocking and be ready to go in a day.
Obviously, if a main cast member is too sick to perform on show night you have to postpone. This is expensive but what are ya gonna do? There are no understudies. Tonight, playing the part of Sheldon on BIG BANG THEORY will be Oswald from the prop department. Not going to happen.
But people get sick and usually through the course of a season you have to occasionally juggle schedules, hiatus weeks, etc. to accommodate them.
Things are trickier if it’s a guest-star role or a day-player. It depends on the severity of their illness and the size and importance of the role of course, but there is the danger they’ll just be replaced. My advice to those actors: Don’t get sick.
And finally, from Win1908:
What are some of your favorite (and least favorite) ballparks you've visited around the country and is there one or two you haven't seen yet that you'd love to get to?
Favorites: Dodger Stadium, Safeco Field, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Target Field, Petco Park, AT&T Park, Citizen’s Bank Park, Yankee Stadium, Angel Stadium, Miller Park, Camden Yards, Coors Field, Comerica Park.
Least favorites: Tropicana Field and the Oakland Coliseum.
Parks I’ve never seen but would like to: PNC Park in Pittsburgh and the goofy new stadium in Miami.
What’s your question? Leave it in the comments section. Thanks, and have a great weekend.
64th Annual Primetime Emmy Nominations- BC's Final Picks
Pandora Will Open Up Her Emmy Nomination Box Thursday MorningLots of TV Stars will have visions of Emmy Statuettes dancing in their head this summer. (Photo by Bryan Curtiss)- Bryan Curtiss, Writer
On Thursday morning, Kerry Washington and Nick Offerman will announce the nominations for the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. One or both of them could be nominees this year. The Emmy Awards honor the best of television, but that is debatable. We each have our very own tastes in what we individually consider “The Best of Television” (please refer to The Bryan Awards as an example of this). But, year in, year out, there are more twists, shocks, and surprises than on Big Brother, and like with Big Brother, with the Emmy nominations, I have learned to “expect the unexpected.”
So, with that said, here are my final Emmy nomination predictions, starting with Comedy, then Drama, followed by Movie/Miniseries, and Variety/Reality.
Outstanding Comedy Series:
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Louie (F/X)
Modern Family (ABC)
Parks and Recreation (NBC)
30 Rock (NBC)
Upset Picks: Glee (Fox), New Girl (Fox), Veep (HBO)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory, CBS)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory, CBS)
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO)
Don Cheadle (House of Lies, Showtime)
Louis C.K. (Louie, F/X)
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock, NBC)
Upset Picks: Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation, NBC), Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men, CBS)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:
Laura Linney (The Big C, Showtime)
Laura Dern (Enlightened, HBO)
Zooey Deschanel (New Girl, Fox)
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation, NBC)
Tina Fey (30 Rock, NBC)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep, HBO)
Upset Picks: Lena Dunham (Girls, HBO), Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly, CBS), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie, Showtime), Lisa Kudrow (Web Therapy, Showtime)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
Ty Burrell (Modern Family, ABC)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family, ABC)
Ed O’Neill (Modern Family, ABC)
Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family, ABC)
Max Greenfield (New Girl, Fox)
Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation, NBC)
Upset Picks: Chris Colfer (Glee, Fox), Damon Wayans Jr. (Happy Endings, ABC), Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live, NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives, ABC)
Betty White (Hot in Cleveland, TV Land)
Julie Bowen (Modern Family, ABC)
Sofia Vergara (Modern Family, ABC)
Cloris Leachman (Raising Hope, Fox)
Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live, NBC)
Dark Horses: Jane Lynch (Glee, Fox), Casey Wilson (Happy Endings, ABC), Wendie Malick (Hot in Cleveland, TV Land), Jane Krakowski (30 Rock, NBC)
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series:
Alan Alda (The Big C, Showtime)
Michael J. Fox (Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO)
Matt Bomer (Glee, Fox)
Jimmy Fallon (Saturday Night Live, NBC)
Will Arnett (30 Rock, NBC)
Kelsey Grammer (30 Rock, NBC)
Upset Picks: Sean Hayes (Hot in Cleveland, TV Land or Parks and Recreation, NBC), Bobby Cannavale (Modern Family, ABC), Greg Kinnear (Modern Family, ABC), Louis C.K. (Parks and Recreation, NBC), Carl Reiner (Parks and Recreation, NBC)
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series:
Whoopi Goldberg (Glee, Fox)
Ellen Barkin (Modern Family, ABC)
Patricia Clarkson (Parks and Recreation, NBC)
Melissa McCarthy (Saturday Night Live, NBC)
Elaine Stritch (30 Rock, NBC)
Kathy Bates (Two and a Half Men, CBS)
Upset Picks: Susan Sarandon (The Big C, Showtime), Dot-Marie Jones (Glee, Fox), Doris Roberts, Rhea Perlman, and/or Kristin Chenoweth (Hot in Cleveland, TV Land), Kathryn Hahn (Parks and Recreation, NBC), Zooey Deschanel (Saturday Night Live, NBC), Elizabeth Banks (30 Rock, NBC), Susan Sarandon (30 Rock, NBC), Blythe Danner (Up All Night, NBC), Megan Mullally (Parks and Recreation or Up All Night, NBC)
Outstanding Drama Series:
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Downton Abbey – Masterpiece (PBS)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Homeland (Showtime)
Mad Men (AMC)
Upset Picks: Dexter (Showtime), The Good Wife (CBS), House (Fox), Smash (NBC)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire, HBO)
Kelsey Grammer (Boss, Starz)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, AMC)
Damian Lewis (Homeland, Showtime)
Dustin Hoffman (Luck, HBO)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men, AMC)
Upset Picks: Michael C. Hall (Dexter, Showtime), Hugh Laurie (House, Fox), Timothy Olyphant (Justified, F/X), Patrick J. Adams (Suits, USA)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
Glenn Close (Damages, The 101)
Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey, PBS)
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife, CBS)
Claire Danes (Homeland, Showtime)
Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU, NBC)
Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men, AMC)
Upset Picks: Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer, TNT), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey, PBS), Jessica Paré (Mad Men, AMC), Kerry Washington (Scandal, ABC), Debra Messing (Smash, NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, AMC)
Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad, AMC)
Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones, HBO)
Josh Charles (The Good Wife, CBS)
Mandy Patinkin (Homeland, Showtime)
John Slattery (Mad Men, AMC)
Upset Picks: Dylan Baker (Damages, The 101), Alan Cumming (The Good Wife, CBS), Walton Goggins (Justified, F/X), Neal McDonough (Justified, F/X), Jared Harris (Mad Men, AMC), Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men, AMC), Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age, TNT)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire, HBO)
Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad, AMC)
Dame Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey, PBS)
Christine Baranski (The Good Wife, CBS)
Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife, CBS)
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men, AMC)
Upset Picks: Morena Baccarin (Homeland, Showtime), January Jones (Mad Men, AMC), Megan Hilty (Smash, NBC), Anjelica Huston (Smash, NBC), Katharine McPhee (Smash, NBC)
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series:
Fred Willard (The Closer, TNT)
Chris Messina (Damages, The 101)
Michael J. Fox (The Good Wife, CBS)
Matthew Perry (The Good Wife, CBS)
Edward Asner (Hawaii Five-0, CBS)
Robert Morse (Mad Men, CBS)
Upset Picks: Paul McCrane (Harry’s Law, NBC), Alfred Molina (Harry’s Law, NBC), Mykelti Williamson (Justified, F/X), T.R. Knight (Law & Order: SVU, NBC)
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series:
Carrie Preston (The Good Wife, CBS)
Loretta Devine (Grey’s Anatomy, ABC)
Jean Smart (Harry’s Law, NBC)
Chloe Sevigny (Law & Order: SVU, NBC)
Joan Cusack (Shameless, Showtime)
Louise Fletcher (Shameless, Showtime)
Upset Picks: Debbie Allen (Grey’s Anatomy, ABC), Alexis Bledel (Mad Men, AMC), Julia Ormond (Mad Men, AMC), Bernadette Peters (Smash, NBC), Uma Thurman (Smash, NBC)
Outstanding Made for TV Movie or Miniseries:
American Horror Story (F/X)
Game Change (HBO)
Great Expectations – Masterpiece (PBS)
The Hatfields and McCoys (History)
Hemingway and Gellhorn (HBO)
Sherlock: Scandal in Belgravia (PBS)
Upset Picks: Five (Lifetime), Luther (BBC America), Page Eight – Masterpiece Contemporary (PBS), Treasure Island (SyFy)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Made for TV Movie or Miniseries:
Woody Harrelson (Game Change, HBO)
Clive Owen (Hemingway and Gellhorn, HBO)
Idris Elba (Luther, BBC America)
Bill Nighy (Page Eight, PBS)
Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock: Scandal in Belgravia, PBS)
Upset Picks: Dylan McDermott (American Horror Story, F/X), Dominic West (Appropriate Adult or The Hour, BBC America)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Made for TV Movie or Miniseries:
Connie Britton (American Horror Story, F/X)
Emily Watson (Appropriate Adult)
Julianne Moore (Game Change, HBO)
Nicole Kidman (Hemingway and Gellhorn, HBO)
Rachel Weisz (Page Eight, PBS)
Upset Picks: Patricia Clarkson (Five, Lifetime), Melissa Leo (The Space Between, USA)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Made for TV Movie or Miniseries:
Ed Harris (Game Change, HBO)
Powers Boothe (The Hatfields and McCoys, History)
David Strathairn (Hemingway and Gellhorn, HBO)
Ralph Fiennes (Page Eight, PBS)
Sir Michael Gambon (Page Eight, PBS)
Upset Picks: Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story, F/X), Jeffrey Tambor (Five, Lifetime), Peter MacNicol (Game Change, HBO), Tom Berenger (The Hatfields and McCoys, History), Tony Shalhoub (Five, Lifetime or Hemingway and Gellhorn, HBO), or Robert Duvall (Hemingway and Gellhorn, HBO)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Made for TV Movie or Miniseries:
Frances Conroy (American Horror Story, F/X)
Jessica Lange (American Horror Story, F/X)
Sarah Paulson (Game Change, HBO)
Mare Winningham (The Hatfields and McCoys, HBO)
Judy Davis (Page Eight, PBS)
Upset Picks: Gillian Anderson (Great Expectations, PBS or Moby Dick, Starz), Molly Parker (Hemingway and Gellhorn, HBO)
Variety Series:
The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Upset Picks: Conan (TBS), Kathy (Bravo), The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS)
Reality-Competition Program:
The Amazing Race (CBS)
American Idol (Fox)
Project Runway (Lifetime)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Top Chef (Bravo)
The Voice (NBC)
Upset Picks: Dancing With the Stars (ABC), Survivor (CBS), The X Factor (Fox)
Reality Host:
Phil Keoghan (The Amazing Race, CBS)
Ryan Seacrest (American Idol, Fox)
Tom Bergeron (Dancing With the Stars, ABC)
Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance, Fox)
Jeff Probst (Survivor, CBS)
Upset Picks: Heidi Klum (Project Runway, Lifetime), Padma Lakshmi (Top Chef, Bravo), Carson Daly (The Voice, NBC)
Other Things To Watch Out For:
- South Park being snubbed for Animated Program ("Jackin' It"- if submitted for Music and Lyrics, could sneak in that category)
- Can any other freshman series besides Homeland break in?
- What program will get 20 nominations or more?
- Are The Daily Show, The Amazing Race, Modern Family, and Mad Men beatable?
- What surprise snubs could happen?
The DJBC Happy Hour radio program will recap Thursday's nominations on Monday (July 23).
The 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Nominations Announcement
New Academy Chair Chris Rosenblum- "This is truly a Golden Age of Television."
"This is a weird dream, isn't it?"- Jimmy Kimmel (in his Husky Bee collection)
Drama Series: Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Homeland, Mad Men
Actress: Kathy Bates (Harry's Law), Glenn Close (Damages), Claire Danes (Homeland), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), Margulies (The Good Wife), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)
Actor: Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Damian Lewis (Homeland)
Minis: American Horror Story, Game of Thrones, Hatfields amd McCoys, Hemingway & Gellhorn, Luther, Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia- Masterpiece
Actress: Connie Britton (American Horror Story), Ashley Judd (Missing), Nicole Kidman (Hemingway & Gellhorn), Julianne Moore (Game Change), Emma Thompson (A Song of Lunch)
Actor: Kevin Costner (Hatfields and McCoys), Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia), Idris Elba (Luther), Woody Harrelson (Game Change), Clive Owen (Hemingway & Gellhorn), Bill Paxton (Hatfields and McCoys)
Reality Host: Tom Bergeron (Dancing With the Stars), Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance), Phil Keoghan (The Amazing Race), Ryan Seacrest (American Idol), Betty White
Reality Competiton: The Amazing Race, Dancing With The Stars, Project Runway, So You Think You Can Dance, Top Chef, The Voice
Variety: The Colbert Report, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Real Time with Bill Maher, Saturday Night Live
"That could have been uncomfortable."- Jimmy Kimmel
Actress: Zooey Deschanel (New Girl), Lena Dunham (Girls), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Tina Fey (30 Rock), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep), Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly), Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)
Actor: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Don Cheadle (House of Lies), Louis CK (Louie), Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
Comedy Series: The Big Bang Theory, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Girls, Modern Family, 30 Rock, Veep
All I can say is SHOCKERS! SHOCKERS! SHOCKERS!
Robin Roberts said that a lot of people that you just see in the movies are Emmy nominees. And she's right. From Julianne Moore to Nicole Kidman to Kevin Costner to Glenn Close, telvision is becoming an art form, once again.
Listen to The DJBC Happy Hour on Monday night on WCRS-FM, 102.1 and 98.3 and online at http://www.wcrsfm.org/ for a complete wrap-up of the Emmy nominations.