Unsung Emmy Nominees

The primetime Emmy nominations came out this morning and you know what that means.  Tears, cheers and crying in beers.

"Lost" was unfairly shut out of the major categories.  Anybody on the drama committee see the finale?  Anybody see Matthew Fox at work?  Guess not. "Boston Legal" and James Spader continue to be darlings---God knows why.  "The Sopranos" are the early favorites for everything 'cause they're outta here---in spite of that stupid finale.  Hugh Laurie should win for "House" because the show is nothing without him, but "The Sopranos" mob juggernaut will roll right over the good doctor.  I don't watch "Friday Night Lights," but if Robert Bianco of USA Today and Matt Roush of TV Guide both think it's great, I'll trust that the Emmy drama committee screwed that one up as well.  "Desperate Housewives" and "24" were shut out of Outstanding Comedy and Drama and considering their less than great seasons last year, I have no problem with that.

Plenty of writers and bloggers are going to talk about the major categories, so I wanted to do something different.  After printing out my own official copy of the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Award Nominations---it came out to 29 pages!---here's some analysis of some lesser known categories.

Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics

• Family Guy: My Drunken Irish Dad
• MADtv: Merry Ex-Mas
• Saturday Night Live:  Dick In A Box
• Scrubs: Everything Comes Down To Poo
• Scrubs: Guy Love

First of all I demand a medley of these songs on Emmy night.  It would be the best award show production number ever and next year it might win an Emmy.

But to the award, this is easy, easy, easy.  If you haven't seen the video, watch it here and I dare you to tell me that Justin Timberlake, Jorma Taccone, Katreese Barnes, Asa Taccone, Akiva Schaffer, and Andy Samberg shouldn't win for "Dick In A Box."

SNL's Christmas episode featured this classic music video with Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg singing a hip hop love song about what to give their ladies for Christmas.  It's absolutely hysterical.

Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup For A Series, Miniseries, Movie Or A Special

(No, I'm not kidding)

• CSI
• Grey's Anatomy
• House
• MADtv
• Nip/Tuck

You might think "CSI" should win this hands down and it might.  But my particular preference is for Dalia Dokter, Jamie Kelman, and Ed French of "House."  This episode was about a very, very, very fat man who was dying from the disease of the week and doing it in the most gross and vomit inducing way possible.

"Nip/Tuck" gets an honorable mention because the whole show is built on a foundation of prosthetic makeup.

Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series

• Desperate Housewives
• Entourage
• 30 Rock
• Weeds
• Ugly Betty

Libby Goldstein and Junie Lowry Johnson for "Ugly Betty."   

America Ferrera is touching and adorable and should be a lock for Outstanding Comedy Actress,  but the team that helped cast America (Betty Suarez), Eric Mabius (the slick Daniel Meade),  Ana Ortiz (Queens home girl Hilda Suarez),  Vanessa Williams (the viciously bitchy Wilhelmina Slater), and the dastardly couture duo of Michael Urie (Marc) and Becki Newton (Amanda) should definitely by rewarded with an Emmy.

Outstanding Choreography

• Dancing With The Stars
• So You Think You Can Dance
• Tony Bennett:  An American Classic

Louis Van Amstel for "Dancing With The Stars" should take this one.  He's the dancer who partnered with Monique Coleman and Lisa Rinna and made both of them look like a lifelong hoofers---and really hot to boot.

Remember, Cheryl Burke didn't win two years in a row only because she partnered with good dancers, she's a great choreographer who shows off her partner's strengths and Van Amstel is as well.

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Drama Series

• Dexter
• Heroes
• Lost
• The Sopranos

I have a soft spot for editors and Stephen Semel, Mark J. Goldman, Henk Van Eeghen, and Christopher Neslon the editors of the "Lost" 2 hour season finale, "Through The Looking Glass" are my picks to win this one.

The "Lost" season finale had to dance along a tightrope of storytelling without giving away the final dramatic ending too soon.  That was a function of great directing, great writing and yes, great editing.

Outstanding Hairstyling For A Series

• Dancing With The Stars
• Deadwood
• Desperate Housewives
• Rome
• Ugly Betty

Even though "Dancing With The Stars" has the hair gel concession in this category, I still think the win should go to "Ugly Betty."  Mary Ann Valdes, Lynda K. Walker and Norma Lee did the hairstyles for the "I'm Coming Out" episode---the one where Rebecca Romjin reveals herself as the rebuilt "late Alex Meade."  It's fashion week and all the models have great model hair and Betty's sister even sets one hairstyle on fire...literally.

The Emmy Awards air on Fox on September 16.  I'm sure I'll be talking a lot more about them way before then.