After a slightly shakey start, I thought Ellen did a very nice job hosting the Emmys this year. Glad that “Daily Show” did as well as it did (although comparing what Hugh Jackman did in one show to what John Stewart does night after night seems ridiculous to me.) I’m glad that Felicity Huffman won for DH, and pleased/stunned that Shatner won for Boston Legal.
And speaking of Shatner, his expression mirrored mine for the winner of the surprisingly entertaining Emmy Idol competition. TRUMP? For his off-key rendition of the theme of “Green Acres?” No f’ing way. Shatner was my sentimental favorite for the theme to “Trek,” although Kristen Bell’s rendition of “Fame” showed anyone who missed “Reefer Madness” that she has singing and dancing chops (although…what? Neither Irene Cara nor Erica Gimpel were available? I mean, c’mon.) But DONALD TRUMP? Sheesh.
They’re missing a bet. They could make a whole prime time special out of the theme song thing. I once did that at an August Party convention years ago: Organized an entire afternoon entertainment that was like “Side by Side by Sondheim” except we sang TV theme songs. People were so dubious at first, and by the time we finished our program, we had volunteers lining up wanting to do more songs.
PAD
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I don’t know whether you may of caught this or not since CBS seemed to go to commerical rather quickly at the end of the Star Trek theme, but the film clips ended with a memorial close-up of DeForest Kelly and James Doohan together, the two cast members who alas are no longer with us.
Otherwise, Bell was ripped off, although it makes you wonder how the results would have turned out if the voters had more time.
I don’t know whether you may of caught this or not since CBS seemed to go to commerical rather quickly at the end of the Star Trek theme, but the film clips ended with a memorial close-up of DeForest Kelly and James Doohan together, the two cast members who alas are no longer with us.
That didn’t show on my feed, but it’s a very sweet gesture. I would have gotten snuffly.
Shatner was a pleasent surprise this evening – he was gracious and subdued in his win, and his expression mirrored almost everyone, I think, at the Emmy Idol results. It’s not like most of them were bad, and people just picked the best of the bad; the other three were actually (surprisingly) good. So, uh, Trump? The hëll?
-K
Here’s what occurs to me. They gave out the phone numbers in the last hour of the show. But if cbs.com started taking votes earliier, then pepople might have gone on line right after the Trump song and voted for it, giving him the biggest lead time. Anyone know how voting worked on line?
PAD
I know that on the West Coast taped showing, they didn’t even bother taking votes.
In fairness, while I thought Trump sucked, I’d have to say Megan Mullally did the best channeling of the gist of a tv character they didn’t actually play in her rendition of Lisa Douglas’ part of the Green Acres theme. So I prefer thinking the voters voted for her rather than the Donald.
Kristen Bell I thought was at the Sarah Michelle Gellar level of singing, but got points both for doing the dancing required for that song and looking darn good in that Flashdance outfit.
But I know how Shatner could’ve won. By doing what I wanted to see. Instead of an opera singer doing the instrumental part of the theme, they should’ve had Shatner sing the lyrics Gene Roddenberry wrote to grab half the royalties for the theme from its composer, Alexander Courage. I mean, just imagine Shatner singing the following:
Beyond
The rim of the star-light
My love
Is wand’ring in star-flight
I know
He’ll find in star-clustered reaches
Love,
Strange love a star woman teaches.
I know
His journey ends never
His star trek
Will go on forever.
But tell him
While he wanders his starry sea
Remember, remember me.
That would’ve set new standards for cheesiness, matey.
Tom Galloway said:
That would’ve set new standards for cheesiness, matey
I don’t know? Have you actually bothered listening to Has Been?
Interesting to note that the “theme song bit” was done on the “Family Guy: Live in Las Vegas” CD. Stewie and Brian sang duets, a la Sandler and Young, to various 70’s themes like “Silver Spoons,” “Who’s the Boss” and “Family Ties.” And, for cartoon voices, remarkably nicely, with little screwing around. (During the “Who’s the Boss,” Stewie does tell Brian, “Sing it, you f***!” – a little gratuitously, I think.)
Yeah, the Trump/Mullaly rendition was definitely the weakest. Heck, I’d have given it to Shatner, and if not him, then “The Jeffersons” or “Fame.”
I was actually rather disappointed in the results this year. Glad to see Shatner win, and Spader was certainly a surprise, given his competition. I would have expected Marcia Cross or Teri Hatcher, but Felicity Huffman is hugely talented, so I’m glad it went to her. I’m glad Lost won well deserved Emmys, though disappointed that Terry O’Quinn didn’t walk home with the supporting actor Emmy.
I’m disappointed that Doris Roberts won over Jessica Walter. By far, though, my biggest disappointment is that Jason Bateman and Zach Braff were passed over in the lead actor-comedy category, and that Arrested Development lost the outstanding comedy series Emmy. Raymond was a great show, but it had a rather mediocre final year. AD is always brilliant, always funny. I’d have rather seen AD or Scrubs take home the best comedy award, personally.
Oh, and incidentally, I’m thrilled that the Daily Show picked up a couple of Emmys, for outstanding variety series and outstanding writing for a variety series. 🙂
Sorry, but I couldn’t vote for Kristen Bell. Everyone else was singing live, but she was clearly lip-synching. Don’t get me wrong – it’s impressive to be able to remember the choreography while lip-synching, but it felt like too big a cheat. The camera guys were smart enough not to zoom in on her too often, though.
I’m also with Tom — I was holding out for The Shat to sing the original lyrics. ::sigh::
Yeah, it’s really outrageous for an actress (not a singer/dancer, mind you) to lip synch while doing a pretty involved dance routine.
I imagine the Emmy producers would be happy to know that “Emmy Idol” has engendered such lasting conversation 😉
I’ll admit it. I voted for Trump/Mullaly and Green Acres. (I did it online, but after all four performances, so I can’t say if it was open for voting before all four performances were done.) It was funny, gosh darn it! Trump playing (again) against his ba-zillionaire image! Megan Mullaly briefly singing her heart out! One of the classic older TV themes! A cheesy, light-hearted performance that was certainly no worse than a good karaoke performance! Yeah, I admit it–that was good enough for my vote for a cheesy, light-hearted “competition.” Certainly more than the ordinary-at-best presentation of “Fame” (nice choreography, though. Kudos to the back-up dancers, especially the guy who lifted Kristen Bell, almost dropped her, but didn’t) or the straight-fun-but-not-as-surreal-as-Farmer-Trump version of “Movin’ On Up.” And after his “My Way” at George Lucas’s AFI tribute, I think I expect better cheesiness from Shatner. I mean, I’d probably have voted for him if he’d sung the original lyrics. Or (as much as I admire opera singers) if *he* did the “ah-ah-ahhhhh’s…
So, yeah, I voted Green Acres! And I’d do it again 😉
More thoughts, sorry…
They could make a whole prime time special out of the theme song thing.
Betcha TVLand will do something like this sooner than later 😉
I once did that at an August Party convention years ago: Organized an entire afternoon entertainment that was like “Side by Side by Sondheim” except we sang TV theme songs. People were so dubious at first, and by the time we finished our program, we had volunteers lining up wanting to do more songs.
Sounds like a great event, and a lot of fun. Which reminds me–apparently, in October, there’ll be a concert of comics-related showtunes as a Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art fundraiser (see http://www.moccany.org/ev-10-24-05.html )Might be a fun night for any fans in the New York area!
My understanding is that it was only online and text messaging. There was no voting via phone. THey did not give out the way to vote till they were finished with all the songs.
Phil – in what is nominally a singing competition, I want to see someone singing. If this were SO YOU THINK EMMYS CAN DANCE, then the “Fame” number would have won hands down.
Please note I never used the word “outrageous.”
You’re a huge VERONICA MARS fan, aren’t you?
Glad that Lost and Tony Shaloub won…though I still can’t figure out how Monk is considered a comedy. Sure, it’s got some funny moments, but comedies should not make you cry as much as Monk does.
Personally I thought this year’s Emmy’s was kind of a yawn. Everyone loves Raymond? Talk about a “whatever”. I’ve pretty much disliked that show from the beginning, despite Brad Garrett whom I must admit is a hoot. The bìŧçhÿ wife played by Patricia Heaton drove me nuts. When watching it invariably I’d turn to my boyfriend and say “Leave me if I ever get that mean.”
I gotta agree with you on the Jackman over Jon Stuart, I was scratching my head on that one.
I wished Star Trek woulda gotten the kudos too, although I did wince in the beginning because the entire audience started laughing as soon as Shatner said “Space….” and there he was trying to be serious. (That was sarcasm, btw.)
I was surprised it was even in the running. (And where the heck was “Gilligan’s Island” or the “Flinstones” for pure sing-along?) I missed “The Jeffersons” but I woulda thought that would have been a good choice too. Green Acres was gitchy and performed by two currently beloved characters and that’s why it won, in my opinion.
Other than that, Glad to see “Lost” do fairly well. New season this week!
All self-congratulatory crap. If you need more pats on the back then high ratings and a dedicated audience, you are lacking. Emmys seem like a waste.
I’m glad Shatner and Spader won. as for that Emmy Idol thing, I would have given it to Kristin Bell.Man that girl can dance. though, I could have certainly have understood if Shatner won. Trump? No way!
I’m sorry, but the real Emmy Idol was Conan O’Brien last night for his stirring rendition of the “Charles in Charge” theme.
Conan, along with his writers, also had the best ‘writing category montage’ this year, scrolling the non-Conan writers down the screen real quick and then cutting to a lingering, romance novel cover-type shot of a windswept Conan against a pastoral backdrop.
Come to think of it, the fun the writers of the late night shows have with their montages is probably the only part of the Emmys you can always rely on to be funny. Espeically when the hosts are as uninspired as Ellen DeGeneres.
-Dave O’Connell
Conan, along with his writers, also had the best ‘writing category montage’ this year, scrolling the non-Conan writers down the screen real quick and then cutting to a lingering, romance novel cover-type shot of a windswept Conan against a pastoral backdrop.
Ðámņ I pìššëd I forgot to mention that one! That was great. The “men of pørņ” shots in the first group (can’t remember which group of writers that was) was pretty clever too.
Sorry, that first part of my previous post was supposed to be in quotes!
Ya think Leno was miffed they picked Letterman over him to do the Carson tribute? I suppose it didn’t matter since Carson himself apparently wanted Letterman to take his spot…
And yes dammit, I teared up even though I’ve seen the exact same tribute a gabillion times. I fall for that sentimental crap every time.
Please note I never used the word “outrageous.”
If you had, you would have pegged yourself as a JEM! fan.
First off, I’d like to say up front, that I’m a huge fan of Veronica Mars and Jem!
As for the Emmy Idol, NEVER DO THAT CRAP AGAIN!
Who thought up Donald Trump singing? If Simon Cowell had been there, he’d have gone insane and found the nearest blunt object and beaten him to the death he so richly deserves the buffoonish clod.
The awards: It’s a joke to see Everybody Loves Raymond winning anything.
Lead actor in a drama to James Spader? Oh please, if he was so good, why couldn’t he draw in people to actually watch the show so that it didn’t get pulled off the air early last season.
There were only 3 real candidates and they all got bent over and screwed hard and fast. Hugh Laurie who was the dark horse for me, and then the coin flip: Kiefer Sutherland (when will he and the show get some love?) and the profane Shakespearen Ian McShane for Deadwood.
Best Actress is a drama: Okay, I like Patricia Arquette and Medium, but I don’t see how she beat out Jennifer Garner (another who needs to be shown some Emmy Love) or the odds on favorite Glenn Close. And Kristen Bell didn’t even get nominated, and she’d have been my choice then.
Best Drama Series: I love Lost, but come on, it started off great and it kind of meandered the rest of the year. For pete’s sake it’s not even the best show on Wednesday nights. (Paging Veronica Mars) When will 24 get the love? and Deadwood was freaking brilliant. And hello, they didn’t even have the çøjøņëš to nominate The Wire.
Arrghh I get so ticked off!
One thing I did love was Felicity Huffman winning lead actress in a comedy.
Okay, not because it was desperate housewives, a show I don’t watch, but because she got the Emmy Love she should’ve gotten for Sports Night, and how freaking cool was it that she gave a shout out to Sports Night TWICE during her speech. God I love that woman!
Biggest Emmy tragedy was that Jeremy Pivin did to win supporting comedy actor for his role in Entourage
Huffman winning was nice because she was an unexpected but deserving winner.
Of the housewives, Hatcher gets press for being the comeback kid turned mega-star, Cross gets press for whining about Hatcher’s press, and Longoria gets press for being the young one on all the men’s magzine covers. Huffman just goes about doing her job (though her character and plot lines are what led me to drop watching the show…go figure).
Laurie got screwed. And I’m bummed I missed Kristen Bell singing and dancing. She kicked butt in Reefer Madness (and will in the eventual Veronica Mars Musical).
And really, all Shatner and Spader’s wins will do is encourage Boston Legal’s writers to increase the downward spiral of 1 diminsionality we see on the show.
I thought “Lost” premiered last week?
Oh, no. Nevermind. That was the producers of the show shutting down a beach in Waikiki and showing the premiere a week ahead of schedule, on a large screen, with food and entertainment provided around it.
The burden of living in Hawaii…
RLR
^^^
Thats a burden I could live with. (;
First, to mention one great moment that will definitely be among the most-remembered acceptance speeches of ANY awards for for a long time, there was S. Epatha Merkerson’s win for “Lackawanna Blues.” For those who didn’t see it and haven’t heard about it, she had a speech written down and stuck inside her cleavage, only to have the paper fall farther down (but not out of) her dress.
Also, Peter, I see you’re doing Mid-Ohio-Con this year. In recent years at this show, Andy Hallett, Lorne from “Angel,” has been hosting a karaoke party on Saturday nights. Something to possibly look forward to.
>And really, all Shatner and Spader’s wins will do is encourage Boston Legal’s writers to increase the downward spiral of 1 diminsionality we see on the show.
Wow, speaking as both one who has watched as a Sunday night schlub and a practicing therapist, I have found the show to be rish in depth of character. Each character certainly has their ongoing quirkiness, but every one of them also has shown true depth of emotional response and/or restraint throughout the past year and a half.
Fred
Rob Thomas said in an interview that they will not do a Veronica Mars musical episode, as only Kristen can sing. Their gimmick episode will be a Clue episode. Interview is at http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com.
“Laurie got screwed.”
No, Laurie got nominated. Edward James Olmos got screwed.
PAD
Kristen Bell got screwed for not receiving at least a nomination for Lead Actress in a Drama.
Gotta agree with you Peter, music brings people together.
My wife and I had Karaoke at our wedding reception and it went over gangbusters! Highlight of the night was my dad – who didn’t think the idea would work – singing “Mrs Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” for my mom (her maiden name is Brown)
‘course the lowlight of same was him trapping all my buddies into singing “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” – pity my friend Brian, who got a comradely drunken arm thown over his shoulders as all the other guys retreated.
Gotta agree with you Peter, music brings people together.
My wife and I had Karaoke at our wedding reception and it went over gangbusters! Highlight of the night was my dad – who didn’t think the idea would work – singing “Mrs Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” for my mom (her maiden name is Brown)
‘course the lowlight of same was him trapping all my buddies into singing “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” – pity my friend Brian, who got a comradely drunken arm thown over his shoulders as all the other guys retreated.
Gotta agree with you Peter, music brings people together.
My wife and I had Karaoke at our wedding reception and it went over gangbusters! Highlight of the night was my dad – who didn’t think the idea would work – singing “Mrs Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” for my mom (her maiden name is Brown)
‘course the lowlight of same was him trapping all my buddies into singing “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” – pity my friend Brian, who got a comradely drunken arm thown over his shoulders as all the other guys retreated.
How can you all sit here calmly discussing the Emmys when the Yakuza are controlling our weather with Soviet-era weather control technology? Have you no decency?
So in early 1990, the weather engineering operations over North America were assumed from the FSB/KGB by the Yakuza/Aum Shinrikyo teams, and operations continued with the Yakuza’s leased giant scalar interferometers. The weather engineering against the United States continues today under the rogue Japanese teams on site in Russia, with direct FSB/KGB supervision.
In 2004 we have entered the 2-year “final preparation phase”. These operations have been intensified and will continue to be intense, wreaking great economic damage. Hurricanes Charlie, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, etc. have been no exception to the Yakuza weather engineering, which included directly influencing and controlling each hurricane’s power and behavior, as well as directing its course and speed so as to choose its targeting path. Indeed, Ivan did a 180 degree turn, and Jeanne did a 360 degree loop before reaching Florida, demonstrating the degree of control available.
It isn’t global warming. That’s just silly. It’s Japanese gangsters with giant lasers.
Curses. Did it again. The paragraph before the pithy comment about Japanese gangsters was supposed to be in bold as well. I apologize, Tom Bearden. Please don’t sic the Yakuza Weathermen on me.
Does anyone know who sang the Star Trek theme to Shatner on the Emmys? Is it available (CD, sound bite). One of the best performances of the haunting theme.
I attended many a August Parties. I enjoyed all those Sunday skits you did. I wish some of the scrips/video were available.