Everybody Loves the Emmys...
It’s been a while and I can happily say that’s because, with the exception of mothering and the usual endless loads of laundry, I’ve been working. Writing, entering contests, querying, getting rejected, and planning fall projects. All but the rejections have been quite satisfying.
Anyway, I took some time out last night to watch the Emmys, mainly because Arrested Development and my House-man, Hugh Laurie, were up for awards. The TV awards aren’t the sartorial and linguistic train wreck that is the Oscars, and as Martha Stewart would say, that’s a good thing. They move faster, have no pretension, and the skits are entertaining (last night’s hilarity: “Emmy Idol” in which celebs made dorks of themselves singing theme songs from old shows). I took notes and herewith is my mini-review:
1. William Shatner is a star. No, he’s his own (ever-expanding) galaxy. Anyone who can get rock-star applause and squeals from an audience of jaded Tinseltownians with just the mention of his name as a nominee should be acknowledged as a celestial phenomenon. He brought down the house with his turn as an Emmy Idol, in a pompous recitation of his famous Star Trek "Space...the final frontier..." soliloquy, with mezzo-soprano Federica von Staude giving the background shrieks the full “Ride of the Valkyries” treatment. And when he lost the Emmy Idol voting, the camera cut to him and his amazing, “We wuz robbed,” reaction. He wasn’t quite robbed because…
2. The Idol winners, Donald Trump and Meghan Mullaly (as her Will & Grace “Gabor” character, Karen) singing the Green Acres theme, was the most surreal moment on TV…ever.
3. The wins were predictable and boring; all Raymond all the time. There were a few exceptions, especially Law & Order’s S. Epatha Merkerson’s (oops, my spell check just blew up) endearing reaction when she won for Lackawanna Blues and also the hi-larious dance she did trying to retrieve her speech, which she’d stuffed into her dress for safe keeping. (“My mother’s watching,” she said as she jiggled and searched. “She’s gonna die!”
4. Why were all the nominees for the writing awards stuck in the nosebleed section? Oh yeah, we get no respect! I cringed when the writer who won for “Warm Springs,” a miniseries about FDR’s battle with Polio, had to tramp 46 miles to the stage—with a cane. Eek.
5. Though there were many fab celebs in the prime spots up front, you’d think the entire “stars” contingent consisted of Whoopi, Shatner, and Quentin Tarentino (damn, there goes spell-check again, and I just fixed it!). If I were the director I’d keep the camera OFF Quentin—even if he won. Next to him, Rondo Hatton is HOT (ooh, sorry for the obscure 40s movie villain reference).
6. And finally, the fashions. They were downright respectable, much to my disappointment. Patricia Arquette’s Barbara Stanwyk circa-1942 canoli-do set my 40s-loving heart ablaze, but not so much all the back-less dresses. The camera followed back-less Lauren Graham out to the podium and she looked like the last scrawny chicken left at the deli. No woman should go back-less. Men should, they’ve got the sculpture for it. Maybe some savvy designer should design the back-less tux. Uh, on second thought…envisioning Shatner and his porky (but lovable) Boston Legal co-star James Spader…maybe not.
Okay, that wraps it up, now to get back to the real work…planning for the Oscars!
Janet – No power in the ‘verse can stop me! Only 10 days until Serenity…
Anyway, I took some time out last night to watch the Emmys, mainly because Arrested Development and my House-man, Hugh Laurie, were up for awards. The TV awards aren’t the sartorial and linguistic train wreck that is the Oscars, and as Martha Stewart would say, that’s a good thing. They move faster, have no pretension, and the skits are entertaining (last night’s hilarity: “Emmy Idol” in which celebs made dorks of themselves singing theme songs from old shows). I took notes and herewith is my mini-review:
1. William Shatner is a star. No, he’s his own (ever-expanding) galaxy. Anyone who can get rock-star applause and squeals from an audience of jaded Tinseltownians with just the mention of his name as a nominee should be acknowledged as a celestial phenomenon. He brought down the house with his turn as an Emmy Idol, in a pompous recitation of his famous Star Trek "Space...the final frontier..." soliloquy, with mezzo-soprano Federica von Staude giving the background shrieks the full “Ride of the Valkyries” treatment. And when he lost the Emmy Idol voting, the camera cut to him and his amazing, “We wuz robbed,” reaction. He wasn’t quite robbed because…
2. The Idol winners, Donald Trump and Meghan Mullaly (as her Will & Grace “Gabor” character, Karen) singing the Green Acres theme, was the most surreal moment on TV…ever.
3. The wins were predictable and boring; all Raymond all the time. There were a few exceptions, especially Law & Order’s S. Epatha Merkerson’s (oops, my spell check just blew up) endearing reaction when she won for Lackawanna Blues and also the hi-larious dance she did trying to retrieve her speech, which she’d stuffed into her dress for safe keeping. (“My mother’s watching,” she said as she jiggled and searched. “She’s gonna die!”
4. Why were all the nominees for the writing awards stuck in the nosebleed section? Oh yeah, we get no respect! I cringed when the writer who won for “Warm Springs,” a miniseries about FDR’s battle with Polio, had to tramp 46 miles to the stage—with a cane. Eek.
5. Though there were many fab celebs in the prime spots up front, you’d think the entire “stars” contingent consisted of Whoopi, Shatner, and Quentin Tarentino (damn, there goes spell-check again, and I just fixed it!). If I were the director I’d keep the camera OFF Quentin—even if he won. Next to him, Rondo Hatton is HOT (ooh, sorry for the obscure 40s movie villain reference).
6. And finally, the fashions. They were downright respectable, much to my disappointment. Patricia Arquette’s Barbara Stanwyk circa-1942 canoli-do set my 40s-loving heart ablaze, but not so much all the back-less dresses. The camera followed back-less Lauren Graham out to the podium and she looked like the last scrawny chicken left at the deli. No woman should go back-less. Men should, they’ve got the sculpture for it. Maybe some savvy designer should design the back-less tux. Uh, on second thought…envisioning Shatner and his porky (but lovable) Boston Legal co-star James Spader…maybe not.
Okay, that wraps it up, now to get back to the real work…planning for the Oscars!
Janet – No power in the ‘verse can stop me! Only 10 days until Serenity…
posted by Janet at 7:08 PM
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