No Round of Applause for "Emmys-in-the-round"
James Spader by John Shearer/WireImage.com
It kinda looked cool when first unveiled, but the "theater in the round" approach to this year's Emmy Awards telecast drew decidedly mixed reactions from those who partook in the festivities. "It was very disconcerting... the way they had the theater set up," James Spader (
Boston Legal) said after grabbing gold for Lead Actor in a Drama Series. "So many people you wanted to be addressing were behind you. Literally all of my bosses were sitting behind me, and so were the other nominees."
Conan O'Brien, after winning for writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program, countered that thought by saying, "It was neat to try it in the round, and [Ryan Seacrest] was right to not do [a previous host's] awards show." Seacrest, however, "is on TV way too much," O'Brien, the show's 2006 emcee, quipped. "It's not good for anyone."
Related:
Emmy Ratings... Out! Smallest Audience Since 1990
