Question: It seems like most of the outrage over the Emmys has focused on the absences of some important actors in the major categories, but I stumbled across a nomination hardly ever spoken of. What's your take on Ellen Burstyn's nomination for supporting actress in a TV film, for her work in Mrs. Harris. Apparently, she only has two lines, appears in the film only once, and is listed in the credits as "Ex-Lover No. 3." Now, as mad as the snubs of Hugh Laurie, James Gandolfini, Lauren Graham, Jason Lee, etc, make me, I can still see some dignity in these awards. But how can an Emmy be worth anything if showing up for 20 seconds gets you a nomination just because your name is familiar to voters? Seriously, will she even show up? Her entire performance could be shown as a clip at the show!
Answer: Even by the Emmys' low standards of credibility, this is laughable, preposterous and embarrassing. There's no question the reason she got a nomination for this heightened cameo is because
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Question: What's with the diss of Stockard Channing? She was brilliant on Out of Practice. I'd rank her comic timing right up there with the comedy legends. Can you seriously see Lauren Graham playing the role so well? I can't. Comedy requires a particular ability and talent that dramatic and "light" comedic actresses can't do. Face it. Graham belongs in drama, not comedy. Channing is right where she belongs.
Answer: I've got no beef with Stockard Channing, generally. She's a class act and is especially adept at the highly theatrical and sardonic sort of clowning she was called upon to do on the short-lived Practice. Even so, in my opinion (and clearly fans of this show will disagree), she has done much better work elsewhere — as is the case with everyone on that show, from her costars to the writers. I may have missed an episode or two that showcased her best work on this so-so series, but my impression was that she was pushing it a bit, forcing the sometimes cringe-inducing material.
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Question: Seriously, who does Stockard Channing have embarrassing photos of? She gets nominated for the Emmys every year — even if she wasn't actually on television.
Answer: Amen, sister. This is probably a good time for me to point out that the majority of my beef is not with the Academy. I applaud them for revamping the voting system in an effort to try to spread the Emmy wealth. I think the changes made perfect sense, and I had every reason to believe it would fix what continually ailed the whole process. No, my problem is with this special blue-ribbon panel. The folks who sat in that screening room on June 24 and 25 and watched Hugh Laurie work his magic on House and still deemed him unworthy of a nomination. Geena Davis is a fabulous actress, but even her best episode of Commander in Chief does
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Question: Six of one, half dozen of the other, huh? So much for the "improved" Emmy nomination process. It seems that just as many glaring omissions were made this time around as before, just different ones. Now, rather than the overlooked performers from small shows getting shafted, the respected stars from equally respected shows got the pie in the face. How any panel of humans viewing televised programming could find five more deserving fellow Homo sapiens than Hugh Laurie in the best-lead-actor category boggles the mind. Yes, Denis Leary, Gregory Itzin and Jean Smart got welcome nods, but the rest? Sheesh! No James Gandolfini or Edie Falco, but Martin Sheen and Geena Davis? No Jason Bateman or Lauren Graham, but Kevin James and Sto
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Question: I am so disappointed that Out of Practice was canceled. I found the show hilarious. Do you know if the remaining episodes will be aired over the summer?
Answer: This hasn't been mentioned in CBS' summer programming releases (burning off canceled shows rarely is). But I wouldn't be surprised if these episodes showed up, relatively unannounced, on Mondays sometime this summer, replacing repeats of some show or other. (After all, the episodes were filmed and paid for. What would be the harm?) Keep watching the listings ...
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