West Wing Soars at Emmys

It was a landslide victory the likes of which Emmy has never seen before.

NBCs acclaimed White House drama, The West Wing, parlayed its 18 Emmy nominations into nine trophies at the 52nd Annual Prime-Time Emmy Awards, broadcast live on ABC last night. It was the biggest single-year haul of any show in history, besting previous record-holders Hill Street Blues and ER, which tied with eight wins apiece.

"To sum it up, this is really a very good date night for us," commented Thomas Schlamme, who won for directing the West Wing pilot. The show also won for supporting actress Allison Janney, supporting actor Richard Schiff and writing.

On the comedy side, NBCs gay farce Will & Grace was the big winner, taking home top comedy honors as well as wins for its scene-stealing sidekicks, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally. In accepting the award, show co-creator Max Mutchnick clutched the Emmy and exclaimed: "She is so beautiful, and as a gay man ? I cannot believe that I'm saying this ? but I think I've finally met a girl I want to sleep with." He went on to thank NBC for its support of the series. "This award indicates a whole new meaning to the phrase 'acceptance speech.'"

The West Wing rout was bad news for The Sopranos, which managed just one win despite also receiving 18 nominations. In fact, had the shows top mobster, James Gandolfini, not picked up the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, another record would have been set Sunday evening: the biggest shutout in history. Backstage, Gandolfini admitted that he was disappointed by the shows poor showing. "I wish we'd done a little better," he said.

There was no such grousing among the West Wing ers. "In our first year we got to the championship," noted Mr. President himself, Martin Sheen, who lost the Lead Actor statue to Gandolfini. "James, of course, was selected most valuable player ? and deservedly so. But we won the game, and that's the important thing."

Sheens West Wing speechwriter, Rob Lowe, wasnt feeling too bad for the folks connected to the mob hit. "Theyre going to be around for a long time," he said, "and theyre going to get plenty of hardware because those guys rock."

But while the media made a big deal of the impending showdown between organized crime and politics, Schlamme put it best when he said bluntly. "There is no rivalry. We both go to work and work our butts off."

West Wing creator/executive producer Aaron Sorkin, who won for both writing and producing the drama, explained the appeal of the series. "I think by and large in movies and television shows, our leaders are portrayed either as dolts or Machiavellian and here they're neither," he said. "They're very bright, very energetic, terribly committed people. There are millions upon millions of people who are finding it hard not to watch them." Sorkin revealed that the shows two-part season opener will feature "extended flashback sequences" showing how the characters wound up in the White House.

Janney, who won for her role as press secretary C.J. Gregg, admitted that she thought the late Nancy Marchand of The Sopranos had a lock on the Supporting Actress in a Drama category. "She's amazing ? she's one of my heroes. I was totally shocked."

Schiff, West Wing s communications director, explained that sitting in the audience waiting to hear if he had won was similar to "look[ing] down the barrel of a gun. Everything slows down, your mind goes blank. It wasnt the most fun Ive ever had in my life.

Sela Ward brought home the gold as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for ABCs Once and Again. It was the only award the show was up for ? a fact that was not lost on the former Sisters star. "I'm happy to sort of carry the banner for the whole show," she told reporters, adding that viewers should anticipate rocky times for Lily and Rick (Billy Campbell) this season. "The honeymoon period is over. They'll be finding things out about each other you don't particularly like. [But] I think ultimately they'll end up together. I think it'd be interesting if they did. Most people think the story would be over, but I think there's so much you could explore in a fresh way."

Will & Grace's triumph coincides with the show's move to NBC's plum Thursday 9 pm/ET time slot. And as the shows leading man, Eric McCormack pointed out, "We have to make sure that we're not at the high point where we just drop off."

McCormacks Emmy-winning co-star Hayes downplayed talk that he was the favorite to win for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a comedy. "I feel like I'm kind of tagging along with the other four nominees," he told TV Guide Online while making his way into the Shrine Auditorium.

Backstage, Hayes was asked how his Jack character would have reacted to the win. "I think he'd scream so loud all the dogs would run," he joked, adding that he was still in shock. "I think it's pretty overwhelming. This is the part that you see on TV every year and I'm standing here. How strange is that?"

Hayes had "no opinion" about talk that he might eventually get his own spin-off. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I have a seven-year contract with Will & Grace. Talk to me when I'm 35."

Mullallys win came just months after she was the only Will & Grace cast member not nominated for a Golden Globe. Was this sweet vindication? "I've tried over the years to not think too much about that kind of stuff," she told TV Guide Online, "so when that happened I was really happy for the show but I didn't take it to heart too much.

Lead comedy acting honors went to Patricia Heaton of CBSs Everybody Loves Raymond and sentimental favorite Michael J. Fox for his final year of Spin City. Fox, who is focusing his time and energy on battling Parkinsons disease, received a standing ovation, and closed out his acceptance speech by saying, "Its been a great ride and, you know, stay tuned." Was he hinting at a possible guest appearance this season on Spin? "I'm really open to it and would love to," he later said. "I haven't pushed because they've got the whole business of getting the thing up and running and vital in this new format. But when [creator] Gary [David Goldberg] calls me I'd certainly love to."

And his health? "I feel pretty good," he said. "I feel OK. I'm at a place where with medication I'm fairly functional. I'm hopeful there will be some major breakthroughs really soon and I'm excited about expediting that process in whatever way I can as a private citizen. It's all about losing your brain without losing your mind and I think I'm managing to do that."

Heaton thanked God "for thinking me up, and my mother for letting me come out." Backstage, the actress conceded that she thought Will & Grace s Debra Messing was going to be the victor. "I was a little shocked because it looked like it was going to be Will & Grace all night," she said, "but you know I've had that darned speech memorized for about 20 years."

Foxs freshman smash Malcolm in the Middle picked up awards for writing and directing. Malcolm creator Linwood Boomer, honored for penning the shows pilot, gave reporters a sneak peek at the comedys upcoming season. "I can tell you that very early on our family takes a vacation and ends up on an artillery range and Lois (Emmy nominee Jane Kaczmarek) is held up at gunpoint at the crummy grocery store where she works," he revealed. He also said that theyre currently casting Lois's parents.

Among TV-movies, ABCs Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays With Morrie won five awards, including Outstanding Made for Television Movie, lead actor Jack Lemmon and supporting actor Hank Azaria. Sans his estranged wife, Helen Hunt (who was spotted at the U.S. Open in New York with her Pay It Forward co-star Kevin Spacey), Azaria conceded backstage, "This is pretty excellent. It's nice to be acknowledged."

Lemmon couldnt believe it "when I got a standing ovation," adding, "I thought that Brian Dennehy would probably get it because of the acclaim he got for the performance in [Death of a Salesman] ? although I don't think that the television version gave him justice." What did he think of the see-through dress worn by Geena Davis, who presented him with his award? "I thought it was terrific," he marveled. "She's the tallest thing I've ever seen."

Halle Berry followed up her Golden Globe win with an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for HBOs Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. Asked whether she prefers comedy or drama, she said: "I think I might be better at drama since I've won these awards for drama," she said, adding that, "I like that I get to do both. I like the diversity of going back and forth."

The Late Show With David Letterman won as Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series. Executive producer Rob Burnett explained the absence of the shows host. "Dave's been banned from the state of California for reasons I can't go into here," he joked, adding, "Dave's back home. He works really hard on the show. He's just trying to limit himself and work on the show."

Will it be easier to secure presidential hopeful George W. Bush, who has yet to commit? "I don't think it's going to help at all," admitted producer Maria Pope. "But we will get Tony Randall."

HBOs The Corner was named Outstanding Miniseries and Charles Dutton won for directing. He responded to criticism that the drama promoted African-American stereotypes. "This was a story I felt that needed to be told," he insisted. "It was a true story. It wasn't a figment of someones imagination. This is an element of African-American life ? and of white life. If we're going to do an African-American story, let's make it true, real and gritty."

Despite The Sopranos' near shutout, HBO still fared well overall, winning 20 Emmys. It was second only to NBCs 23. ABC, Fox and CBS rounded out the top five with 15, 11 and 7 wins each.

Other hot topics in the pressroom included the looming actors strike (the consensus: Theres gonna be one) and whether or not the changes in the Emmy voting procedure ? for the first time Academy members were allowed to screen submissions in the confort of their own home ? had any real impact.

For her part, Emmy winner Heaton gave two very enthusiastic thumbs up to the new rules. "I happen to think this change in voting is working extremely well," she said with a smile. "I like it!"