LOS ANGELES (Sept. 16) - "The Sopranos" turned its startling
cut-to-black final season into Emmy gold Sunday, winning the best
drama series award, and newcomer "30 Rock" was named best comedy
series.
The mob saga's victory was nearly unprecedented, with only one
other drama series, 1977's "Upstairs, Downstairs," having claimed
the top trophy after leaving the air.
"In essence, this is a story about a gangster," said "The
Sopranos" creator David Chase. "And gangsters are out there
taking their kids to college, and taking their kids to school, and
putting food on their table.
"And, hell, let's face it, if the world and this nation was run
by gangsters" - Chase paused and shrugged, as everyone laughed -
"maybe it is."
Freshman "30 Rock," set in the world of a late-night show akin
to "Saturday Night Live" and created by "SNL" veteran Tina Fey,
could be buoyed by its award. The critically acclaimed comedy has
lagged in the ratings.
Fey, who also stars in the series, jokingly thanked "dozens and
dozens of viewers."
"Sopranos" stars James Gandolfini and Edie Falco didn't fare
as well their show Sunday.
James Spader was named best drama series actor for "Boston
Legal," and talked as if he had pilfered it from fellow nominee
Gandolfini.
"Oh my goodness, I feel like I just stole a pile of money from
the mob. And they're all sitting over there," Spader said,
acknowledging him and the rest of "The Sopranos" cast in the
Shrine Auditorium audience.
Sally Field was honored as best actress in a drama for
"Brothers & Sisters." Falco was among her competitors.
"How can that be? These wonderful actors," Field said. Cleary flustered, she lost her train of thought at one point, shouting at the audience to stop applauding while she struggled to finish her acceptance speech, which at one point was cut by the Emmy broadcasters.
More on Field's Censored SpeechAmerica Ferrera of the campy "Ugly Betty" was named best
actress in a comedy series.
"This is such an amazing, wonderful achievement. The award is
to be able to get up and go to work tomorrow," Ferrera said.
HBO won a leading 21 awards, edging NBC's 19 trophies. ABC and
CBS tied with 10 each, followed by PBS with nine and Fox with
seven. The total reflect awards given Sunday and at last week's
creative arts ceremony.
The biggest laugh of the night was earned by presenters Jon
Stewart and Stephen Colbert, after they announced that Ricky
Gervais of "Extras" had won the award for best comedy series
actor.
"Ricky Gervais could not be here tonight. Instead we're going
to give this to our friend, Steve Carell," Stewart said. Carell, a
nominee for "The Office," bounded on stage, sharing a group hug
with Stewart and Colbert.
The Emmys spread the awards wealth.
Supporting actor honors went to stars of "Grey's Anatomy,"
"Lost," "Entourage" and "My Name is Earl."
"My own mother told me I didn't have a shot in hell at winning
tonight," said Katherine Heigl of "Grey's Anatomy." "This is my
dream come true. I've been doing this for 17 years."
A mob family, a former vice president and the cast of "Roots"
brought the audience to its feet at the ceremony.
Al Gore received a standing ovation as his Current TV channel,
which features viewer-created videos, was honored for achievement
in interactive television.
"We are trying to open up the television medium so that viewers
can help to make television, and join the conversation of
democracy, and reclaim American democracy by talking about the
choices we have to make," said Gore, whose global-warming
documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" received an Oscar earlier
this year.
Another standing ovation greeted the sprawling cast of "The
Sopranos," which gathered on stage after the drama had claimed
honors for best writing and directing. Actor Joe Mantegna paid
tribute to the show as "having changed the face of television."
Queen Latifah helped salute the groundbreaking miniseries
"Roots" on its 30th anniversary. The saga about a black American
family's history "brought great honor to the art form that we
celebrate tonight," she said.
"Let us all work to ensure that we all honor the legacy of
`Roots' not just tonight but in everything we do," added "Roots"
star John Amos, reunited onstage with his castmates to yet another
standing ovation.
The usually staid awards needed attention from the censors from
the start, with first presenter Ray Romano. He joked about his
former "Everybody Loves Raymond" wife, Patricia Heaton, sleeping
with her new "Back to You" co-star Kelsey Grammer.
But he used a stronger word, which prompted Fox to black out the
show for a few seconds. Heigl mouthed another expletive, which Fox
unsuccessfully tried to evade with a different camera shot.
Terry O'Quinn, who plays the mysterious John Locke on "Lost,"
was named best supporting actor in a drama.
"Sometimes when we're rolling around in the jungle in the mud,
hitting each other and stabbing each other, I wonder what it would
be like to bake up a sheet of cookies on Wisteria Lane and get one
of their checks," O'Quinn said, referring to "Desperate
Housewives."
"Then I think about my castmates and crewmates, and I realize
why I have the best job in the world," said O'Quinn, whose award
came in a resurgent creative season for the series.
Jeremy Piven, who plays a slick Hollywood agent on the comedy
"Entourage," was another early winner.
"What an embarrassment of riches to even be able to play this
role," said Piven.
"I want to thank our entire crew. I don't know any of their
names," he joked.
Jaime Pressly of "My Name is Earl," was named best supporting
actress in a comedy.
"Broken Trail" was honored as best miniseries and drew awards
for stars Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church.
Oscar winner Helen Mirren ("The Queen") was honored as best
actress in a miniseries or movie for "Prime Suspect," making her
the category's biggest winner with four awards.
"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" received its fifth
consecutive trophy as best variety, music or comedy series. Stewart
noted the satiric news show sent a correspondent to Iraq this year
who "found laughs in hell. I think it's the proudest thing we
found so far."
In an animated opening, cartoon characters from "Family Guy"
spoofed the industry in a song-and-dance number on a specially
designed set-in-the-round at the Shrine Auditorium.
Then host Ryan Seacrest took over.
He saluted hosts of years past, including Johnny Carson, Conan
O'Brien and Ellen DeGeneres: "Sure, they were brilliant, if that's
what you're into." After briefly bantering with audience members,
the "American Idol" host turned the ceremony over to the awards
and to those with comedy on their resumes.
Even Kayne West did his part, competing in a "Don't Forget the
Lyrics!" spoof with Rainn Wilson of "The Office." Told to finish
off the lyrics of West's new single, "Stronger," West sang
"you" instead of "ya" and Wilson got it right.
"I never win," muttered West, jokingly; he's been publicly
peeved over previous awards show losses.
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