Emmy Noms Reaction- Comedy

The 2011 Emmy nominations were announced just about a week ago. Below are some of my reactions on who earned nods, who didn't, and how my predictions worked out. Today we take a look at the comedy awards...

Comedy Series

Spot On
30 Rock
Big Bang Theory
Glee
Modern Family
The Office

Prediction
Hot In Cleveland

Result
Parks and Recreation

The pleasant surprise here for most people is that Parks and Rec got in. Not only did I not think it would, but I didn’t think it deserved to. Someone needs to take this series down a peg, and I wish I was powerful enough to do it. As far as my predictions go, kudos to me for assuming the quantity of viewers for BBT would get it a nom, but shame on me for thinking Hot In Cleveland would get in over any comedy on television. Apparently the academy isn’t as dumb as some prognosticators thought. As always, it is ridiculous to think that Community had no chance at a nom, given that it is easily one the funniest shows on television.

Comedy Actor

Spot On
Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock
Steve Carell – The Office
Matt LeBlanc – Episodes
Jim Parsons – Big Bang Theory

Prediction
Joel McHale – Community
Matthew Morrison – Glee

Result
Louis C.K. – Louie
Johnny Galecki – Big Bang Theory

Let us all take a moment to lament in the fact that Johnny Galecki was nominated for an Emmy for playing a straight man, and from what many say, one of the least funny characters on his own show. Apparently nerds are taking over the universe, because that is ridiculous. Moreover, it took a spot away from Joel McHale, who apparently will never get a nom because this field was EXTREMELY weak. I’m glad that Matthew Morrison didn’t get in again, for a less than funny performance that is not even close to leading, but sad that it left room for Louis C.K. Blah, blah, blah, he is the best in the business. He does all of the writing, directing, and acting in his show Louie…but that doesn’t mean it’s good. Unlike Nurse Jackie or United States of Tara, Louie is definitely supposed to be funny, and other than his stand up parts, or an occasional funny bit by someone other than C.K., it is tremendously unfunny. I went with my gut on Matt LeBlanc, and it paid off, as his nom was the only “guess” I got right.

Comedy Actress

Spot On
Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey – 30 Rock
Laura Linney – The Big C
Amy Poehler – Parks and Rec

Prediction
Toni Collette – US of Tara
Patricia Heaton – The Middle

Result
Melissa McCarthy – Mike and Molly
Martha Plimpton – Raising Hope

I watched an episode of Mike and Molly the other day. As expected, really obvious, and not funny. Melissa McCarthy was one of the only funny aspects of the summer movie Bridesmaids, but that doesn’t mean she deserves a nomination here. To be fair, this is probably the weakest category of them all, but geesh, we really are scraping the bottom of the barrel here. I haven’t seen Raising Hope since the series premiere, which I thought was awful, but I like Greg Garcia, so I can understand Plimpton working well with that material. I am also surprised at the lack of a nomination for Toni Collette. I understand that cancelled shows don’t usually get recognized, but as a former winner, I thought they’d give her one last nom in a depleted category.

Comedy Supporting Actor

Spot On
Ty Burrell – Modern Family
Chris Colfer – Modern Family
Jon Cryer – Two and a Half Men
Ed O’Neill – Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet – Modern Family

Prediction
Neil Patrick Harris – How I Met Your Mother

Result
Jesse Tyler Ferguson – Modern Family

Ummm…what? Four Modern Family actors have made it into the Supporting Category this year. That is interesting, especially considering that this second season was way worse than last year’s. I’m glad to see O’Neill finally getting his deserved nomination, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson was really the only cast member who improved from season one to two, but I really don’t think either of them belong here. Of course those spots belong to Donald Glover and Chevy Chase of Community, but as we know, it is impossible to give nominations to that NBC sitcom. I knew the fact that Cryer had to deal with all of the Charlie Sheen stuff was going to get him another nod, but NPH getting snubbed after winning a pair of Emmys last year was a bit of a surprise. Also a pleasant surprise was Nick Offerman not sneaking into the field. Thanks God! Ron Swanson is easily the most overrated character on television.

Comedy Supporting Actress

Spot On
Julie Bowen – Modern Family
Jane Krakowski – 30 Rock
Jane Lynch – Glee
Sofia Vergara – Modern Family
Betty White – Hot In Cleveland
Kristin Wiig – SNL

This was the easiest category to predict, and there were absolutely no surprises. Although Krakowski and Wiig had much less to do in their respective seasons, no one saw them coming out of the field. Betty White is the only new addition, but everyone saw her reign of terror continuing.

Comedy Guest Actor

Result
Will Arnett – 30 Rock
Matt Damon – 30 Rock
Idris Elba – The Big C
Zach Galifianakis – SNL
Nathan Lane – Modern Family
Justin Timberlake – SNL

Really rooting for Matt Damon in this category, but I see Timberlake taking it home because he has a bunch of noms in the original music category.

Comedy Guest Actress

Result
Elizabeth Banks – 30 Rock
Kristin Chenoweth – Glee
Tina Fey – SNL
Dot Marie Jones – Glee
Cloris Leachman – Raising Hope
Gwyneth Paltrow – Glee

This is a snoozer…of course they chose Tina Fey as the SNL host to make it into the field. How original.