"Bruno" opened today to reviews deeply divided between paeans and pans. In this new mockumentary, Sacha Baron Cohen plays the title character of an over-the-top gay Austrian fashion
reporter determined to become world famous. "Bruno" scored only 55 at Meta Critic and just 52 among the top tier of reviews surveyed by Rotten Tomatoes.
Three years ago, Sasha Baron Cohen wowed the world with "Borat." That savage satire scored a staggering 97 among
the cream of the crop of critics surveyed by Rotten Tomatoes and an impressive 89 at Meta Critic.
Baron
Cohen went on to win the Golden Globe for his performance as the kooky Kazakhstan reporter. However, "Borat" was bested
in the musical/comedy picture race by "Dreamgirls." Baron Cohen also shared in an
adapted screenplay Oscar nod for bringing his TV character to the big
screen; William Monahan won for "The Departed."
"Bruno" did earn rave reviews from the likes of Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman and Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times. But there were just as many critics – such as Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post's Ann Hornaday – who failed to find the fun in "Bruno."
However, the film is likely to be review proof. Thursday's midnight screenings of "Bruno" generated $1.6 million stateside and the movie could well top the box office chart this weekend. Three years ago, "Borat" grossed an impressive $260 million worldwide.
Our Emmy seers and forum moderators Robert "Rob L" Licuria and Chris "Boomer" Beachum, who also contribute to AwardsHeaven.net, agree on five of the six women who'll be nominated for best comedy actress next Thursday.
They both predict that four of last year's five nominees will return to the race this year: 2008 winner Tina Fey ("30 Rock"), 2007 champ America Ferrara ("Ugly Betty"), 2006 victor Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("The New Adventures of Old Christine") and two-time nominee Mary-Louise Parker ("Weeds"). And both agree that Toni Collette will get a nod for her freshman series "United States of Tara."
For the sixth slot, Rob thinks Christina Applegate will get a second nom for the canceled "Samantha Who?" while Boomer is opting for newcomer Amy Poehler of midseason replacement "Parks and Recreation." Last year, the boys went five for five at predicting the nominees.
COMEDY LEAD ACTRESS: Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?" – Rob Toni Collette, "United States of Tara" – Boomer, Rob America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty" – Boomer, Rob Tina Fey, "30 Rock" – Boomer, Rob Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "New Adventures of Old Christine" – Boomer, Rob Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds" – Boomer, Rob Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation" – Boomer
ROB'S COMMENTARY: Fey and Collette are the only two certainties I think, with Parker likely to make a return appearance and Louis-Dreyfus hopefully making the cut as well. Applegate is also a likely possibility, regardless of the fate of her show this year. Ferrera is probably most at risk of being excluded this year, with "Ugly Betty" losing a lot of buzz last season.
Waiting in the wings to take her place, or to be the surprise spoiler in this category are any of the "Desperate Housewives'" leading ladies, Sarah Silverman for her eponymous Comedy Central laughfest, and Amy Poehler for her midseason entry "Parks and Recreation."
BOOMER'S COMMENTARY: There is no doubt in my mind that this a 7-lady race for 6 slots. Tina Fey is certainly a lock as the returning champion. After that, I don't think anybody is 100% safe, but Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Mary-Louise Parker should find themselves returning to the competition. Toni Collette gave an acclaimed performance as a woman with multiple personalities, so Emmy voters should eat that up.
The final 2 slots are very hard to figure out. America Ferrera won an Emmy for this role in its first season, but the show has taken a big tumble with viewers and voters. She can probably ride that wave one final time. Christina Applegate would probably be safe if her show had not been repeatedly moved around and then canned completely.
Our Emmy prophets — forums moderators Chris "Boomer" Beachum and Robert "Rob L" Licuria, who also contribute to AwardsHeaven.net — agree on five of the six women who will vie for lead actress in a drama series. They both think returning champ Glenn Close ("Damages") will face off against 2007 winner Sally Field ("Brothers and Sisters"), three-time also ran Kyra Sedgwick ("The Closer") and newcomers January Jones ("Mad Men") and Anna Paquin ("True Blood").
For the sixth slot, Rob – who went four for five right last year – opts for Oscar winner Holly Hunter returning to the race a second time for "Saving Grace." Boomer – who got all five nominees right last year – believes "Big Love" star Jeanne Tripplehorn will break through and land her first nod.
BEST DRAMA SERIES ACTRESS Glenn Close, "Damages" – Rob, Boomer Sally Field, "Brothers and Sisters" – Rob, Boomer Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace" – Rob January Jones, "Mad Men" – Rob, Boomer Anna Paquin, "True Blood" – Rob, Boomer Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer" – Rob, Boomer Jeanne Tripplehorn, "Big Love" – Boomer
ROB'S COMMENTARY: It is refreshing to see that a lead actress category can have so many worthy contenders, because the only sure thing here (apart from last year’s returning champ Glenn Close) is that there will be quite a few disappointed contenders and fans in this category. I think Hunter, Field and Sedgwick are in again, and January Jones, although nowhere near as certain as many might expect, will likely make it into the group for a variety of reasons that include "Mad Men" being the current Emmy darling (I am not as sure about Elisabeth Moss, who is at least the most likely candidate out of the possible contenders).
I am going out on a limb in saying that there will be a “Piano” reunion in this category with Anna Paquin dispelling the Emmy bias against genre shows and making the cut in this category for "True Blood," which is the hottest show right now.
The contenders that could easily usurp half of these actresses include the outstanding Jeanne Tripplehorn ("Big Love"), who can thank Ginnifer Goodwin and Chloe Sevigny for moving over to the supporting race so as not to dilute support from "Big Love" fans, Angela Bassett ("ER"), Jill Scott ("No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency"), Regina King ("Southland") and Mary McDonnell ("Battlestar Galactica").
BOOMER'S COMMENTARY: As last year's winner, I don't think Glenn Close is any danger of losing her slot this time. Sally Field and Kyra Sedgwick should also return from last year's lineup. After that, I do think there will be a good bit of turnover from last year's nominees: Holly Hunter (an Oscar winner in an almost unwatchable show) and Mariska Hargitay (finally losing her slot after many years) do not enjoy another nomination.
Instead, I think January Jones rides an even bigger "Mad Men" wave as the standout performance from a great second season. Also, Anna Paquin is one of the key reasons for the success of "True Blood" and should get nominated. In somewhat of a surprise, I also think Jeanne Tripplehorn gains a nod for "Big Love" because of consistently good work on the show but also because her co-stars have moved into the supporting category.
Our top Emmy experts – Chris "Boomer" Beachum and Robert "Rob L" Licuria, who also contribute to AwardsHeaven.net – agree that four of last year's five nominated comedy series will return to the race this year. They expect reigning two-time champ "30 Rock" to face off against 2006 winner "The Office" as well as three-time nominee "Two and a Half Men" and two-time also-ran "Entourage." Both of them left that last show off their otherwise perfect list last year.
While Boomer thinks HBO laffer "Flight of the Conchords" will land its first nod, Rob predicts that animated champ "Family Guy" will score its first comedy series bid. And they disagree over which CBS comedy will get the sixth slot – Rob opts for "The Big Bang Theory" while Boomer goes for "How I Met Your Mother."
BEST COMEDY SERIES "The Big Bang Theory":– Rob "Entourage" – Boomer, Rob "Family Guy" – Rob "Flight of the Conchords" – Boomer "How I Met Your Mother" – Boomer "The Office" – Boomer, Rob "30 Rock" – Boomer, Rob "Two and a Half Men" – Boomer, Rob
BOOMER'S COMMENTARY: I think everybody feels comfortable projecting "Entourage," "The Office," "30 Rock" and "Two and a Half Men" as return nominees in this category With "Curb Your Enthusiasm" taking a break and the new rules allowing six nominees, that opens up two slots that are quite a challenge to predict.
The producers of "How I Met Your Mother" have launched a very impressive campaign to get nominated in this category. Even though the show has never even made the Top 10 list of contenders, I think the expanding popularity of Neil Patrick Harris and the abundance of reruns now airing on Lifetime will gain the show entry as a Comedy Series nominee.
For that final slot, I guess the only thing I can look for is a passionate base of followers and that leads me to "Flight of the Conchords." The appeal of the show is lost on me, but I just can't see "Weeds," "Californication," "Ugly Betty" or "Desperate Housewives" making the cut. Despite cancellation, I do think "Pushing Daisies" has a decent shot at a nomination here. My choice would be "The Big Bang Theory," but I don't have the guts to predict three CBS shows to make it.
ROB'S COMMENTARY: "30 Rock," "The Office" and "Two and a Half Men" are the locks here, with "Entourage" a pretty good bet for the category too. This is a much less competitive category than the Drama Series one, and so those last two slots are open to any of the contenders really.
I have "Family Guy" in one of them – we know from last year’s top 10 announcement that "Family Guy" made it in, obviously due to its overall popularity with voters who no doubt appreciate a good belly laugh, even if said laughter is at the most politically incorrect ever. I also have "The Big Bang Theory" in the sixth slot. This is a gamble, because it has not been on the Emmy radar at all until now and could be forgotten again.
I think that, based on media buzz, increased ratings and the faith that CBS has shown in renewing it for two seasons, it has a very good shot over the other possibilities such as "How I Met Your Mother" (long overdue for Emmy recognition, but I say, why would voters all of a sudden vote for it now?), Showtime’s worthy trio of "Californication," "Weeds" and "United States of Tara" ("Weeds" having the best shot to overtake "Big Bang Theory" or "Family Guy"), and the surprise spoiler "Flight of the Conchords."
Photos (clockwise from upper left): "Entourage" on HBO, "The Office" on NBC, "Two and a Half Men" on CBS, "30 Rock" on NBC.
According our resident Emmy experts — forums moderators Chris "Boomer" Beachum and Robert "Rob L" Licuria, who also contribute to AwardsHeaven.net — the contenders for best lead actor in a drama series all will have at least one previous Emmy nomination. Indeed, Rob thinks the lineup will be a complete repeat of last year, while Boomer bumps out three-time champ James Spader ("Boston Legal") for Kiefer Sutherland ("24"), who had to sit out the derby last year due to the writers' strike.
Last year, this Emmy category was supposed to have five nominees, but ended up with six due to an accounting glitch: the contenders in the fifth and six positions were so close in votes that the TV academy included them both. This year, all categories for series actors will have six slots.
If their predictions pan out as well as last year – when they both nailed the final nominees – that means returning champ Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") will be facing off against Gabriel Byrne ("In Treatment"), three-time also ran Hugh Laurie ("House"), Michael C. Hall ("Dexter"), and Jon Hamm ("Mad Men") for sure.
BEST DRAMA SERIES ACTOR Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment" – Boomer, Rob Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad" – Boomer, Rob Michael C. Hall, "Dexter" – Boomer, Rob Jon Hamm, "Mad Men" – Boomer, Rob Hugh Laurie, "House" – Boomer, Rob James Spader, "Boston Legal" – Rob Kiefer Sutherland, "24" – Boomer
BOOMER'S COMMENTARY: This category is much easier to discuss since I think that five of last year's six nominees will be nominated again.Gabriel Byrne, Bryan Cranston (last year's winner), Michael C. Hall, Jon Hamm and Hugh Laurie all anchor their shows and have seen no decline in popularity with viewers or voters.
The one exception from last year's nominees will be James Spader from the long-gone and over-expired "Boston Legal," who'll be replaced by a past winner, Kiefer Sutherland. I would not be surprised to see Simon Baker from "The Mentalist," the most popular rookie show in a while.
Last Thursday Bette Midler's limo driver pulled up to my apartment building in New York and we conducted a private transaction at curbside that must've looked suspicious to onlooking neighbors as he handed me a white envelope and I gave him a chunk of gold.
I gave him the Emmy statuette that Bette Midler won in 1978 for best variety special "Old Red Hair Is Back" and he gave me a check from Bette.
I had purchased the Emmy in 2004 at a sale held by Hantman's auction house and have wondered ever since if something was shady about the deal. Why would Bette sell off – or give away -- the first of the three Emmys she's won over her career? Maybe because it was for a TV special that's relatively obscure today? The next Emmy she won in 1992 was her most famous victory – for singing "One for My Baby" to Johnny Carson upon his retirement from the "Tonight Show." She won again in 1997 for performing in the TV variety special "Diva Las Vegas." So maybe that first Emmy didn't mean so much to her anymore?
But there was another possibility too: Maybe it had been stolen from Bette. That fear has nagged at me for five years.
While dishing Emmys with Kathy Griffin via webcam last month, I had Bette's Emmy in the background behind me, pulled it off the shelf, confessed my guilty conscience to her and asked Kathy what she thought I should do about it. I knew that she and Bette were pals. Bette was appearing on "My Life on the D-List" the following week. Our mischievous chatter made for lively webcam dish and it got the ball rolling.
Afterward, I was in touch with Bette's PR rep Ken Sunshine and her lawyer, they conferred with Bette and, after several more back-and-forth discussions, we pieced together the mysterious history of the statuette after Bette won it.
For many years, Bette presumed the Emmy had been stolen when her L.A. home was burglarized during the 1980s. But that scenario didn't make sense to me. Those burglars swiped high-priced items that could be easily pawned. An Emmy is something that must be sold quietly, on the sly, years after a theft. It was clear to me when I purchased it that it had previously been owned by an obsessed Bette fan, who probably swiped it from Bette's house one day while being granted a visit. The auction lot included more than just Bette's Emmy statuette – it came with amateur photos of Bette taken at concerts, newspaper clippings, press photos, a rose pressed under glass against a publicity photo of her and more. I think there was even a cheesy, hand-written poem. I don't remember. When I acquired the lot, I threw out all of the creepy, fawning fan stuff, some of which you can still see in the photo here of her Emmy, which appeared in the auction catalog.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced results of elections to its board of governors. The board is comprised of three representatives from each branch except makeup and hair, which only gets one seat.
Four new governors will be James D. Bissell (art directors branch), Lynne Littman (documentaries), Robert G. Friedman (public relations) and Bill Kryer (short films and feature animation).
Tom Hanks returns to the board after taking a year hiatus. Incumbent governors returning include Oscar's biggest loser Kevin O'Connell (sound), Caleb Deschanel (cinematographers), Rob Epstein (documentaries), Tom Sherak (executives), Mark Goldblatt (film editors), Bruce Broughton (music), Mark Johnson (producers), Bill Taylor (visual effects) and James L. Brooks (writers).
Still to be decided by election: who will be the academy's next president? Sid Ganis must step down having served four one-year terms. Most likely ascendant will be one of the academy's three vice presidents: board members Robert Rehme (executives branch), Kathleen Kennedy (producers) or Hawk Koch (producers).
Of all the musical highlights at the memorial service to Michael Jackson, none was more bone-chilling than Jennifer Hudson's rendition of "Will You Be There." She belted it out with that same sky-shattering bravado that earned her an Oscar for crooning "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" in "Dreamgirls," and the performance was magically enhanced by the addition of Michael Jackson's whispered words, "In my darkest hour, in my deepest despair, will you still care? Will you be there?"
Not only was it expert song craftsmanship, but it was a cry to heaven freighted with extra poignancy knowing that the tragic loss of the King of Pop was being acknowledged artistically by a major new star who recently suffered the tragic loss of her family members.
Twice in recent years, the voices of living and dead artists were merged into recordings that won record of the year at the Grammys: "Unforgettable" with Natalie and Nat King Cole (1991) and "Here We Go Again" with Norah Jones and Ray Charles (2004).
Even if Jennifer Hudson's duet with Michael Jackson isn't issued as a single, it will still be Grammy eligible as an electronic recording available via download if released by iTunes and other sources.
Two of our trusty Emmy forum moderators – Chris "Boomer" Beachum and Robert "Rob L" Licuria – are top-notch at predicting nominations and eventual winners for these top TV honors. Aside from their punditry here at Gold Derby and The Envelope's Buzzmeter, they both contribute to Rob's own website AwardsHeaven.net devoted to the Emmy Awards.
Last year, they were in agreement and proven correct about "Boston Legal," "Damages," "House" and "Mad Men" making the final ballot. This year Boomer and Rob can agree on only three of the six nominees in the best drama series race – "Dexter," 2005 champ "Lost" and last year's winner, "Mad Men."
Besides those three repeat nominees, Rob also thinks "Boston Legal" and "Damages" will return to the race as will 2006 champ "24," which sat out last season because of the writers' strike. For Boomer, the three remaining slots will go to repeat nominee "House" and newcomers "Breaking Bad" and "True Blood."
BEST DRAMA SERIES "Boston Legal" – Rob "Breaking Bad" – Boomer "Damages" – Rob "Dexter" – Boomer, Rob "House" – Boomer "Lost" – Boomer, Rob "Mad Men" – Boomer, Rob "True Blood" – Boomer "24" – Rob
ROB'S COMMENTARY: "Mad Men" is the only safe bet. "Damages" did very well last year for its freshman season, but it is certainly possible that voters might have slightly cooled on this show, which could also be said for "Dexter." However, I think both will make the cut in this popular ballot along with "24," which I have resisted for a while but finally realize is popular and especially familiar to voters.
Rounding out the category, "Lost" has a good shot of making it in again, especially on the back of such a well-received season. "Boston Legal’s" swan-song season should also make it in – it is an Emmy favorite, and although it finished quite a while back and may not have the same buzz and cool factor, I think it will once again appear here. Nipping at its heels are "Breaking Bad," "House," "In Treatment" and "True Blood."
"House," in particular, has been a perennial nominee and could easily replace any of these contenders (save for "Mad Men") because it is one of TV’s most popular shows. "True Blood" would be the surprise spoiler, what with its second season airing right now and its ratings continuing to climb every week, and "Breaking Bad," with an amazing second season, which would be my personal choice as most worthy of a nomination.
BOOMER'S COMMENTARY: Of these six projected nominees, I think the only 100% safe one is "Mad Men." With the return to a strictly popular vote system, I also think "Lost" and "House" should be fairly safe.After that, it is truly a tossup in which shows will take the next three slots.
Showtime was able to get "Dexter" in the lineup last year, and I don't think its popularity has diminished at all, especially with the addition of Jimmy Smits in a memorable guest star role.You could certainly make a case for "Boston Legal" since it has been nominated several times, but I think it really benefited from a panel system watching Emmy-baiting episodes (plus the fact that it aired its final episode over six months ago).
I have been predicting "Damages" for months but now wonder if its extremely low ratings and hard-to-follow second season will hurt its chances.Cases can also be made for "24" (but the quality dipped in a big way toward the end of the season), "Grey's Anatomy" (the reverse of "24"), "Big Love" and "In Treatment."I am going to predict "Breaking Bad" and "True Blood" for the final two slots, because I think they have passionate fan bases that will reward them with top votes.
Photos (clockwise from upper left): "Dexter" on Showtime, "Lost" on ABC, "Mad Men" on AMC.
Only two of Michael Jackson's tunes won the Grammy for record of the year ("Beat It," "We Are the World") and he only, technically, received the trophy for one of them ("Beat It – the prize for "We Are the World" went to USA for Africa). Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie shared the Grammy for best song (bestowed to the songwriter; best record goes to the recording artist) for "We Are the World." Those were his only top Grammys for individual tunes.
Did the Grammys get it right? Is either "Beat It" or "We Are the World" Jackson's greatest song, or does another one beat them?
Not included among choices below are songs Michael Jackson didn't write: "I'll Be There" (Berry Gordy, Bob West, Hal Davis, Willie Hutch), "Man in the Mirror" (Glen Ballard, Siedah Garrett), "Rock With You" (Rod Temperton), "She's Out of My Life" (Tom Bahler), "Thriller" (Rod Temperton) and "You Are Not Alone" (R. Kelly).
Michael Jackson may have sung "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," but did he get enough Grammy Awards? Michael Jackson won 13 times, including best album ("Thriller"), record ("Beat It") and song ("We Are the World").
But three artists won twice as much – or more. Chicago Symphony Orchestra conductor Georg Solti holds the record (31), followed by Quincy Jones (27) and Alison Krauss (26).
It's hard to begrudge some artists their Grammy bounty: Vladimir Horowitz (25), Stevie Wonder (22), U2 (22), Henry Mancini (20), Aretha Franklin (18) and Itzhak Perlman (15). Others just seem rather Grammy greedy, if you ask me: Vince Gill (20), Pat Metheny and the Pat Metheny Group (17) and – biggest outrage in the music-awards game – Jimmy Sturr (18). The National Academy of Recording Artists has been so embarrassed by Sturr's automatic wins for best polka album every year that it just nixed the category completely.
But then maybe Michael Jackson's Grammy take isn't so modest, considering that the Beatles won only seven times. And the King of Pop reigned much higher than music's other King: Elvis Presley won only three Grammys, all in the gospel category for now-forgotten recordings.
Kenneth Branagh won the Emmy for lead actor in a TV movie/mini seven years ago for starring in "Conspiracy" as Reinhard Heydrich, a Nazi official responsible for killing Jews during World War II. Now he competes for portraying a disheveled, brooding Swedish police detective in "Wallander," which won all five of its British Academy of Film and Television Arts TV nominations, including for best drama series. But, curiously, Branagh wasn't nommed for acting. Still, he has a good shot a reaping a bid at the Emmys because they'll be determined by an outright popular vote of the TV academy's acting branch. If nominated, Branagh could even win, since he has (spoiler alert!) a hokey crying scene near the end of this expanded series episode (parading as a TV movie) with his character's daughter.
Speaking of series episodes parading as TV films, expect Kiefer Sutherland to get nommed here based upon name recognition for "24: Redemption." He won the Emmy for drama series lead actor as Jack Bauer in 2006.
Winning an Emmy is just what Cuba Gooding Jr. needs to prove that he doesn't suffer from an Oscar curse. Since snagging the Academy Award for "Jerry Maguire" (1996), he's appeared in so many duds that he's become a multiple Razzie nominee ("Boat Trip," "Daddy Day Camp"). Now he's reminded us of his ace acting chops in "Gifted Hands," portraying a man who rose from poverty and insecurity to become a celebrated neurosurgeon.
Playing real-life roles is the key to winning here, as it is at most showbiz awards. That's paid off for eight of the last 10 victors in this category. Standout examples this year include Brendan Gleeson as Winston Churchill in "Into the Storm" and Kevin Bacon in "Taking Chance" as a Marine officer who escorted the body of a slain soldier from Iraq to his hometown in Wyoming. Alexander Skarsgard shines as a Marine sergeant fighting in the 2003 Iraq war in "Generation Kill."
LEAD ACTOR IN A TV MOVIE / MINISERIES (Front-runners) Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance" Kenneth Branagh, "Wallander: One Step Behind" Paddy Considine, "My Zinc Bed" Brendan Gleeson, "Into the Storm" Cuba Gooding Jr., "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story" Kevin Kline, "Cyrano de Bergerac" Ian McKellen, "King Lear" Iqal Naor, "House of Saddam" Jonathan Pryce,"My Zinc Bed" Tom Selleck, "Jesse Stone: Thin Ice" Alexander Skarsgard, "Generation Kill" Kiefer Sutherland, "24: Redemption"
(Possible) Harry Connick Jr., "Living Proof" Scott Foley, "The Last Templar" Adam Kaufman, "Loving Leah" Eriq La Salle, "Relative Stranger" Alex Loynaz, "Pedro" Matthew Macfadyen, "Little Dorrit" Matthew Modine, "Sex and Lies in Sin City: The Ted Binion Scandal" Jimmy Wolk, "Front of the Class" Noah Wyle, "The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice"
After receiving two losing Grammy bids during the 1970s as part of the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson competed solo for the first time at the ceremony held in January 1980.
Jackson reaped two nominations for "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" – best male R&B vocal performance and best disco recording. He won the R&B prize, but lost the latter trophy to disco's first queen, Gloria Gaynor ("I Will Survive").
In the battle between the two Edies in "Grey Gardens," Jessica Lange had the upper hand on screen as a stern, domineering mother who held the purse strings, but Drew Barrymore may have an edge in their Emmy bout. Barrymore had the more emotionally flashy role as a rebellious debutante yearning to pursue forbidden dreams to become a performer. However, Lange has two Oscars ("Blue Sky," "Tootsie") and Emmy voters are snobs. Checkmate?
There are other past Oscar champs in real-life roles competing here: Shirley MacLaine as France's flamboyant fashion designer in "Coco Chanel" and Anna Paquin as a heroic Pole who saves Jews from the Holocaust in "The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler." Past Oscar winner Mira Sorvino stars in the fictitious role of an archaeologist investigating the theft of Vatican treasures and a string of murders in "The Last Templar."
Oscar nominee Sigourney Weaver is a serious Emmy threat as a real-life mom whose son committed suicide in response to her religious zealotry in "Prayers for Bobby."
Past Emmy nominee Chandra Wilson played the kind of inspirational role that frequently gets notice in this race – as an eccentric homeless woman who confronts cancer in "Accidental Friendship."
Tammy Blanchard starred in a remake of "Sybil," which nabbed an upset victory here for Sally Field in 1976 as a mental patient with more than a dozen personalities, but this remake received lukewarm reviews and weak Nielsen TV ratings.
LEAD ACTRESS IN A TV MOVIE / MINISERIES (Front-runners) Lauren Ambrose, "Loving Leah" Kathy Baker, "Jesse Stone: Thin Ice" Drew Barrymore, "Grey Gardens" Tammy Blanchard, "Sybil" Sarah Chalke, "Maneater" Jessica Lange, "Grey Gardens" Shirley MacLaine, "Coco Chanel" Anna Paquin, "The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler" Tracy Pollan, "Natalee Holloway" Mira Sorvino, "The Last Templar" Uma Thurman, "My Zinc Bed" Sigourney Weaver, "Prayers for Bobby" Chandra Wilson, "Accidental Friendship"
Michael Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards for his solo music work, including the top prizes for best album ("Thriller"), record of the year ("Beat It") and best song ("We Are the World"), but did he ever win a golden gramophone for crooning with his brothers?
The Jackson 5 was nominated twice for the music industry's highest honor. The first was for best contemporary group vocal performance of 1970 ("ABC"), the second was for best R&B group vocal performance of 1974 ("Dancing Machine"). But did they win?
To see the answer, click on the "Continue Reading" link below.
Only once did Michael Jackson win the top Grammy Award for best album of the year — for "Thriller" (1983), which beat "Let's Dance" (David Bowie), "An Innocent Man" (Billy Joel), "Synchronicity" (The Police) and "Flashdance" (soundtrack).
Two of Michael Jackson's other LPs were nominated for best album. Can you name them? Were they "Off the Wall," "Bad," "Dangerous," "HIStory: Past, Present or Future" or "Invincible"? To see the answer, click the "Continue Reading" link below.
Jackson won a total of 13 Grammys, including best record ("Beat It," 1983) and best song ("We Are the World," 1985). "We Are the World" also won best record, but the award, technically, went to USA for Africa. The Grammys noted its music credit as "various artists."
Well, OK, maybe twice, if we count "We Are the World," which we should. Michael Jackson shared the separate, mirror award for best song with Lionel Richie for having penned the tune, but the official winner listed for best record (which goes to the recording artist) that year was "USA for Africa (various artists)."
Only one other time was Michael Jackson ever nominated for best record at the Grammys. For which tune?
1.) "Billie Jean" 2.) "Just Can't Stop Loving You" 3.) "Heal the World" 4.) "Man in the Mirror" 5.) "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" 6.) "You Are Not Alone"
To see the answer, click the "Continue Reading" link below.
Very odd: Several notable TV miniseries didn't bother to enter the Emmy derby: BBC America's "Burn Up" and PBS productions "Oliver Twist" and "Wuthering Heights."
With only seven submissions in this race, the category will include only three nominees, which are easily predictable. However, the eventual winner is not. Sizing up the Metacritic scores of the front-runners, "Little Dorrit" has only a slight edge (82) over "Generation Kill" (81), with "House of Saddam" a distant third (62).
The two front-runners also reflect the subject matter that usually wins: stuffy British stuff ("The Lost Prince," "Elizabeth 1" — even a previous adaptation of a Charles Dickens classic, "Nicholas Nickleby") and war flicks ("War and Remembrance," "Band of Brothers"). The victories by "The Lost Prince" over "Empire Falls" and "War and Remembrance" over "Lonesome Dove" represent two of the biggest upsets in Emmy history and are good examples of how unpredictable this category can be.
BEST MINISERIES (Front-runners) "Generation Kill" "House of Saddam" "Little Dorrit"
(Possible) "The Color of Magic" "Knights of Bloodsteel" "The Last Templar" "Maneater"
All pundits presume "Grey Gardens" is a shoo-in to win best TV movie at the Emmys, and it probably is. It reaped rapturous acclaim from TV critics and stars a double Oscar champ (Jessica Lange), plus Drew Barrymore, in a biopic based upon real people (Jackie Kennedy's kooky relatives). Oh, yeah, it helps that it was aired by HBO, the network that's won this category 13 out of the last 15 years. Sixteen years ago, it tied itself with two victories in the one race ("Barbarians at the Gate," "Stalin")!
But watch out for another HBO film, "Into the Storm." The pay channel's previous biopic about Winston Churchill battling Nazis, "A Gathering Storm," won this Emmy battle in 2002, as did lots of other biopics about WWII figures: "Warm Springs" (2005), "Truman" (1996) and "Stalin" (1993). Another WWII drama is keenly in the running too, "Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler," starring Anna Paquin as a Pole rescuing Jews during the Holocaust, but it was telecast by CBS last year, not HBO.
HBO's "Taking Chance" has a good chance of a nomination because it deals with America's current war. Kevin Bacon stars as a real-life Marine who escorts the body of a fallen comrade back to America from Iraq.
The focus of Lifetime's "Prayers for Bobby" — a gay teen shamed into suicide — has special resonance among California voters in the shadow of the state's shame over passage of Proposition 8.
Watch out for two stealth entries here: drama series competing with long-form episodes – Fox TV's "24" (Emmy winner, best drama series 2006) and PBS' "Wallander" (BAFTA winner, best drama series, 2009).
BEST TV MOVIE (Front-runners) "Accidental Friendship" "The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler" "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story" "Grey Gardens" "Into the Storm" "Jesse Stone: Thin Ice" "My Zinc Bed" "Prayers for Bobby" "Taking Chance" "24 Redemption" "Wallander: One Step Beyond"
All five of last year's Emmy rivals for best comedy actress are back in the race and seem likely to return on July 16: Christina Applegate ("Samantha Who?"), America Ferrera ("Ugly Betty"), Tina Fey ("30 Rock"), Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("The New Adventures of Old Christine") and Mary-Louise Parker ("Weeds").
Since the TV academy is expanding this category to six contenders this year, that means there's room for one more. Don't count out Amy Poehler just because "Parks and Recreation" hasn't scored big with TV critics and Nielsen viewers. Unlike the previous three Emmy derbies, nominees will be chosen by a popular vote of members of the academy's acting branch – and, of course, Poehler is hugely popular. Personally, I'm rooting for her to get in. Poehler told Gold Derby that there will be no "diva clawfest" between her and former "Saturday Night Live" costar Tina Fey (last year's champ) if they both nab noms, but we bloggers can stir up trouble anyway.
Toni Collette ("United States of Tara") has a good shot at a bid, especially since she's a past Oscar nominee ("The Sixth Sense," 1999). If nommed, she could pull off an upset victory in September, considering how well split-personality roles do at all showbiz awards (think Joanne Woodward in "Three Faces of Eve" at the Oscars, Sally Field in "Sybil" at the Emmys).
2005 champ Felicity Huffman ("Desperate Housewives," 2005) might rebound, but she wasn't nominated last year or in 2006.
** Nominee last year
* Top 10 Semi-Finalist in 2008
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES (Front-runners) Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?" ** Toni Collette, "United States of Tara" Marcia Cross, "Desperate Housewives" * America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty" ** Tina Fey, "30 Rock" ** (Winner in 2008) Teri Hatcher, "Desperate Housewives" Felicity Huffman, "Desperate Housewives" * Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures of Old Christine" ** Eva Longoria-Parker, "Desperate Housewives" * Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds" ** Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation" Sarah Silverman, "The Sarah Silverman Program" *
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