It was a lot of fun when Tina Fey ("30 Rock") went all nuclear on The Envelope during her Golden Globes acceptance speech this year. But she's still hurling rocks. Sunday night, backstage at the Emmys, moments after "30 Rock" won best comedy series, a journalist asked if her victory was really a "nail-biter," as she said during the acceptance speech.

"Yeah," she said, "The Internet is always wrong. So when I heard we were the favorite on the Internet, I thought, 'Oh, no! We're dead!' "

Since this is the only website that pools Emmy predictions and we're a site Tina knows well (she said at the Globes that we're one of the few sites she likes to hang out at — see the video here — while snooping in our message boards, which she blasted in her acceptance speech), it's probably safe to say that she was largely referring to The Envelope again at yet another awards show. So here is our reply to Tina.

We're "always wrong," Tina? In 2007 and 2008, we correctly predicted "30 Rock" would win best comedy series, and last year we foresaw your victory as best actress and Alec Baldwin's as best actor. This year we correctly forecast repeat victories by "30 Rock" and Baldwin, but, yes, we did get one major prediction wrong in the laugh lineup. We believed you'd repeat at best lead actress. However, we warned loud and clear that Toni Collette ("United States of Tara") was poised as a spoiler because Hollywood voters are such suckers for multiple-personality roles.

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While Chris "Boomer" Beachum is supremely confident that Tina Fey ("30 Rock") will win the Emmy Award for best comedy actress again, Rob Licuria and I are leery of challenges by Toni Collette ("United States of Tara") and Christina Applegate ("Samatha Who"). The reason: Emmy voters have a bizarre adoration of actors performing multiple personalities, as Collette and Applegate — read more about that here.

Watch our video smackdowns covering these races too: best drama actor, lead drama actress and best comedy series and lead comedy actor.

Also, read Boomer's and Rob's in-depth analysis of these contests: best comedy series, lead comedy actor, lead comedy actress, supporting comedy actor, supporting comedy actress, guest comedy actor, guest comedy actress, comedy writing, comedy directing, best lead drama actor, lead drama actress, lead actor in movie/mini and lead actress in a movie/mini. See a chart of predix by top journalists here. Read more predix in our forums.

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Basically, I think Emmys are going to make like a TV repeat this year and bring back last year's winners in all top series races: best drama ("Mad Men"), lead drama actor (Bryan Cranston, "Breaking  Bad"), lead drama actress (Glenn Close, "Damages"), best comedy ("30 Rock"), lead actor (Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"), lead actress (Tina Fey, "30 Rock"). Here is my full list of predictions, which you should compare with those of other experts pooled by Gold Derby.

Believe it or not, such mass repetition has never happened — all of the top champs returning, that is. It may seem like Emmy winners get rubber-stamped all the time and they often do, but not en masse like that.

What could the upsets be? Bryan Cranston faces a serious challenge from Gabriel Byrne, who gave Emmy judges a powerful episode of "In Treatment" — ("Gina, Week 4") — in which his character has a gripping scene at his father's death bed. "In Treatment" has two drawbacks, though: It's only half the length, time-wise, as rival nominees (size matters in Hollywood) and its characters are excruciatingly whiny, preachy and self-absorbed. However, Dianne Wiest pulled off an upset victory for supporting actress in the series last year.

Cranston also has gripping dramatics in his episode, too — "Phoenix" — read a full description here. Specifically touching is a scene in which he shows his infant daughter the illicit fortune he's stashed away for the well-being of his family's future. Click here to watch a video of Chris "Boomer" Beachum, Robert "Rob L" Licuria and I discuss the nuances of this cliffhanger category race.

Locked up are wins for best series ("Mad Men," "30 Rock") and Glenn Close as actress. There are chances of upsets on the comedy side, all because of a fluke factor of multiple personalities as a voting plus.

For some crazy reason, those notoriously nutty Hollywooders love to reward actors who portray split personalities — as if they're getting multiple performances for the price of one vote. Perhaps the biggest upset in Emmy history was pulled off by Lindsay Wagner as best drama actress — yes, drama actress — in 1977 for the laughably featherweight "Bionic Woman." She did so by giving Emmy judges an episode in which she portrayed good and evil twin takes on her character. Just last year Cynthia Nixon won an Emmy in the guest categories for portraying dual roles on "Law & Order: SVU." At the Daytime Emmys, Erika Slezak of "One Life to Live" won her fourth and fifth awards in 1994-95 and 1995-96, respectively, for acting out six personalities, one of them a 10-year-old boy. At the Oscars, think Joanne Woodward ("Three Faces of Eve") and Fredric March ("Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde").

In the race for best comedy actress, there are two contenders who challenge incumbent champ Tina Fey with multiple roles: Christina Applegate (good and evil turns of the same role in "Samantha Who?") and Toni Collette (four personalities in "United States of Tara"). However, Tina Fey gives a strong, sensitive performance in her episode submission, "Reunion," which reveals she once had a very different side to her adult personality. While attending her high-school reunion, she's shocked to discover that she was once considered to be a mean girl in her peers. (Fey, in real life, is the author and star of the hit film "Mean Girls" — get the inside joke? Will Emmy voters? They're members of the acting branch, which means they can be pretty dim.)

Last year's best comedy actor, Alec Baldwin, now has the split-personalities factor in his favor as he portrays, in "Generalissimo," both his usual role as sinister corporate suit plus an actor who portrays an army general on a Spanish TV soap opera. Baldwin does face some tough competition, though. He's up against Steve Carell ("The Office"), who's overdue to win and gave Emmy judges a sympathetic episode (for a change), titled "Broke." Usually, his character is too creepy or unlikable for voters to want to hug.

In the Emmy election for best guest actress in a comedy series, one rival towers over all others: Tina Fey on "Saturday Night Live" as Sarah Palin. Easily, it was the most celebrated and even most important TV performance of the year because it played a starring role in the U.S. presidential election. So theoretically she's a shoo-in to win this lowly Emmy race, right?

Yes, but only in theory. Remember who votes here: snooty actors, who may not take an impersonation on a comedy-skit show seriously when measured against grand theatrical mugging in a traditional program with plot and character development. Last year, many of us pundits thought Amy Poehler ("Saturday Night Live") had the Emmy for best supporting actress in the bag, but voter bias against skit shows propelled Jean Smart ("Samantha Who?") to an upset victory.

Both of our gurus, Chris "Boomer" Beachum and Robert "Rob L" Licuria (Awardsheaven.net), who've viewed the episodes submitted to Emmy judges, believe Fey will prevail, but they're keenly aware of this voter bias too and believe an upset could happen easily. Read their expanded views below. Also check out their (often clashing) predix in these categories: best comedy series, lead actor, lead actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, guest actor, comedy writing and comedy directing. Read more in our forums.

BEST GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY: BOOMER'S PREDIX
(Listed in likelihood of winning)
1. Tina Fey, "Saturday Night Live" ("Presidential Bash 2008")
2. Betty White, "My Name Is Earl" ("Witch Lady")
3. Elaine Stritch, "30 Rock" ("Christmas Special")
4. Christine Baranski, "Big Bang Theory" ("The Maternal Capacitance")
5. Jennifer Aniston, "30 Rock" ("One With the Cast of Night Court")
6. Gena Rowlands, "Monk" ("Mr. Monk & the Lady Next Door")

BOOMER'S COMMENTARY: Unlike the guest actor category, there doesn't seem to be a single trend to predicting who will win among the ladies. In recent years, veteran actresses (Cloris Leachman, Stritch, Kathryn Joosten) have won. A younger actress (Christina Applegate) and slightly older actress (Laura Linney) have won. I would say, in general, that the Emmy voters want to laugh and want good characters.

If you're looking for a previous Emmy winner, this category is completely loaded down with them (all six ladies have won before). In viewing these performances, I must admit that I was disappointed that Rowlands didn't have all that much to do on her episode of "Monk." While other characters had some funny things to do, she did not (although she does a wonderful job in what she is given).

Aniston is upbeat and silly, allowing her to play some funny personality traits that we don't often see from her. I would be surprised with a Rowlands or Aniston victory. Everybody else, though, has a decent shot.

Baranski, tremendously funny as the buttoned-down professor and mother of Leonard, gets some hilarious scenes with Jim Parsons.  Stritch has proved she can win with her portrayal of Alec Baldwin's mother and even gets a couple of nice sentimental holiday moments on this episode.

White is someone beloved by Emmy voters and plays a character unlike anyone we have ever seen her play before: a crazy witch neighbor who chains up all the regular cast members in her basement. Any other year, she would easily win yet another Emmy Award, but there is one person standing in her way: Fey as Sarah Palin. In a performance that was a comedy highlight of the decade, Fey also most likely influenced an entire presidential election. I just don't see how the voters are going to pass up the chance to honor something so iconic and memorable.

BEST GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY: ROB'S PREDIX
(Listed in likelihood of winning)
1.) Tina Fey, "Saturday Night Live" ("Presidential Bash 2008")
2.) Betty White, "My Name Is Earl" ("Witch Lady")
3.) Christine Baranski, "Big Bang Theory" ("The Maternal Capacitance")
4.) Elaine Stritch, "30 Rock" ("Christmas Special")
5.) Jennifer Aniston, "30 Rock" ("One With the Cast of Night Court")
6.) Gena Rowlands, "Monk" ("Mr. Monk & the Lady Next Door")

ROB'S COMMENTARY: This category could go any way because, as is the case for all four of the guest acting categories, the winners are sometimes based on other factors such as name recognition and honoring industry veterans. Since 2000, we've had three double winners, all being highly regarded industry vets (Jean Smart, Cloris Leachman and Kathryn Joosten); two high-profile winners (Christina Applegate and Laura Linney); and comedy legend Stritch, for the same role she is nominated for this year. Four of the wins were for traditional sitcoms ("Friends" and "Frasier"), three for single-camera comedies ("Malcolm in the Middle" and "30 Rock"), and both of Kathryn Joosten's wins were for her role in the hourlong dramedy "Desperate Housewives."

Wow! Members of the Television Critics Assn. actually put their awards where their big mouths are! Finally, the TCA Awards recognized "Battlestar Galactica" after voters beat the beans out of the Emmys for failing to give the show any major awards in the past.

Can this mean a break from the TCA Awards' hypocrisy? In years past, voters whined, fumed and harrumphed about the Emmys failing to recognize "The Wire" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," then they snubbed them too. TCA members never gave those shows real prizes — just handed them that bogus "Heritage Award" after they went off the air and failed to win best drama series or program of the year.

"Battlestar Galactica" didn't win a significant TCA Award in the past and now finally reaped one after sailing off the airwaves, but at least it's fared better than other great TV series cruelly snubbed by TCA and the television academy. And while TCA voters skunked vampires back in Buffy's heyday, they did just hail HBO's walking dead by giving "True Blood" their prize as best new program. TV academy members recently drove a stake through "True Blood's" Emmy hopes by snubbing it in all top categories, including best drama actress, which was a major surprise considering Anna Paquin is a past Oscar winner ("The Piano") and Emmy nominee ("Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee").

But don't get too excited about the TCA Awards mending their old, harsh kudos biases. As usual, women just got snubbed in the performance categories. This year, those awards went to Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory") and Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") at the expense of Tina Fey ("30 Rock") and Glenn Close ("Damages"), the only women nominated this year. That's typical.

Sometimes TCA kindly permits a token female to get an honorary career achievement award. This year, that lucky (and deserving) gal was Betty White.

Below, a full list of winners:

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
"Battlestar Galactica"

NEW PROGRAM
"True Blood"

DRAMA SERIES
"Mad Men"

COMEDY SERIES
"The Big Bang Theory"

Here's a snapshot of what we see on the Derby track right now.

* = Top 10 semifinalist in 2008

** = Nominee 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, "New Adventures of Old Christine" **
Eva Longoria-Parker, "Desperate Housewives" *
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds" **
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"
Nicollette Sheridan, "Desperate Housewives"
Sarah Silverman, "The Sarah Silverman Program" *

Are you among the viewers who felt, like some TV critics, that the pilot episode of "Parks and Recreation" didn't live up to its promise? Relax. Give these proven geniuses a break. "Parks and Recreation" is by the same wizards who gave us "The Office" (Greg Daniels and Mike Schur) and "Saturday Night Live" (the white-hot Amy Poehler) — who need a little time to tinker with the gears of their Porsche. TV series with this potential payoff don't come around very often. It's worth hanging in there to see where this baby goes — and how fast it takes off. I have a hunch it will.

Let's assume it does and then let's assume Amy Poehler gets nominated for best comedy actress this year at the Emmys. There's a very good chance that could happen considering that the contenders will be chosen by a popular ballot and the number of nominees per category will be expanded this year to six or seven from the usual five.

If Poehler gets nominated, that means Emmy nuts like you and me can look forward to a fascinating clawfest: Poehler, the scrappy rookie, taking on heavyweight champ Tina Fey (lead actress winner, "30 Rock," 2008), who also happens to be her best friend. The two former costars are now appearing in their own TV series, slugging it out for the gold. Remind you of any parallels?

In 1975, Valerie Harper split with her former costar, Mary Tyler Moore, to launch her own spin-off sitcom "Rhoda." At the next Emmys, the onetime best pals squared off in the same kind of dishy bout. Everyone assumed that Moore — the Lucille Ball of her day — would clobber Harper. If anyone could topple the TV queen, it might be Jean Stapleton ("All in the Family"), but not Harper. Harper portrayed Rhoda as a gum-snapping wisecracker. Her character didn't have the emotional depth of Mary Richards, say, or Edith Bunker, right?

But on Emmy night all jaws— including Harper's — dropped when she pulled an Eve Harrington and nabbed the gold prize. At the podium, Harper acknowledged Moore gratefully and gleefully. The L.A. Times noted that she also "felt compelled to thank everyone profusely," including her analyst.

But Moore ended up getting a royal consolation prize at the end of the Emmy ceremony. When the last envelope of the night was opened, it revealed that the winner of best comedy series was "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." The news was trumpeted by Lucille Ball in a scene that is remembered today as one of those goose-bump times in Emmy history. When Moore arrived on stage and took the golden statuette from Ball's hand — looking wonderstruck, taking in the grand context of the scene — we saw comedy's scepter and crown being passed from one generation to another. Hail, hail TV's queens!

One more got hailed last year when "30 Rock" won best comedy series for a second time in a row and Tina Fey was handed the prize by Mary Tyler Moore and Betty White (see video below). Click HERE to KEEP READING!

The fact that the Emmys killed off the category for variety performers means that "three of the major highlights of an otherwise relatively dreary TV season" will be snubbed, according to our forums moderator Robert "Rob L" Licuria (AwardsHeaven.net).

He cites Tina Fey's portrayal of Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live," Hugh Jackman hosting the Oscars and Jon Stewart's battle with CNBC star Jim Cramer on "The Daily Show." Gold Derby already dished the Stewart/Cramer snub in another blog post, but let's explore it further plus other snubs while discussing this rule change in more detail.

The title of the category zapped by the Emmys is "outstanding individual performance in a variety, music or comedy program." That means from here on out, principal performers will vie for Emmys only as part of the teams nominated for best variety series or special. Stand-out star turns will no longer get solo notice, and they will not be acknowledged at all by the Emmys if the shows in which they are part of don't win.

Another forums moderator -- Chris "Boomer" Beachum -- is also riled up about that change. As he says, "Sometimes a performer deserves an Emmy for individual performance, but the series or the special does not deserve an Emmy. As it stands now, the only way for a performer to win or be nominated is if the program is as well."

Beginning last year, kudocasts now compete in a special class at the Emmys rather than with other variety specials. And the new Emmy rules are unclear as to whether the host of an awards show will be included with the nominated producers.

Hugh Jackman won an Emmy for hosting the 2004 Tonys. Billy Crystal earned three Emmys for emceeing the 1988 Grammys and both the 1991 and 1998 Oscars. And Whitney Houston prevailed for performing "Saving All My Love for You" at the 1985 Grammys. After taking another look at that socko opening song by Hugh Jackman, with an assist by nominee Anne Hathaway, from this year's Oscarcast at the academy's official YouTube channel, do you agree with Rob and Chris that he deserves to be in the running once more?

Rob's take on the new Emmy situation is as follows:

OK, this is how I see it:

1.) Variety, music or comedy ("VMC") series and/or specials have their own directing category, writing category, and even things like lighting direction and costume categories, but they no longer have an individual performance category for what is arguably the most important aspect of variety programming  -- the performances!

2.) The question is: In what category or categories are performers in VMC programs now eligible?

3.) As we saw last year, "series regulars" on "sketch comedy shows" may enter in the supporting actor/actress in a comedy series categories. Amy Poehler from "Saturday Night Live" was able to make the most out of this rule change and was nominated in supporting actress in a comedy series last year (see Page 42 of the Emmy rules). So the likes of Poehler, Andy Samberg, Kristin Wiig and any other series regulars on other sketch comedy shows are safe (albeit they are now dumped into more competitive categories).

4. The Emmy rules (on Page 42) now state that "the principal host" of a VMC series is now eligible to be entered with the program in category 70 (outstanding VMC series). Similarly, "the principal host/performer" is now eligible to be entered with the program in category 71 (outstanding VMC special).

5.) This would see people like Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Bill Maher, Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien and Craig Ferguson be the recipient of an Emmy statuette along with the producers of their respective shows, should their show win. This is confirmed on Page 47, where, under category 70 (VMC series), it states that the the Emmy goes to (among others) "the principal host."

It also specifically says on Page 42 that "secondary performers are no longer eligible." This means that someone like a guest on "Tonight Show" is no longer eligible to receive an Emmy at all.

The Envelope's Gold Derby message boards were a booming hangout at the height of awards season in January and February. They had more than 2.3 million page views per month as they took on a starring role at one point when Tina Fey hilariously trashed some of our posters in her Golden Globes acceptance speech, then accepted my apology later backstage. Both events made national news and sent out a cool message. Everybody suddenly knew that Tina hung out casually in our forums. During the height of that hubbub, "Mad Men" creator Matt Weiner outed himself publicly as a frequent lurker there too.

Every now and then I like to post this info because I think it's fun: the names of our most active posters during a given month. Join them in our forums here.

TOP 5 POSTERS — FEBRUARY 2009
pacinofan    (1,265 message postings)
seanflynn    872
babypook    850
SpeakingJeremy    638
caresa    571

TOP 5 TOPIC STARTERS — FEBRUARY 2009
Fritz    34
Gucci    30
caresa    27
DoubleD    23
Atypical    19

TOP 5 POSTERS — JANUARY 2009
pacinofan    1,052
seanflynn    1,022
babypook    806
Pucifer    560
Gucci    514

TOP 5 TOPIC STARTERS — JANUARY 2009
caresa    40
Atypical    33
puxzkkx    29
Fritz    29
Gucci    24

RELATED:

Tina Fey trashes The Envelope's Forum Posters in her Golden Globes acceptance speech

Tina Fey accepts our apology at the Golden Globes

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In case you didn't hear, two SAG Awards were bestowed before the start of the show tonight — the new ones for stunt work. They went to "The Dark Knight" (film) and "Heroes" (TV). No big surprises there, eh?

Hey, when Tina Fey won best TV comedy series female actor, didn't you feel cheated that she didn't trash our forum posters in her acceptance speech like she did at the Golden Globes? Ah, well, we got that cute baby story about Alice instead. Well, not quite a baby. Alice is 3 years old, in case you're wondering.

"30 Rock," of course, swept the comedy series board, claiming male actor (Alec Baldwin) and ensemble in addition to best actress. No big surprises there either, eh?