Friday Dance Party: Emmy Loser

Last week's Emmy Awards only brought a few surprises, and the star of this week's Dance Party wasn't one of them. Everybody predicted he'd lose, and he did. Deservedly so, but more on that in a mo'. I suppose the biggest shocker was Edie Falco's win as Best Actress in a Comedy, even she herself called it "ridiculous." I've never seen her show, but it is apparently darker than the far side of the moon, so perhaps calling it a comedy in the first place is a misnomer. With her win for Nurse Jackie, she becomes the only actress to have won Emmys for leading roles in both Drama and Comedy categories.

I was glad to see Mad Men continue its reign as Best Drama, as I believe it is. Their cast, though, has a heck of a time at the Emmys. I really thought John Hamm should have picked up the trophy this year, as his character's veneer was finally shattered in the episode he submitted, in which his wife discovered his true past (January Jones did great work in that episode as well, but I don't expect her ever to win; the performance is just too icy and unlikeable). I have thought for years that the Supporting Awards should go to John Slattery and Christina Hendricks for their work on Mad Men, but they were shut out again (if you are interested, read my love letter to Mad Men, written after its first season). I hear Bryan Batt is back for this season's finale, and that's terrific news.

I was pleased as punch that Jim Parsons finally won for his hilarious work on The Big Bang Theory, though the others on the show are always overlooked, as is the show itself. Seems the academy now considers the 3-camera sitcom, shot in front of an audience, to be old-fashioned. Desi Arnaz, who helped invent the formula (and in doing so, helped invent the rerun) must be spinning in his bongos. Still, I have no problem with Modern Family winning, a show I came to late, but of which now I can't get enough. One of their actors, Eric Stonestreet, won the Supporting Actor Emmy, beating most of his castmates, including the gent I wished had won, Ty Burrell. His performance as the clueless father is priceless.

As for the Emmy broadcast itself, well, everybody seems to think Jimmy Fallon hit a home run, so I won't disagree. He has a disarming charm, right on the edge of nerdy but never really crossing over, and is fun to watch. I have to say, I was not a fan of the running gag with the guitar, which I hear is also a set piece on his late night show. Frankly, I prefer my Neil Patrick Harris as host; he has a smoother delivery and is a better showman. Perhaps it's apples and oranges.

As I mentioned, no one was really surprised that Matthew Morrison did not take home the prize as Best Actor in a Comedy. His show, Glee, is the breakout hit of the season, but try as I might (and I have tried on numerous occasions), I just cannot become a Gleek. The show is wildly uneven, and a wonderful moment is likely to be followed by another of maddening dreck. I am glad Jane Lynch won, which was totally expected and deserved (Lynch appears in her own Dance Party here. She does not get the chance to dance much on Glee, which is just as well, since she has two left feet. But this clip illustrates the fun she is having on the show, and I promise, it is NOT the clip of her impersonation of Madonna in "Vogue." That was just unnerving.)

I doubt Morrison is complaining much about going home a loser, as he's having a banner year. After years of stage work, in the chorus and then leading man types, he has hit it huge with Glee. He is such a magnet that he was invited to perform at last June's Tony Awards, though he hadn't gone near a stage all year. This week's Dance Party is that performance; the guy certainly is game, but so many months on a TV set left him a bit out of shape: you can hear him panting during some of the more athletic moments. Yep, he used to be an actor who could dance and sing with such energy 8 shows a week, but perhaps no more. Regardless, it's an enjoyable clip (and when it's time for the money note, Matt totally rips into it). So, here is one of this week's Emmy losers: