Freak Bill Macy! And Other Notable Emmy Moments

 

Well, the Primetime Emmy Awards were last night, and you may or may not know that I absolutely live for awards shows. I love them. It's like a sickness. I was a little apprehensive about this year's show, but for the most part I was genuinely pleased. You can Google all the winners and losers if you missed it, but let's go over some of the highlights (and low lights) of the night.

The Good

1. Kyle Chandler finally gets his win for his role as Coach Taylor on Friday Night Lights. This was a long overdue win for the show (which also picked up a well-deserved writing award) and I was thrilled. I mean, hell. He beat Don Draper, Dexter and Nucky Thompson. How badass is that? Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.
2. No big wins for Glee. Ha! Take that Ryan Murphy. Your second season sucked and everybody knows it.
3. Speaking of Glee, I was very happy that Jane Lynch and not the very grating Sue Sylvester was the host. Jane Lynch? Actually hilarious. Sue Sylvester? Not so much. 
4. Big wins for Modern Family, taking home Best Comedy and both comedic lead actor awards. If you're not watching Modern Family, you are supremely missing out. I'm especially happy for Ty Burrell. Yay Phil!

The Bad

1. No win for Steve Carell? Really? After losing every year, his final season of The Office isn't rewarded? I mean, I know the show isn't as funny as it used to be, but c'mon. He deserves something for it all those years as the hilarious Michael Scott. Lame.
2. Amy Poehler loses to Melissa McCarthy. Are you kidding me? Not only is Parks and Recreation one of the funniest shows on television, but Amy Poehler is phenomenal. Save Melissa McCarthy's awards for the Golden Globes and Bridesmaids, where she actually deserves it.
3. Charlie Sheen. Nothing specific, just Charlie Sheen even being there. No really, that whole thing was awkward and ill conceived. And then later, bringing on Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher to crack a Sheen joke? Ugh. Move on, already. Also, why does Ashton Kutcher look like Jesus lately?
4. The really, really, really extra long In Memoriam tribute to people who died, as performed by the Canadian Tenors, who no one has ever heard of in their life. They sang "Hallelujah" and it sounded lovely...all fifteen hours of it.

The Ugly

1. Gwyneth Paltrow's dress. Oh my god, you guys, she looked like a hooker. Not only was it trashy looking, but can someone please talk to Gwyneth about age appropriateness? Darling, you are 38 years old. Why can I see your mid drift? As Wil Wheaton tweeted, it's like she got her AVN dress mixed up with her Emmys dress. Not to mention she effing won for Holly Holiday. Barf.
2. Jon Hamm loses out on Best Actor. Yes, I know I said all that stuff about how much Kyle Chandler deserved it. And he did and I stand by it. This is my list, I'm allowed to be illogical! Because let's be honest - this was the only year that Jon Hamm had a chance at being rewarded for his excellent work as Don Draper. Next year, Bryan Cranston will be up again and everyone knows that Cranston's Walter White is the most well-played character on television. Sorry, Hamm.
3. Jane Lynch and the cast of Jersey Shore do a very long, mostly un-funny spoof about New Jersey. Or something. I don't know, maybe as a two second bit it would have been amusing? But it went on forever and the only time I laughed out loud was when Snooki said she was a "Harvard undergraduate." 

 

But every single thing I've discussed is useless when compared to the actual best moment of the night. Or possibly the best moment in Emmy history? This is of course the Lonely Island medley performance, starring the guys from Lonely Island, Michael Bolton, John Stamos, Ed Helms, Maya Rudolph and more. Ah-mazing. Incidentally, they didn't actually win an Emmy, despite three of their songs being nominated. But this performance stole the night.