Nose-talgia: "I Married Joan"

Why haven't we done this in a while? I got to thinking today about the great Joan Davis, one of America's most talented and unsung comediennes. You really have to be a certain age to remember watching her I Married Joan sitcom, either the first time around or in reruns, which is where I loved them. Joan played Mrs. Bradley J. Stevens, Mr. Stevens being the great comic actor Jim Backus, who was a wonderful foil for Joan's crazy adventures as she constantly threatened to destroy the dignity befitting a judge and his wife.

Joan Davis was a versatile actress with a knack for the comic, though her series was sometimes unfairly compared with Lucille Ball's I Love Lucy which had debuted in fall of 1951, a year before I Married Joan hit the air. (I did a post on TCM's Movie Morlocks blog a couple of years ago about Joan daughter Beverly, but there's lots of Joan Davis biographical info in it, too. You might like to take a look at it here.) Joan had plenty of successes, and movie fans will remember her great appearances in films like Abbott and Costello's Hold That Ghost, and many more.

What many of us do remember is the I Married Joan theme song, that with that driving do-do-do-do refrain and the singing chorus. There are several collections of episodes now available on DVD, and also some on YouTube for quick viewing. You'll find that Joan is a crazy, limber-limbed knockabout comic, with a unique physicality that is quite brilliant. She should be remembered more often by those of us who enjoy the funny ladies. For every Tina Fey and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, there was a Joan Davis or Lucille Ball who came before.

Is "True Blood" Getting To Be Too Much?

Not sure exactly what's the problem, but I'm getting a little bored and creeped-out by HBO's True Blood lately. A little too much innuendo for my taste, and I never thought I'd say it, but too much blood, plus a surfeit of sadism that isn't my cup of V. How are you all feeling about it? Below is a recap of last week's episode, with had oodles of flaying and head-bashing.

Ep. 30: I Got a Right to Sing the Blues - Recap

I might be the only one getting a little turned off, but I don't have that "gotta watch it" thing going on anymore for the series. Should I keep trying to get the love back?

We Don't Want You To Think We're Sleeping...

We're just watching Mad Men, Louie, True Blood, Entourage, Hot in Cleveland, Rescue Me and a few others, all good, and we hope you're watching, too!

We're also working on our Fall Preview!

Happy viewing! Let us know what you're watching, too!

"Mad Men" Is Back!

It's fascinating to read what others have written about last night's 4th Season premiere episode "Public Relations" of AMC's stunning -- and there's almost no other word to describe it -- Mad Men. The series is cold and crisp and beautiful like a priceless diamond -- not the warmest gem out there, but so mesmerizing, utterly desirable and impossible not to look at.

Mad Men is Mid-Century America Kabuki, with its own kind of stylized costumes and a series of carefully constructed and elaborate tableaus where nothing is ever obvious and everything promises another layer of meaning left behind for us to peel away. Spoiler Alert: Here's a recap of the episode, but don't watch if you haven't seen it yet.



There's an interesting special interactive feature "Seeing History in Mad Men" from The New York Times, which has been thoroughly covering the return of MM with several recent articles. Last week they spotlighted different aspects of the series here, as well as looking into the use of period-appropriate language on the series with this "Mad Men-ese" story. Alessandra Stanley gave a look forward to Sunday's premiere here, and Ginia Bellafante wrote about it today.

Vanity Fair has a nicely detailed piece by James Wolcott, and The Onion's AV Club has a great overview of the episode here, too, and a few enlightening videos. I count myself among the folks who already knew what Peggy and her coworkers were riffing on with their "John...Marsha" routine, but it's evidently not exactly a universal pop culture reference point.

I also love Advertising Age and their coverage of the premiere episode, which of course contained a major scene involving the industry publication preparing a story about Don Draper et al's new agency. Rance McCrain writes about the portrayal of Ad Age in the show, and Larry Dobrow offers up a media industry-centric look at the episode. Both are great reads.

Also wonderful on a continued basis is the "Mad Blog" from Media Post Publications. Writer Dorothy Parker covers each episode with special insight.

If you've seen the first episode, you know that Mr. Draper got his freak on a bit, as seen below. Again, Spoiler Alert!

We've said it here before -- as TV series go, Mad Men is a slow burn. Too slow? Maybe a little, sometimes, but we've also said that it's more like a work of art than a TV show. We're supposed to look at it longer and deeper than the average TV show, so that's okay. We like a show what takes its time (with a deep nod to the great Mae West.)

Be sure to visit AMC's Mad Men site for much more information and behind-the-scenes features that will add to your appreciation of MM.

Get Mad with Us This Sunday

It's about cocktails and New York City and men in suits. It's about a time when Winston tasted good, like a cigarette should. It's about the glamor and horror of America's Camelot days, when there was still so much promise and hope but we had to walk a long dark road to get there.

It's about Don Draper, a terribly damaged human with the soul of a poet. It's about the birth of media and the magic of advertising. A Kodak carousel is not slide projector. It's a time machine, a circle of memories that lives forever in your mind.

Thank all the TV Gods that be, Mad Men returns this Sunday at 10PM. On AMC. To remember why we love it, click on this link.

Starz Brings Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" to TV Beginning Tonight

If I had a dollar for everytime somebody asked me if I'd read the book, and then insisted I should because I hadn't -- well, I'd be several dollars richer, that's for sure. Starz, and producers Tony and Ridley Scott, take on the enormous task of bringing Follett's enormous novel to the small screen. Headlined by actors Ian McShane, Donald Sutherland and Rufus Sewell, and also featuring many other capable internationally-known thespians in the huge cast, Pillars of the Earth aims to bring back the Middle Ages like they've never been brought back before.



Is this a series or a miniseries? Eight hours long, it's somewhere between the two, and will be unleashed in hour episodes every Friday night beginning tonight at 10pm. We'd recommend catching it either on-air, On Demand or on the Starz website -- two episodes are up there now -- if for no other reason than to honor your high school European History teacher for all their hard and possibly futile work trying to cram this era into your brain.

In a TV world where viewers are grooving like crazy on the getting-to-be-bit-much antics of HBO's TrueBlood and the vampire and werewolf denizens therein, surely there must be a few hours of our time available for something that's at least based in real historical fact.

I'm not guaranteeing I won't fall asleep watching it -- which might make the computer the best choice for me, say -- but if you've got a hankering for a juicy Medieval soap opera, it looks like Pillars of the Earth is a solid choice. Will it be as steamy as Starz' Spartacus, and equally as bloody? We think it will have to be to hold viewers, and at least the network can trot out the "historically accurate" defense if the TV do-gooders ever squawk.

Check out the Starz website for Pillars of the Earth for more information and all things behind-the-scenes.

(For an actual review of the series, you might like to read this from the L.A. Times, and it's always great to read one from the trades, like this one from The Hollywood Reporter.)

Would I really rather be watching another season of Starz' cancelled comedy Party Down instead of Pillars of the Earth?

Yeah, I would. But that's another story.

Louis CK. We. Just. Love. Him.

Flaming Nose founders (Lisa and Jane) have long considered hot comics as rulers of the media roost when it comes to sex appeal. Leading men like Brad Pitt and George Clooney? Yeah, they're pretty but whatever. Clever hunks like the Old Spice Dude (Isaiah Mustafa)? Nice, but what would we actually DO with him. Don't answer that.

The truth is, what really floats our boat and leads us to all manner of interesting obsessive-compulsive behaviors, are the funny ones. We've gone nuts for Ricky Gervais hosting award shows and Jermaine from Flight of the Conchords makes us giddy. Eddie Izzard is a cross dresser, do you think that quells our passion for him one tiny bit? And we don't care how chunky Alec Baldwin gets on 30 Rock; let him cough up a one liner about the Peacock network and we swoon. Smart and funny...funny and smart. Bring on the dark wit to light up our day. Humor + brains = Flaming Nose aphrodisiac.

So without further ado, I would now like to declare our eternal devotion for Louis CK, the hottest comedian in the U.S.A. starring on the best (and weirdest) comedy on TV (Louis: Tuesdays at 11pm on fX). Is he funny? I've fallen off the couch laughing so many times, I should pad the floor. Is he smart? He's the Einstein of comedy. Is he gorgeous? Who the hell cares? Anyway he's got that Irish looking thing going on, which works for me. His TV show is also wonderfully nuanced and the writing is sublime. We get real pathos and brilliant characters along with the laughs. And I'm here to say that I don't just love Louis. I also like him a lot and wish he was my neighbor so I could invite him to a BBQ.

This week's amazing episode saw Louis flying from NYC to the deep south to do a stand up gig. It was like "Airport" mixed with "Deliverance" with a sprinkle of "Seinfeld". Actually, it was nothing like any of those things, but it did involve a deeply disturbed Bubba cop in Alabama who needed a kiss. Don't ask...just watch.

If anyone would like to join The Flaming Nose for a big Louis CK love fest, please let us know. Go ahead and watch it on fX or Hulu or YouTube, then come back here and tell us what you think. But we saw him first, so hands off!

Great News for "Hot in Cleveland" -- Classic Comics Unite!

TV Land's terrific new sitcom Hot in Cleveland just announced another great get for the show: Comic Tim Conway will guest as a rival with Carl Reiner for Betty White's affections! Reiner has already been featured in several segments as Betty's new boyfriend, and he's adorable and very appealing in the role. Betty White is, of course, peerlessly funny!

Read a good account of the Tim Conway news here from Ohio.com, from the Akron Beacon Journal.

The addition of Tim Conway should kick the comedy up even another notch. Hot in Cleveland is already honestly laugh-out-loud funny, and not just for a certain boomer demo. The writing is crisp, the characterizations solid, and the acting spot on. The show is a real delight. We're also thrilled to read about the addition of Dave Foley to the ensemble -- this show really has an eye for perfect casting. Couldn't be better!

If you're not already watching Hot in Cleveland, give it a try. New episodes premiere Wednesdays at 10pm. The only mistake TV Land is making right now is that they're really stingy with episodes available online. Only the current week's episode? Not enough! If you want to get fans hooked, let us watch the episodes! (I will say that with a little sleuthing you can find them around the net, but wouldn't you rather watch them on TV Land? I would.)

More on the FCC Decency Rules and the Recent Court Ruling

The New York Times has an expanded section here dealing with the Court's striking down of the FCC Decency Rules, with contributions from a variety of pundits. The Flaming Nose weighed in last week on the issue, and many of our concerns are voiced here among these opinions. We're all for the increased attention on the violence issue bubbling up as a reaction to the indecency ruling. There's something very hypocritical about all the attention on sexual content and very little attempt to marry it to concern about the casual use of violence as entertainment. I'm not talking about pay-cable's Dexter or the like (cavet emptor there), it's the constant stream of easily accessible broadcast network TV's police procedurals that have really pushed this "police porn" into the mainstream.

Kudos to The New York Times for facilitating the discussion on the possible repercussions of the FCC Decency ruling and what kind of fall-out we might expect. Only by talking about this and deciding how far we want to see TV wallowing can we figure out where to draw the line, at least in our personal viewing.

Not Enough Women in Late Night Talk Shows? Thank Goodness!

You should take a look at this article by James Poniewozik from Time Magazine:

Are Women Getting Short Shrift in Late Night?


He brings up the disparity between the men vs. female body count on late-night TV. Other than the mouthy but not entirely without amusement Chelsea Handler and her eponymous show on E!, ladies are not represented in the talk show host world, nor evidently particularly behind-the-camera, either. Eh.

So what if there's not a gal sitting in one of those host chairs? The ladies rule daytime, and would you really want to see a "funny" version of The View on your TV, in the dark, right before you drift off to sleep? No, thanks. You can get better nightmares with a big Mexican dinner, and more deliciously, too.

Keep your ladies, please. For that matter, keep most of your late-night talk shows, hosted by men or women. The fact that anybody goes to sleep contentedly after watching Jay Leno is a freakin' miracle, I'd say. I certainly hope people are watching these shows either 1.) while surfing the net and not paying attention or 2.) while actually asleep. The third alternative -- that they are really watching -- boggles the mind.

Find a good Seinfeld re-run someplace. You'll get your laughs without the awkward celebrity plugs. (I will confess a small liking for Jimmy Kimmel, but not enough to actually watch him.)

Silver Fish Catch! It's The Old Spice Man Again!

We hope you're visiting Old Spice's YouTube channel, where the insanely great, completely adorable and consistently -- and we mean consistently, not a clunker in there -- hilarious campaign has posted Old Spice's "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" Isiah Mustafa's reponses to questions sent to him via various social network outlets. The Christian Science Monitor had a nice article about it last week, and Advertising Age put Old Spice at the top of its Viral Video Chart, too. Responses like this one:



Would Hollywood please put Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Isiah "Old Spice" Mustafa together in a movie, playing adventuring brothers, or something? I'd pay to see that! Both these guys get it in a big way, with that pitch-perfect sense of the absurd that not everybody can pull off. Wonderful!

The video announcing the end of the responses is equally amazing!

What a guy!

FCC Rules on Indecency Struck Down -- A Good Thing?

Even though I'm as liberal as it gets regarding content on TV -- usually -- I think the glee with which Hollywood seems to be greeting the recent court ruling over Broadcast TV's indecency regulations is a little unseemly. Read this article from The Hollywood Reporter for all the details, and then come back here for our comments.

Commentary: This is one case where I hope the advertisers do push back and refuse to sponsor racier programming. If producers are holding cable up as a model, most of the cable shows containing more adult content don't run before 10pm, so the idea that now on Broadcast TV shows before 10pm are going to go crazy is a little unbridled.

Part of the reason why I object is that the Broadcast Networks hold a slightly different place in the television landscape. They collectively are the Sears, the Wal-Mart, the Target, if you will, of TV, not the Victoria's Secret, the corner drug dealer or the adult on-demand on your cable system. Their very existence has depended on the approbation of the masses, while certain cable networks have managed to very carefully and deliberately prepare their particular audiences for what they're offering. FX is the best example of this, with shows that routinely are so much more explicit than anything else -- even pay cable in some ways -- but manage to fit perfectly into their image.

I find it particularly uncomfortable and creepy when network sitcoms go racy -- ick, indeed! -- and I'll tell you why. Not that I think we have to make everything kid-safe, but kids do watch sitcoms -- they're kind of the transition between cartoons and adult programming (though of course nowadays many never make that transition, witness the success of Adult Swim). The often smutty humor in CBS' Two and a Half Men seems just plain unpleasant to me, and I've hated to see my favorite The Big Bang Theory take steps in that direction.

It's not that sexual situations aren't funny, but there's an "Ewww!" line that is too frequently crossed. The ladies on TV Land's Hot in Cleveland are also dancing on that line (with many not very-veiled references to cunnilingus and so forth), and they are funny. However, since few kids are going to be watching HiC, it's no big deal, but it still is a whole different level of comedy subject matter and I'm not sure we can assume everybody is on board with it.

Have I finally become an old lady, waggling my fingers and going "Tsk Tsk!" at naughty words? Hardly. I think Louie on FX is amazing, and you won't find anything as explicit and bleak as that show. Nobody loves profanity -- in its place -- as much as I do, so that's not it.

The problem I see is that this is America. This isn't Great Britain, say, where content is much looser and people expect it and it's no problem. America is still the land of the embarrassed giggle and the adolescent snicker and our boob obsession and every other infantile sexual attitude that we still hold dear. We simply can't handle the truth, the sexual truth, that is, and it turns so many attempts to inject adult content into a show into something weird and uncomfortable. (Violence is a different issue. Flaying women on crime shows regularly is practically a rule for the police procedurals. America loves violence and guns and all that kind of obscenity.)

America is still suspicious of sex; goodness knows there are whole blocks of people out there who are simultaneously completely obsessed by sex and yet would prefer it legislated away (except for their clandestine perversions, no doubt). A current debate about whether the new healthcare bill should pay for birth control isn't really about birth control at all, it's about sex. Should women be able to have sex and enjoy it without worry? It's not about medicine, it's about that deep misogynist vein in America. Until we at least get over that, TV just can't freely get to a place where sexual content on TV is a good thing.

Really, the advertisers will make the call on this one. Can't have Broadcast TV without commercials, and if the advertisers don't like what they're seeing, it's a moot point. Unfortunately, the kind of viewers who write letters to advertisers aren't the kind of viewers I support or agree with in any other way, so I won't be with them on this, either. Might a lessening of standards bring some kind of a political backlash against any and all things liberal in thought or deed? I can see it happening. With all the real problems in the country, worrying about dirty words seems like a perfect misdirection issue to take the heat off what really needs to get done.

Oh well. Go ahead, networks, tart up your shows and see what happens. Maybe it'll work. I'm not for the "good old days" when nobody could say anything, but just try not to frighten the horses, will ya?

So Long Captain Phil

A reminder to all fans of Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch to turn in tonight at 9pm to say farewell to the late, great Captain Phil Harris. For six seasons, Captain Phil has bravely piloted his snow crab fishing boat the Cornelia Maria through the cruel and frigid waters of the Bering Sea. It's a tough, unforgiving job, and the Captain succumbed to a stroke after only 53 years on this planet (33 of them spent in the Crab Fishing business). He has passed his legacy and skills down to his sons Jake and Josh, and now they will be around to continue the 7th season of this highest rated Discovery Channel program ever.

In reality TV, a lost character can't be re-cast. No one would even dare try with Captain Phil. He was a true American original, and you could do far worse on a Tuesday night than to tune in to Discovery to say farewell.

Farewell to Harvey Pekar

We share a deep sense of melancholy today with the countless other fans and friends of Harvey Pekar, comic book author and creator of American Splendor, who died early this morning at the age of 70. If you saw the 2003 movie of American Splendor, starring Paul Giamatti (who should have gotten an Oscar or at least a nomination, but the film did receive a nom for Best Adapted Screenplay) and Hope Davis, you remember what a fascinating and unique character study Pekar's autobiographical work was. Even if you weren't a comic reader, and certainly the movie reached out far beyond that group, you felt a great empathy and appreciation for Pekar's life choices and philosophy.

Here's the trailer for American Splendor, and then a thoughtful little scene.

One of the signs of Pekar's rise to fame were his appearances on Late Night with David Letterman; author/illustrator/educator Stephen Kroniger has compiled them on his Drawger.com website and we highly recommend them.

Eccentricity is not always easy to embrace or even explain, but we're all the better for it in our lives and in other's. Farewell, Harvey...

Stick to HBO Tonight!

Just three things to remember.

TrueBlood.

Hung.

Entourage.


Starting at 9pm tonight. You're all set!

Louis CK: Sick, Surreal and Funnier than Anything I've Ever Seen on TV Before

A few weeks ago, Lisa gave us a terrific heads up for a new show on fX called Louis CK. It airs every Tuesday at 11pm, right after Rescue Me. For once the hyperbole in the promo is true....there is absolutely NOTHING like this show anywhere on TV. It is the darkest, funniest, raunchiest and in many ways most brilliant comedy I've ever seen on the small screen. This guy is a genius. But before you rush right over to fX this coming Tuesday, I have to offer a disclaimer. Louis CK is not for everyone. It's graphic, it's explicit. It's definitely not for kids. If you are sensitive about R+ rated programming (plenty of sex and language...no violence), you better give Louis a wide berth.



I've seen two episodes so far and both made me choke they were so funny. Louis plays himself (stand up comic) but also a divorced Dad of two kids who is trying to re-enter the dating scene with horrific, disastrous results. On one encounter, his blind date keeps him waiting outside in the hall, where he is flashed by a naked octogenarian. There's a tiny glimpse of that psychotic moment in the promo below. In another episode, he plays poker with his other stand up buddies, and one of them starts a soliloquy about sex that is uncomfortable, screaming out loud funny and ultimately poignant. You have to see it to believe it. Or not, because...gotta mention that disclaimer again folks.... this is for mature audiences only.

2010 Emmy Nominations are Out!

They've been announced! The 62nd Emmy Awards will be given out extra-early this year -- Sunday, August 29th on NBC (who has Sunday evening NFL broadcasts hence the Emmy move-up), simultaneous live on both Coasts, hosted by Jimmy Fallon. Not sure how much pizazz Fallon will bring to the table, but there are some fan-pleasing nominees here which could bring some younger viewers to the show to find out if their favorite Glee (19 nominations!) takes home a few.

The complete list is staggeringly long; we recommend visiting the official 2010 Emmy Awards website from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. There's a neat drop-down menu sortable by category which may help make the plethora of names and programs easier to manage. We offer here some of the higher profile categories, acting and programs, to entice you to further investigation.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO • HBO Entertainment

Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television

Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber; A Caryn Mandabach Production
The Office • NBC • Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille LLC in association with Universal Media Studios

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio

Outstanding Drama Series

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television

Dexter • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions

Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television

True Blood • HBO • Your Face Goes Here Entertainment in association with HBO Entertainment
Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series

The Colbert Report • Comedy Central • Hello Doggie, Inc. with Busboy Productions and Spartina Productions

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central • Central Productions, LLC

Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO • Bill Maher Productions and Brad Grey Television in association with HBO Entertainment

Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video

The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien • NBC • Conaco & NBC Universal

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television
Bryan Cranston as Walter White

Dexter • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan

Friday Night Lights • DirecTV • Imagine Entertainment in association with Universal Media Studios and Film 44
Kyle Chandler as Eric Taylor

House • FOX • Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat Harry Productions
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House

Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios
Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Jon Hamm as Don Draper

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

A Dog Year • HBO • Duopoly in association with HBO Films
Jeff Bridges as Jon Katz

The Prisoner • AMC • AMC, ITV Productions and Granada
Ian McKellen as Two

The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films
Michael Sheen as Tony Blair

The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films
Dennis Quaid as Bill Clinton

You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films
Al Pacino as Dr. Jack Kevorkian

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Lea Michele as Rachel Berry

The New Adventures Of Old Christine • CBS • Kari's Logo Here in association with Warner Bros. Television
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell

Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber; A Caryn Mandabach Production
Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton

Parks And Recreation • NBC • Produced by Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio
Tina Fey as Liz Lemon

United States Of Tara • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Dreamworks Television
Toni Collette as Tara Gregson

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

The Closer • TNT • The Shephard/Robin Company, in association with Warner Bros. Television
Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson

Damages • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions
Glenn Close as Patty Hewes

Friday Night Lights • DirecTV • Imagine Entertainment in association with Universal Media Studios and Film 44
Connie Britton as Tami Taylor

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions
Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC • Wolf Films in association with Universal Media Studios
Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
January Jones as Betty Draper

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Capturing Mary • HBO • A talkbackTHAMES Production in association with the BBC and HBO Films
Maggie Smith as Mary Gilbert

Georgia O'Keeffe • Lifetime • Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television
Joan Allen as Georgia O’Keeffe

Return To Cranford (Masterpiece) • PBS • BBC/WGBH in association with Chestermead
Dame Judi Dench as Miss Matty

The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films
Hope Davis as Hillary Clinton

Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films Claire Danes as Temple Grandin

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel

How I Met Your Mother • CBS • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy

Two And A Half Men • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television
Jon Cryer as Alan Harper

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television
Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman

Damages • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions
Martin Short as Leonard Winstone

Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios
Terry O'Quinn as John Locke

Lost • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios
Michael Emerson as Ben Linus

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
John Slattery as Roger Sterling

Men Of A Certain Age • TNT • TNT Original Productions
Andre Braugher as Owen


Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Emma (Masterpiece) • PBS • A co-production of BBC Productions and WGBH Boston
Michael Gambon as Mr. Woodhouse

Hamlet (Great Performances) • PBS • production of Illuminations and Royal
Shakespeare Company for BBC in association with Thirteen for WNET.org and NHK
Patrick Stewart as Ghost / Claudius

Return To Cranford (Masterpiece) • PBS • BBC/WGBH in association with Chestermead
Jonathan Pryce as Mr. Buxton

Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films David Strathairn as Dr. Carlock

You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films
John Goodman as Neal Nicol

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

Glee • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy

Modern Family • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett

Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video
Kristen Wiig as Various Characters

30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio
Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney

Two And A Half Men • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television
Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Burn Notice • USA • FOX Television Studios in association with Fuse Entertainment
Sharon Gless as Madeline Westen

Damages • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions
Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions
Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma

The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Productions
Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris

Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

Alice • Syfy • A Reunion Pictures and Studio Eight Production in association with RHI Entertainment
Kathy Bates as Queen of Hearts

Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films Julia Ormond as Eustacia (Temple's Mom)

Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films Catherine O'Hara as Aunt Ann

You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films
Brenda Vaccaro as Margo Janus

You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films
Susan Sarandon as Janet Good

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series

Glee • Wheels • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Mike O'Malley as Burt Hummel

Glee • Dream On • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Neil Patrick Harris as Bryan Ryan

Modern Family • Travels With Scout • ABC • Twentieth Century Fox Television
Fred Willard as Frank Dunphy

Nurse Jackie • Chicken Soup • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber; A Caryn Mandabach Production
Eli Wallach as Bernard Zimberg

30 Rock • Emmanuelle Goes To Dinosaur Land • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio
Jon Hamm as Dr. Drew Baird

30 Rock • Into The Crevasse • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in
association with Universal Media Studio
Will Arnett as Devin Banks

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series

The Closer • Make Over • TNT • The Shephard/Robin Company, in association with Warner Bros. Television
Beau Bridges as Detective George Andrews

Damages • The Next One's Gonna Go In Your Throat • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions
Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher

Dexter • Road Kill • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions
John Lithgow as Arthur Mitchell

The Good Wife • Fleas • CBS • CBS Productions
Alan Cumming as Eli Gold
The Good Wife • Bad • CBS • CBS Productions
Dylan Baker as Colin Sweeney

Mad Men • Shut The Door. Have A Seat. • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Robert Morse as Bertram Cooper

24 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox TV in association w/ Teakwood Lane Productions
Gregory Itzin as President Charles Logan

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series

The Big Bang Theory • The Maternal Congruence • CBS • Chuck Lorre
Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Christine Baranski as Beverly Hofstadter

Desperate Housewives • The Chase • ABC • ABC Studios
Kathryn Joosten as Karen McCluskey

Glee • The Rhodes Not Taken • FOX • A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Kristin Chenoweth as April Rhodes

Saturday Night Live • Host: Tina Fey • NBC • SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video
Tina Fey as Host

Saturday Night Live • Host: Betty White • NBC • SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video
Betty White as Host (and did you know that four unaired sketches are now viewable here?)

30 Rock • The Moms • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studio
Elaine Stritch as Colleen Donaghy

Two And A Half Men • 818-JKLPUZO • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television
Jane Lynch as Dr. Linda Freeman

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series

Big Love • The Might And The Strong • HBO • Anima Sola Productions and Playtone in association with HBO Entertainment
Mary Kay Place as Adaleen Grant

Big Love • End Of Days • HBO • Anima Sola Productions and Playtone in association with HBO Entertainment
Sissy Spacek as Marilyn Densham

The Cleaner • Does Everybody Have A Drink? • A&E • CBS Paramount Television in association with Once A Frog Productions for A&E Network
Shirley Jones as Lola Zellman

Damages • Your Secrets Are Safe • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television, FX Productions and KZK Productions
Lily Tomlin as Marilyn Tobin

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • Bedtime • NBC • Wolf Films in association with Universal Media Studios
Ann-Margret as Rita Wills

Lost • The End • ABC • Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios
Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet Burke

Outstanding Miniseries

The Pacific • HBO • Playtone and Dreamworks in association with HBO
Miniseries

Return To Cranford (Masterpiece) • PBS • BBC/WGBH in association with Chestermead



Outstanding Made For Television Movie

Endgame (Masterpiece) • PBS • Channel 4, Target Entertainment Group and
Masterpiece present A Daybreak Pictures Production

Georgia O'Keeffe • Lifetime • Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television

Moonshot • HISTORY • Produced by Dangerous Films LTD for History

The Special Relationship • HBO • A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production in association with HBO Films

Temple Grandin • HBO • A Ruby Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films
You Don't Know Jack • HBO • Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films

Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special

Bill Maher "...But I'm Not Wrong" • HBO • Bill Maher Productions and Moffitt Lee in association with HBO Entertainment

Hope For Haiti Now • Tenth Planet Productions and MTV

The Kennedy Center Honors • CBS • A George Stevens Jr. Presentation, Kennedy Center Television Productions, Inc.

Robin Williams: Weapons Of Self Destruction • HBO • Fiat Risus, MBST / CKX, and Funny Business in Association with HBO Entertainment

The 25th Anniversary Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Concert • HBO • Playtone, Tenth Planet Productions and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation in association with HBO Entertainment

Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me • HBO • Sykes Entertainment in association with HBO Entertainment

Outstanding Nonfiction Special

Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story • EPIXHD •
Salient Media presents a Halyon Films production in association with Ella
Communications

By The People: The Election Of Barack Obama • HBO • Green Film Company, Citi Productions, Class 5 Films and GOOD in association with HBO Documentary Films

Johnny Mercer: The Dream's On Me • TCM • Rhapsody Productions in association with TCM, Arena/BBC and Warner Home Video

Saturday Night Live In The 2000s: Time And Again • NBC • Barking Dog Productions

The Simpsons: 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice! • FOX • Warrior Poets

Teddy: In His Own Words • HBO • Kunhardt McGee Productions in association with HBO Documentary Films

Outstanding Nonfiction Series

American Experience • PBS • A Steeplechase Films production for American Experience

American Masters • PBS • A Production of Wolf Films and Strange Pictures LLC in association with Rhino Entertainment and Thirteen's American Masters for WNET.org

Deadliest Catch • Discovery Channel • Produced by Original Productions, LLC for Discovery Communications

Life • Discovery Channel • A BBC/Discovery Channel/SKAI Co-Production in association with RTI Spa

Monty Python: Almost The Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) • IFC • Eagle Rock
Entertainment Production, in association with IFC. Produced by Bill & Ben Productions

The National Parks: America's Best Idea • PBS • A Production of Florentine Films and WETA Washington, D.C.


Outstanding Reality Program

Antiques Roadshow • PBS • WGBH Educational Foundation

Dirty Jobs • Discovery Channel • Produced by Pilgrim Films and Television, Inc. for Discovery Channel

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution • ABC • Ryan Seacrest Productions and Fresh One Productions

Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List • Bravo • A 4 Aces and a Kicker production in association with Picture This Television and Bravo Media

MythBusters • Discovery Channel • Produced by Beyond Productions Pty.Ltd for The Discovery Channel

Undercover Boss • CBS • Studio Lambert

Outstanding Reality Program - Competition

The Amazing Race • CBS • World Race Productions Inc.

American Idol • FOX • FremantleMedia N.A., Inc. & 19TV Ltd.

Dancing With The Stars • ABC • BBC Worldwide Productions

Project Runway • Lifetime • The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture

Top Chef • Bravo • Magical Elves, Bravo

(Again, for the complete list, visit the Emmy website.)

The Flaming Nose will be bringing you many Emmy-related posts in the coming weeks, so be sure to keep visiting! Please leave your own picks in our comments section, too!

Barney Fife and the U.S. Constitution

As part of our celebration of American history via TV, here's a hilarious moment from The Andy Griffith Show showcasing Don Knotts' brilliant performance as Deputy Fife.





"Okay, 'We'."

"We?"

"We."

"Are you sure?"


Classic comedy performed by two masters. Happy Fourth of July!

A Little Bit of "John Adams" in Honor of Tomorrow's Holiday

To get you prepared for the Fourth of July, here's just a snippet now from HBO's wonderful miniseries John Adams which was such a favorite here when it first premiered in 2008. This scene features Paul Giamatti, Tom Wilkinson and the sublime Stephen Dillane as Adams, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, respectively, as they go over Jefferson's draft for the Declaration of Independence.




This is one miniseries that we can't wait to rewatch soon!