Random Notes, June 2021

This month marks 16 years of blogging. As always, my attention span is a tad scattered:

+ My sister and I are still clearing out the house in Downers. I have no valid reason for my inconsistent dispatches beyond that, but it has been grueling. 

+ The Flower Shop Bangers' Zoom show is on hiatus. My improv partner has some family health stuff going on (a most relatable situation) and it's become to much of a burden and distraction. We will keep you posted when we're performing again. 

+ One of my exes recently came out as non-binary. This was a person that I dated for 14 months in 2016-17, and I am happy for their self-actualization. I always had this premonition that they weren't cis female, but for a day or two I contemplated whether I was truly "straight" or not. I've dated non-binary people, but I guess I prefer cis women. I don't think there's a label for that. 

+ This month marks 16 years of writing my rambling thoughts, but also the 15th anniversary of my first Fantasy Emmy ballot. I'm so detached from watching any TV outside of late night that your guess is as good as mine. Odds are, HBO and streaming will dominate the proceedings again. 

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Random Notes, July 2020

COVID-19 is undeniably the dominant news story of 2020, but that doesn't mean I can't give credence to other news:

+ Remember when I gave Bush 43 a C-/D+ when he left office? The appointment of Chief Justice John Roberts validates my grade. Several key Supreme Court decisions are not indicators of a liberal shift per se, but that the center is struggling to relate to Trump conservatives. As of Monday the 1st, any chance of Roe v. Wade ever getting reversed just took a serious blow. To de-fang the electoral college didn't hurt, either. Roberts is no liberal, but at least he's deciding with his conscience.

+ For the second year in a row, I don't feel up to writing out an entire Fantasy Emmy ballot. I have downtime, but not enough to keep up with the phalanx of quality shows on cable and streaming right now. I am hoping that the TV Academy selects (among nominees, anyway) the Hulu series "Ramy," Ben Mendelsohn for "The Outsider," and Janelle Monae for "Homecoming." Message me for more of my thoughts.

+ It was weird not having any concrete plans for Independence Day. I drove out to my sister's, I hung out with the dogs, then I drove back in time to see my roommate ignite fireworks that he bought in Wisconsin two days prior. I did not mind the laid-back feel, but I miss drinking with friends.

Next Week: at long last, my 2020 MLB preview. Stay safe and stay home.

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My 14th Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

The announcement of the 2019 Primetime Emmys nominations is just hours away. I haven't had enough time to do my research for my self-imposed deadline, and I apologize in advance for presenting an abbreviated version of my annual fantasy ballot. Writing for TV remains a pipe dream, and being a member of the academy even more so. Without further ado:

Outstanding Animated Program: "Adventure Time: Come Along With Me," Cartoon Network; "Big Mouth," Netflix; "Bob's Burgers," Fox; "Bojack Horseman," Netflix; "Tuca and Bertie," Netflix.
Outstanding Variety Talk Series: “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” Comedy Central; “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” TBS; “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” ABC; “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” HBO; “The Late, Late Show with James Corden,” CBS; “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” CBS.
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series: “At Home with Amy Sedaris,” Netflix; “Documentary Now!” IFC; “Drunk History,” Comedy Central; "I Think You Should Leave, with Tim Robinson," Netflix; “Saturday Night Live,” NBC; “Tracey Ullman’s Show,” HBO/BBC.
Outstanding Comedy Series: “Barry,” HBO; “GLOW,” Netflix; “The Good Place,” NBC; “The Kominsky Method,” Netflix; “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” Amazon Prime; “Russian Doll,” Netflix; “Veep,” HBO.
Outstanding Drama Series: “Better Call Saul,” AMC; “Game of Thrones,” HBO; "The Good Fight," CBS All Access; “Killing Eve,” BBC America; “Ozark,” Netflix; “Pose,” FX; “This Is Us,” NBC.

Six Random Performances That I Hope Get Nominated (But It's Not a Sure Shot): Aidy Bryant, Shrill; Anthony Carrigan, Barry; Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll; Richard Madden, Bodyguard; Billy Porter, Pose; Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul.

I apologize that I posted this just under the wire.

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My 13th Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

The 2017-18 TV season was almost like a blur to me. My now-mountainous DVR has made it exceedingly difficult to catch up to "peak" TV, and near impossible to check out a new or much-hyped series. In any case, I still read up on TV news and reviews, and I have some semblance of an idea of current trends. Even if I'm dead wrong (as I am 40% of the time, historically) that's beside the point.

With that said, here is my 13th annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot:

Supporting Actress, Drama: Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black; Millie Bobbie Brown, Stranger Things; Ann Dowd, The Handmaid's Tale; Lena Headey, Game of Thrones; Chrissy Metz, This is Us; Thandie Newton, Westworld.
Supporting Actor, Drama: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones; Asia Kate Dillon, Billions; Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones; David Harbour, Stranger Things; Anthony Hopkins, Westworld; Mandy Patinkin, Homeland.
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Zazie Beetz, Atlanta; Judith Light, Transparent; Kate McKinnon, SNL; Laurie Metcalf, Roseanne; Megan Mullally, Will & Grace, Jessica Walter, Arrested Development.
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Louie Anderson, Buckets; Alec Baldwin, SNL; Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Sean Hayes, Will & Grace; Marc Maron, GLOW; Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Leading Actress, Drama: Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder; Claire Foy, The Crown; Mandy Moore, This Is Us; Elizabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale; Sandra Oh, Killing Eve; Keri Russell, The Americans.
Leading Actor, Drama: Jason Bateman, Ozark; Sterling K. Brown, This is Us; Freddie Highmore, The Good Doctor; Matthew Rhys, The Americans; Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan; Jeffrey Wright, Westworld.
Leading Actress, Comedy: Pamela Aldon, Better Things; Alison Brie, GLOW; Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel; Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Tracie Ellis Ross, Black-ish; Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie.
Leading Actor, Comedy: Anthony Anderson, Black-ish; Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Donald Glover, Atlanta; Bill Hader, Barry; William H. Macy, Shameless; Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley.

Best Variety Talk Series: "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," TBS; "Jimmy Kimmel Live," ABC; "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," HBO; "The Late, Late Show with James Corden," CBS; "Late Night with Seth Meyers," NBC; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," CBS.
Best Variety Sketch Series: "Drunk History," Comedy Central; "Joe Pera Talks With You," Adult Swim; "Portlandia," IFC; "The President Show," Comedy Central; "Saturday Night Live," NBC; "Tracey Ullman's Show," HBO/BBC.
Best Limited Series: "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story," FX; “Genius: Picasso” NatGeo; “Godless," Netflix; “The Looming Tower,” Hulu; “The Terror," AMC; “Twin Peaks,” Showtime.
Best Dramatic Series: "The Americans," FX; "The Crown," Netflix; "Game of Thrones," HBO; "The Handmaid's Tale," Hulu; "Stranger Things," Netflix; "This is Us," NBC; "Westworld," HBO.
Best Comedy Series: "Atlanta," FX; "Barry," HBO; "Black-ish," ABC; "GLOW," Netflix; "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," Amazon Prime; "Silicon Valley," HBO; "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," Netflix.

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My 12th Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

With each passing year, the Emmy Award get harder to predict.  The one aspect of this year's awards that most people can concur is this might be the year streaming usurped cable and broadcast TV. With the major networks struggling to stay relevant and perennial premium channel nominees like "Game of Thrones" sitting out the year, I expect Netflix and Hulu to fill the gaps and then some.

When I wrote my first fantasy Emmy ballot in May 2006, I was throwing a bone and hoping against hope that a number of overlooked performances and underappreciated shows would get some deserved gratification. It was an era that was light on quality TV comedy; it annoyed me ceaselessly that Jon Cryer and Tony Shalhoub would keep winning for good performances on mediocre TV shows, but a show like "Scrubs" barely made a dent. The drama categories were as cutthroat as they've ever been, but the made-for-TV movie and miniseries --er, uh, "limited series"-- were both on life support. Now it seems like the committee and their voters are more in simpatico with critical acclaim and all-around buzz. About 85 to 90% of the nominees below will very likely get a nod come July 13th; the other 10-15% are wishful thinking. I'll let you debate which is which.

Here is my 2017 Fantasy Emmy Ballot:

Supporting Actress, Drama: Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black; Millie Bobbie Brown, Stranger Things; Chrissy Metz, This is Us; Thandie Newton, Westworld; Winona Ryder, Stranger Things; Maura Tierney, The Affair.
Supporting Actor, Drama: Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul; Jared Harris, The Crown; Michael Kelly, House of Cards; John Lithgow, The Crown; Christian Slater, Mr. Robot; Jeffrey C. Wright, Westworld.
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Zazie Beetz, Atlanta; Anna Chlumsky, Veep; Jane Krakowski, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Judith Light, Transparent; Andrea Martin, Great News; Kate McKinnon, SNL.
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Louie Anderson, Buckets; Alec Baldwin, SNL; Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine; Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Tony Hale, Veep; Matt Walsh, Veep.

Leading Actress, Drama: Christine Baranski, The Good Fight; Carrie Coon, The Leftovers; Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder; Elizabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale; Keri Russell, The Americans; Robin Wright, House of Cards.
Leading Actor, Drama: Sterling K. Brown, This is Us; Rami Malek, Mr. Robot; Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul; Matthew Rhys, The Americans; Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan; Kevin Spacey, House of Cards.
Leading Actress, Comedy: Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep; Issa Rae, Insecure; Tracie Ellis Ross, Black-ish; Alia Shawkat, Search Party; Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie.
Leading Actor, Comedy: Anthony Anderson, Black-ish; Aziz Ansari, Master of None; Donald Glover, Atlanta; William H. Macy, Shameless; Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley; Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent.

Best Variety Talk Series: "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," TBS; "Jimmy Kimmel Live," ABC; "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," HBO; "The Late, Late Show with James Corden," CBS; "Late Night with Seth Meyers," NBC; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," CBS.
Best Variety Sketch Series: "Billy on the Street," TruTV; "Documentary Now!," IFC; "Drunk History," Comedy Central; "Portlandia," IFC; "The President Show," Comedy Central; "Saturday Night Live," NBC.
Best Limited Series: "Big Little Lies," HBO; "Fargo," FX; "Feud: Bette and Joan," FX; "Guerrila," Showtime; "The Night Of," HBO.
Best Dramatic Series: "The Americans," FX; "Better Call Saul," AMC; "House of Cards," Netflix; "Orange is the New Black," Netflix; "This is Us," NBC; "Westworld," HBO.
Best Comedy Series: "Atlanta," FX; "Black-ish," ABC; "Silicon Valley," HBO; "Transparent," Amazon Prime; "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," Netflix; "Veep," HBO.

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My 11th Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

Emmy time again? Not quite, as the nominations won't be announced for a few weeks. However, the 2015-16 TV season is for all intents and purposes over; with a dramatic amount of turnover from last year (especially in the Best Drama and Best Variety categories) there is a slew of fresh faces and familiar faces in new locales alike to make anyone's prognostication look valid. At the same time, where there are several returning shows that are practically locks for a nomination, there are various upstarts and overlooked talents that could make their case.

With that said, here is my 2016 Fantasy Emmy Ballot:

Supporting Actress, Drama: Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black; Christine Baranski, The Good Wife; Joanne Froggett, Downtown Abbey; Lena Headey, Game of Thrones; Regina King, The Leftovers; Constance Zimmer, UnREAL.
Supporting Actor, Drama: Jim Carter, Downton Abbey; Alan Cumming, The Good Wife; Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones; Michael Kelly, House of Cards; Damien Lewis, Billions; Christian Slater, Mr. Robot.
Supporting Actress, Comedy: Julie Bowen, Modern Family; Anna Chlumsky, Veep; Allison Janney, Mom; Jane Krakowski, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Judith Light, Transparent; Kate McKinnon, SNL.
Supporting Actror, Comedy: Louie Anderson, Buckets; Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine; Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Adam Driver, Girls; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family; Tony Hale, Veep.

Leading Actress, Drama: Claire Danes, Homeland; Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder; Taraji P. Henson, Empire; Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black; Maura Tierney, The Affair; Robin Wright, House of Cards.
Leading Actor, Drama: Bobby Cannavale, Vinyl; Kyle Chandler, Bloodline; Rami Malek, Mr. Robot; Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul; Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan; Kevin Spacey, House of Cards.
Leading Actress, Comedy: Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep; Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer; Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie; Michaela Watkins, Casual; Constance Wu, Fresh Off the Boat.
Leading Actor, Comedy: Anthony Anderson, Black-ish; Aziz Ansari, Master of None; Don Cheadle, House of Lies; Will Forte, The Last Man on Earth; William H. Macy, Shameless; Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent.

Best Variety Talk Series: "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," TBS; "Jimmy Kimmel Live," ABC; "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," HBO; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," CBS; "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," NBC.
Best Variety Sketch Series: "Drunk History," Comedy Central; "Inside Amy Schumer," Comedy Central; "Key & Peele," Comedy Central; "Portlandia," IFC; "Saturday Night Live," NBC.
Best Limited Series: "11.22.63," Netflix; "American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson," FX; "American Horror Story: Hotel," FX; "Fargo," FX; "The Night Manager," AMC; "Show Me a Hero," HBO.
Best Dramatic Series: "Better Call Saul," AMC; "Downton Abbey," BBC/PBS; "Game of Thrones," HBO; "The Good Wife," CBS; "House of Cards," Netflix; "Orange is the New Black," Netflix.
Best Comedy Series: "Broad City," Comedy Central; "The Last Man on Earth," Fox; "Silicon Valley," HBO; "Transparent," Amazon Prime; "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," Netflix; "Veep," HBO.

My 10th Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

Technically, the 2014-15 TV season doesn't officially end until June 1st. With scripted programming now running more or less year-round, early June is the thin red line for Emmy contention. It has been both a transitional and bountiful year, with longstanding Emmy favorites either bowing out and fading into old age, which a bumper crop of quality programming ready to gobble up some hardware. The nominees won't be announced for another six weeks, but I've never been afraid to jump the gun.

Supporting Actress, Comedy: Mayam Bialik, The Big Bang Theory; Julie Bowen, Modern Family; Anna Chlumsky, Veep; Allison Janney, Mom; Judith Light, Transparent; Kate McKinnon, SNL.
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine; Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Ty Burrell, Modern Family; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family; Tony Hale, Veep; Steve Zissis, Togetherness.
Supporting Actress, Drama: Christine Baranski, The Good Wife; Christina Hendricks, Mad Men; Kate Mulgrew, Orange is the New Black; Dame Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey; Sissy Spacek, Bloodline; Cecily Tyson, How to Get Away With Murder.
Supporting Actor, Drama: Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul; Jim Carter, Downton Abbey; Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones; Vincent Kartheiser, Mad Men; Mandy Patinkin, Homeland; John Slattery, Mad Men.

Lead Actress, Comedy: Lena Dunham, Girls; Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep; Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly; Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation.
Lead Actor, Comedy: Louie C.K. Louie; Don Cheadle, House of Lies; Matt LeBlanc, Episodes; William H. Macy, Shameless; Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory; Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent.
Lead Actress, Drama: Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder; Taraji P. Henson, Empire; Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife; Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men; Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin; Kerry Washington, Scandal.
Lead Actor, Drama: Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Terrence Howard, Empire; Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul; Kevin Spacey, House of Cards; Dominic West, The Affair.

Best Limited Series*: "American Crime," ABC; "American Horror Story: Freak Show," FX; "The Honorable Woman," BBC/PBS; "Olive Kitteridge," HBO; "Texas Rising," The History Channel.
Best Comedy Series: "Louie," FX; "Modern Family," ABC; "Silicon Valley," HBO; "Transparent," Amazon Prime; "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," Netflix; "Veep," HBO.
Best Drama Series: "Downton Abbey," BBC/PBS; "Game of Thrones," HBO; "House of Cards," Netflix; "Mad Men," AMC; "Masters of Sex," Showtime; "Orange is the New Black," Netflix.

*new category for miniseries and limited-run shows

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My Ninth Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

You know the drill. Even though the network television season ended three weeks ago, the deadline for Emmy contention is later this month. What better time than now to get the speculation started?

Writing in a Variety/Comedy/Music Series: (name listed is head writer) Opus Moreschi, The Colbert Report; Mike Sweeney, Conan; Steve Bodow, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; Molly McNearney, Jimmy Kimmel Live; A.D. Miles, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; Bill Maher, Real Time with Bill Maher.
Outstanding Variety/Comedy/Music Series: "The Colbert Report," Comedy Central; "Conan," TBS; "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," Comedy Central; "Jimmy Kimmel Live," ABC; "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," NBC; "Saturday Night Live," NBC.

Outstanding Miniseries: "American Horror Story: Coven" (FX); "Bonnie and Clyde" (History Channel); "Dancing on the Edge" (Starz); "Fargo" (FX); "Rosemary's Baby" (NBC); "The White Queen" (Starz).
Outstanding Made for TV Movie: "Burton and Taylor" (BBC America); "Clear History" (HBO); "Muhammed Ali's Greatest Fight" (HBO); "The Normal Heart" (HBO); "Sherlock: His Last Vow" (PBS/BBC); "The Trip to Bountiful" (Lifetime).

Supporting Actress, Comedy: Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory; Julie Bowen, Modern Family; Anna Chlumsky, Veep; Kate Mulgrew, Orange is the New Black; Sofia Vergara, Modern Family; Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie.
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Ty Burrell, Modern Family; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family; Max Greenfield, New Girl; Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother; Ed O'Neill, Modern Family; Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family.
Supporting Actress, Drama: Christine Baranski, The Good Wife; Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad; Christina Hendricks, Mad Men; Allison Janney, Masters of Sex; Dame Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey; Maisie Williams, Game of Thrones.
Supporting Actor, Drama: Jim Carter, Downton Abbey; Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones; Woody Harrelson, True Detective; Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad; John Slattery, Mad Men; Jeffrey Wright, Broadwalk Empire.

Lead Actress, Comedy: Lena Dunham, Girls; Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep; Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly; Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation; Taylor Schilling, Orange is the New Black.
Lead Actor, Comedy: Louie C.K. Louie; Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory; Matt LeBlanc, Episodes; Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory; Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine; Robin Williams, The Crazy Ones.
Lead Actress, Drama: Connie Britton Nashville; Claire Danes, Homeland; Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey; Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife; Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men; Kerry Washington, Scandal.
Lead Actor, Drama: Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire; Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad; Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Matthew McConaughey, True Detective; Kevin Spacey, House of Cards.

Best Comedy Series: "The Big Bang Theory," CBS; "Girls," HBO; "Modern Family," ABC; "Orange is the New Black," Netflix; "Parks & Recreation," NBC; "Veep," HBO.
Best Drama Series: "Breaking Bad," AMC; "Game of Thrones," HBO; "The Good Wife," CBS; "House of Cards," Netflix; "Mad Men," AMC; "True Detective," HBO.

As always, I look forward to the debate that should ensue.

My Eighth Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

For all intents and purposes, the 2012-13 television season is in the books. A little speculation is already brewing for this year's Emmys, and for the eighth year in a row I will throw my most educated guesses into the gauntlet. It was a weak year for first-year series so I don't expect too many fresh faces, but the rise of pay-on-demand original programming (thanks, Netflix!) might prove to be a curious X-factor. Than again, I predicted minimal turnover last year and look at how that turned out.

With that said, here is my 2013 Fantasy Emmy Ballot:

Writing in a Variety/Comedy/Music Series: (name listed is head writer) Barry Julien, The Colbert Report; Mike Sweeney, Conan; Steve Bodow, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; A.D. Miles, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; Bill Maher, Real Time with Bill Maher; Colin Jost and Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live.
Outstanding Variety/Comedy/Music Series: "The Colbert Report," Comedy Central; "Conan," TBS; "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," Comedy Central; "Jimmy Kimmel Live," ABC; "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," NBC; "Saturday Night Live," NBC.

Outstanding Miniseries or Made-for-TV Movie: "American Horror Story: Asylum," FX; "Behind the Candelabra," HBO; "Political Animals," USA; "Phil Spector," HBO; "Top of the Lake," Sundance Channel.

Supporting Actress, Comedy: Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory; Julie Bowen, Modern Family; Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock; Sofia Vergara, Modern Family; Jessica Walter, Arrested Development; Allison Williams, Girls.
Supporting Actor, Comedy: Ty Burrell, Modern Family; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family; Max Greenfield, New Girl; Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother; Ed O'Neill, Modern Family; Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family.
Supporting Actress, Drama: Morena Baccarin, Homeland; Christine Baranski, The Good Wife; Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey; Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad; Christina Hendricks, Mad Men; Dame Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey.
Supporting Actor, Drama: Jim Carter, Downton Abbey; Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones; Gabriel Byrne, Vikings; Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad; James Purefoy, The Following; John Slattery, Mad Men.

Lead Actress, Comedy: Lena Dunham, Girls; Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep; Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly; Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation.
Lead Actor, Comedy: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Jason Bateman, Arrested Development; Louie C.K. Louie; Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory; Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory; Matthew Perry, Go On.
Lead Actress, Drama: Connie Britton, Nashville; Claire Danes, Homeland; Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey; Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife; Keri Russell, The Americans; Kerry Washington, Scandal.
Lead Actor, Drama: Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire; Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad; Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Damian Lewis, Homeland; Kevin Spacey, House of Cards.

Best Comedy Series: "30 Rock," NBC; "The Big Bang Theory," CBS; "Girls," HBO; "Modern Family," ABC; "Parks & Recreation," NBC; "Veep," HBO.
Best Drama Series: "Boardwalk Empire," HBO; "Breaking Bad," AMC; "Game of Thrones," HBO; "Homeland," Showtime; "House of Cards," Netflix; "Mad Men," AMC.

I look forward to the debate that will ensue.

Next Week: my Class of '13 memory list.

The 47% Solution

Until a few weeks ago, this was probably the first president election in a generation where there was no clear front-runner or underdog.  In the wake of several blunders by the Romney campaign, however it seems like Barack Obama will be reelected almost by default. This is exactly what I forecasted two months ago: the 2012 election is 2004 in reverse. The more the rich, out of touch challenger trips on himself, the more momentum the middling incumbent gains.

What might have been Romney's Mondale moment occured at a private GOP fundraiser several months ago. Whether it was intended for the public or not, to suggest that 47% of the U.S. population lives on government handouts was thickheaded and irrational. In short, Romney mixed up three disparate groups: the roughly half the country that will inevitably support President Barack Obama, the half that doesn’t pay federal income taxes, and the half that receives government benefits. Sadly, this is congruent with the GOP's way of thinking; they assume that anyone who receives any money from the government, whether it's deserved or not, is a lazy bum.

Other notes:

+ Speaking of races that are all but over... really?

+ I can't complain about the Emmy winners in the drama categories, though the comedy winners were an absolute mess. Jon Cryer won Best Lead Actor for endurance, not on the merit of his performance. Even though "Modern Family" deserved to win in 2010 and 2011, the Best Comedy Series three-peat was wholly unnecessary; though "Treehouse" and "After the Fire" were both fine episodes, season 3 was staggeringly uneven.

+ Apparently, owning a black-and-white striped shirt is enough to make you an NFL replacement referee. This lockout needs to end ASAP.

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My Seventh Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

Is it May sweeps already? The 2011-12 TV season just flew by. There doesn't seem to be any speculation yet for the 64th Annual Emmy Awards, and even though the nominations won't be announced for another two months, I'd love to get the ball rolling. (By my best estimate, tvguide.com will post theirs around Memorial day.) With only a few familar faces gone ("Friday Night Lights," Steve Carell) and a weak crop of new shows, I'm predicting very little turnover from last year.

With that said, here is my 2012 Fantasy Emmy Ballot:


Writing in a Variety/Comedy/Music Series: (name listed is head writer) Barry Julien, The Colbert Report; Mike Sweeney, Conan; Steve Bodow, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; A.D. Miles, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; Bill Maher, Real Time with Bill Maher; Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live.
Outstanding Variety/Comedy/Music Series: "The Colbert Report," Comedy Central; "Conan," TBS; "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," Comedy Central; "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," NBC; "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," CBS; "Saturday Night Live," NBC.

Supporting Actress in a Drama: Christine Baranski, The Good Wife; Christina Hendricks, Mad Men; Jessica Lange, American Horror Story; Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men; Archie Punjabi, The Good Wife; Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones.
Supporting Actor in a Drama: Alan Cumming, The Good Wife; Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones; Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad; Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad; Michael Shannon, Boardwalk Empire; John Slattery, Mad Men.
Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Julie Bowen, Modern Family; Alison Brie, Community; Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock; Jane Lynch, Glee; Sofia Vergara, Modern Family; Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live.
Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Ty Burrell, Modern Family; Chris Coifer, Glee; Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men; Nick Offerman, Parks & Recreation; Danny Pudi, Community; Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family.

Lead Actress in a Drama: Kathy Bates, Harry's Law; Mirielle Enos, The Killing; Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU; Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife; Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire; Jessica Pare, Mad Men.
Lead Actor in a Drama: Jim Caviezel, Person of Interest; Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad; Michael C. Hall, Dexter; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Hugh Laurie, House; Timothy Olyphant, Justified.
Lead Actress in a Comedy: Zooey Deschanel, New Girl; Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Laura Linney, The Big C; Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly; Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation.
Lead Actor in a Comedy: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory; Joel McHale, Community;  Ed O'Neill, Modern Family; Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory.

Outstanding Drama Series: "American Horror Story," FX; "Breaking Bad," AMC; "Dexter," Showtime; "Game of Thrones," HBO; "The Good Wife," CBS; "Mad Men," AMC.
Outstanding Comedy Series: "30 Rock," NBC; "The Big Bang Theory," CBS; "Community," NBC; "Louie," FX;  "Modern Family," ABC; "Parks & Recreation," NBC.

Let the debate begin!

My Sixth Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

With the 2010-11 TV season winding down, speculation is already simmering for the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards, even though the ceremony is 3 1/2 months from now. Therefore, it must be time for my sixth annual fantasy ballot. Originally conceived in June 2006 as a ripoff of Michael Ausiello's annual feature at tvguide.com, my imaginary Emmy ballot mixes should-be nominees with likely nods and other deserving stars and shows. With "Lost," "24," and "Damages" no longer of the running, it should be a wide-open year for drama nominees; the comedy and variety categories should have fewer surprises.

Writing in a Variety/Comedy/Music Series: (name listed is head writer) Barry Julien, The Colbert Report; Mike Sweeney, Conan; Steve Bodow, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; Bill Maher, Real Time with Bill Maher; and Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live.
Outstanding Variety/Comedy/Music Series: "The Colbert Report," Comedy Central; "Conan," TBS; "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," Comedy Central; "Late Show with David Letterman," CBS; and "Saturday Night Live," NBC.

Supporting Actress in a Drama: Christine Baranski, The Good Wife; Sarah Wayne Callies, The Walking Dead; Sharon Gless, Burn Notice; Christina Hendricks, Mad Men; Archie Punjabi, The Good Wife; Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy.
Supporting Actor in a Drama: Alan Cumming, The Good Wife; Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones; Jack Huston, Boardwalk Empire; Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad; Michael Shannon, Boardwalk Empire; John Slattery, Mad Men.
Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Julie Bowen, Modern Family; Yvette Nicole Brown, Community; Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock; Jane Lynch, Glee; Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men; Sofia Vergara, Modern Family.
Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Ty Burrell, Modern Family; Chris Coifer, Glee; Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men; Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother; Nick Offerman, Parks & Recreation; Danny Pudi, Community.

Lead Actress in a Drama: Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights; Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU; Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife; Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire; Elizabeth Moss, Mad Men; and Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer.
Lead Actor in a Drama: Sean Bean, Game of Thrones; Kyle Chandler, Fright Night Lights; Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad; Michael C. Hall, Dexter; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; and Hugh Laurie, House.
Lead Actress in a Comedy: Toni Collette, United States of Tara; Courtney Cox, Cougar Town; Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Lea Michele, Glee; and Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation.
Lead Actor in a Comedy: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Steve Carell, The Office; Joel McHale, Community; Matthew Morrison, Glee; Ed O'Neill, Modern Family; and Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory.

Outstanding Drama Series: "Breaking Bad," AMC; "Dexter," Showtime; "The Good Wife," CBS; "In Treatment," HBO; "Mad Men," AMC; "The Walking Dead," AMC.
Outstanding Comedy Series: "30 Rock," NBC; "The Big Bang Theory," CBS; "Community," NBC; "How I Met Your Mother," CBS; "Modern Family," ABC; "Parks & Recreation," NBC.

Let the debate begin!

My Fifth Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

Though the TV season doesn't officially end until May 26th, it's not too soon to speculate which of our favorite shows will earn some Emmy hardware come September. In spite of last year's decision to expand all the acting and show categories to six nominees --a decision I erronously overlooked on my roster last year-- it was a weak year for new shows and there were few fresh faces. 2009-10, on the other hand, gave us a plethora of promising rookies, all chomping at the bit to change the dreary status quo. With that said, here is my annual fantasy Emmy ballot:

Outstanding Animated Program, Less Than One Hour: American Dad! (for the episode "Rapture's Delight"), Family Guy ("Road to the Multiverse"), The Simpsons ("Treehouse of Horror XX"), South Park ("Sexual Healing"), and Spongebob Squarepants ("The Clash of Triton").

Best Writing for a Comedy/Music/Variety Series: "Late Show with David Letterman," "Real Time with Bill Maher," "Saturday Night Live," "The Colbert Report," and "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."

Best Comedy/Music/Variety Series: "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," "Late Show with David Letterman," "The Colbert Report," "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," and "Saturday Night Live."

Best Reality-Competition Program: "The Amazing Race," "American Idol," "Dancing With The Stars," "Survivor," "Top Chef."

Best Supporting Actress, Drama: Khandi Alexander, Treme; Rose Byrne, Damages; Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters; Christina Hendricks, Mad Men; Elizabeth Moss, Mad Men; and Dianne Weist, In Treatment.

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: Gillian Jacobs, Community; Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock; Jane Lynch, Glee; Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men; Kristen Wiig, SNL; and Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty.

Best Supporting Actor, Drama: Nestor Carbonell, Lost; Michael Emerson, Lost; Vincent Kartheiser, Mad Men; Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad; Martin Short, Damages; and John Slattery, Mad Men.

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: Ty Burrell, Modern Family, Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men; Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother; Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock; Nick Offerman, Parks & Recreation; and Rainn Wilson, The Office.

Best Actress in a Drama Series: Glenn Close, Damages; Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters; Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Holly Hunter, Saving Grace; January Jones, Mad Men; and Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer.

Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Toni Collette, United States of Tara; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine; Lia Michele, Glee; Mary Louise Parker, Weeds; and Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation.

Best Actor in a Drama Series: Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment; Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Hugh Laurie, House; Tim Roth, Lie To Me; and Kiefer Sutherland, 24.

Best Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Steve Carell, The Office; Joel McHale, Community; Ed O'Neill, Modern Family; Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory; and Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men.

Best Drama Series: "Breaking Bad," "Damages," "Dexter," "In Treatment," "Lost," "Mad Men."

Best Comedy Series: "30 Rock," "The Big Bang Theory," "Glee," "How I Met Your Mother," "Modern Family," "The Office."

Normally, this list is a hodgepodge of nominees I'd like to see and those that'll be nominated regardless, but this year I have a feeling that it'll balance out. I'm confident that at least 80% of my predictions this time around are right on the money. If you think I'm overlooking anyone, go ahead and call me out.

Next week: the year in music, 1987.

Bummer in the Summer

As I write this, I'm still reeling from maybe the worst weekend I've ever had. It all started on Saturday morning; at the current radio station that I work it, I handle phones for a call-in nutritional/dietary advice talk show. It has nothing to do with traffic/billing or reception, it's just a little side money. There was an on-air contest for tickets to an air show in Wisconsin, with the 5th, 10th, and 12th callers each receiving prizes. Somewhere in receiving my instructions for the show, I forgot that the host wanted to speak with the winners live on-air. When the winners called in, I jotted down their contact info but I forgot to put them back on hold. The producer called the main studio to inform me of my mistake (the show is produced outside of the station), I had to backpedal and call back the three winners, but at that point there wasn't enough time left in the show to get them on-air. Two days later I was relieved of my duties as phone operator, partially because of my flub, but also because the producer wanted to experiment with an in-house phone guy, thus preventing any future miscommunication.

After work, I had to run some errands. I was driving home, going about 27 in a 25 MPH zone, when all of a sudden a little boy bolted across the street. A family had parked their van across the street from what appeared to be a relative's house. The parents were still standing beside the van with their daughter, and their eldest son was standing on the opposite side of the street. The younger son was running from the van towards his big brother. The little kid didn't look both ways and tried to gun it. Luckily for both of us, I hit the brakes just in time, the boy took two steps back, than waited to cross after I drove past the van. If I hit the brakes two seconds later, I likely would've committed vehicular manslaughter.

Of course, those two missteps don't compare to the bombshell I received Sunday afternoon. I was at Chicago Union Station after class at SC, and I had some time to kill, so decided to check my Facebook news feed with my cell phone. As I scanned down the status updates, I saw that my girlfriend from three years ago posted "I'm engaged to the most amazing man in the world!!!!!!!" Apparently, her current boyfriend popped the question on a cruise ship on Saturday night. Suffice to say, I was speechless. First off, she's only been with her new fiancee for about four months; we dated for seven. Secondly, who goes online on a cruise ship? Thirdly, why did I have to find out about this on fucking Facebook? Couldn't she have waited to break the news once she was back on American soil? (Don't worry folks, I'm about 95% sure she never reads this blog.) For the last two days, I've been venting to anyone that will listen. Without getting too personal, I really don't know how to react or what to say about the whole situation, and I'm having a hard time not thinking about it.

Other notes:

+ Looking at my Emmy predictions from three months ago, I'm surprised that the powers that be made more daring selections than I did. Of course, I also stuck with the old five-nominees per category rule (the maximum is now six, unless there's a tie for the final spot). For every force-of-habit, questionably deserving nomination like Tony Shalhoub, there's a pleasant surprise like "Flight of the Conchords" (who were on my 2008 ballot). My biggest gripe, obviously would be the selection of "Family Guy" for best comedy series. As I explained in the FG forum at TV.com, I find it mystifying that the committee chose an animated series that has broken little new ground and might very well be past its prime, yet "The Simpsons," the show that paved the way for TV-14 toons like FG, has never been nominated in this category.

+ For what seems like the sixth time in the past year, the title of World's Oldest Man has been passed to the next-oldest person. Boy, it must be jinxed or something. But seriously, this time around it's a 112-year-old resident of Montana, and according to an AP article he was born in 1896 and cast his first presidential ballot for Woodrow Wilson. (The legal voting age was 21 in 1916, so that's a nitpick.)

+ Finally- if anybody's looking for all my old blogs, they're archived at most of the other CNet sites (Gamespot, MovieTome, and the soon-to-be-vanquished mp3.com). Just so you know.

My Fourth Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot

Listed below is my 4th Annual Fantasy Emmy Ballot. For the uninitiated, I write this ballot for two reasons- to acknowledge who I thought had the best performances of the year, but also to compare it to actual Emmy ballot, which is often completely out of touch with what the press has to say. I am retaining my unusual strategy from last year; of the five nominees in each category, I chose four people that I would like to see nominated and one that the Emmy committee will ostensively choose that isn't quite as deserving. Some of them will be easier to figure out than others. Here goes:

Outstanding Animated Program, Less Than One Hour: "American Dad," "King of the Hill," "The Simpsons," "South Park," and "Spongebob Squarepants."

Best Writing for a Comedy/Music/Variety Series: "Late Show with David Letterman," "Real Time with Bill Maher," "Saturday Night Live," "The Colbert Report," and "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."

Best Comedy/Music/Variety Series: "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "Late Show with David Letterman," "The Colbert Report," "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," and "Tracey Ullman's State of the Union."

Best Supporting Actress, Drama: Candice Bergen, Boston Legal; Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters; Katherine Heigl, Grey's Anatomy; January Jones, Mad Men; and Dianne Weist, In Treatment.

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: Jenna Fischer, The Office; Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock; Jaime Pressly, My Name Is Earl; Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men; and Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty.

Best Supporting Actor, Drama: Ted Danson, Damages; Michael Emerson, Lost; William Hurt, Damages; T.R. Knight, Grey's Anatomy; and John Slattery, Mad Men.

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men; Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother; Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock; Jeremy Piven, Entourage; and Rainn Wilson, The Office.

Best Actress in a Drama Series: Glenn Close, Damages; Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters; Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Holly Hunter, Saving Grace; and Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer.

Best Actress in a Comedy Series: 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.

Best Actor in a Drama Series: Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment; Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Denis Leary, Rescue Me; and Kiefer Sutherland, 24.

Best Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Steve Carell, The Office; Jason Lee, My Name Is Earl; Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory; and Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men.

Best Drama Series: "24," "Damages," "In Treatment," "Lost," "Mad Men."

Best Comedy Series: "30 Rock," "The Big Bang Theory," "Entourage," "How I Met Your Mother," "The Office."

Make sure to print out this ballot, than give me the nth degree when they announce the nominations in July and I will likely get half of these wrong. Enjoy!

Other Notes:

+ Sunday was student orientation at Second City, but my journey to the theater was a bit of a challenge. I woke up at quarter to 6 because trains to the city only run every other hour on Sundays. I arrived at Chicago Union Station at 7:40AM, walked to a nearby 7/11 to grab some coffee, than hiked five blocks east on West Lake St. to get onto the "El" line that took me to the Old Town neighborhood. After getting off at Sedgwick Ave. I walked another four blocks to arrive at the front entrance of Second City... and somehow I was still 45 minutes early. I can't believe this will be my commute for eight of the next nine weeks.

+ As for orientation itself- for about forty minutes, I listened to a middle-aged lady (and a 20-year veteran of SC) explain class guidelines and what to expect in the improv, acting, and writing courses. Apparently, there's no actual performing until you're a Level C; I'm only at Level A, but I'm deliberately taking the easiest course to ease myself in. The lady also mentioned how cool it was to have Stephen Colbert as a classmate in the early '90s and briefly alluded to having Tina Fey as a past student... you know, for the sake of bragging.

+ Last week, I was playing the uncensored version of the SNL Digital Short "Mother Lovers" on my laptop sans headphones. My mother walked into the room just as Andy and Justin said "we should fuck each other's mothers," she gave me a weird look, said "okay..." than walked towards the living room.

+ Paris Hilton stated in a recent interview that she's not as sexually experienced as the media perceives her, stating that she's only been with "a couple of guys." Of course, she didn't specify if she was with these men over the course of the last couple of years, weeks, or hours.

+ It's mid-May and Kansas City is only one game out of first place? This must be the year...