I don't know where to begin....I am so P.O.'d at Fox for censoring three or four people on the Emmy's....I actually was talking to my television set....yelling, really. How Dare They? What kind of country is it we live in now when a person cannot say what they feel on an Award Show????
Kathy Griffen was quoted in this last few days as saying: "Am I the only Catholic left with a sense of humor?".....Come on people.....
I said I would tell you about my votes, after the Emmy's were announced. If anyone still cares...lol.....Robert Duvall was my top number in his category---Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or Movie, 
and Katherine Heigl was not my number one choice, in the Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series category. 
My choice was was Aida Turturro. As I mentioned previously, based on the 'episodes' we were sent and that we were sent only one episode for each performer----this one episode was your only guide---not what someone did last year, or in a movie. And based on what I watched, Aida Turtorro was my choice. Just my opinion. I do think Katherine Heigle is a very very talented young lady who has done a lot of wonderful work and I congratulate her on this win. And now that the Emmy's are over, here is another opinion: I do not believe that Katherine Heigl and Sandra Oh belong in the Supporting Actress category. In my humble opinion they are "Lead Actresses" in their show 'Grey's Anatomy', but I don't make those rules, so.....Moving right along.....
The Tony Awards were my choice in "Special Programing", and it won I am happy to say. This was one of the category's where the Award was given out at The Creative Arts Ceremony. And there could have been more than one winner in this category, but it is obvious that there was no tie here. The Tony's rose to the top, like cream, because it is great great television. 
And "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" was not my first choice in the category of Outstanding Movie Or Miniseries. It was "Longford". But, alas, "Longford" did not win. I must say of all the films in that category I really found 'Wounded Knee' the least worthy...again, just my opinion. There was something emotionally uninvolving about it. And it should have broken your heart. It seemed detached and distant in some strange way....I'm not sure why that would happen with a subject that has such a built-in emotional impact in the facts of what happened. It's part of our shameful history, yet, as it all was happening in this film, I just didn't care....Obviously other people voting did care. 
Elaine Stritch saying, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL I AM DOING"! (She was my top choice in the 2nd round voting---Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series....I was so happy she actually made the final round and then that she won, as well....This is an incredibly talented woman and if you want to see a super fabulous DVD....rent her One Woman Show--"Elaine Stritch", At Liberty".....Fantastic!)
And Leslie Caron, who was also my number one pick in that 2nd round voting---Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series made it to the final five in her category and she won, too. She was truly spectacular in this very serious and difficult part. Her speech at The Creative Arts Awards was just wonderful....and I am paraphrasing here: "IN 1951 I WAS VOTED MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER, I AM SO GLAD I FINALLY LIVED UP TO MY POTENTIAL...!"
So happy "The Sopranos" won the three BIG ones, Best Writing, Best Direction, and Best Drama Series.....ALL deserved, and then some....
I was personally disappointed and shocked that James Gandolfini did not win in his category and James Spader who did win was just about as surprised and shocked as I was, when he said among other things, "Who the hell votes in these category's?"..or words to that effect. And it does make one wonder.....
Lewis Black's rant on the way the networks and cable stations interrupt their own shows with those stupid Ads that pop up during the show, taking up a good portion of the screen and now animated, too....(Help...there's a fire burning on FX...Oh No, It's "Rescue Me"!), advertising ALL their up coming shows...Disgusting, beyond words. And then, further, making the credits so small at the end of a show---more advanced advertising---that you cannot read them at all...again, I personally find that disgusting and insulting to the people who help make these shows as good as they are! Lewis Black.....I Love You....His whole "rant" was just brilliant!
The 'seating in the round', a terrible terrible idea that didn't work at all for the people there....And my last gripe and one which just absolutely gaul's me....cutting off the winners in their speeches after 45 seconds....This is why we watch the damn show...to see people have a genuine emotion. Why not do these things, and make more time available to 'the winners': Cut all those l-o-n-g walks of the presenters crossing the stage and save a few minutes over all, that way...And cut the stupid banter between the presenters themselves, which is a total waste of time and often completely inappropriate, and please cut any 'presenter sketches'..i.e. whatever that do-you-remember-the-lyrics 'bit' was...a true time waster, and not even funny.....And, a singing tribute to "The Sopranos" by 'The Jersey Boys'?? No, I don't think so. I didn't get that, at all. If they made all these cuts, well then there would be plenty of time to hear the speeches of the winners....(uncensored, please).....These shows should all take their cue from The Tony Awards....Besides being a wonderfully watchable entertaining show with music and singing, etc., the 'winners' give the best and most moving speeches every time out of the box and they are NOT cut off before they even start practically.
So the 59th Annual Emmy Awards are over and so is this post.
- had this to say:
I enjoyed your review of the Emmy's.
Did you get a picture of the lights from your deck? I wish they would give the winners more time to talk, too.
I hope you are feeling better. This summer has been a rough one with the heat here. I'm looking forward to some relief soon.- Monday, September 17, 2007 at 10:20:00 PM PDT
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Ok yet another weird mindmeld between us , I was totally going to email you yesterday right after the broadcast and say the highlight of the evening for me was watching my man Stanley trying not to bust up laughing when he and Elaine Stritch did their presentation, she was cracking me up and I could see it in his face that Stanley was having a hard time keeping it together lol.
As for the censoring move here, we got the totally unbleeped uncensored version.
Ryan BLECH lol
The whole Jersey boys thing left me going huh as well. I cringed too when I saw poor Tony Bennett wander back to his seat with his Emmy instead of exiting stage right to the press room lol.
The round WHO'S idea was that !!- Monday, September 17, 2007 at 10:48:00 PM PDT
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I kept looking for this post. I thought of you the whole time I was watching the Emmys. I'm sorry about your friend Brett. I have loved Lewis Black for ages. He always seems to say what I'm thinking. And Elaine Stritch? She's just awesome! I thought the show was pretty funny, but Ryan Seacrest seemed like an, I don't know, an afterthought?
- Monday, September 17, 2007 at 11:44:00 PM PDT
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I actually thought of you during the Emmy's. ;)
I didn't watch the whole thing. It felt too much like "American Idol." I need a break from Ryan Seacrest!
As for your dear friend, Brett, I'm sorry to hear she passed away over the weekend. I loved her on Match Game. It was one of the few shows I watched regularly when I came to the US from Cuba, and she and Charles Nelson Reilly were my favorites. I'm sure she will be missed.- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 5:24:00 AM PDT
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Elaine Stritch is adorable. She is one of the funniest people I've ever seen on the stage. I had never seen Lewis Black before but I agreed with everything he said...lol! I also agree that I wish they would let them have time to say their thank yous - I just don't want to hear a rant about politics on an award show. I love the Jersey Boys, but I was really confused why they were on the Emmy Awards. And, let's see...oh the "in the round" was idiotic. I was absolutely thrilled to see America Ferrara win. And finally, I especially loved Brett Somers on Match Game. She will be missed.
- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 7:04:00 AM PDT
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I really enjoyed reading this Naomi! And I am with you 100% re the CENSORING and cutting of speeches, I hate it - I find it incredibly rude, and just...jarring, really! Really distancing from what the show is supposed to be about - as you said.
Sorry too, to hear about your friend.- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 7:24:00 AM PDT
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Naomi..this year our TV station did not telecast the Emmy Live from USA so it was pretty upsetting :(
I watched the delayed telecast last night and enjoyed the show....you are a pro my friend, what a great post....:D- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 8:23:00 AM PDT
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Naomi, I enjoyed your rant!! :)
I agree that they should make time for the winners to have their say. They do this with other award shows too.
I'm sorry to hear about your friend Brett. I always loved "The Match Game."- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 10:06:00 AM PDT
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I totally agree that this was not katherine Hiegl's best year. But, I love the spunk she has for saying something about the announcer misspronouncing her name.
I don't understand why Ugly Betty is in the Comedy category. I cannot wrap my mind around that.
James Gandolfini prob should've won but, James Spader definitely should NOT have won.
Tony Bennett and his wife... UGH!
Ryan Seacrest was not bad...
I loved Jaimie Pressley, America Ferrera and Elaine Stritch's speeches. I could've done without KANYE WEST and the Jersey Boys and whatever.
If I think of more, you'll know- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 11:14:00 AM PDT
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the censoring drove me NUTS! what could they possibly have said that was so horrendous? they kept cutting to that damn mirrored ball. why didn't they just show a sign saying "pin headed censors are overly paranoid about being fined"
cutting off sally field. ACK! so what if she said something liberal. i doubt she called for a hit on the prez. jeeze. lighten up network suits.
p.s. sorry about brett. i loved her dry humor.- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 11:43:00 AM PDT
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This show was certainly a case of "the good and the bad".. sheesh.
Lewis Black's comedy was BEYOND BRILLIANT!!! He sure can tell the truth and get a laugh!
Ohhh nooo.. I always liled Brett, her and Jack Klugman were quite a pair weren't they?! I'm sorry you have lost a friend Naomi. It's never easy. I hope she didn't suffer.
Hugs to you.- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 12:17:00 PM PDT
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I love Leslie Caron's comment - superb (even if it is paraphrased!).
Would I be right in thinking James Spader won for Boston Legal? If so, well deserved - sorry!
Elaine Stritch is possibly one of the coolest women on the planet :-)
I was sorry to hear about Brett, my thoughts are with you and her family.
oh, why I'm here! You got an award!!
cq- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 1:10:00 PM PDT
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I love Rober Duvall, through and through.
He is one classy dude!!!
Thanks for your Emmy voting update.
OF COURSE I care what your opinion is on ALL Hollywood & entertainment related matters.
You are my "go to" lady!!
I'm so sorry to hear about Brett's death. I had no idea she was a friend of yours, but I'm not surprised. You have made so many friends over the years.
I really liked her wit and sense of humor on The Match Game. What a great game show that was!!
No other game show has been able to top it.
I loved Richard Dawson when he hosted The Family Feud, but besides that, nothing else comes close to the level of The Match Game.- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 1:38:00 PM PDT
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I couldn't agree more, Naomi. It's a shame more don't watch The Tony Awards and/or like/care for theatre.
I loved Lewis Black and Elaine Stritch. She always makes me laugh with her candor. Her show was hilarious.
~S :)- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 1:51:00 PM PDT
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I have solved your dilemma.
For you, my darling Naomi, the Blogging Star Award is unconditional.......
come over to the Palace and see what I mean.... :-)
cq- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 2:04:00 PM PDT
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I can't believe I totally forgot to watch the damn thing! Have to agree with you that the two Gray's Anatomy girls are NOT supporting actors - they are lead!
Oh, I am so sorry to hear that Brett passed away. I really liked her and she was always so funny on Match Game. My condolences!- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 3:37:00 PM PDT
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I must admit that I didn't watch the Emmy Presentation, but I did enjoy your version of it, Naomi! But I am surprised that you were not in the audience and watched it at home on your TV.
- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 4:57:00 PM PDT
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I am a HUGE awards show fan...have been since I used to watch with my Mom as a little girl. This was the very first time I've ever turned a show off before it was over. I did NOT like Ryan as a host. I did not think he was engaging or entertaining. I loathed that seating in the round. I loathed the censoring in the portion of the show I saw (as I said, I turned it off). I do agree 100% with Lewis Black's riff on all that pop up garbage and fast moving credits. I have to say I wasn't as invested in the nominees and shows as years past. Grey's Anatomy is a fave though.(Not a Sopranos fan). I feel we've lost good quality television programming...and the actors in them.
Well that's enough of my own rant. I'd go on but why bother really? Let's just say this, to me, was one very forgettable show.
I was sad to read about Brett...I LOVED her on Match Game all those years. So sad!
XOXO- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 6:04:00 PM PDT
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Naomi, I love your rate, you keep it up.
- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 7:10:00 PM PDT
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Naomi, I did not see many of the shows that were nominated, but I agree with your assessment of the ones I did see.
Lewis Black is brilliant! I only saw a few minutes of the Emmy's, and I'm glad he was a part of it.- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 7:14:00 PM PDT
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Thank you so much for the wrap up.
The Emmy's were so much more fun thinking about you and guessing who you had voted for.- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 7:43:00 PM PDT
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Good Tuesday evening to you, Naomi !
Rest in Peace to your friend, Brett Somers.... May she be long and sweetly remembered.
I don't watch anything but the Oscars, so I am woefully ignorant of much of what you spoke about in your posts. I do love the Sopranos though, and am glad it got 3 awards.
Hope that all is well with you, dear Naomi.
May your health be good, and your garden be abundant !
*cyber hugs and smiles*
Loving Annie- Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 8:04:00 PM PDT
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We don't get to watch the Emmy's and there was only a small mention in the news because not all the shows can be seen in European television, that's another reason why I enjoyed reading your review :)
- Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 12:35:00 AM PDT
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Sorry about the loss of your dear friend Brett...
- Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 12:36:00 AM PDT
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I love TV but haven't watched the Emmys in a few years--I'm never really happy with the nominees, think too much of it is political, and awards shows in general don't do it for me. That being said, thank you for your time committment and for taking your role as judge so seriously.
I saw Elaine Stritch's one-woman show and it was a very special night for me. . . especially when she sang Ladies Who Lunch. She has had such an interesting, full life. And I love her story about trying out for The Golden Girls. (Strangely, I saw Bea Arthur's show a few weeks later.)
I too am sorry for the loss of Brett Sommers (sp?). I am a long time fan of The Match Game, and wish Game Show Network (or GSN as it is now called) showed more classic game shows like they used to.- Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 2:05:00 AM PDT
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had this to say:
Oh no, I am so sorry about Brett. I always loved her on Match Game. She and Charles Nelson would just crack me up. Martin and I watch the reruns on the game channel sometimes at night. They were way ahead of their time and it was so funny that they could smoke and have come from having cocktails right to the set. May she rest in enternal peace.
I was hoping Aida would win. I think Katherine and Sandra are actually lead actresses too and got slipped in so they could win.
AS much as I love James Spader I don't think that was fair to Gandolfini...that was just wrong. Tony Soprano ruled this year.
Hope you are well and good and happy! I have found a corner of the house to escape from the workers and try to blog today!- Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 6:21:00 AM PDT
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Hi, from this side of the Pond, it's hard to comment. Have not seen the show. Have only seen The Sopranos, which in fact is one of the most popular series here.
Without havinf seen the show, I will on general basis agree with you: All the waste of time and the Focus on the Presenters instead of the finalists and the Winners. And too little attention to the jury. It might have been very interesting to know why eache member votes as they did. Educating for the "big" public. Then one could start a debate about quality. But, I suppose, that ain't commercial enough. That fact will be the fall of commercial TV as it is today. It's not interactive - it's passive. With a timeschedule forced on the public. Time changes. People want freedom from the Time Sqeeze.
And watch what they want, when they want.
However, let me not forget to thank you for this brilliant and honest post. As said, I'm not in a situation to comment your choices, but very interesting and informing to read yours.
From the Summerhouse
Anna and Tor
PS. I did post an old photo from Streetlife in a Village in India -
http://toraamusic.blogspot.com- Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 12:04:00 PM PDT
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I can't believe there's not even more of a public outcry against Fox for their INSANE censorship of the Emmys and the terribly unelegant way they did it (cut to total silence and that bizarre image of that ugly set piece). I read all the comments that were censored and needless to say, they were all quite tame. What kind of society are we living in these days? Fox should be barred from ever hosting another awards event and the person responsible for those cuts should lose his or her job. Just hideous.
Love Elaine Stritch and Leslie Caron. And, of course, Brett. I'm sick that we didn't get a chance to see her one-woman cabaret a few years ago.- Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 1:22:00 PM PDT
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had this to say:
Shame I don't know most of the shows because we don't get them all over here in the UK. And those that we do get, I don't get the chance to watch. But hey, good to know a lot of the deserving people won!
And thanks for visiting my website.
joy
Your Love Coach- Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 2:08:00 PM PDT
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I totally forgot it was on until I saw it on the news the next morning. To say I was bummed is an understatement.
- Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 4:47:00 PM PDT
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I don't watch a lot of TV so didn't watch the Emmys. So I lived vicariously through you :)
Sad that Brett Somers died. She was a hoot on MatchGame. We have the Gameshow Network but I remember the show when it was originally on.- Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 7:26:00 PM PDT
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Brett Sommers was great on match game. She always made me chuckle.
I like Jersey Boys
I always enjoy coming over to your place for the inside story.
Cheers,
Shane- Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 10:52:00 PM PDT
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I liked Brett too.
I was multitasking; "watching" the Emmys while visiting my blogging buddies but I perked up when Sally came on.
Then they censored her. I thought it was a malfunction at first but CNN (and the internet) provided her entire speech.
Good for you with the rant.
BTW, I wandered over from Friday's Child to check on one of your posts but decided to read my way down to it.- Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 10:56:00 PM PDT
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Leave it to FOX to do something so incredibly stupid!
- Thursday, September 20, 2007 at 6:45:00 PM PDT
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Hi Naomi! I like your rant. I don't follow the Emmy any more. I fancy it's all about ratings, politiking and favoritism! (sigh).
Take care. LOL.- Friday, September 21, 2007 at 3:56:00 AM PDT
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Lewis Black is so incredibly funny - the high point of the show.
I have also loved Elaine Stritch since I was a child and watched the British sitcom, Two's Company, with my Mum on Sunday evenings.
You have a great blog here, I hope you don't mind if I add it to my roll?- Friday, September 21, 2007 at 5:58:00 AM PDT
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I recently saw Lewis Black live at Hampton Beach NH and boy was he GOOD!
Also, I'm sorry to hear about Brett Somers, I loved her on The Match Game.- Friday, September 21, 2007 at 1:01:00 PM PDT
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I am very glad that some of your choices got an award. Bravo! Your take on these is always so interesting adn illuminating.
I couldn't agree more with your rant though. The censoring sounds tacky, as does that awful advertising gimmick on screen; and so distracting too. As for limiting somone's speech to 45 seconds! That is apalling. Let them have their moment in the sun!
Michele sent me to join in your chagrin.- Saturday, September 22, 2007 at 2:07:00 AM PDT
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had this to say:
Thanks for sharing the results and who you voted for.
The biggest shock for me was that Gandolfino didn't win. Still shaking my head on that one!
Just goes to show ya....who ever knows on these voting type things. (and yes, I'm also referring to my writing contest)- Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 6:50:00 AM PDT
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My fiance was the boom operator for the episode with Leslie Caron, he came home and talked HIGHLY of her saying how wonderful she looked!!!! :) I am so happy she won!!!!!
- Wednesday, October 3, 2007 at 6:55:00 PM PDT
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