Okay, you know how, earlier this week, I cheered on the Academy for saying that hosts of comedy/variety/music series would no longer compete with individual performers for specials? Yeah, I take it back, and then some. The reason I cheered before was that the Hollywood Reporter article I quoted made it look like the Academy was giving hosts of the series a different category in which to compete with one another, but today’s Los Angeles Times clarifies that the members of the Academy have actually eliminated the category for hosts.
From the Tom O’Neil’s “Gold Derby” in the Los Angeles Times (internal links omitted, my emphasis added):
Jon Stewart can’t win an Emmy for his showdown with Jim Cramer
On the same day that Jon Stewart smacked down “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer on “The Daily Show” in a moment of must-see TV, came word that the academy was eliminating the Emmy for individual performance in a variety series or special from the lineup this year. The powers that be are now going to include performers in the slate of nominated producers for those series and specials that make the cut. This move will cut down on the amount of hardware for which people like Jon Stewart, who is already a credited producer of “The Daily Show,” can contend. The show has won the Emmy for best variety series for the past six years running.
. . .
NOT COOL, Academy! Here’s my vote that this injustice only lasts a year; Stephen, Jon and all the hosts deserve a shot an an Emmy for their performances as well as their production duties. For this, I am unilaterally declaring the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences my “#1 Threat Facing America”. Boo, Emmys!
That is just SO wrong on so many levels. Both Jon and Stephen work SO hard as hosts to make the shows successful, denying them special recogition for that is idiotic. What’s the matter academy, run out of money for the Emmy statues?
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this is ridiculous. the emmys can’t get it right. why can’t they just make a “night time talk show host” category, like they do for the daytime emmys?
the emmys have been letting me down ever since they couldn’t seem to nominate lauren graham for “gilmore girls.”
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Oh no!!! Ugh, that is so wrong. I think the Academy needs to go On Notice. What is the point of eliminating the category entirely? That’s alienating a whole group of performers who deserve to be honored for their individual performance! Ugh.
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Yeah. Now poor Stephen (unless they change their mind) won’t be able to get his emmy this year. He’s been trying so hard for it. Jon, even though he has plenty of emmys, needs his shot this year too. I think this is just a plot by people who hate the Colbert Report. They could be people who are plotting against Stephen.
EMMMY PEOPLE!!! You are ON NOTICE!!! I shake my fists at you!!!
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Hahaha! Clearly, there is a conspiracy against Stephen going on here. Sickening….
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Boooo!! Hisssssss!! Spit and bile!!
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Could this BE more wrong? Why are they punishing our very hard working and beloved late-night basic cable hosts? The Academy is officially Dead to Me.
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They are dead to me too. Is there a way we can contact the emmy people and tell them what we think? We’d have a word or two I know. Stephen SO DESERVED THIS!!!!! They should atleast keep it until he wins one.
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WTF. What is their reasoning for even eliminating such a category? As if to say the host’s performances are not emmy worthy. That is messed up. They should make a separate category for late night hosts. There are many late night hosts whose performances are most definitely emmy worthy and who should have a shot at an emmy in their own category, not a category lumped together with specials and now a category lumped together with production/specials.
They’re cutting expenses by eliminating production of one statue? Those mofos. I will show my discontent by my continued non-capitalization of the word “emmy.” They must earn that capital “e”!
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Nooo!! Jon and Stephen totally deserve an Emmy for their performance! They work hard to put on an amazing show four days a week! Not cool Academy, not cool. The Academy should be ‘On Notice’. =(
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WTF???? That’s crazy! How can they give a separate award for reality show hosts and none for talk show hosts? That’s unfair!!! And not just to Stephen or Jon, but all those guys, they have to do a consistently good show every night, every week for everyone!
SHAME ON YOU, ACADEMY!
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Yeah, no kidding! They added that ridiculous category for reality show hosts. How can they not also honor the late night hosts?! This is total BS! I have more to say about the Academy but it’s not very family friendly…
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whatever those not-family friendly thoughts are, I’m pretty sure I share them.
Adding that category last year was truly ridiculous.
But if they’re already honoring daytime talk show hosts and reality show hosts, IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE to just ignore the late night hosts like that!
What? So if TCR was airing earlier in the day Stephen’d be eligible for an Emmy, but since it’s on at night he isn’t? WTF???
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Wow. I didn’t know they were still keeping Emmy categories for reality show hosts and daytime talk show hosts. This is sadder than I thought.
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That’s just BALLS. What the hell? F*ck the Academy. I’m not watching.
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It reminds me of when the Grammy for Best Comedy Album was changed to Best Spoken Word Comedy Album for a few years, eliminating Weird Al’s chances of winning and not really accomplishing anything else.
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This makes me sad. The only way they can begin to fix this is to have Jon and Stephen host the show this year. YOU HEAR THAT ACADEMY?
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YES! Then the Emmys would be enjoyable for more than five minutes!
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GASP! I know we shouldn’t settle for something to placate us in the face of this injustice but…I’d be willing to forgive them if they let Jon and Stephen host!!
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I second “NOT COOL”!!! There is no reason that late night hosts should be ineligible to win for their performances, especially if there are other “host” categories. These folks work very hard and should be recognized appropriately. The academy is hereby On Notice.
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Yeah, this is ridiculous. Here’s the officialese from the Academy (emphasis added):
Category 70 OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIES
Emmy(s) to producer(s) whose screen credit is Executive Producer, Co-Executive Producer,
Supervising Producer, Producer or Produced by, and whose functions support those credits, and the
principle host.
…as if the host is just incidental to the show’s success, and not an integral part of it. Since Jon and Stephen are both executive producers on their shows (and Jon is one for TCR also), they’d get the statue anyway if either of their shows won. It really bites that Stephen now can’t win an award as a performer, because he does so much more than the other late night hosts on their shows. He isn’t just hosting his show, he’s performing in character.
This is just wrong.
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And they used “principle” in their statement? Geez, that just adds volume to my howls about their incompetence!
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This is total bullshiznit! (My new favorite word – thanks, Stephen). After not getting a performance emmy the last three years because of outliers like Manilow, etc., now he can’t get one because they’re just not gonna give one away anymore? Eff the academy. They’re dead to me, too!
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Un-bee-LEE-a-BULL!!!!! About the only reason I paid any attention to the emmys was for Jon & Stephen. I agree, put the emmys On Notice – and then blast ‘em into outer space on the COLBERT module!
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IMO the Emmys should skip “On Notice” and go straight to the “Dead To Me” Board.
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Please tell me there’s a way to send angry letters that might achieve something. There’s no way Jon can call out Cramer and not have the chance to be recognized.
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Wow what a load of crap.
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That is so bogus. It’s funny, the Academy doesn’t seem concerned about how much hardware popular shows like 30 Rock and The Office are taking home. Stephen and Jon have full time hosting duties as well as writing and producing duties, and they should be recognized for ALL the different hats they have to wear in order to make their shows a success.
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WHAT THE HELL ACADEMY?! D:<
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FAIL.
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Well, that’s the craziest f#?king thing I’ve ever heard.
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Haha!!!! Your comment really made me laugh. A simultaneous slap to the Academy and homage to Stephen. Good call:)
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yeah, I found that article before, and I was like “what!?!” because it did contract what I had understood before. it’s too bad.
of course, it doesn’t diminish the clearly Emmy-deserving performances!
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Boo.
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EMMYS!!!!! *shakes fist* WTF? Jesus, these award shows can’t do anything right. Arrrgggghhh…..
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That sucks.
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WTF? *seethes* The only consolation is that you KNOW Stephen is going to crusade against this on the show, and it will be hilarious.
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Jeeez!
mutters
U
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I refer you to what Jon Stewart said on his recent Letterman interview about them hosting the Oscars:
“The problem with having us host it, to some extent, if I may– and I don’t mean to be presumptuous here– is that at some level deep in our hearts, we think it’s stupid.”
I feel that way about the Emmys now.
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So do I!
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>: O
Protest/Angry Mob with pitchforks, anyone?
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What about torches? Let’s take this to the Frankensteinth level!
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Never trust the Hollywood Reporter – they’re a bunch of hacks looking for lunch meetings so they can get free lunch… They’re even less in the know about what really goes on with the entertainment world than the LATimes.
As far as entertainment awards go – for the most part – that crowd is a bunch of self aggrandizing bloviators. Though I love seeing little statues on Stephens shelves.
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How incredibly flipping lame. D:
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