VANCOUVER–While on the Left Coast this week, I paid a visit to my old pal Riaz Meghji, co-host of B.C.’s Breakfast Television. I appeared on his morning show Friday’s to yak about Sunday’s 65th Primetime Emmy Awards. Let that sink in; they’ve been handing out the pointy-winged lady statues since 1949. Who hosted that first year–Howdy Doody? (Actually it was radio legend Walter O’Keefe.) Always entertaining Neil Patrick Harris, below, is back to host Sunday’s show (8 p.m., CBS/CTV).
The Awards themselves are usually fairly predictable. As I tell Riaz, I’d love to see Louis CK’s dark and fearless FX series Louie win in the comedy category, but I expect Modern Family to take the prize. Of interest in the drama category is whether or not House of Cards, from upstart platform Netflix, can beat all the big cable dramas such as Breaking Bad, Homeland and Mad Men. If so, cable will know how broadcast has felt the past decade or so–left behind.
HBO’s TV-movie Behind the Candelabra will win a sequined trophy case full of awards–including Best Actor nods for Michael Douglas and Matt Damon–but to me it was a mixed effort at best.
There’s been a fair amount of bellyaching about the five In Memoriam segments planned for Sunday. I’m looking forward to these tributes more than anything. Edie Falco will pay tribute to James Gandolfini, Michael J. Fox to Family Ties’ creator Gary David Goldberg, Rob Reiner will remember his All in the Family colleague Jean Stapleton, Robin Williams will celebrate the great Jonathan Winters and Jane Lynch salute her gone-too-soon Glee co-star Cory Monteith.
Some say why Monteith, why not Larry Hagman and Jack Klugman? Hagman and Klugman should absolutely get singled out Sunday, but I’m glad Monteith is getting the full honours. His death, at 31, is the one that needs the most closure. He should be celebrated as a fine young actor with promise as well as for his kind and decent spirit.
Thanks to City managing producer of local programming Manuel Fonseca for above clip and for being so accommodating.
