60th Primetime Emmy Awards

60th Primetime Emmy Awards

Promotional poster
Date
  • September 21, 2008
    (Ceremony)
  • September 13, 2008
    (Creative Arts Awards)
Location Nokia Theatre,
Los Angeles, California
Hosted by Tom Bergeron
Heidi Klum
Howie Mandel
Jeff Probst
Ryan Seacrest
Television/Radio coverage
Network ABC
Produced by Ken Ehrlich

The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 21, 2008, at the newly opened Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California to honor the best in U.S. prime time television.[1] The ceremony was hosted by Tom Bergeron, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Jeff Probst, and Ryan Seacrest (all were nominated in the debut category—Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program) and televised in the United States on ABC.

The nominations were announced on July 17 by Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris.[2] The Creative Arts Emmy Awards were held eight days earlier (September 13) at the same venue. The ceremony was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and Sarah Chalke.

The telecast was viewed by 12.20 million with a household rating of 8.86/12.79 making it the lowest rated and least viewed ceremony in its televised history.[3][4] Many critics cited lackluster performances from the five hosts as a reason for the huge decline.[5] Others pointed to the field of nominees which were dominated by low-rated and sparsely viewed programs, thus making the Emmys widely considered as a bust, which was panned by critics as "... the worst ever, laid a big, fat ratings egg as well ..."[6][7]

In 2011, when TV Guide Network re-did their list of "25 Biggest TV Blunders", this ceremony was included.

For the first time in a decade, the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series was won by the defending champion. 30 Rock was the top show of the night receiving five major awards, including the top prize. It also made history when it tied the record for most major nominations by a comedy series of 13 set by The Cosby Show in 1986; it would break this record the next year. It set another record when it received seven nominations in the guest acting categories, a mark that has not been matched since.

Outstanding Drama Series went to AMC freshmen series Mad Men. This marked the first series award for a program on a basic cable station. Mad Men led all dramas with seven major nominations.

This would be the final ceremony to have five nominees per category, most major categories (acting and programs) were expanded to include at least six slots the following year.

Tin Man's win for makeup made The Wizard of Oz the third franchise to complete EGOT status.

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold:

Alec Baldwin, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series winner
Tina Fey, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series winner
Bryan Cranston, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series winner
Glenn Close, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series winner
Paul Giamatti, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie winner
Laura Linney, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie winner
Jeremy Piven, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series winner
Jean Smart, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series winner
Dianne Wiest, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series winner
Tom Wilkinson, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie winner

Programs

Outstanding Comedy Series Outstanding Drama Series
Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special
Outstanding Made for Television Movie Outstanding Miniseries
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

Acting

Lead performances

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

Supporting performances

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

Guest performances

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

Hosting

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program

Directing

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Program Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special

Writing

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Program Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special
  • The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
    • The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
    • Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC)
    • Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)
    • Saturday Night Live (HBO)
  • Kirk Ellis for John Adams (Episode: "Independence") (HBO)
    • Hugh Costello for Bernard and Doris (HBO)
    • Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale (HBO)
    • Danny Strong for Recount (HBO)
    • Heidi Thomas for Cranford (PBS)

Most major nominations

By network [note 1]
By program

Most major awards

By network [note 1]
By program
Notes
  1. 1 2 "Major" constitutes the categories listed above: Program, Acting, Directing, and Writing. Does not include the technical categories.

In Memoriam

References

External links

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