Emmy Awards 2013: Round-Up of the BIG T.V. Awards Night; Hits & Misses
It was Emmy Awards 2013 night on Sunday. In case the younger generation is wondering what is Emmy awards night and what is T.V., the host, Neil Patrick Harris, has the perfect explanation for you: "For our younger audience, that's the thing (T.V.) you watch on your phones."
Harris was one of the biggest hits of this year's Emmy Awards. He was funny and quick-witted. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler egged him to provide some 'twerking' entertainment, emulating Miley Cyrus twerking performance at this year's MTV VMA.
"I thought an awards show involved twerking," Fey said. Tina and Amy shouted that he take his "pants-off," while munching pop-corns and wearing 3D glasses. "Twerk it," they shouted, sitting in the front row.
I am not twerking," Harris said. "It would be degrading."
Poehler said: "It might be degrading but we would be degrateful." Amy and Tina were the first two presenters of the night.
When it came to awards, the biggest surprise of the night was Jeff Daniel winning the outstanding actor in a drama series award for his portrayal of the news anchor Will McAvoy in "Newsroom." Jeff began his acceptance speech with, "Well, crap."
Jeff beat Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") who was the top contender to win the Emmy for the outstanding actor. Bryan's co-actor, Aaron Paul, also did not win the supporting actor trophy as Bobby Cannavale walked away with it for "Boardwalk Empire." Anna Gunn grabbed the outstanding actress in a supporting role (drama series), making it not a complete 'breaking heart' night for the cast of "Breaking Bad."
There was no surprise when it came to Claire Danes winning the coveted outstanding actress in a drama series for the second time for "Homeland."
"Modern Family" won it, again. It is the fourth consecutive outstanding comedy series win for ABC's hit comedy. Julia Louis-Dreyfus won the lead actress in a comedy for her portrayal of vice president, Selina Meyer, in "Veep." Jim Parsons, who plays the popular character Sheldon in "The Big Bang Theory," won his third Emmy for the outstanding actor in a comedy.
Merritt Wever won the Emmy for the outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for her portrayal of Zoey Barlow in the medical comedy "Nurse Jackie." It was an award announcement that no one saw coming. The actress was in a shock, as well. Merritt's acceptance speech ended in four words, probably the shortest Emmy speech ever. "I gotta go, bye," she said.
"Merritt Wever, best speech ever. Good luck to everyone else," Harris quipped.
Emmy Awards 2013 also paid special tribute to "Sopranos" actor James Gandolfini and "Glee" actor Cory Monteith.
"You all knew James Gandolfini the actor. I was lucky enough to know Jim the man. For 10 years as his close colleague and his pretend life-partner, and for many more years as his friend. And, it's Jim, the man, the very dear man, that I will miss most of all," the late actor's co-star, Edie Falco, said in a tearful speech.
Cory's co-actor Jane Lynch said in her tribute: "Cory was a beautiful soul. He was not perfect, which many of us here tonight can relate to. His death is a tragic reminder of the rapacious, senseless destruction that is brought on by addiction."