Jeremy Piven kisses the stomach of expectant presenter, Amy Poehler, after accepting the award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for his work on Entourage. In the background is presenter Tina Fey. (Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press) Cable TV series dominated the 60th Annual Primetime Emmys on Sunday night, with Mad Men named best drama and 30 Rock best comedy.
The biggest single winner was the HBO miniseries John Adams, about the life of the U.S. president, which won five Emmys on 23 nominations. Among the honours was outstanding miniseries.
Best drama winner Mad Men is set in 1960s America on Madison Avenue and was the most-nominated drama series although it runs on the obscure AMC network.
30 Rock, about the cast of a live sketch-comedy series, won the best comedy award for the second year running and its stars took home some of the top awards. Tina Fey was named best actress in a comedy series and Alec Baldwin best actor.
Fey also won an award earlier in the evening for her writing for 30 Rock.
"I thank my parents for somehow raising me to have confidence that is disproportionate with my looks and abilities. Well done. That is what all parents should do," said the actress, who recently has earned acclaim for her imitation of vice-presidential hopeful Sarah Palin.
John Adams, which covered the first 50 years of U.S. history, earned a best actress Emmys for Laura Linney and supporting actor honours for Tom Wilkinson.
Jean Smart, right, accepts the award from presenter Juila Louis-Dreyfus for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for her work on Samantha Who?(Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press) Lead actor Paul Giamatti as John Adams won the Emmy for best actor.
"I'm living proof, kids at home watching, that anyone can play the president," Giamatti said in his acceptance speech.
Writer Kirk Ellis also took home an award for his work on the production. In his acceptance speech, he spoke of an "amazing period in history when articulate men articulated complex ideas in complete sentences."
Another drama about U.S. politics, Recount, won two Emmys, including best TV movie and best direction.
It is a chronicle of the weeks after the 2000 U.S. presidential election and the subsequent recounts in Florida.
It was an evening with many references to the U.S. presidential election and several stars urged Americans to vote, including Martin Sheen in character as President Bartlet from The West Wing.
The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences did not overlook its popular political satires.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart won the Emmy for best variety, comedy or music series and The Colbert Report won its first Emmy — for outstanding writing.
"This has been a remarkable run for us," Stewart said in accepting the award. "I really do look forward to the next administration, whoever it is."
Another cable show, the legal thriller Damages on FX, picked up two Emmys, including best lead actress in a drama for Glenn Close as a high-stakes lawyer.
Close thanked her ensemble cast and other mature women still acting, including fellow nominees Holly Hunter and Sally Field.
"We are proving that complicated, powerful mature women are sexy and are high entertainment and can carry a show," she said.
Damages also won a best supporting actor honours for Zeljko Ivanek as Ray Fiske.
Bryan Cranston of AMC's Breaking Bad won top drama actor honours.
Some of the big awards went to the big three networks with Greg Yaitaines winning best direction of a drama series for House and Barry Sonnenfield winning best director of a comedy for Pushing Daisies.
Jean Smart won the best supporting actress in a comedy Emmy for her role as Regina Newly in the ABC series Samantha Who?
Louis J. Horvitz, director of the 80th Annual Academy Awards, won the award for outstanding direction for a variety show, while Diane Wiest of In Treatment was named best supporting actress in drama series.
Cable network HBO picked up more primetime glory for Entourage, about the L.A. posse of a famous actor.
Jeremy Piven of Entourage took the statuette for best supporting actor in a comedy, beating castmate Kevin Dillon and nominees from The Office and How I Met Your Mother. It was his third win.
The Emmy show got off to a slow start with some unfunny schtick from the five reality TV show hosts acting as MCs — Ryan Seacrest of American Idol, Tom Bergeron of Dancing With the Stars, Heidi Klum of Project Runway, Howie Mandel of Deal or No Deal and Jeff Probst of Survivor.
Tommy Smothers accepts a commemorative Emmy for his 1960s comedy show. In the background is presenter Steve Martin. (Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press) By the end of the evening, while waiting for Probst to be announced as winner of best reality TV host, even the MCs were admitting it was a bad idea.
It was left to Steve Martin to pick up the pace with a tribute to Tommy Smothers, who was awarded an honorary Emmy for his 1960s comedy show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which was abruptly cancelled in 1969 because of its political content.
Smothers had creative control over the series, which featured a young Martin as writer and performer.
"It's hard for me to stay silent when I keep hearing that peace is only attainable through war. And there's nothing more scary than watching ignorance in action," Smothers said, dedicating his award to "all people who feel compelled to speak out, and are not afraid to speak to power, and won't shut up and refuse to be silenced."
In another blast from the past, comedian Don Rickles, 82, took the stage to present the award for best reality TV show, which went to The Amazing Race.
Rickles also won an award — for outstanding individual performance in The Don Rickles Project.
"It's a mistake," he quipped. "I've been in this business for 55 years and the biggest award I've ever got was an ashtray from the Friar's in New York."
