GMMR in Television Week Magazine

If you happen to see the latest issue of Television Week Magazine, make sure to put it in your cart along with People, EW and Hustler, because if you look inside, you might just come across a familiar name…me!! Yes, my first magazine feature…woo hoo!!!

A few weeks ago yours truly was asked to share my opinions on the Golden Globe nominations as well as share my two cents on who will bring home the big prize. I thought maybe one small blurb of mine might make it in, so I was shocked to find out that I was all over a few of the articles. Yeah, me and Ausiello…that’s how we roll.

Excerpts of the pieces are online, so I thought I would share them with ya (and no I don’t expect you to read them all). Before you ask, no, my last name isn’t a cuss word, but I replaced it with S***** to keep a little anonymity…I mean, I don’t want to make it too easy for John Krasinski or Wentworth Miller to stalk me, right? Gotta make the boys work for it. And I went ahead and highlighted my quotes because I am self involved egomaniac. (Truth, I wanted to make it easier for my Dad to read it). Although I was wring in some of my predictions, I hope you like it.

Oh and one last thing – I talk about the whole issue of the “dramedy” and how it irks me. I’m working on a story about it for GMMR, and I have consulted some of our favorite TV critics from E!, TVGuide.com and more. It seemed my idea sparked the interest of The TV Whore over at Pajiba. Make sure to check out his take “A Girl Can Dream: The Trouble with Dramedies”

Best Performance in a TV Series-Musical or Comedy
By Allison J. Waldman
Special to Television Week

NBC Universal can count on at least one major victory at the 64th Annual Golden Globes. In the category of best actor in a comedy, every nominee comes from a series produced by the Peacock Network. Four of the five nominees, in fact, come from NBC’s Thursday night “must see” comedy block: Alec Baldwin in “30 Rock,” Zach Braff in “Scrubs,” Steve Carell in “The Office” and “My Name Is Earl’s” Jason Lee. The final nominee is Tony Shalhoub in USA’s “Monk,” another NBCU product.

In best actress in a comedy, ABC is well represented with three nominations, including one for newcomer America Ferrera of “Ugly Betty.” Two of the actresses from “Desperate Housewives,” Felicity Huffman and Marcia Cross, are repeat nominees in this category, as is last year’s winner Mary-Louise Parker for “Weeds.” Rounding out the nominations is Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who recently won the best actress Emmy for her CBS sitcom “The New Adventures of Old Christine.”

“It’s interesting that they’re all NBC properties, even `Monk.’ I’m surprised someone from `Entourage’ wasn’t nominated, or one of the guys from `Two and a Half Men,”‘ said Joel Keller, assistant editor of TV Squad, speaking about the best actor nominees. “Every male star from every Thursday NBC comedy has been nominated, which I thought was interesting because there are not any other male leads on any other comedies on any other networks that are worthy of nominations. No other day of the week, no other network.”

“I actually thought this was a really strong category,” said TV Guide columnist Michael Ausiello. “Everybody who should have been in this category was in this category. My feeling is that Jason Lee should win. I think he’s the most talented and brings the most to his show. I thought he should have won last year. But I really think Alec Baldwin is going to win because the Golden Globes love to go with what’s new and hip. `30 Rock’ is a freshman show and Baldwin steals the show. Tina Fey is the star, but it’s Alec’s show and it wouldn’t be nearly as funny without him.”

Mr. Ausiello isn’t alone in predicting a win for Mr. Baldwin. “My guess would be Alec Baldwin because it’s just such a big performance and it elevates the whole show,” said Hal Boedeker, TV critic for the Orlando Sentinel. “On some other level, I’d be glad if Jason Lee won for `My Name Is Earl.’ He’s just terrific.”

Steve Carell, star of “The Office,” won the Golden Globe in this category last year. “Even though the Globes aren’t that notorious for repeat winners, I have a feeling Steve Carell is going to win again,” said Mr. Keller. “He’s just getting so much buzz lately that he seems like he’d be the logical winner.”

“Steve Carell should win hands-down. He’s hysterical, the funniest guy on television. But I’m a little concerned about Alec Baldwin. He’s such a big movie star and that may influence the Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” said Kathie S*****, Editor at GiveMeMyRemote.com.

Despite being a previous Golden Globe winner, as well as a three-time Emmy winner, for his lead role in “Monk,” some TV insiders were scratching their heads about Tony Shalhoub’s nomination and his chances of winning again. “To be honest with you, I’m not sure why he keeps winning,” said Ms. S*****.

“It mystifies me,” said Mr. Ausiello. “I’m not a particularly big fan of `Monk,’ and when he won the Emmy-again-there were a lot of groans in the pressroom. The feeling is `Been there, done that.”‘

In the best actress category, the “Desperate Housewives” actresses, Ms. Huffman and Ms. Cross, received their third nominations in a row, although neither has won the Golden Globe for the show. “But why take up two spots when maybe somebody else could have been nominated, like one of the women from `How I Met Your Mother’? Why nominate two people from the same show when they may cancel each other out?” Mr. Keller said.

“Weeds” star Mary Louise Parker may have benefited from that canceling-out effect in 2006. When she took home that year’s Golden Globe she was up against all four “Desperate Housewives.”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, this year’s Emmy winner, is a strong nominee. “They like traditional choices like Julia,” Ms. S***** said. “And I think they’d like to see the end of the `Seinfeld’ curse. Still, I predict America Ferrera will win because she’s a new and fresh face and she’s great in that role.”

Being a fresh face may be key to Ms. Ferrera’s chances of winning the best actress award for”Ugly Betty.”. “Among actresses, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association likes to honor the breakout female stars like Jennifer Garner [`Alias’] and Keri Russell [`Felicity’], and America Ferrera is the breakout star of the season,” said Mr. Ausiello. “The Golden Globes would look really out of touch if they didn’t honor her. She’s the only sure thing in the TV category to me.”

Mr. Boedeker agrees. “I will come right out and tell you that I think America Ferrera will win,” he said. “The Golden Globes are very good about recognizing young star talent.”

Best TV Series-Musical or Comedy
By Allison J. Waldman
Special to Television Week
Is this the year another show wins the Golden Globe as best comedy series or will it be three in a row for “Desperate Housewives”? The ABC comedy/drama will be facing formidable competition when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association presents the 64th annual Golden Globes in Beverly Hills Jan. 15. The ladies of Wisteria Lane will be pitted against two previous best comedy nominees-HBO’s “Entourage” and Showtime’s “Weeds”-as well as ABC’s hot newcomer “Ugly Betty” and NBC’s Emmy Award-winning “The Office.”

According to TV Guide columnist Michael Ausiello, “Desperate Housewives” will be a bit of an underdog this year, and may even be taking the place of a more worthy entry. “`Scrubs’ should have been included,” he said. “That’s the only glaring omission, and I would have given it `Housewives” slot. I was shocked that it made the cut-especially at the expense of “Scrubs,” which might be the funniest show on TV. `Desperate Housewives’ has won the past two years, so if it were to pull out three in a row, I think a lot of the people who have said that it’s been struggling creatively are going to have egg on their faces.”

Two of last year’s nominees, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Everybody Hates Chris” weren’t included this time around, making room for at least one new series, “Ugly Betty.” “To me it looks like they couldn’t have picked five better candidates. `Entourage’ everybody loves, `The Office’ has always gotten a lot of attention, `Ugly Betty’ is a very funny show, even though it has melodramatic moments, and obviously people like `Weeds’ a lot,” said Joel Keller, assistant editor of TV Squad, who nonetheless echoes Mr. Ausiello’s views about “Housewives.” “You could debate whether `Desperate Housewives’ belongs because I don’t know how funny this past season was.”

Kathie S*****, editor of GiveMeMyRemote.com, also bemoans the exclusion of “Scrubs” and the inclusion of “Desperate Housewives.” “I don’t know why `Scrubs’ keeps getting overlooked. `Desperate Housewives’ lost its flair a little bit, and I think their strongest episodes were at the beginning of this season and those were more dramatic. I’m not sure how that qualifies as best comedy,” she said.

The addition of hour-long shows that are part comedy and part drama, such as “Ugly Betty” and “Desperate Housewives,” to the best comedy category has been a trend of late. In 1993 CBS’s quirky dramatic comedy “Northern Exposure” won the Golden Globe as best drama series. But since 1998 similar comedy/dramas, such as Fox’s “Ally McBeal,” have been placed in best comedy and have won the Globe.

Part of the reason for the change in definition of what constitutes a comedy versus a drama involves conceptual changes in the sitcom format. “Just look at the major comedies: The NBC Thursday night lineup has no laugh tracks, no audiences. It’s hard to find multicamera comedies with a laugh track. It still exists-like `How I Met Your Mother’ and `Two and a Half Men’-but I think people are getting more comfortable with the smarter, highbrow comedies,” said Ms. S*****. “If it was up to me, I’d make these award shows come up with a new category. There are so many shows that just hover between comedy and drama now. A show like `Desperate Housewives’ should not be up against `The Office.’ They’re going for two different things.”

Orlando Sentinel TV critic Hal Boedeker likes the blending of whimsical dramas in the comedy category. “By designating those shows as comedies it makes the whole sitcom field look better,” he said. “The half-hour form is so undernourished right now. Frankly, I think we’re lucky to have the hour shows-`Ugly Betty’ and `Desperate Housewives’-because if we didn’t it would be a pretty weak field. `Ugly Betty’ and `Desperate Housewives’ would have a hard time being recognized, perhaps, in the dramatic category because they’re not that dramatic all the time. ”

“The Office” could be seen as the odds-on choice for this year’s Golden Globe since it has already snagged the Emmy Award. “I think the Globes are going to jump on their bandwagon,” said Mr. Ausiello.

Ms. S***** also predicts a win for the NBC comedy. “`The Office’ should win,” she said. “`Entourage’ is a great show, but again, it straddles that line between comedy and drama. `Ugly Betty’ is a very funny show. I enjoy it, but it doesn’t make me laugh out loud. `The Office’ is the one in this category that’s a true comedy.”

Mr. Boedeker is going against the trend, predicting that the newcomer will win the top prize. “My choice would be `Ugly Betty’ because it’s just a breath of fresh air,” he said. “Also, it has those telenovela roots and I think that will appeal to a group of foreign reporters like the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.”

“I really don’t think the international connection has anything to do with it,” said Mr. Ausiello, although he wouldn’t mind seeing “Ugly Betty” win. “America Ferrera’s performance makes that show. But I’ve never seen a trend in that direction, with the one exception being when the British version of `The Office’ won. That shocked everybody.”

Shock isn’t that unusual when it comes to the Golden Globes. In the long history of the awards, there have been a few wild wins. The HFPA once chose “Cybill” as best comedy (1996) and then “Third Rock From the Sun” the very next year. So anything is possible when the stars gather on Jan. 15. “The 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards” will be telecast live on NBC at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).

Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TV
By Allison J. Waldman
Special to Television Week

Among all the award shows, the Golden Globes project what is perhaps the most festive atmosphere. “The Globes are like a party, and they concentrate on the people who are on screen and not the people behind the scenes,” said Orlando Sentinel TV critic Hal Boedeker. “It helps that the people there have been eating and drinking and talking. And it helps that it’s TV and movies. You have all the celebrities packed in one room. That sense of fun is palpable. It’s more fun to watch.”

How then could controversy enter the mix? Well, to hear TV insiders tell it, the best supporting actor and actress categories must be reworked. Blending performers in episodic comedy and drama series with those in miniseries and TV movies, they say, results in a hodgepodge category.

“I would personally like not to even have this category,” said Kathie S*****, editor at GiveMeMyRemote.com. “I don’t understand it. This is really an apples and oranges situation. It’s hard to compare.”

Joel Keller, assistant editor of TV Squad, has the same view. “I don’t know how you can compare someone who does a dramatic role in a movie about the tsunami to Elizabeth Perkins in a comedy like `Weeds,”‘ he said.

TV Guide columnist Michael Ausiello believes the category is so bad that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association should correct it immediately. “First off, they have to separate these categories because it’s just a joke to mix movie miniseries with comedy and drama series performers in one category,” he said. “It’s too competitive, for one reason, and it’s just unfair pitting these people up against each other.”

For the 64th Annual Golden Globes, Jeremy Piven of HBO’s “Entourage” received his third consecutive nomination in the best supporting category. His competition includes Thomas Haden Church for the TV Western “Broken Trail” and Jeremy Irons for HBO’s “Elizabeth I,” as well as first-time nominees Justin Kirk of Showtime’s “Weeds” and Masi Oka, the breakout star of NBC’s “Heroes.”

Mr. Piven recently won the Emmy as best supporting actor in a comedy, prompting experts to handicap him as the likely Golden Globe victor. “My prediction is Jeremy Piven for `Entourage,”‘ said Mr. Boedeker. “He has the inside track in Hollywood.”

“It’s such a mixed bag. Thomas Haden Church is in a Western with Robert Duvall. Jeremy Irons is in a Shakespearean situation compared to `Heroes’ and `Entourage.’ If it’s a popularity contest, Jeremy Piven might win,” said Mr. Keller.

Ms. S***** is more definitive. “This is an easy choice: It’ll go to Jeremy Piven,” she said. “Out of these guys, he’s the one who deserves it. I was more surprised with the people who were left out of this category, specifically one of the two supporting actors from `The Office,’ John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson. I was very surprised they weren’t there. And I’ve been waiting for somebody to recognize Donald Faison from `Scrubs’-he’s never recognized and he’s so brilliant on that show. I think he really defines what a supporting actor in a comedy role is.”

One nominee seems to have emerged as the sentimental favorite-“Heroes”‘ Masi Oka. “His is such an exhilarating performance, and I think that he’s one of the main reasons that show has caught on,” said Mr. Boedeker. “Also keep in mind that with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, they are going to pay more attention to foreign performers.”

The fact that Mr. Oka is Asian may work in his favor with the Golden Globe voters. “I have to feel like the Hollywood Foreign Press would go in that direction,” said Mr. Ausiello. “`Heroes’ is the breakout show of the season and Masi is that show’s biggest star. I predicted he’d be the only one to get nominated, and I predict he’ll win.”

On the distaff side, things are even more clear-cut to the pros. Among the nominees for best supporting actress in a television program, “Grey’s Anatomy’s” Katherine Heigl is the consensus pick. The other nominees include Emily Blunt for “Gideon’s Daughter,” Toni Collette for HBO’s miniseries “Tsunami, The Aftermath,” “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip’s” Sarah Paulson and Elizabeth Perkins for “Weeds.” That makes back-to-back nods for Ms. Perkins, who lost last year to Ms. Heigl’s “Grey’s” co-star Sandra Oh.

“Katherine Heigl has the best shot,” said Mr. Boedeker. “I think that a character that you see every week who has a big, juicy melodramatic part about falling in love with a dying patient, she probably has the best material to show. Also, `Grey’s Anatomy’ is about as hot as any show can get.”

“If there was one nomination I was most happy about it would be Katherine’s,” said Mr. Ausiello. “She seems to get overshadowed by her very talented co-stars on `Grey’s Anatomy.’ I think she’s been overlooked in the past because she’s beautiful, [has] blond hair, and sometimes we don’t give actresses like that enough credit. She really proved herself in a big way.”

It wouldn’t be unprecedented for a film star to win in this category, as Anjelica Huston did for “Iron Jawed Maidens” in 2005 and Vanessa Redgrave did in 2001 for “If These Walls Could Talk 2.” “There are a lot of big movie stars in that category, especially with Toni Collette and Elizabeth Perkins,” said Ms. S*****. “Still, I’d pick Katherine Heigl.”