Tina Fey’s Upper West Side story ’30 Rock’ gets 22 Emmy noms, while ‘Mad Men’ follows suit with 16
By Darrah Le Montre

Cuppa Joe with Carell who is up for 4th Emmy

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 8/1/09 – The 2009 Emmy Awards bestowed nominations to Hollywood’s most watched actors and actresses, including New York’s sweetheart Tina Fey, whose brainchild “30 Rock” tipped the scales with 22 nominations. Fan favorite John Hamm of the 50s-era office drama “Mad Men” nabbed one of the show’s most important 16 noms.
The most desired faces on television were recognized for their thespian efforts, acerbic wit and devilish appeal. Handsome and prolific actor Alec Baldwin reappeared for the third time on the Emmy’s sweet side, being nominated for his part as Fey’s boss, the wickedly sexist and narcissistic Jack Donaghy.
Actress Jane Krakowski, one of “30 Rock’s” many nominees, paid tribute to the show’s scribes and cast, saying, “The writers have created an amazing character in Jenna which I just love to play. I am blown away by the number of nominations the show has received and thrilled for everyone.”
Steve Carell photo copied his name for the fourth time as Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his turn as Michael Scott – the nosy and clueless boss on “The Office,” while Tony Shalhoub, whose flawless exposition as the OCD-ridden genius detective Adrian Monk carefully handles his presence on the list with a wet nap for the seventh time. A surprise appearance by Jemaine Clement, one half of HBO’s ode to struggling musicians “Flight Of The Conchords” leaves his co-conspirator and musical partner Bret McKenzie grappling to know who he pissed off. Charlie Sheen of “Two And A Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory” funnyman Jim Parsons round out the list.
In the pink corner, funny lady and notorious trash mouth comedian Sarah Silverman of “The Sarah Silverman Show” appears for the first time as Best Actress in a Comedy Series, having appeared and won in the past for other efforts, while doe-eyed Mary Louise Parker gets her third nod as hemptress Nancy Botwin in Showtime’s wunderkind “Weeds.” Tina Fey of “30 Rock” grabs hold of her second nomination as the lead actress on the hit show also recognized for her famous Sarah Palin spoofs on alma mater “Saturday Night Live.” Two-time nominee Toni Collette finds herself in the limelight in “Juno” screenwriter Diablo Cody’s Sybil-style television series “United States of Tara.” Julia Louis-Dreyfus of “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” and Christina Applegate on the once-acclaimed but now cancelled sitcom “Samantha Who?” which struggled after the WGA writer’s strike, finish off.
“This year’s nomination means more to me than ever before,” said Applegate. “I’m incredibly happy and honored. Certainly it’s bittersweet – we no longer get to do the show that we love so much, but that doesn’t take away from the excitement and honor of this nomination. This is a wonderful recognition of what we created together every week.”
America Ferrera, a former winner for best actress in a comedy, surprisingly failed to pick up a nomination.
Front-runners in drama for the guys are Hugh Laurie, the adorable Brit who has stolen the heart of America as a misanthropic doctor with questionable ethics on Fox’s “House,” Michael C. Hall as serial killer with charm “Dexter” and Gabriel Byrne in the popular “In Treatment.”
Heavy-hitters Holly Hunter in TNT’s “Saving Grace,” mainstay Sally Field in “Brothers & Sisters” and Glenn Close in FX’s “Damages” give boom boom pow for Best Actress in a Drama Series. Other nominees include the beautiful Kyra Sedgwick in “The Closer” and Mariska Hargitay of legendary “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
“I’m hugely grateful to be nominated, and ridiculously proud to stand in the company of these incredible artists,” remarked Hargitay.
The 61st annual Primetime Emmy Awards will air Sunday, September 20, on CBS. Neil Patrick Harris will host. The show will air from Los Angeles’ Nokia Theater
Full list of nominees:
Best Actor Drama
Bryan Cranston
‘Breaking Bad’
Michael C. Hall
‘Dexter’
Hugh Laurie
‘House’
Gabriel Byrne
‘In Treatment’
Jon Hamm
‘Mad Men’
Simon Baker
‘The Mentalist’

Best Actor, Comedy
Alec Baldwin
’30 Rock’
Tony Shalhoub
‘Monk’
Jim Parsons
‘The Big Bang Theory’
Steve Carell
‘The Office’
Charlie Sheen
‘Two And A Half Men’
Jemaine Clement
‘Flight Of The Conchords’

Best Actress, Drama
Sally Field
‘Brothers & Sisters’
Glenn Close
‘Damages’
Mariska Hargitay
‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’
Holly Hunter
‘Saving Grace’
Kyra Sedgwick
‘The Closer’
Elisabeth Moss
‘Mad Men’

Best Actress, Comedy
Tina Fey
’30 Rock’
Christina Applegate
‘Samantha Who?’
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
‘The New Adventures Of Old Christine’
Sarah Silverman
‘The Sarah Silverman Program’
Mary-Louise Parker
‘Weeds’
Toni Collette
‘United States Of Tara’