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CNN Live Event/Special

Emmy Nominations

Aired July 18, 2002 - 08:37   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN ANCHOR: It's Emmy time. In just a few minutes, we're going to go live to the nominations. So which shows have the best shot, and who will get the chance to dance with TV's golden lady in September?

KTLA entertainment editor Sam Rubin joins us from Hollywood.

And, Sam, the big deal out there is the fact "The Sopranos" aren't in the running because they didn't air the 2001-2002 season, right?

SAM RUBIN, KTLA ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: They did not air any new episodes of the "Sopranos" during the -- quote, unquote -- "eligibility period," thus, they don't qualify.

The big question here this morning, less than a minute away from the Emmy nominations will another companion series from HBO, most notably "Six Feet Under," will that come in now and take away almost all the nominations "The Sopranos" received last year. "The Sopranos" getting more than a dozen nominations last year. People are expecting a similar performance from "Six Feet Under." And it's funny, as we're talking to each other, they're doing this big countdown, about 30 seconds away from the formal announcements.

Will the people here recognize the newer shows, great series like "24," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," or will it be the tried and true, "ERs," the "Friends," the "Frasiers" that have been nominated time and time again. So will the Emmys hip up is the big question this morning.

NEVILLE: Then you have the folks from "Friends." After eight seasons, they're finally putting themselves -- I hear the countdown, Sam, so why don't we go ahead to the nominees.

RUBIN: Here we go. We'll talk afterwards.

NEVILLE: All right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning, everyone.

BRYCE ZABEL, CHAIRMAN, TV ACADEMY: You know, usually, the only time people in Southern California get up this early is for an earthquake, so we certainly do appreciate all of you making the effort to be here to join us at this time.

I'm Bryce Zabel, the chairman of the board of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

To present the nominees for the 54th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards, I'm pleased to introduce three-time Emmy nominee Laura Innes from "ER," and Emmy winner Eric McCormack from "Will & Grace."

Good morning, everybody.

LAURA INNES, ACTRESS: Good morning.

Good morning, everybody.

ERIC MCCORMACK, ACTOR: Laura, I haven't had nearly enough coffee. Why don't you start?

INNES: OK. The nominees for lead actor in a drama series are Michael Chiklis, "The Shield," Michael C. Hall, "Six Feet Under," Peter Krause for "Six Feet Under," Martin Sheen for "The West Wing," and Kiefer Sutherland for "24."

MCCORMACK: The nominations in the lead actress in a drama series category are Amy Brenneman, "Judging Amy," Frances Conroy, "Six Feet Under," Jennifer Garner, "Alias." Rachel Griffiths for "Six Feet Under," and Allison Janny, "The West Wing."

INNES: The nominations in the drama series category are "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Law and Order," "Six Feet Under," "24," and "The West Wing."

MCCORMACK: The four nominees for the miniseries series category are "Band of Brothers," "Dinotopia," "The Mists of Avalon," and "Shackleton."

INNES: The made for television movie nominations are "Dinner With Friends," "The Gathering Storm," "James Dean," "The Laramie Project," and "Path to War."

MCCORMACK: The nominees for lead actor in a miniseries or movie are: Kenneth Branagh, "Shackleton," "Bo Bridges," "We Were the Mulvaneys," Albert Finney, "The Gathering storm," James Franco for "James Dean" and Sir Michael Gambon, "Path to War."

INNES: The nominees for lead actress in a movie or mini series are Angela Bassett, for "The Rosa Parks Story," Blythe Danner, "We Were the Mulvaneys" Laura Linney for "Wild Iris," Vanessa Redgrave for "The Gathering Storm" and Gena Rowlands for "Wild Iris."

MCCORMACK: The lead actress in a comedy series nominees are Jennifer Aniston, "Friends," Patricia Heaton, "Everybody Loves Raymond." Jane Casmareck Kaczmarek, "Malcolm in the Middle," Debra Messing, "Will and Grace," and Sarah Jessica Parker, "Sex and the City."

INNES: The nominees in the lead actor in a comedy series are Kelsey Grammer for "Friends," Matt Leblanc for "Friends," Bernie Mac, "The Bernie Mac Show," Matthew Perry for "Friends," and Ray Romano for "Everybody Loves Raymond." MCCORMACK: It's just as well. You know how hard it is to get a sitter? It really is.

Laura, why don't we bring Bryce back for one last category.

ZABEL: The nominations in the comedy series category are "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Friends," "Sex and the City" and "Will and Grace." So you do have a congratulations there.

That concludes our nomination ceremonies today. We want to thank you for coming here this morning. Let me also extend our congratulations to all our nominees and ask you to be sure to join us on Sunday, September 22, when the primetime Emmy Awards will be presented on NBC. No cancellations.

Thank you, guys.

MCCORMACK: Thanks, appreciate it.

NEVILLE: McCormack is a winner no matter what.

Let's bring Sam Rubin back into this conversation now. "Six Feet Under," no surprise there, big, big, big nominees, 23 in all, including the drama series, not a surprise there.

RUBIN: Yes. No, I mean, we figured it would do well, Arthel, but not necessarily that well. The record held by "NYPD Blue" for 27 nominations. But "Six Feet Under" really dominating, and that's extraordinary. You're finding now that these innovative cable series are getting considerably more nominations than the traditional network fare, so it's an extraordinary morning for "Six Feet Under."

Also, I was thrilled to see that the HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm" -- this one is from Larry David, who, in effect created the "Seinfeld" show.

NEVILLE: Yes?

RUBIN: a little-seen show. Hilarious, actually including in the best comedy. And speaking of comedies, you mentioned Eric McCormack, "Will & Grace" had a pretty good morning, not as good as usual. He was not nominated. He's been a winner and a nominee before, and he had quite a good turn there. Usually, it tends to be when someone makes the presentations that they are a nominee. That didn't happen for Eric McCormack this morning. Buy as he said, well, you know, gee, it's kind of hard to get a sitter, so I guess he'll get over it.

NEVILLE: Sam, also...

RUBIN: Big morning for "Friends," too, Arthel. Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc and Jennifer Aniston, three of the six "Friends" nominated in the leading categories. This is a show that many people felt this past year really had a resurgence, and to that end, the academy seemed to recognize it.

NEVILLE: And I'm also glad to see Bernie Mac's name mentioned in there.

RUBIN: I think, Arthel, that's a very significant thing to point out, because one thing the Academy has been accused of is ignoring the newer shows. "Bernie Mac," first season out of the gate, a success with the audience, a success with the critics, and now the Academy to come around in the first year and recognize not only the quality of the show, but the incredible ability of Bernie Mac, and so many people felt that Bernie Mac was -- quote, unquote -- "too urban," that it wouldn't play across the country. Well, certainly, the show has played, and he has now played with the Academy. He must be absolutely over the moon. I always think about when the nominations are announced, who are the people most thrilled to hear their names? Bernie Mac's got to be top on the list.

NEVILLE: Got to be one of those people. Sam Rubin, you know, the moral of the story is, you don't put people in a box, you're never too this, or never too that.

RUBIN: Exactly right. Well said.

NEVILLE: Thanks a lot, Sam.

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