• Does Conan O'Brien deserve to win the Emmy this year for his short-lived edition of "The Tonight Show"? Lynette Rice thinks so: "The public has certainly been on his side (witness the I’m With Coco campaign that surfaced on the internet earlier this year). That’s why it seems unlikely that anyone at the Aug. 29 ceremony would begrudge O’Brien if he wins the statuette. We already know his comedy is worth its weight in gold; his team, after all, won the Emmy in 2007 for writing 'Late Night with Conan O’Brien.' And voters will probably want to give O’Brien the final word on the whole sordid affair and on NBC, no less, which is broadcasting the ceremony this year." ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

• However her colleague Ken Tucker begs to differ, arguing in favor of "The Daily Show," which has owned this category for the past seven years: "Jon Stewart plowed new ground this season, which is to say, he built up rage against so many worthy targets, and found fresh ways of expressing that anger through humor, that his show achieved a whole new level of comic effectiveness. He deserves the win." ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

• Those sassy promos for the Emmys that feature host Jimmy Fallon in a tongue-in-cheek tribute to two-time drama champ and current contender "Mad Men" have been pulled for now. "An NBC source said the video was aired 'prematurely' and that no more of Fallon's 'Mad Men" spoofs will run until after the voting window closes on Tuesday. The video was also removed from online. 'This promo was posted prematurely,' said a TV Academy spokesperson, "and the Television Academy appreciates NBC pulling the content until after the voting window closes." ABC

• The first season of the Disney Channel hit "Jonas" starring the Jonas Brothers is contending for top children's program at the upcoming Emmy Awards. And, as Joe Jonas admitted to MTV News, "We are very super excited! We've never been up for an Emmy before. That's never been on our radar, so something like that's really exciting. We don't know who will win." The boys face off against two other Disney staples — "Hannah Montana" and both the series and telefilm versions of "Wizards of Waverly Place" — as well as the Nickelodeon smash "iCarly." Joe added, "There's a lot of Disney in there, so I think we're gonna have some friendly competition going on there. Me and ['Wizards' star] David Henrie, we've been talking to each other and kind of making fun of each other here and there about the Emmy thing. But whoever wins, it'll be cool for us to be honored." MTV

• "127 Hours" is set to close the London Film Festival on Oct. 28. The biopic from director Danny Boyle stars James Franco as hiker Aron Ralston forced to cut off his own arm to free himself from a rock slide. As Steve Pond notes, "Boyle also had the closing-night film at the festival in 2008 with 'Slumdog,' which went on to win eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director." In making the announcement, fest director Sandra Hebron referred to this fact: "It is unprecedented for us to chose a closing night film from the same director only two years later. But '127 Hours' was the obvious choice for us — with filmmaking as bold and adventurous as its subject matter, it confirms Danny Boyle as one of the world's finest and most visionary directors." THE WRAP

• Reigning best actor Oscar champ Jeff Bridges ("Crazy Heart") could be back in the race this year. He reunites with the Coen brothers for their remake of "True Grit" and is taking on the 1969 role that won John Wayne his Oscar. Greg Ellwood previews the picture, which is due out on Christmas Day. "Paramount Pictures released the first image of "True Grit" today which features Bridges and co-star Hailee Steinfield.  Most intriguing is the eyepatch Bridge's character wears is on his right eye. Wayne wore it on left. A nod to the original film? More importantly, this potential Best Picture contender is on this pundit's must-see list, has it made yours?"
HIT FIX

• Christopher Lisotta says that "If the first time is a charm, then 2010 could be shaping up as a downright charming year for a host of rookie Emmy nominees." He thinks that, "as voting wraps up Tuesday, buzz is building behind freshmen series 'The Good Wife,' 'Glee' and 'Modern Family,' any of which could wrest key wins from veteran series like '30 Rock' and 'Mad Men,' which have become the shows to beat." HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Upper photo: "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" promotional still. Credit: NBC.

Middle photo: "Jonas" promotional still. Credit: Disney Channel.

Lower photo: Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfield in "True Grit." Credit: Paramount.

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• Kanye West will be back onstage at this year's MTV VMAs, which air live from Los Angeles on Sept. 12. This time around he will be welcomed as a performer. Last year, he set tongues wagging when he interrupted Taylor Swift as she accepted the best female video award to say that Beyonce should have won. Both West and Swift are nominees this year — he for his collaboration with Drake, Li'l Wayne and Eminem on the "Forever" hip-hop music video and she for best female video for "Fifteen." In making the announcement, MTV said West will "be making his triumphant return to the VMAs" and noted  "Kanye has appeared at every VMA show since 2004, winning Best Male Video in 2005 (for 'Jesus Walks'), and Best Special Effects in 2008 ('Good Life')." West has a new album out in the fall and just debuted a new single with Beyonce called "See It Now." MTV

• Kanye should be happy to hear that Katie Hasty — who handicaps eight of the top races at the upcoming MTV VMAs — thinks that "Telephone" by Lady Gaga and featuring Beyonce will win video of the year: "It's rare to not only feature two of the biggest global pop stars into one video, but for them to interact as they do, in the non-stop wacky format that they do. While I personally find the clip to be one, long hot mess, I doubt any of  its shortcomings will keep folks from voting on it." HIT FIX

• Steve Pond details the details of the upcoming Creative Arts portion of the Primetime Emmys, including this tidbit that, "the teams presenting awards will include Jane Lynch and Ryan Murphy (“Glee”), John Lithgow and Clyde Phillips (“Dexter”), Christina Hendricks and Matthew Weiner (“Mad Men'), Elizabeth Mitchell and Damon Lindelhof (“Lost”) and Rico Rodriguez and Steve Levitan (“Modern Family”)." As Steve notes, these kudos, "will hand out awards in more than 70 categories. The show will take place at the Nokia Theater on Saturday, August 21, and an edited version will air as a two-hour special on E! Entertainment Television on Friday, August 27."  THE WRAP

• Current Emmy nominee and reigning drama supporting actor champ Michael Emerson talks about his time on "Lost" including the 12-minute epilogue that will feature on the final season DVD boxed set. He told Whitney Matheson, "I really like it. I was delighted when I found out I had one of the primary roles in it. I think I was as excited to shoot that as I was to shoot the finale of the series." As for his Emmy hopes: "You never know. But there are so many good actors in that category that haven't yet been given the award. It just seems like they should spread it around." USA TODAY

• Supporting drama actress contender Christina Hendricks ("Mad Men") chats with Ray Richmond about, among other things, landing her first Emmy nomination: "It’s pretty awesome. It was amazing enough just to be on this show the past couple of years when it won. That’s been incredible. But this is even better. Matt [Matthew Weiner] gave my character Joan a lot of really amazing material this past season. That’s why I got the Emmy nomination. You won’t hear me complaining." DEADLINE

• Not surprisingly, Hollywood rewards all things young, including TV series as Randee Dawn discovers when considering the Emmy nominees for top drama. "A show should be young and complicated if it wants a berth in the top six. The eldest in this year's drama series lineup, 'Lost,' is also the only show that won't be back next year, and it's hardly old at six seasons. Not one of the other nominated drama series ('Mad Men,' 'Breaking Bad,' 'Dexter,' 'True Blood' and 'The Good Wife') has more than four seasons under its belt." HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

• Eight nominees from seven countries are competing for the news and current affairs awards to be handed out by the International Emmys in New York on Sept. 27. Contending for the current affairs Emmy are: "Dispatches" (United Kingdom),  "Enquete" (Radio Canada), "Telenoche" (Argentina) and "Tuesday Report" (Hong Kong). Up for the news prize are Al Jazeera English (Qatar), Sky News (United Kingdom), RT Channel (Russia) and TV Globo (Brazil) CBC

• Had the original version of "Avatar" included the love scene in the nine minutes added for the upcoming re-release, would that have swayed Oscar voters? When asked about what audiences can expect Aug. 27, writer-director James Cameron said, "It's been restored, every last frame of it. Seriously," adding that the scene in question won't break any records — it lasts all of about 20 seconds. "I would say, just so that we correctly manage people's expectations," he explained carefully, "it does not change our rating at all. I would call it more of an alien foreplay scene. It's not like they're ripping their clothes off and going at it." MTV

• Oscar and Tony champ Marcia Gay Harden could well be contending again next year for that Emmy she needs to complete the acting triple crown. As William Keck reports, "Harden who received a 2007 Emmy Award nomination for her guest appearance as Federal Agent Dana Lewis on NBC's 'Law & Order: SVU'  is making a return visit to mean Manhattan streets. Last seen in the eighth season premiere, Dana will return in the eighth episode of the upcoming 12th season." TV GUIDE

Upper photo: Kanye West and Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV VMAs. Credit: MTV.

Middle photo: Emmy Awards poster. Credit: NBC

Lower photo: "Avatar" promotion still. Credit: Fox.

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• Count singer John Legend among those who believe in the power of Twitter. He sent out a tweet that included a picture of his broken 2005 best R&B album Grammy and the explanation: "casualty of the nephews staying with me. I hope they send replacement grammys!" Soon enough he got a reply tweet from the Recording Academy that read, "Don’t worry, we can send a replacement GRAMMY Award to you!" TMZ

• Hollywood veteran Paula Wagner will produce the 22nd annual awardsfest of the Producers Guild of America. In making the announcement, PGA presidents Mark Gordon and Hawk Koch said, "Paula is an innovative and dynamic producer with some of the most impressive credits in the business. She has tremendous respect and passion for the producing craft, and we’re thrilled she accepted our invitation to produce the 2011 Producers Guild Awards show." Nominations will be announced on Jan. 4, and the ceremony will be held Jan. 22 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.

• "Late Night" host Jimmy Fallon is emceeing this year's Emmy Awards and chatted with Amy Dawes about the gig. " 'It'll have the spirit of the late-night show,' Fallon says of his approach. 'I'll do jokes and impressions, and we'll keep it very high-energy and positive and keep it moving.'" And Dawes reports, "Given his show's reputation for digital savvy, Fallon says the Emmy broadcast can be expected to amp up its New Media quotient. 'I think we're going to do live streaming from backstage, so you can see what the winners are saying to the press back there, and we'll do a live Q&A with me during the commercial break, where you can tweet in your questions. It'll be a full-on social media attack,' Fallon promises. 'We might even use Ustream to show what the writers are doing backstage, when they're coming up with new bits to react to what's happening during the show.' " THE ENVELOPE

• According to Lynette Rice, the Emmy Awards could be in for a shakeup as the deal that rotated the kudocast among the big four broadcast networks expires this year. As Lynnette notes, "The Big Four are itching to shake things up, even if that means allowing the Emmys to move to cable. Gripes one Big Four suit, 'How can we be expected to pony up more money for what continues to be, with few exceptions, a show that celebrates cable TV?' (The TV Academy declined to comment.)" ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

• Brad Brevet delivers his first preview of the Oscars season. However, he cautions that "near every movie I'm working with has yet to be seen, or even talked about on any kind of buzz-worthy level. If I hadn't attended Cannes I would have only seen four of the 23 films on my list of Best Picture contenders and even with Cannes I've only seen seven of them. That isn't saying much. I guess what I'm trying to get at here is to tell you to take these predictions with a grain of salt because I'm working on only the smallest amounts of information for each." Topping his best picture list is "Another Year," while veteran Robert Duvall ("Get Low") and Anne Hathaway ("Love and Other Drugs") rank first among the acting contenders. ROPE OF SILICON

• Ray Richmond delivers the scoop that the fourth season of "Breaking Bad" won't begin airing till July, making it ineligible to contend at the Emmys till 2012. That means Bryan Cranston -- a front-runner this year to add a third Emmy to the two he has already won for this AMC drama -- will be sitting out next year's best actor race. As Ray writes, "To bridge the 13-month gap between seasons, the plan is to produce short interstitial mini-episodes of 3 to 4 minutes apiece early next year after the show goes back in production in January. They'll be posted on AMC’s website. 'The idea is to keep people aware and interested in the show during the long time away,' Cranston says to me. 'But I, for one, am eager to make these little interstitials important. I don’t want them to be simply filler or recap, but something that actually moves the storyline forward. If we’re going to do it, it ought to be a real part of the larger show.'" DEADLINE

• Cranston was one of the nominees on hand, reports Mikey Glazer, when the TV academy "hosted the Performers Peer Group for an invitation-only soiree with 50 of the org’s governors and VIPs in Beverly Hills on Wednesday night." Other nominees including "Kyra Sedgwick ('The Closer'), Cranston’s 'Breaking Bad' co-star Aaron Paul, Julia Ormand (HBO’s 'Temple Grandin'), and Chris Colfer ('Glee') mingled over Grey Goose cocktails with key voters at Chakra, in the shadow of the Writer’s Guild Theatre on Doheny." THE WRAP

• "Inception" writer/director Christopher Nolan is to be feted by his countryman on Nov. 4 when he receives the John Schlesinger Britannia Award from the British Academy of Film and Television Artists/Los Angeles (BAFTA/LA). In addition, Emmy nominee Michael Sheen ("The Special Relationship") will be honored with the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year. As Steve Pond notes, "Last year, the John Schlesinger Award went to 'Slumdog Millionaire' director Danny Boyle, while the British Artist of the Year honor was given to actress Emily Blunt. In recent years, the directing award has also gone to Anthony Minghella, Stephen Frears, Mike Newell and Jim Sheridan, while actors receiving honors include Rachel Weisz, Kate Winslet and Tilda Swinton." THE WRAP

Top photo: Jimmy Fallon. Credit: NBC.

Bottom photo: Bryan Cranston at the 2009 Emmy Awards. Credit: CBS.

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Our two resident Emmys experts -- Chris "Boomer" Beachum and Rob Licuria (Awards Heaven) -- disagree about which previous award winner will prevail in the supporting actor in a drama series category. For Rob, 2007 champ Terry O'Quinn is the frontrunner for the final season of "Lost." However, Boomer believes Andre Braugher, from "Men of a Certain Age," will add to the two lead actors Emmys he already has for the series "Homicide" (1998) and the telefilm "Thief" (2006). Both place Aaron Paul of "Breaking Bad" in the second position.

Below is their analysis of this race. Rob and Boomer already have shared their insights on guest drama actor, guest drama actress, guest comedy actor and guest comedy actress. And the three of us have weighed in on the top drama series and comedy series races as well as best TV movie, best reality/competition show and best reality show host.

DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTOR: ROB'S PREDIX
1. Terry O'Quinn, "Lost" ("The Substitute")
2. Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad" ("Half Measures")
3. Andre Braugher, "Men of a Certain Age" ("Powerless")
4. Michael Emerson, "Lost" ("Dr. Linus")
5. John Slattery, "Mad Men" ("The Gypsy & the Hobo")
6. Martin Short, "Damages" ("You Haven't Replaced Me Yet")

ROB'S COMMENTARY: This is a terribly difficult category in which to decide who the front-runners are, because at least four of these guys deliver a performance that in any other year would be seen as worthy of a win. Starting with those I think are easiest to rule out, I would suggest that Martin Short's few scenes with his grafter father are good but not great (in terms of impact and screen time), and in this company, a nomination should be all that the awesome Martin Short should expect. Same goes for John Slattery, who has chosen his best submission yet but fails to deliver much in the way of impact. However, some of his one-liners are gold.

Of the top four who are truly in this race, I think it boils down as follows. Of the two actors from "Lost," Michael Emerson and Terry O’Quinn share some scenes in their respective episodes, and both do quite well both in their scenes in the alternate "sideways" timeline and on the island itself. Emerson has a couple of more flashy scenes where he discusses how he has sacrificed his daughter to save the island and plays the Dr Linus role quite effectively. O'Quinn, on the other hand, is in practically all of the scenes in his episode and commands the screen as the villain on the island and as the stubborn wheelchair-bound John Locke in the sideways world. Of the two, I think O'Quinn’s performance is the more memorable, not to mention the more buzzed-about from the last season.

Andre Braugher is no stranger to Emmy voters, having won twice before in relatively little-known or buzzed-about shows. He makes another Emmy appearance in this TNT drama that did not make much of an impact elsewhere in other categories, and immediately you can see that many voters will be drawn to his flawed, bitter and regret-filled character. I think the show itself is a little depressing, dreary and slow, but I don't think that's enough to turn off voters. They love Braugher and will respond to the "journey" of sorts he makes in this episode, which, perhaps most importantly, ends happily in a scene that is quite effective.

Aaron Paul was probably the front-runner last year for his performance in an episode that I don't think he will ever top. This time around, he delivers the same tension, nuance and anguish, but he may be slightly overshadowed by Bryan Cranston in the scenes they share. Don't completely write him off, though, as voters may decide to give him this award to make up for last year and to award the show in general, which has proved to be quite popular with the academy. Based on the episode itself, a win is not out of the question but just not the slam dunk it could have been a year ago.

DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTOR: BOOMER'S PREDIX
1. Andre Braugher, "Men of a Certain Age" ("Powerless")
2. Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad" ("Half Measures")
3. Michael Emerson, "Lost" ("Dr. Linus")
4. Terry O'Quinn, "Lost" ("The Substitute")
5. Martin Short, "Damages" ("You Haven't Replaced Me Yet")
6. John Slattery, "Mad Men" ("The Gypsy & the Hobo")

BOOMER'S COMMENTARY: I think four men have a very legitimate shot at winning this category, but their names are not Martin Short or John Slattery. Both are good in their episodes but have limited screen time and impact compared with their competitors.

Fourteen different men in the last 14 years have won this category. Somebody will break that streak in the near future, but until it happens, you will not find me going against such a strong trend. With Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson as recent winners, I do question whether they will win again this year. Of the two, I would absolutely vote for O'Quinn myself because of his overall importance to the final season of "Lost" (in a dual good-guy/evil-guy role), but Emerson gets the more emotional material in his chosen episode (especially toward the end, when he seems a very broken man with a life-shattering choice).

Just as they disagree over who will prevail in the supporting drama actor race, our Emmy gurus Chris "Boomer" Beachum and Rob Licuria (Awards Heaven) differ on which woman will win the equivalent award. Boomer is buzzed about the return of two-time lead actress champ Sharon Gless ("Cagney & Lacey," 1986, 1987) to the derby while Rob prefers the chances of Christina Hendricks ("Mad Men"). However, both place another Emmy winner -- Christine Baranski ("The Good Wife") -- in the second position.

Their commentary on this contest is below. Rob and Boomer have already analyzed guest drama actor, guest drama actress, guest comedy actor and guest comedy actress. And the three of us have weighed in on the top drama series and comedy series races as well as best TV movie, best reality/competition show and best reality show host.

DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTRESS: BOOMER'S PREDIX
1. Sharon Gless, "Burn Notice" ("Devil You Know")
2. Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife" ("Bang")
3. Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men" ("Love Among the Ruins")
4. Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men" ("Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency")
5. Archie Panjabi, "The Good Wife" ("Hi")
6. Rose Byrne, "Damages" ("Your Secrets Are Safe")

BOOMER'S COMMENTARY: Look back over the years, and you'll find two trends for this category. Voters like emotional performances with anger, fear, crying and/or overwrought emoting (a lot!!), and they usually like veteran actresses (Cherry Jones, Blythe Danner, Allison Janney, Stockard Channing, Tyne Daly, etc.). There is only one lady this year with an emotional performance (Sharon Gless), and she just happens to be a longtime Emmy favorite with multiple wins. I am as surprised as anyone that I am making this prediction for a popcorn action show like "Burn Notice," but follow the facts and not your heart to come to the same conclusion.

Christine Baranski is very solid in her episode but has no real emotional work, not even in the courtroom scenes, which normally win over voters due to the passionate speeches given. If voters want to reward consistency over time, they will select Elisabeth Moss for her great work on "Mad Men." Her character has gone from a meek, lowly secretary to a copywriter with more power at work and in her love life in just a few short yet pivotal years. Her chosen episode showcases some of that change but doesn't have a single "wow" moment.

Everybody seems to be jumping on the Christina Hendricks bandwagon, but I just don't buy it for an actual Emmy win yet. Her sexpot image will probably work against her with voters who will not give her credit for the fine acting she exhibits. I would love to see her recognized for this performance, though. Archie Panjabi is one of the strong points of her show, but I found nothing memorable on her episode to make me want to vote for her. Rose Byrne wins the prize for one of this year's worst episode selections. She barely has anything to do in it.

DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTRESS: ROB'S PREDIX
1. Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men" ("Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency")
2. Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife" ("Bang")
3. Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men" ("Love Among the Ruins")
4. Archie Panjabi, "The Good Wife" ("Hi")
5. Sharon Gless, "Burn Notice" ("Devil You Know")
6. Rose Byrne, "Damages" ("Your Secrets Are Safe")

ROB'S COMMENTARY: I am puzzled as to why Rose Byrne chose this episode, the third-season premiere. Perhaps she doesn't want to win an Emmy, or maybe she doesn't care all that much, because she is given very little at all to do in the episode, and when she is on screen, I liken her performance to something akin to comatose. Very disappointing, especially when she could have been really competitive with an episode from later on in the season (like "All That Crap About Your Family," for instance).

Sharon Gless is one of the Emmy veterans who pops up every so often for a show that is not usually on the Emmy radar. Having been close to a nomination before (Gless made the top 10 "run-off" a few years ago), this nomination was not a total shock but more of a welcome surprise. And to back up the affection that the academy has for her, the episode she has chosen really does showcase her character as best as possible and puts her in this race as a spoiler to her competition from more fancied Emmy-friendly shows.

Archie Panjabi is one of the breakthrough stars of the past TV season and one of my favorite characters on TV at the moment. I was a little concerned about what episode she would choose, because, although her character, Kalinda Sharma, makes an impact in every scene in which she appears, there is no real stand-out episode that Panjabi has to really knock the socks off voters. "Hi" was probably as best as she was going to find (although I would've picked the season finale, "Running").

Our Emmy gurus Chris "Boomer" Beachum and Rob Licuria (AwardsHeaven) are in agreement that veteran comedy actress Jane Lynch will win her first Emmy Award for her supporting work on the rookie hit "Glee." Beyond this top pick, they rank the other nominees with both believing Julie Bowen from another freshman series -- "Modern Family" -- to be a strong contender.

Below is their in-depth analysis of this contest. Rob and Boomer also share their insights on guest drama actor, guest drama actress, guest comedy actor and guest comedy actress. And the three of us weigh in on the top drama series and comedy series races as well as best TV movie, best reality/competition show and best reality show host.

COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTRESS: BOOMER'S PREDIX
1. Jane Lynch, "Glee" ("The Power of Madonna")
2. Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock" ("Black Light Attack")
3. Julie Bowen, "Modern Family" ("My Funky Valentine")
4. Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men" ("Give Me Your Thumb")
5. Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live" ("Host: James Franco")
6. Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family" ("Not in My House")

BOOMER'S COMMENTARY: Jane Lynch wins the Emmy for this category within the first three minutes of the Madonna-themed episode and then just keeps adding on funny scene after funny scene. She also gets to star in a shot-for-shot remake of the famous "Vogue" music video. Easy prediction and a well-deserved victory after many years of great comedic performances.

I imagine actresses over 35 on this judging panel will be enthralled by Jane Krakowski's episode in which she faces the perils and horrors of moving from the ingenue to mother stage of an acting career. She has so many funny moments, it is kind of a shame she will probably never win for this role. Julie Bowen gives a charming performance on a Valentine's Day-themed episode where she and her husband go on a date and pretend to pick up each other in a bar. It's a nice blend of sparkling dialogue and physical humor.

Holland Taylor has already received several nominations for this character but no wins. I liked some of her previous submissions much more than this one, which is somewhat on the dry-humor side rather than physical. Kristin Wiig has only two moments on her episode that might appeal to voters (the Lawrence Welk parody and her impersonation of Kate Hepburn), but it can't top the other ladies in this category.

Sofia Vergara made a major error on her episode choice, in which she has little to do other than react to a stuffed dog butler in her home. She has such a high industry buzz right now, a win could have been possible with the right choice.

COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTRESS: ROB'S PREDIX
1. Jane Lynch, "Glee" ("The Power of Madonna")
2. Julie Bowen, "Modern Family" ("My Funky Valentine")
3. Kristin Wiig, "Saturday Night Live" ("Host: James Franco")
4. Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men" ("Give Me Your Thumb")
5. Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock" ("Black Light Attack")
6. Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family" ("Not in My House")

ROB'S COMMENTARY: I think the episodes in this category are not nearly as strong as the comedy supporting actors' choices. Right off the bat, Sofia Vergara either isn't sure how the process works or simply is not interested in winning an Emmy this year. Her performance in her chosen episode is negligible, to say the least. And Vergara has some episodes in the can that make her very competitive.

Ditto for Jane Krakowski, who I found to be irritating in this episode. Not funny at all in my mind, and this is coming from a fan of hers. I'm not sure any actors from "30 Rock" are going to win this year, what with the relatively weak material they were given in the substandard fourth season. Similarly, Holland Taylor's nomination smacks of a filler to me. She has a couple of good scenes and is generally a well-liked veteran and excellent actress, but this performance is nothing to write home about.

• The winner of the reality show host race won't be accepting on the prime-time Emmy telecast, which is live nationwide this year. As the show is scheduled to repeat on the West Coast at 8 p.m. PDT, the broadcast has to be over in exactly three hours. So, to ensure there is time for George Clooney to collect the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, the host category has been bumped to the Creative Arts Emmys which take place eight days earlier and air, in an edited version, on the E! cable network. Also missing from the main telecast will be the awards for writers and directors of comedy music variety series, which alternate with the equivalent races for telefilms and minis. Ray Richmond reports on all this and more as per the show's exec producer Don Mischer, who explained, "On the long-form awards, for example, we didn't have the option of shifting the writers and directors for contractual reasons. And we really didn't want to think about taking the made-for-TV movie or miniseries award out. The reality host award was one we didn't have a commitment to in terms of keeping it in the telecast." DEADLINE

• After noting that "when the reality host category had been added to the derby two years ago, they'd been sold a bill of goods about how it was going to young-up the audience for the trophy show," Lisa de Moraes analyzes the rationale of shifting the award off the prime-time kudocast. "What the academy's not saying is that it wants to goose the show's numbers, seeing as how it does not yet have a closed contract to keep broadcasting the show on the broadcast networks. A new contract may not be a slam-dunk, given that the Emmys have become a big fat plug for cable networks, which annoys suits at the broadcast nets mightily. And, when you're trying to attract viewers to a show, you do not want to lose sight of the fact that Clooney is Clooney, while Jeff Probst is, well, Jeff Probst. And yet, despite this undeniable truth, Mischer and academy President John Shaffner continued to insist during their appearance at the Press Tour, that that is not why Probst's annual win will not be seen during the televised portion of the Emmy ceremony. The academy had no choice, they explained. Other categories you'd think would be high on the Whack-This List are protected from cutting by deals the academy has with networks and/or various guilds. Try to cut one of those categories and, for instance, a guild might decide you'd violated that pact and inform you that you're going to have to pay its members residuals on that boatload of clips you air during your trophy show. Ouch!" WASHINGTON POST

• Jimmy Fallon made merry with the TV folk when he appeared at the TCA to tout his upcoming hosting gig of the Emmy Awards. As James Hibberd reports, the "Late Night" host was in fine form. " 'I want the TV academy to be happy, I want [producer] Don Mischner to be happy,' Fallon said of his upcoming Emmy stint, adding that 'I don't want to make anybody uncomfortable' with his jokes. 'You have to relate to different people as well,' Fallon said about appealing to the wider Emmy audience. 'I gotta get you to laugh and you to laugh and you to laugh -- they don't all laugh at the same thing.' " HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

• Ed O'Neill, the only adult cast member of "Modern Family" not to receive an Emmy nomination, told the TCA "that the show's child actors were the ones who really got snubbed by academy voters. 'The truth is, if you're nominated or you're not nominated, you don't have a lot of options. For all I know, the kids could have been nominated before me ... the kids were phenomenal.' " However, his younger cast mates demurred. "Asked if he felt left out of the Emmy race, 12-year-old Rico Rodriguez, who plays Manny on the show, said, 'They probably have something in store for us later in the years; it'll be great to even go to the Emmys.' " THE WRAP

• One of O'Neill's Emmy-nominated "Modern Family" co-stars -- Eric Stonestreet -- thinks that his character, Cameron, will eventually marry his gay partner, Mitchell (Jessie Tyler Ferguson). As he told Sean Daly, "I don’t know how that would happen with the real-life legality. Maybe it would be a destination (wedding). Us going somewhere that gay marriage is legal. But they have to save some of that stuff. We hope to be on the air for seven years." Show producer Christopher Lloyd admits, "Frankly we have stayed away from anything that feels overtly political. It is just not the style of our show. But we wouldn’t rule it out." NEW YORK POST

• Nathan Lane has contended twice before for best guest actor in a comedy series and could well be a contender against next year for his just-announced turn on "Modern Family." Gary Levin reports from the TCA that the two-time Tony champ will play, "Pepper, the flamboyant older friend of Mitchell and Cameron,  who was referenced last season. He'll appear in one the early episodes in the fall. Lane approached producers about doing the show, and executive producer Steven Levitan says he fits the part perfectly. But mostly, 'We're toning down on stunt casting; we don't want to turn into a guest of the week. The audience loves our characters and we have enough of them' in the large ensemble." USA TODAY

• Fox is jumping on the country music awards bandwagon with the inaugural kudocast of the American Country Awards set for Dec. 6. As Andrew Wallenstein and Shirley Halperin report, "ACA will attempt to differentiate itself from the other shows by having the fans vote for the winners. The executive producer of the program is Bob Bain,who runs the Teen Choice Awards, another viewer-driven awards show for Fox. After years of decline, there seems to be renewed faith in awards shows given the resurgence of several key franchises, including the Grammys, which rocketed to 26.6 million viewers this year, up more than 7 million from 2009." THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

• The fourth film from theater visionary Julie Taymor -- a re-imagining of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" -- will close the 67th edition of the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 11 and will also be the Centerpiece selection for this year’s New York Film Festival, unspooling in Manhattan on Oct. 2. The picture stars Oscar champ Helen Mirren ("The Queen") as Prospera, a gender-bending take on the character of Prospero, a sorcerer marooned on an island with his daughter. The film features another Oscar winner -- Chris Cooper ("Adaptation") -- as well as Russell Brand, Alan Cumming, Djimon Hounsou, David Strathairn and Ben Whishaw. In making the announcement, NYFF selection chairman Richard Pena said, "Julie Taymor is one of the boldest, most innovative artists working in American theater and film, and her elegant adaptation of 'The Tempest' is a perfect illustration of her unique artistry." NYFF

• "Mad Men" may have won over the Emmy Awards but it is striking out with ad agencies. As Brian Steinberg writes, "airings of 'Mad Men' took in only $1.98 million in ad revenue in 2009, according to Kantar Media. In 2008, the show nabbed just less than $2.8 million, and in 2007, approximately $2.25 million. These are paltry amounts when one considers that a 30-second ad in an equally buzzy program such as '24' on Fox cost between $200,000 and $280,000 as the show, off its peak, headed into its final season." However, as Brian notes, "while ad dollars placed against 'Mad Men' may be small, AMC's use of the program can help it win more revenue from other sources. Since 'Mad Men' arrived, the amount AMC gets paid by cable and satellite operators per subscriber has increased to 24 cents from 22 cents, according to SNL Kagan. Before the show debuted, that fee had declined to 21 cents in 2006 from 22 cents in 2005. The channel is available in more than 95 million homes." AD AGE

• The red-hot Betty White is guesting on the season opener of the sophomore season of "Community." David Kronke visited the set to see "America's favorite octogenarian, who plays a deeply eccentric anthropology professor named Jane Bauer." She tangles with Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) in a smackdown that required the use of a stuntwoman at one point. And, as David reports, "White, the usual sugar in her voice, asks her, 'Honey, will you do me a favor?' The stunt double, as awed as the rest of the cast and crew by the iconic White, replies, 'Anything for you.' White says flatly, 'Don't screw up,' delivering her improvised joke for the sole benefit of those in attendance with the same élan as she does her punchlines in appearances seen by millions." TV GUIDE

• Although Will Arnett was at the TCA Monday touting his new Fox sitcom "Running Wilde," he found time to talk about his last series with Fox, the much-missed "Arrested Development," which won the Emmy for best comedy series for the first of its three seasons in 2004. Arnett told TheWrap that a film version of the caustic comedy is "definitely happening" and "that he'd spoken with other principals in the project over the weekend. 'We just had a meeting about it yesterday morning,' Arnett said. 'Timing we're still working on, but it's definitely going to happen.' " THE WRAP

Photos, from top: George Clooney on the "Hope for Haiti" telethon. Credit: MTV; "Modern Family" first season poster. Credit: ABC; "Mad Men" logo. Credit: AMC

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• Reigning Emmy champ "30 Rock" will be live from New York for one episode in October. Peacock exec Angela Bromstad made the announcement at the TCA on Friday. Via the press release, Bromstad said, "We’ve had great success with live episodes in the past, both in a creative sense and in the ratings. I can’t imagine a series more suited to do an incredible live episode, thanks to its many cast, writers and producers, who hail from TV’s most renowned live series, ‘SNL.’" Previous NBC shows to test the mettle of actors with live episodes included "ER" and "Will & Grace." TV BY THE NUMBERS

• Greg Braxton has been busy attending the TCA summer session and delivers the news that Terrence Howard has inked a deal to join the cast of the new series "Law & Order: Los Angeles." The onetime Oscar nominee ("Hustle and Flow") is to "play a deputy district attorney. He will split the district attorney duties with Alfred Molina, who was previously signed." SHOW TRACKER

• NBC Universal TV chief Jeff Gaspin tells Joe Adalian he has "no issue" with Conan O'Brien appearing on the upcoming telecast of the Emmys on the Peacock net, adding that, "as long as he's not hosting, I'm fine." This news makes Joe wonder, "So will the TV Academy ask O'Brien to appear? If asked, will Conan serve?" NEW YORK

• While O'Brien's "Late Night" successor, Jimmy Fallon, has been tapped to host the prime-time Emmys, "Big Bang Theory" comedy duo Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar will emcee the engineering Emmys on Aug. 14 at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood. Among those slated to be feted for technical achievements is Desilu, "for their innovation of using a multi-camera film setup before a live studio audience. Desilu also used conventional film studio materials, production and processing techniques which made 'I Love Lucy' immediately available for production and distribution of prints when the series went into syndication at local stations around the country. In addition, the honor is bestowed to commemorate the upcoming 60th anniversary of 'I Love Lucy’s' debut." THE WRAP

• Mikey Glazer reports that "in L.A., costume designers descended on downtown's Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Saturday for the opening of the annual installation honoring 'The Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design.' Two of the stars of the evening were costume designer nominees Lou Eyrich of 'Glee' and 'Mad Men's Janie Bryant." THE WRAP

• Kyra Sedgwick will get another chance to contend for the lead actress Emmy award that has eluded her until now with Friday's news that TNT has renewed "The Closer" for a seventh season. Sedgwick has been nominated for each of the first five seasons of the crime drama. In the current derby, our pundits predict her to be an also-ran again. However, the sixth season of the show is airing currently and the seventh is slated for next summer, giving her at least two more tries. Also re-upped by the cablecaster are "Leverage" for a fourth season and freshman hit "Rizzoli & Isles." TV BY THE NUMBERS

• Following up on her look at the ladies in contention for best actress this year, Sasha Stone turns to the men of the moment. For this leading Oscarologist, "unlike the Best Actress race, the Best Actor race is still buried in the haze of expectations and unknowns. We wait for so many answers, like Jeff Bridges in 'True Grit'? Brad Pitt in 'Tree of Life'? We just don’t know. Javier Bardem‘s astonishing work in the very depressing 'Biutiful'? Sean Penn again for 'Fair Game'? George Clooney for 'The American'? Here is what we do know so far. Leonardo DiCaprio is having a hell of a year. Whether or not the actors will agree is another story. Michael Douglas turned in a very good performance in 'Solitary Man,' and will also charm audiences with 'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.' Kevin Kline is making a run with 'The Extra Man.' One of the best I’ve already seen is Ryan Gosling, who does his best work yet in 'Blue Valentine.'" AWARDS DAILY

Photos, from top: "30 Rock" logo. Credit: NBC; "I Love Lucy" logo. Credit: CBS Home Video; "The Closer" season 5 DVD cover. Credit: Warner Home Video.

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• Three-time Emmy champ Laura Linney is the subject of a lengthy profile in this Sunday's magazine section of the New York Times. Among the highlights of the piece: when writer Frank Bruni accompanied Linney to a rehearsal for the recent Tony Awards where the nominated actress clearly was in her element. "'You just have to see this!' she exclaimed at one point, tugging me backstage. 'It’s just too much fun, all the different casts bumping into each other.'" Along the way, Bruni also visited Linney on the set of her new Showtime series "The Big C," which is set to debut Aug. 16. This first regular TV role for the versatile talent sees her playing a teacher who must learn what is important in her life when told she has terminal cancer. The paycaster has proved to be a Hollywood haven for actresses like Linney, and it is currently showcasing Emmy nominees Toni Collette ("The United States of Tara") and Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie"). NEW YORK TIMES

• The tuner "Next to Normal" -- which won this year's Pulitzer prize for drama -- welcomed three new cast members Tuesday. Husband and wife Marin Mazzie and Jason Daniely replace Tony winner Alice Ripley and Brian D'Arcy James as the couple coping with her mental illness, while understudy Meghann Fay is permanently stepping in for Tony nominee Jennifer Damiano as the less-than-understanding teenage daughter. PLAYBILL

• CBS has revealed that four of the companies to get a visit from an "Undercover Boss" in the upcoming second season are NASCAR, DirecTV, Great Wolf Resorts and Chiquita Brands. "We're thrilled with this season's new batch of bosses," said the show's creator and executive producer Stephen Lambert. They are NASCAR's senior vice president and chief marketing officer Steve Phelps; Mike White, chairman, president and CEO of DirecTV; Chiquita Brands chairman and CEO Fernando Aguirre; and CEO Kimberly Schaefer of Great Wolf Resorts. The hit show is in contention for best reality series at the upcoming Emmy Awards.

• Hanh Nguyen does a deft job live blogging the lively discussion of "The Big Bang Theory" cast and creators that kicked off the annual TV critics confab Wednesday. Among the tasty tidbits is one from Emmy nominee Jim Parsons, who said he loves Comic-Con, "but seeing the thousands of Sheldon t-shirts was a little disturbing." And when asked about the show's fans, he replied, "They're the sweetest, least psychotic bunch of people I've ever met." ZAP 2 IT

• Our good friend Mike Ausiello caught up with the "Big Bang" gang at Comic-Con last week for a video interview that was punctuated throughout with merriment. Among the subjects covered in the lively conversation were the Emmy snub for best comedy series, upcoming plot points and ongoing salary negotiations. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

• Joel Keller chats with Emmy winner Felicity Huffman on the set of "Desperate Housewives." The one-time Oscar lead actress nominee ("Transamerica") admitted, "I was anticipating doing more movies. I got a lot of movie scripts for a while... I don't really get them anymore." And she said, "Independent films have taken a dive. They're becoming harder and harder to do and somewhat extinct because there's a glut on the market, and they're just so hard to get funding. So I feel like the golden age of independent movies, at least the way they were being done, is over." TV SQUAD

• And our great pal Ray Richmond sat down with "Housewives" creator Marc Cherry, who said "he could see handing off his 6-year-old baby to someone else to run after the coming 7th season. In fact he thought it was likely, as he’s now penning a pilot for a potential new ABC series that he hopes will be up and running by next June. He wouldn't elaborate on what the pilot is about, only noting it 'will not be set in suburbia.'" Cherry also revealed to Ray, "I’ve got a contract that keeps me around ABC for a few more years. I hope (Housewives will be around) for a couple of more seasons, and my thing is I always will be executive producer and consultant on the show. It’s my baby. I can’t let go. I have control issues. They can’t totally get rid of me." DEADLINE

• Donna Hughes previews the just-released title track from the upcoming film "Country Strong." The ditty is done by Oscar champ Gwyneth Paltrow who stars as fallen singer Kelly Canter. As Donna notes, "The actress is no stranger to the music scene, having charted a hit single with Huey Lewis on a remake of 'Cruisin' from the film 'Duets' in 2000. She also happens to be married to Coldplay's Chris Martin." Country crooners Vince Gill and Patty Griffin perform background vocals on this debut single. Though the film won't be out till Dec. 22, the soundtrack is set for release on Oct. 26.  While there is no word yet on the full track listing, another singing star -- Tim McGraw -- appears in the film as Canter's husband/manager. He sets out to resurrect her career with the help of a songwriter she meets in rehab. THE BOOT

• Anne Thompson thinks that "Get Low" -- the new Robert Duvall picture about a hermit re-entering 1930s society -- "should be a soft lob down the middle for Oscar voters." As Anne notes, the film, which she saw at last year's Toronto filmfest, is doing well with the mainstream critics and she planned on attending Tuesday's premiere at the academy which was chronicled by our team. THE ENVELOPE

Photos, from top: Laura Linney in "The Big C" promotional still. Credit: Showtime; "The Big Bang Theory" 3rd season Blu-Ray cover art. Credit: Warner Home Video; Gwyneth Paltrow in "Country Strong." Credit: Screen Gems.

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• If any actor has a right to sing the blues, it is Hugh Laurie, who hasn't had any luck with the Emmys despite four previous nominations for playing the cantankerous title character in "House, M.D." Although he's contending again this year in the lead actor race, our early predictions rank him as an also-ran again. On Monday, Warner Music announced a record deal with the erudite Englishman for an album of New Orleans-style songs. The disc will be produced by two-time Grammy champ Joe Henry. In a statement, Laurie said, "I am drunk with excitement at this opportunity. I know the history of actors making music is a checkered one, but I promise no one will get hurt." Laurie, who plays a variety of musical instruments, has been the keyboardist for the charity group Band From TV for the last several years and tickled the ivories on the last album from Meat Loaf as well. USA TODAY

• Three-time Tony nominee Alfred Molina is switching coasts to join the cast of "Law & Order: L.A." in the fall. Mike Ausiello delivers this news, noting "Molina is the second major 'LOLA' hire. As I reported earlier this month, Skeet Ulrich has been tapped to play one of the two lead detectives. In a statement, show exec Dick Wolf said, 'I am thrilled that Fred is "LOLA's" Deputy DA. He joins a remarkable list of some of America’s greatest character actors like Sam Waterston, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jeff Goldblum, Steven Hill, Dianne Wiest, and Michael Moriarty as stars of 'Law & Order'-branded series.' "

• The versatile Molina also appears in the fourth film from theater visionary Julie Taymor -- a reimagining of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" -- which will close the 67th edition of the Venice film fest on Sept. 11. The picture stars Oscar champ Helen Mirren ("The Queen") as Prospera, a gender-bending take on the character of Prospero, a sorcerer marooned on an island with his daughter. The film features another Oscar winner -- Chris Cooper ("Adaptation") -- as well as Russell Brand, Alan Cumming, Djimon Hounsou, David Strathairn and Ben Whishaw. LA BIENNALE

• Sir Elton John and Lee Hall -- who penned the Tony-winning musical adaptation of "Billy Elliot" -- are reteaming to turn the George Orwell classic novel "Animal Farm" into a tuner. Baz Bamigboye chatted with Hall, who revealed, "I'm deep into it, writing songs for pigs and other four-legged friends" but admitted proper work on the show would not begin till after the summer. "Having worked with him on 'Billy Elliot,' I know that Elton likes to have the lyrics done and have them in front of him, so I'll work on a batch before I give him anything to look at. I would think it's going to take about two years before it's all ready to go." DAILY MAIL

• Four of the Emmy-nominated cast members of "Mad Men" have been immortalized by Mattel as collectible dolls that retail for $74.95 each. "The collection features suave ad men Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and Roger Sterling (John Slattery) complete with cufflinks. The Draper doll features a painted 5 o'clock shadow [that] adds to his good looks, as does his dreamy gaze. Draper's turmoil-ridden wife, Betty (January Jones), wears a traditionally saccharine floral A-line dress with a shiny gray bow, while flame-haired beauty Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks) wears a figure-hugging dress, stockings and pointy black heels." And, as this report notes, "even though Mattel cites the Holloway doll's 'curvy silhouette,' the mini-Joan takes on Barbie's traditionally slim figure." FOX NEWS

• At a Comic-Con panel, Emmy nominee Michael C. Hall previewed the upcoming fifth season of "Dexter." For the actor, his character of a serial killer under suspicion in his wife's death is now "motivated by a desire to make amends for that even if he doesn't consciously know it. He needs to make things right, even if it feels impossible." And, as per producer Chip Johannessen, "We want to process this huge event, which is almost like a second origin story. This is something he brought on himself. We don't continue the facts of Season 4 for very long, but the set of events that he brought upon himself very much permeate Season 5." TV GUIDE

• The gang from "Glee" was also at Comic-Con, where, as per this report by Denise Martin, show creator Ryan Murphy "hit Chris Colfer with the news that he may soon get to do 'The Time Warp,' the classic song-and-dance routine from 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show.' " And, Denise adds, "the Britney Spears episode may be a little dream-like, even if it isn't exactly a dream for one star. And get ready for more Madonna." TV GUIDE

• Al Pacino will be back on Broadway this fall headlining a transfer of the summer hit "The Merchant of Venice," which has been playing in repertory as part of the Public Theater's season in Central Park. Pacino, who first came to fame as a stage actor, headlined a 1979 rialto revival of "Richard III" that was met with mixed reviews. His last appearance on Broadway was in a staged reading of the Oscar Wilde play "Salome" in 2003. He is in contention at the upcoming Emmy Awards for his performance in the telefilm "You Don't Know Jack." Pacino is one of only 18 actors to have achieved the triple crown, winning an Oscar for "Scent of a Woman," an Emmy for "Angels in America" and two Tony Awards, for "Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?" and "The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel." NEW YORK TIMES

• The 1988 Oscar-nominated Spanish film "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" is being turned into a Broadway musical this fall and will feature a slew of award-winning talent including a pair of Tony champs -- Patti LuPone ("Evita," "Gypsy") and Brian Stokes Mitchell ("Kiss Me, Kate") -- as well as multiple nominees Sherie Rene Scott and Danny Burnstein. Tony winner Bartlett Sher ("South Pacific") directs, and Tony nominees David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane are collaborating once again on the score, as they did with "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," with Lane also adapting Pedro Almodóvar's screenplay for the stage. PLAYBILL

• A trio of Oscar-winning actors -- Goldie Hawn ("Cactus Flower"), Julia Roberts ("Erin Brockovich") and Forest Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland") -- are among those on-screen talents working behind the scenes on documentaries scheduled to debut on Oprah Winfrey's new TV network next year. As per the press release, Roberts will present "Extraordinary Moms," about "brilliant and awe-inspiring women who share a powerful connection: the love they have for their children combined with a fierce desire to protect the future of all children"; Hawn will narrate "Search for Happiness," which "examines the age-old quest that has motivated civilization and technological progress"; and Whitaker will do likewise with "One Last Shot," which "takes viewers inside Louisiana’s maximum security prison at Angola, where the average sentence is more than 90 years." TV BY THE NUMBERS

Photos, from top: Hugh Laurie in "House, M.D." Credit: Fox. "Mad Men" collectible dolls. Credit: Mattel, Inc. Al Pacino in "The Merchant of Venice." Credit: Public Theater

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