58th Primetime Emmy Awards

58th Primetime Emmy Awards
File:58th Primetime Emmy Awards intertitle.jpg
Date	August 27, 2006 (Ceremony) August 19, 2006 (Creative Arts Awards)
Location	Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California
Hosted by	Conan O'Brien
Website	http://www.emmys.com/
Television/radio coverage
Network	NBC
Produced by	Ken Ehrlich and Jeff Ross

The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, August 27, 2006 on NBC at 8:00pm ET (00:00 UTC) with Conan O'Brien hosting the show. The ceremony attracted 16.2 million viewers, 2½ million fewer than the previous year's ceremony, but still the ratings winner for the week. The Discovery Channel received its first major nomination this year.

This awards show was the first in 14 years to be held in August because of NBC's request; because of NBC Sunday Night Football, the show moved to accommodate NFL Kickoff Weekend.

A new voting system determined nominees in particular categories (mostly lead acting and outstanding series categories) by a "blue ribbon" panel of judges, which resulted in the exclusion of popular shows such as Desperate Housewives and Lost, and actors like Hugh Laurie from House. Lost's exclusion was mocked during the opening sequence (see below), when O'Brien, accompanied by Hugo "Hurley" Reyes, heads down a hatch to get to the Emmys. O'Brien asked Reyes if he wanted to come; Reyes says coyly, "Well, we weren't exactly invited", to which O'Brien replies "But you won last year!"

For its second season, The Office won Outstanding Comedy Series, this was its only major award. No comedy series won more than two major awards. In the drama field 24 won Outstanding Drama Series after being nominated and losing the previous four years. Its three major awards topped all drama series. Ellen Burstyn was nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Special for her role in Mrs. Harris, even though she was onscreen for only 14 seconds.

The show that received the most major nominations was Grey's Anatomy, with eight. The top-nominated show had not received so few nominations since 1970, when Marcus Welby, M.D. received six. However, there were far fewer nominations back then, with most categories having three slots. This made this ceremony even more unique.

The pilot episode of My Name is Earl joined a select group of TV episodes to win Emmys for both writing and directing.

Winners and Nominees

Tony Shalhoub, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series winner

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series winner

Kiefer Sutherland, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series winner

Mariska Hargitay, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series winner

Jeremy Piven, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series winner

Megan Mullally, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series winner

Programs

Outstanding Comedy Series	Outstanding Drama Series
The Office, (NBC) Arrested Development, (Fox) Curb Your Enthusiasm, (HBO) Scrubs, (NBC) Two and a Half Men, (CBS)	24, (Fox) Grey's Anatomy, (ABC) House, (Fox) The Sopranos, (HBO) The West Wing, (NBC)
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series	Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, (Comedy Central) The Colbert Report, (Comedy Central) Late Night with Conan O'Brien, (NBC) Late Show with David Letterman, (NBC) Real Time with Bill Maher, (HBO)	XX Olympic Winter Games, (Opening ceremony), (NBC) The 78th Academy Awards, (ABC) Bill Maher: I'm Swiss, (HBO) George Carlin: Life is Worth Losing, (HBO) Paul McCartney Live in St. Petersburg, (A&E)
Outstanding Made for Television Movie	Outstanding Miniseries
The Girl in the Café, (HBO) Flight 93, (A&E) The Flight That Fought Back, (Discovery Channel) Mrs. Harris, (HBO) Yesterday, (HBO)	Elizabeth I, (HBO) Bleak House, (PBS) Into the West, (TNT) Sleeper Cell, (Showtime)
Outstanding Reality/Competition Program
The Amazing Race, (CBS) American Idol, (Fox) Dancing with the Stars, (ABC) Project Runway, (Bravo) Survivor, (CBS)

Acting

Lead performances

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk on Monk (Episode: "Mr. Monk Bumps His Head"), (USA) Steve Carell as Michael Scott on The Office (Episode: "The Injury"), (NBC) Larry David as Himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm (Episode: "The Ski Lift"), (HBO) Kevin James as Doug Heffernan on The King of Queens (Episode: "Pole Lox"), (CBS) Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men (Episode: "The Unfortunate Little Schnauser"), (CBS)	Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell on The New Adventures of Old Christine (Episode: "Supertramp"), (CBS) Stockard Channing as Lydia Barnes on Out of Practice (Episode: "And I'll Cry If I Want To"), (CBS) Jane Kaczmarek as Lois on Malcolm in the Middle (Episode: "Lois Strikes Back"), (Fox) Lisa Kudrow as Valerie Cherish on The Comeback (Episode: "Valerie Does Another Classic Leno"), (HBO) Debra Messing as Grace Adler on Will & Grace (Episode: "The Finale"), (NBC)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer on 24 (Episode: "Day 5: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m."), (Fox) Peter Krause as Nate Fisher on Six Feet Under (Episode: "Time Flies"), (HBO) Denis Leary as Tommy Gavin on Rescue Me (Episode: "Justice"), (FX) Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Episode: "Ripped"), (NBC) Martin Sheen as Josiah Bartlet on The West Wing (Episode: "Tomorrow"), (NBC)	Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Episode: "911"), (NBC) Frances Conroy as Ruth Fisher on Six Feet Under (Episode: "Everyone's Waiting"), (HBO) Geena Davis as Mackenzie Allen on Commander in Chief (Episode: "Pilot"), (ABC) Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg on The West Wing (Episode: "Institutional Memory"), (NBC) Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson on The Closer (Episode: "Fantasy Date"), (TNT)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
Andre Braugher as Nick Atwater on Thief, (FX) Charles Dance as Mr. Tulkinghorn on Bleak House, (PBS) Ben Kingsley as Dr. Herman Tarnower on Mrs. Harris, (HBO) Donald Sutherland as Bill Meehan on Human Trafficking, (Lifetime) Jon Voight as Pope John Paul II on Pope John Paul II, (CBS)	Helen Mirren as Elizabeth I on Elizabeth I, (HBO) Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock on Bleak House, (PBS) Kathy Bates as Jane Stern on Ambulance Girl, (Lifetime) Annette Bening as Jean Harris on Mrs. Harris, (HBO) Judy Davis as Sante Kimes on A Little Thing Called Murder, (Lifetime)

Supporting performances

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold on Entourage (Episodes: "The Bat Mitzvah" + "Exodus"), (HBO) Will Arnett as George "G.O.B." Bluth, Jr. on Arrested Development (Episodes: "Making a Stand" + "S.O.B.s"), (Fox) Bryan Cranston as Hal Wilkerson on Malcolm in the Middle (Episodes: "College Recruiters" + "Hal Grieves"), (Fox) Jon Cryer as Dr. Alan Harper on Two and a Half Men (Episodes: "Weekend in Bangkok with Two Olympic Gymnasts" + "Ergo, the Booty Call"), (CBS) Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland on Will & Grace (Episodes: "Alive and Schticking" + "I Love L. Gay"), (NBC)	Megan Mullally as Karen Walker on Will & Grace (Episode: "The Finale"), (NBC) Cheryl Hines as Cheryl David on Curb Your Enthusiasm (Episodes: "The Bowtie" + "The Korean Bookie"), (HBO) Elizabeth Perkins as Celia Hodes on Weeds (Episodes: "You Can't Miss the Bear" + "The Punishment Light"), (Showtime) Jaime Pressly as Joy Turner on My Name Is Earl (Episodes: "Joy's Wedding" + "The Bounty Hunter"), (NBC) Alfre Woodard as Betty Applewhite on Desperate Housewives (Episodes: "You'll Never Get Away from Me" + "I Know Things Now"), (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Alan Alda as Arnold Vinick on The West Wing (Episodes: "Two Weeks Out" + "The Last Hurrah"), (NBC) Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos (Episodes: "Luxury Lounge" + "The Ride"), (HBO) Gregory Itzin as Charles Logan on 24 (Episodes: "Day 5: 3:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m." + "Day 5: 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m."), (Fox) Oliver Platt as Russell Tupper on Huff (Episodes: "Red Meat" + "So… What Brings You to Armageddon?"), (Showtime) William Shatner as Denny Crane on Boston Legal (Episodes: "Witches of Mass Destruction" + "Live Big"), (ABC)	Blythe Danner as Isabelle "Izzy" Huffstodt on Huff (Episodes: "Maps Don't Talk: Part II" + "So… What Brings You to Armageddon?"), (Showtime) Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt on Boston Legal (Episodes: "The Ass Fat Jungle" + "Live Big"), (ABC) Sandra Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang on Grey's Anatomy (Episodes: "Deny, Deny, Deny" + "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer"), (ABC) Jean Smart as Martha Logan on 24 (Episodes: "Day 5: 5:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m." + "Day 5: 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m."), (Fox) Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy (Episodes: "Deny, Deny, Deny" + "As We Know It"), (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
Jeremy Irons as Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester on Elizabeth I, (HBO) Robert Carlyle as Sergei Karpovich on Human Trafficking, (Lifetime) Clifton Collins, Jr. as Jack Hill on Thief, (FX) Hugh Dancy as Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex on Elizabeth I, (HBO) Denis Lawson as John Jarndyce on Bleak House, (PBS)	Kelly Macdonald as Gina on The Girl in the Café, (HBO) Ellen Burstyn as Former Tarnower Steady on Mrs. Harris, (HBO) Shirley Jones as Aunt Batty on Hidden Places, (Hallmark) Cloris Leachman as Pearl Schwartz on Mrs. Harris, (HBO) Alfre Woodard as Mrs. Brown on The Water is Wide, (CBS)

Guest performances

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Leslie Jordan as Beverly Leslie on Will & Grace, (NBC) Alec Baldwin as Malcolm on Will & Grace, (NBC) Martin Sheen as Harvey on Two and a Half Men, (Episode: "Sleep Tight, Puddin' Pop"), (CBS) Patrick Stewart as Himself on Extras, (Episode: "Patrick Stewart"), (HBO) Ben Stiller as Himself on Extras, (Episode: "Ben Stiller"), (HBO)	Cloris Leachman as Grandma Ida on Malcolm in the Middle, (Episode: "Bride of Ida"), (Fox) Blythe Danner as Marilyn Truman on Will & Grace, (NBC) Shirley Knight as Phyllis Van De Kamp on Desperate Housewives, (Episode: "You'll Never Get Away from Me"), (ABC) Laurie Metcalf as Cora Little on Monk, (Episode: "Mr. Monk Bumps His Head"), (USA) Kate Winslet as Herself on Extras, (Episode: "Kate Winslet"), (HBO)
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series	Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Christian Clemenson as Jerry 'Hands' Espenson on Boston Legal, (ABC) Kyle Chandler as Dylan Young on Grey's Anatomy, (Episode: "As We Know It"), (ABC) Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond on Lost, (ABC) Michael J. Fox as Daniel Post on Boston Legal, (ABC) James Woods as Dr. Nate Lennox on ER, (Episode: "Body & Soul"), (NBC)	Patricia Clarkson as Sarah O'Connor on Six Feet Under, (HBO) Kate Burton as Ellis Grey on Grey's Anatomy, (Episode: "It's the End of the World"), (ABC) Joanna Cassidy as Margaret Chenowith on Six Feet Under, (HBO) Swoosie Kurtz as Madeleine Sullivan on Huff, (Showtime) Christina Ricci as Hannah Davies on Grey's Anatomy, (ABC)

Directing

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series	Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Marc Buckland for My Name Is Earl (Episode: "Pilot"), (NBC) Dan Attias for Entourage (Episode: "Oh, Mandy"), (HBO) Julian Farino for Entourage (Episode: "The Sundance Kids"), (HBO) Michael Patrick King for The Comeback (Episode: "Valerie Does Another Classic Leno"), (HBO) Robert B. Weide for Curb Your Enthusiasm (Episode: "The Christ Nail"), (HBO) Craig Zisk for Weeds (Episode: "Good Shit Lollipop"), (Showtime)	Jon Cassar for 24 (Episode: "Day 5: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m."), (Fox) Alan Ball for Six Feet Under (Episode: "Everyone's Waiting"), (HBO) Jack Bender for Lost (Episode: "Live Together, Die Alone"), (ABC) Rodrigo García for Big Love (Episode: "Pilot"), (HBO) Mimi Leder for The West Wing (Episode: "Election Day: Part I"), (NBC) David Nutter for The Sopranos (Episode: "Join the Club"), (HBO) Tim Van Patten for The Sopranos (Episode: "Members Only"), (HBO)
Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program	Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
Louis J. Horvitz for The 78th Academy Awards, (ABC) Bruce Gowers for American Idol, (Episode: "Finale"), (Fox) Jim Hoskinson for The Colbert Report, (Comedy Central) Beth McCarthy-Miller for Saturday Night Live, (Host: Steve Martin) (NBC) Chuck O'Neill for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, (Comedy Central)	Tom Hooper for Elizabeth I, (HBO) Justin Chadwick for Bleak House, (PBS) Peter Markle for Flight 93, (A&E) Phyllis Nagy for Mrs. Harris, (HBO) Kenny Ortega for High School Musical, (Disney) David Yates for The Girl in the Café, (HBO)

Writing

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series	Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Greg Garcia for My Name Is Earl (Episode: "Pilot"), (NBC) Doug Ellin for Entourage (Episode: "Exodus"), (HBO) Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant for Extras (Episode: "Kate Winslet"), (HBO) Michael Schur for The Office (Episode: "Christmas Party"), (NBC) Chuck Tatham, Jim Vallely, Richard Day, Mitchell Hurwitz for Arrested Development (Episode: "Development Arrested"), (Fox)	Terence Winter for The Sopranos (Episode: "Members Only"), (HBO) Alan Ball for Six Feet Under (Episode: "Everyone's Waiting"), (HBO) Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindelof for Lost (Episode: "The 23rd Psalm"), (ABC) Shonda Rhimes for Grey's Anatomy (Episodes: "It's the End of the World + As We Know It"), (ABC) Krista Vernoff for Grey's Anatomy (Episode: "Into You Like a Train"), (ABC)
Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program	Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, (Comedy Central) The Colbert Report, (Comedy Central) Late Night with Conan O'Brien, (NBC) Late Show with David Letterman, (CBS) Real Time with Bill Maher, (HBO)	Richard Curtis for The Girl in the Café, (HBO) Andrew Davies for Bleak House, (PBS) Phyllis Nagy for Mrs. Harris, (HBO) Nevin Schreiner for Flight 93, (A&E) Nigel Williams for Elizabeth I, (HBO)

Most major nominations

By network

• HBO – 48
• NBC – 27
• CBS – 22
• ABC – 15
• Fox – 10

By program

• Grey's Anatomy (ABC) – 8
• Mrs. Harris (HBO) – 7
• Bleak House (PBS) / Elizabeth I (HBO) / Six Feet Under (HBO) / Will & Grace (NBC) – 6

Most major awards

By network

• HBO – 10
• NBC – 9
• Fox – 4
• ABC / Comedy Central – 2

By program

• Elizabeth I (HBO) – 4
• 24 (Fox) / The Girl in the Café (HBO) – 3

Notes

Opening sequence and subsequent controversy

The plane crash Lost parody

The opening sequence of the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards show depicted the host, Conan O'Brien, wearing a tuxedo, sitting in luxury on a plane, sipping champagne and mentioning to the flight attendant that this would be the second Emmy's broadcast that he would be hosting. O'Brien then rhetorically asked the flight attendant, "What could possibly go wrong?" Immediately after that, the plane began to experience turbulence and then was portrayed as having crashed on (or near) an island. O'Brien is then seen walking ashore on the beach and onto the island still wearing his (now drenched) tuxedo (the video of this opening sequence is here [1]). Hurley appears and then follows O'Brien to a hatch. When O'Brien asks if he wants to come along, Hurley says that they "weren't exactly invited". O'Brien enters the hatch and arrives on the set of The Office.

The intention of this opening sequence was to parody the premise of the ABC television series Lost; however, the sequence reportedly disturbed some viewers because of the Comair Flight 5191 aircraft disaster that had occurred earlier in the day.

Entertainment industry critics, such as LA Weekly columnist Nikki Finke, lambasted NBC's decision to not pull the plane crash portion of the opening sequence, in light of the aforementioned crash earlier that day. Finke stated that she believes NBC could have – with relative ease – instructed their writers to come up with a different sketch at the last minute, which could have been used as a substitute [2].

Other parodies

The skit also parodied shows such as The Office, 24, House, South Park, and Dateline NBC (specifically, the "To Catch a Predator" segments). An animated Tom Cruise from the South Park episode "Trapped in the Closet" appears in a skit where an animated O'Brien hides in Stan Marsh's closet, only to run away when he discovers Cruise has already occupied the closet.

Tributes

The show featured tributes to two TV legends : Dick Clark ("America's Oldest Teenager"), and Aaron Spelling, producer of such classic TV shows as Dynasty and Beverly Hills, 90210. The former tribute was presented by Simon Cowell, American Idol judge, with a performance by Barry Manilow, who won an Emmy later that evening. Joan Collins, Heather Locklear, and Stephen Collins, along with the original three Charlie's Angels, gave the tribute for Spelling.

In Memoriam

Dennis Weaver, Barnard Hughes, Don Adams, Dan Curtis, Lew Anderson, Ralph Edwards, Curt Gowdy, Robert Sterling, Michael Piller, Red Buttons, Mike Douglas, Scott Brazil, Anthony Franciosa, Phyllis Huffman, Darren McGavin, Gloria Monty, Jan Murray, Pat Morita, Al Lewis, Maureen Stapleton, Buck Owens, Jack Warden, Don Knotts, Robert Wise, John Spencer, Louis Nye, Shelley Winters and Richard Pryor.

External links

• Official list of all nominees
• Nikki Finke Asks: "What Was NBC/Conan Thinking?"
• Video of the Plane Crash Sequence from the 58th Primetime Emmy Broadcast