Ramblin' with Roger

David Paterson and Twitter

ersie37 — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:48:34 +0000

I was on Twitter, that bane of some people’s existence, this week, when someone online recommended that I follow David Paterson. He’s the governor of my state of New York, so I thought: why not?

What’s interesting is that his site is GovPaterson2010, and goes back at least to mid-April 2009, which suggests that he was thinking about re-election way back then. At the same time, it looks like a site that someone governing would have, talking a lot about the stimulus money. A mixed message, I think.

To confuse the issue, there IS a site GovPaterson, which discusses Paterson’s son’s arrest quite a bit recently. Evidently it’s not the REAL site, because it’s followed by only one party: GovPaterson2010.

So who else IS David Paterson following on that roster of 222 people? A number of politicians, of course, from the verified White House and Barack Obama sites to the likewise verified sites for the governors of Massachusetts and California.

Mayor of Albany Jerry Jennings tweets though not since before the 2009 general election. I found remnants of Jim Tedesco’s failed congressional race, as well as follows of former presidential candidates such as Al Sharpton and Bill Richardson.

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s verified site has over 1700 followers but she follows no one. Meanwhile, US Senator Chuck Schumer’s first and last tweet is: “Just joined Twitter!” (5:02 PM Nov 19th, 2008); gotta work on that, Chuck.

Governor Paterson uses a number of news sources, including CNN Breaking News, The Huffington Post, WNYT (NBC-TV affiliate Channel 13 in Albany), Albany News, All Over Albany, The Daily Beast, The Hill (congressional newspaper), Glenn Greenwald, Stephen Colbert, and the verified account of ABC News’ Chris Cuomo, the brother of the state’s Attorney General; speculation suggests Andrew Cuomo may challenge Paterson in a primary for governor.

David Paterson follows the Working Families Party, an actual political party in NYS. I’m trying to remember: did Eliot Spitzer and Paterson get their endorsement in 2006? Other interests include grassroots politics, state history, gay rights and women’s health.

There are three celebrities being followed, the latter two verified: Star Jones, Esquire, former host of the TV show The View, Joy Behar, current host of The View, and household goddess Martha Stewart.

How does who you follow on Twitter reflect on you?

Posted in Uncategorized

2010 Census Posters to be displayed in Post Offices Nationally

ersie37 — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:45:08 +0000

The USPS will be displaying this poster nationwide from Feb 19 – May 31, 2010.

Posted in Census, Uncategorized

Movie Review: The Blind Side

ersie37 — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:09:14 +0000

Seems that I either don’t see films, or I do see films and don’t seem to have time to actually review them.

Way back on New Years Day weekend, the wife and I got a babysitter and went to see The Blind Side, written and directed by John Lee Hancock, based on the Michael Lewis book I did not read. I HAD been getting a lot of information about this film quite a bit, though as much in Sports Illustrated as I did in Entertainment Weekly. Incidentally, The Blind Side refers to a quarterback getting hit while he’s not looking and the import of an offensive tackle protecting the QB’s vulnerability.

The movie tells the true story of Michael Oher (pronounced like ‘oar’, played by Quinton Aaron), a large, undereducated and mostly homeless black young man. He gets taken in by the Tuohy family, who are white, specifically by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock), with her husband Sean, a successful restaurateur (played by an almost unrecognizable Tim McGraw) succumbing to his spouse’s single-minded compassion. Their two kids, the boy S.J (Jae Head) and the girl Collins (Lily Collins, who looks amazingly like the young woman she portrayed) go along with the mom’s mission, S.J. quite enthusiastically.

The family, and some insightful teachers, help Michael fulfill his potential, both in class and on the football field. Michael also helps the Tuohys to learn about themselves. Oher eventually becomes an All-American offensive left tackle at Ole Miss and a first round draft choice with the Baltimore Ravens.

I liked it. Indeed, both my wife and I enjoyed it more than some critics (70% positive on Rotten Tomatoes), who used terms like “utterly unsurprising, unchallenging feel-good flick mostly ignores larger social concerns in telling its implausible tale.” Even some positive reviews suggest that it’s a predictable “feel-good sports/biographical drama…by-the-numbers. Yet for the most part, this cinematic ‘comfort food’ goes down pretty well.”

There was also criticism from more than one corner of the “institutional racism” in the film, that it is “rich white folks with big heart save poor black kid” that “needed to be more sociably responsible in its portrayal of blacks,” and that “all black people are not ghetto waiting to be saved.” I’m rather torn on this point. It’s true that most of the black people in this movie were poor and from the ghetto- Michael’s birth mother was a drug addict – and that the major black character, other than Michael, was a particularly obnoxious dude. All of this is true, yet I don’t know how much responsibility a single film is supposed to balance the portrayal of black people. My sense is that, prior to Michael, the Tuohy’s didn’t KNOW black people, so the folks they DID see fit the stereotype. Was the writer suppose to inject an upwardly-mobile black person, other than the woman from the NCAA?

Interesting note: many of the recruiting coaches, such as Phillip Fulmer, Lou Holtz and Nick Saban, play themselves, and I read in SI that not one of them is still with that program, noting the rapid turnover of college football head coaches. The real S.J. Tuohy, who’s now 16, has been razzed by opponents of his basketball team that his daddy needs to adopt someone for his team because “You suck!” And Michael Oher has been hazed by his Ravens’ teammates over the sentimentality of the film; I was pleased that in his last game of this season, he was getting kudos from the commentators for his play.

In any case, this movie lives or dies largely on Sandra Bullock’s portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy and she’s totally convincing in the role. Ms. Tuohy also liked it, commenting that she was pleased that Ms. Bullock had “nice ta-tas.”

Posted in movies

As Though You Had Requested It: ASK ROGER ANYTHING

ersie37 — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:13:57 +0000

In case you’re relatively new to these parts, this is the part of the blog experience in which the blogger (i.e., I) sit back and wait for you to ask me questions, AND I HAVE TO ANSWER. The answer has to be the truth. Doesn’t have to be the whole truth, and it could be a tad snarky, but still basically an honest response in this blog before the end of the month.

Today’s first example comes from Al from Albany who asked:
Rog-
I don’t know what got me thinking about this today, but…

Last year (I think) A-Rod nearly “Homered for the Cycle”. That is, a solo, 2-run, 3-run and grand slam. I believe he was missing a 2-run homer. Has it ever been done?

No. Obviously one would need at least 10 RBI to hit for the “homer cycle” and
nobody who has hit four homers has more than 9 RBI (Hodges with 5 hits), except Mark Whiten of the St. Louis Cardinals. He had 12 RBI and on only 4 hits, in 1993, so he would have to have to hit these types of homers (not necessarily in this order: 1,3,4,4; 2,2,4,4; 2,3,3,4; 3,3,3,3. In fact, Whiten hit a grand slam, fouled out, hit two three-run shots in successive innings, and ended with a two-run homer.

Dave from Schenectady wrote:
I’ve thought of you because I may be starting a blog. How’s your TU thing going? Forgive me, I never read it (or any other blogs). Just too busy reading all the stuff I have to for work. Is it hypocritical to want to write a blog when you never read them? Will I be getting into something I regret? Your feedback would be much appreciated if you have time to write.

The blog goes. My other blog [this one] is somehow easier. As for you blogging, let me give you a for instance: is it hypocritical to want to write a book if you’ve never read a book? Or a painter if you’ve never looked at other paintings? Hypocritical isn’t the word I’d use; more like short-sighted. You’ll get a better sense to see what you like (and especially what you hate) if you read some.
You probably won’t get in “trouble”, depending on what you write about. Painting? Probably safe. On the other hand, I wrote a pretty innocuous piece about my church choir director leaving and I was given a lecture about me being sucked into the whole religion myth, to which someone I know replied, and a voracious back-and-forth, having nothing to do with the initial topic, ensued. Oh, BTW, if you DO do it, I’ll link to you, raising your fame level enormously (snicker).
I’m rather fond of this piece.

Your questions can be about baseball or politics or of a more personal nature

Posted in baseball Tagged: baseball, blogging

Norman Whitfield

ersie37 — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 13:11:05 +0000

Surely, my initial appreciation for songwriter Norman Whitfield came at that juncture in the career of Motown’s Temptations in 1968 when David Ruffin, the lead vocalist on “My Girl” and most of the hits up to that point, left the group and was replaced by Dennis Edwards. At the same time, Whitfield became the exclusive producer for the group, and implemented what he freely admitted that he stole from Sly Stone: the multi-lead singer motif, best exemplified by the hit “I Can’t Get Next To You”, number 31 on this list. At the same time, he, along with Barrett Strong (who, incidentally sang the first Motown semi-hit, Money) wrote virtually all of their hits: “Cloud Nine”, “Psychedelic Shack”, “Ball of Confusion”, “Just My Imagination”, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” to name just a few of the “psychedelic soul” tunes.

But in fact, Norman ended up writing or co-writing tunes for the early Temps (“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”, “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep”) and many others:

Bright Lights, Big City

I Heard It Through the Grapevine. This is the Pips version, which went to #2 in 1967. Rumor has it that it was covered later to even greater effect.

He Was Really Saying Something

(I Know) I’m Losing You

Too many fish in the sea

Needle in a Haystack

Not to mention:

Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)

Too Busy Thinking About My Baby

Smiling Faces Sometimes

War

Really Saying Something

Car Wash

Norman Whitfield died Tuesday, September 16 at the age of 67. He suffered from complications of diabetes and had recently emerged from a coma, The Detroit Free Press reported.

Whitfield, with Barrett Strong, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004. Whitfield and Strong won the Grammy in 1972 for best R&B song for the Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.” Whitfield won another Grammy in 1976 for best original TV or motion picture score for the hit, “Car Wash.”

Motown great Smokey Robinson called Whitfield “one of the most prolific songwriters and record producers of our time. He will live forever through his great music.”

Posted in Uncategorized

FantaCo redux

ersie37 — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 23:45:19 +0000

How do you leave the past behind
When it keeps finding ways to get to your heart.
- From the musical Rent.

As some of you know, I worked at FantaCo Enterprises, a comic book store that was involved with conventions, mail order and publishing from May 1980 to November 1988. After I left, I figured, “OK, that was THAT chapter in my life,” and I would just move on.

Well, no.

In part because of the nudging of a certain party, I wrote a piece or two about the place I spent 8.5 years working, with another piece coming later this month. Then I discovered that some people had warm recollections of FantaCo, the store, the conventions and the various, and eclectic, line of publications.

What brought this to mind were TWO e-mails I got in the past week. One wanted to get hold of FantaCo owner Tom Skulan concerning a publication about magazines such as EERIE and CREEPY, and he wanted to include the FantaCo publications of the genre.

(Truth is, I have a three-year-old e-mail of Tom’s and don’t know if it’s any good.)

The other e-mail was from a guy who wrote:
One question I have is about the Fantaco/Tundra imprint. According to many sources, right around 1990, FantaCo proper disappeared, and instead comics with a Fantaco/Tundra imprint appeared. Kevin Eastman, publisher of the short-lived Tundra Publishing, seems to have been involved (as a book of his, “No Guts No Glory” was published by Fantaco/Tundra). In my Wikipedia entry, I deduced that Eastman bought out or absorbed Fantaco around this time. Am I correct in assuming that? If not, do you know the real history? (I know you left the company around 1988, but I thought you might have kept up with their story.)

I have no idea. The idea of Tom allowing anyone to “absorb” FantaCo seems out of character, but as the writer notes, I wasn’t there. (Hey, anyone out there know?)

This latter writer, not so incidentally, has put together the FantaCo Wikipedia post. It is incomplete, as it does not even mention the book publications, such as Splatter Movies, Video Screams, The Amazing Herschell Gordon Lewis, a couple HGL screenplays, Midnight Marquee #33 (I think), and two books about Famous Monsters. I was tickled, though, to see the list of references, including Steve Bissette, who I knew in the day, and have been reacquainted with as a result of the Internet; and, well, me. I’m also cited, BTW, in the Fred Hembeck Wikipedia post.

Somehow, I have, much to my surprise, started to feel some responsibility towards the history of the FantaCo flame, even the stuff that happened after I left. It must be the librarian in me. Steve Bissette has already tackled some of this in his four-part series on Gore Shriek Steve’s contributions to Henderson State University also addresses the topic. Others who have noted it include Fred Hembeck, of course, and Dennis Dread.

So, at SOME point, I’ll have to deal with the incomplete legacy of FantaCo. I’ll probably start with the Mile High listing. But, for all sorts of reasons, which will be revealed sooner or later, not for a few weeks. Meanwhile, if you all have some solid information re: FantaCo, especially FantaCo publications, and the FantaCo/Tundra relationship, please let me know. My thanks. The information gods will truly thank you.

orig. 8-15-08

Posted in Uncategorized

Oscar-Worthy Movies I’ve Seen: 1938

ersie37 — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 23:40:10 +0000

Man, I was going to do this once a month, but haven’t done it since November and last July before that:

Picture:
“YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU”, “The Adventures of Robin Hood”, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”, “Boys Town”, “The Citadel”, “Four Daughters”, “Grand Illusion”, “Jezebel”, “Pygmalion”, “Test Pilot”
Actor:
SPENCER TRACY in “Boys Town”, Charles Boyer in “Algiers”, James Cagney in “Angels With Dirty Faces”, Robert Donat in “The Citadel”, Leslie Howard in “Pygmalion”
Actress:
BETTE DAVIS in “Jezebel”, Fay Bainter in “White Banners”, Wendy Hiller in “Pygmalion”, Norma Shearer in “Marie Antoinette”, Margaret Sullavan in “Three Comrades”
Supporting Actor:
WALTER BRENNAN in “Kentucky”, John Garfield in “Four Daughters”, Gene Lockhart in “Algiers”, Robert Morley in “Marie Antoinette”, Basil Rathbone in “If I Were King”
Supporting Actress:
FAY BAINTER in “Jezebel”, Beulah Bondi in “Of Human Hearts”, Billie Burke in “Merrily We Live”, Spring Byington in “You Can’t Take it With You”, Miliza Korjus in “The Great Waltz”
Director:
FRANK CAPRA for “You Can’t Take It With You”, Michael Curtiz for “Angels With Dirty Faces”, Michael Curtiz for “Four Daughters”, Norman Taurog for “Boys Town”, King Vidor for “The Citadel”

I know I’ve seen Boys Town, fairly sure I saw Angels with Dirty Faces, and may have seen You Can’t Take It with You. Either don’t remember or not loving any of them that much. The Adventures of Robin Hood, though, I recall liking and it was generally thought that Errol Flynn should have gotten nominated.

Two films that were shut out altogether by Oscar: Bringing Up Baby (Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant), which I saw so long ago that I can’t recall it much; and Alfred Hitchock’s the Lady Vanishes, which I don’t believe I’ve seen.

Posted in movies Tagged: 1938

Songs that Move Me, 10-2

ersie37 — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:40:36 +0000

10. Neil Young – Harvest Moon
A beautiful song, with specific recollections of a romance that burned brightly, then ended.
Feeling: autumnal.

9. Crying- Roy Orbison And k.d lang.
As good as Roy’s original is, this one is better. It’s the harmonica. And when lang gets to sing, by herself, the chorus, it is stunning.
Feeling: there’s something in my eye.

8. Biko – Peter Gabriel.
The story of the slain South African is penetrating, but the vocals, the rhythm, and that ending!
Feeling: ticked off.

7. John Hiatt – Have a Little Faith in Me
How does this rate so high? It’s just a guy on the piano. Well, it’s the quality of both. Hiatt remade this song with more orchestration for a greatest hits album; it was not improved, and in fact was somehow diminished. Not so incidentally, a key song on a mixed tape I made for my now-wife.

6. When Love Comes To Town – U2/B.B. King.
From the opening drumming to King’s guitar lines, to King’s and Bono’s vocals, I almost always platy this song twice.
Feeling: struggling with the power.

chops off 1st notes and then too soon.

5. Billy Joel-Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
As beautiful as it is, the piano on the bridge just lifts it higher. I heard an a cappella version of this, which was lovely.
Feeling: melancholy.
HERE.

4. Roberta Flack – Gone Away.
I was watching the Grammys in the last couple years and discovered someone has sampled this. This song, part of the group of songs I used to play when love went south, really builds after the 1:30 mark, with instruments (a painful guitar line, and is that a tuba?) plus mournful vocals that feature the late Donny Hathaway.
Feeling: brokenhearted.

3. I Only Have Eyes For You – the Flamingoes.
I hear those first three or four chords and I am always surprised how it leads to such a lush tune. My first favorite song, probably for 30 years.
Feeling: loving.

2. Let’s Go Crazy – Prince.
Unfortunate that the video overlays the preach part with the musical beginning, for it’s both elements that I love. The danceability, plus my favorite guitar solo possibly ever. I have a 7-minute version that’s even more fun.
Feeling: let’s get nuts!

So, here are
the rules.
100-91.
90-81.
80-71.
70-61.
60-51.
50-41.
40-31.
30-21.
20-11.

Anyone want to venture a guess as to #1?

Posted in music Tagged: B.B. King, Billy Joel, Flamingoes, John Hiatt, k.d. lang, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Prince, Roy Orbison

“Obama is No MLK” and other pieces of GOP thought

ersie37 — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:28:17 +0000

One of the things I find that I need to do, as a citizen as well as a librarian, is to get summaries of differing points of view politically, delivered by e-mail because I’m not likely to remember to go to the sites. On the left, it’s Common Dreams which I find less strident, and less likely to get into internecine battles than, say, the Huffington Report, which, at this point I seldom read. On the right, it’s Human Events, which features some political heavyweights such as Newt Gingrich and Pat Buchanan; the latter is so iconoclastic that he sometimes gets criticized by people on the right end of the spectrum.

Now and then – OK, often – Human Events will offer up an ad, such as from the McCain camp. One recent one, from the National Black Republican Association is currently trying to get a lot of mileage out of the assertion by a niece of Martin Luther King, Jr, that MLK was a Republican. I don’t doubt it for a minute; my parents were Republicans, the party of Lincoln. Particularly in the South in the 1960s and before, the Democratic Party was the party of segregation; think George Wallace, Lester Maddox, and Strom Thurmond before he switched; lots of blacks in the South were Republicans. What’s bothering me is the implication that the GOP of 1968 is the GOP of 2008, and therefore, of MLK were still alive, he would still be a Republican. This, of course, is utterly unknowable.

Meanwhile, a Human Events contributor, whose initials are the same as Alternating Current, has been beating the drum on this John Edwards story for weeks that the National Enquirer “broke”. She has submitted that the story did not make it into the MainStream Media because of its liberal bias. One could make the case that it didn’t make it into the MSM because the original source was the National Enquirer. The Washington Post may have just felt uncomfortable trusting it enough to quote the Enquirer as the source of its stories. Also, the Enquirer story is still suggesting that Edwards is the father of his former lover’s child, something Edwards is still denying, even as he admitted to the affair.

Suddenly, all those stories about John Edwards’ $400 haircuts can be/will be spun into a symbol of his general narcissism. I’m just happy, in retrospect, that his candidacy never really caught on, though John McCain (and Newt Gingrich for that matter) have been accused of the same thing; having sex with someone not his spouse, while the wife suffered from various ailments.

This political season is getting really…interesting.

8-12

Posted in Barack Obama, Martin Luther King Jr. Tagged: politics

QUESTIONS: Who will/should win the Emmys?

ersie37 — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 15:04:05 +0000

I’m asking YOU because I haven’t a clue. This is possibly the season I’ve watched the least TV, possibly ever. Once you get out of the realm of news programs and JEOPARDY!, there ain’t much.

Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock • NBC
Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO
Entourage • HBO
The Office • NBC
Two And A Half Men • CBS
The only one I watch is The Office, so that’s my rooting interest, but I suspect it’ll be 30 Rock.

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
30 Rock • Rosemary’s Baby • NBC • Michael Engler, Director
Entourage • No Cannes Do • HBO • Dan Attias, Director
Flight Of The Conchords • Sally Returns • HBO • James Bobin, Director
Pushing Daisies • Pie-Lette • ABC • Barry Sonnenfeld, Director
The Office • Money (Parts 1 & 2) • NBC • Paul Lieberstein, Director
The Office • Goodbye, Toby • NBC • Paul Feig, Director
If it weren’t competing with another Office episode, I’d pick Toby, but as it is, I’m betting 30 Rock.

Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
Boston Legal • The Mighty Rogues • ABC • Arlene Sanford, Director
Breaking Bad • Pilot • AMC • Vince Gilligan, Director
Damages • Pilot • FX Networks • Allen Coulter, Director
House • House’s Head • FOX • Greg Yaitanes, Director
Mad Men • Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Pilot) • AMC • Alan Taylor, Director
Sometimes, I see Boston Legal, more out of habit, but it’s undeserving. The Golden Globes was giving a lot of Mad Men love, so I’ll say that.

Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special
Bernard And Doris • HBO • Bob Balaban, Director
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale • HBO • Ricky Gervais, Director; Stephen Merchant, Director
John Adams • HBO • Tom Hooper, Director
Recount • HBO • Jay Roach, Director
The Company • TNT • Mikael Salomon, Director
Saw none of these. I expect most of the competition for the evening will be between Adams and Recount. I’ll pick Adams because the history’s more remote.

Outstanding Directing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program
80th Annual Academy Awards • ABC • Louis J. Horvitz, Director
Company (Great Performances) • PBS • Lonny Price, Director
Saturday Night Live • Host: Tina Fey • NBC • Don Roy King, Director
The Colbert Report • #4051 • Comedy Central • Jim Hoskinson, Director
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • #13050 • Chuck O’Neil, Director
The continued relevance of Stewart, who I see mostly in clips, should win out. The Oscars? Really? I saw the the Academy Awards, and Oscar, you’re no Jon Stewart.

Outstanding Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC
Damages • FX Networks
Dexter • Showtime
House • FOX
Lost • ABC
Mad Men • AMC
Again, the one I’ve seen the most is the one I must eliminate, BL. Still thinking Mad Men.

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality – Competition Program
American Idol • FOX • Ryan Seacrest, Host
Dancing With The Stars • ABC • Tom Bergeron, Host
Deal Or No Deal • NBC • Howie Mandel, Host
Project Runway • Bravo • Heidi Klum, Host
Survivor • CBS • Jeff Probst, Host
A category where I’ve seen all five nominees, although not necessarily in the current year. I think Idol and Survivor have peaked, and Mandel just doesn’t have enough of a program. Maybe Klum, but I’m guessing Bergeron.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
30 Rock • NBC • Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy
Monk • USA • Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk
Pushing Daisies • ABC • Lee Pace as Ned
The Office • NBC • Steve Carell as Michael Scott
Two And A Half Men • CBS • Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper
Will it be Baldwin again? Probably. Not Shalhoub, not Sheen. Lee Pace from Pushing Daisies, A SHOW I ACTUALLY WATCHED, is the “honored to be nominated” choice. I’m rooting for Carrell, as I did last year.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC • James Spader as Alan Shore
Breaking Bad • AMC • Bryan Cranston as Walt White
Dexter • Showtime • Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
House • FOX • Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House
In Treatment • HBO • Gabriel Byrne as Paul
Mad Men • AMC • Jon Hamm as Don Draper
Not Spader! Don’t think it’ll be Laurie, but I’d bet on Hamm.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Bernard And Doris • HBO • Ralph Fiennes as Bernard Lafferty
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale • HBO • Ricky Gervais as Andy Millman
John Adams • HBO • Paul Giamatti as John Adams
Recount • HBO • Kevin Spacey as Ron Klain
Recount • HBO • Tom Wilkinson as James Baker
Emmy loves honoring “film” actors, so it won’t be Gervais. Could be Fiennes, but I’m guessing the Recount vote splits and Giamatti gets it.

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
30 Rock • NBC • Tina Fey as Liz Lemon
Samantha Who? • ABC • Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly
The New Adventures Of Old Christine • CBS • Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell
Ugly Betty • ABC • America Ferrera as Betty Suarez
Weeds • Showtime • Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin
I’ve never seen Weeds. I tried Samantha Who?, but it wore thin. For no logical reason, I’m rooting for Sarah Palin, I mean Tina Fey, but she’s more likely to win elsewhere, giving it to Louis-Dreyfus or Ferrera.

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Brothers & Sisters • ABC • Sally Field as Nora Holden-Walker
Damages • FX Networks • Glenn Close as Patty Hewes
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC • Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson
Saving Grace • TNT • Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko
The Closer • TNT • Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson
Please not Hargitay. Sedgwick has a schtick that I like to watch, but still schtick. I’m actually rooting for Field, but I’m guessing Close.

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
A Raisin In The Sun • ABC • Phylicia Rashad as Lena Younger
An American Crime • Showtime • Catherine Keener as Gertrude Baniszewski
Bernard And Doris • HBO • Susan Sarandon as Doris Duke
Cranford (MASTERPIECE) • PBS • Dame Judi Dench as Miss Matty Jenkyns
John Adams • HBO • Laura Linney as Abigail Adams
Heavy duty category full of movie actresses, two of whom would be OOMA if I did such a thing. The only performance I saw was Rashad who was quite good. I’m thinking Linney.

Outstanding Made For Television Movie
A Raisin In The Sun • ABC
Bernard And Doris • HBO
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale • HBO
Recount • HBO
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter • Lifetime
I think this is where Recount will win.

Outstanding Miniseries
Cranford (MASTERPIECE) • PBS
John Adams • HBO
The Andromeda Strain • A&E
Tin Man • Sci Fi Channel
The state of the miniseries is such that Tin Man, which received mixed reviews, is here. If there is a God in heaven, Andromeda, which I had the misfortune of seeing, will lose. Fortunately, John Adams will come through.

Outstanding Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program
80th Annual Academy Awards • ABC • Jon Stewart, Host
Late Show With David Letterman • CBS • David Letterman, Host
Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project • HBO • Don Rickles, Performer
Saturday Night Live • NBC • Tina Fey, Host/Performer
The Colbert Report • Comedy Central • Stephen Colbert, Host
Will Fey win twice? Or Stewart? Maybe and not here, respectively. I’m guessing this is where Fey wins.

Outstanding Reality-competition Program
American Idol • FOX
Dancing With The Stars • ABC
Project Runway • Bravo
The Amazing Race • CBS
Top Chef • Bravo
Idol probably will win, but I’m pulling for Dancing because it would please my wife.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Entourage • HBO • Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold
Entourage • HBO • Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama
How I Met Your Mother • CBS • Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson
The Office • NBC • Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute
Two And A Half Men • CBS • Jon Cryer as Alan Harper
Cryer’s role is not supporting, Entourage pair cancel each other out. So it’s between the guy formerly known as Doogie and Wilson; it’ll be one or the other and I’m fine with that.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC • William Shatner as Denny Crane
Damages • FX Networks • Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher
Damages • FX Networks • Zeljko Ivanek as Ray Fiske
Lost • ABC • Michael Emerson as Ben
Mad Men • AMC • John Slattery as Roger Sterling
Not Shatner! Damages guys cancel out, though I’m fond of both actors. I guess Mad Men.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
John Adams • HBO • David Morse as George Washington
John Adams • HBO • Stephen Dillane as Thomas Jefferson
John Adams • HBO • Tom Wilkinson as Benjamin Franklin
Recount • HBO • Denis Leary as Michael Whouley
Recount • HBO • Bob Balaban as Ben Ginsberg
Oy. Don’t know Dillane, but like all of the others. Maybe Wilkinson, but I’m not confident on that.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Pushing Daisies • ABC • Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook
Samantha Who? • ABC • Jean Smart as Regina Newly
Saturday Night Live • NBC • Amy Poehler, Performer
Two And A Half Men • CBS • Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper
Ugly Betty • ABC • Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater
I like Chenoweth in her role. Smart was OK, and the other two sitcom actresses I don’t watch often enough. Poehler is doing such a different thing than the others; I’m hoping it works for her, rather than against.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC • Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt
Brothers & Sisters • ABC • Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker-Whedon
Grey’s Anatomy • ABC • Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey
Grey’s Anatomy • ABC • Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang
In Treatment • HBO • Dianne Wiest as Dr. Gina Toll
Grey’s cancel out, no way for BL. I’m rather fond of Griffiths’ role, but I’m thinking the HBO show, which I’ve not seen, will win.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
A Raisin In The Sun • ABC • Audra McDonald as Ruth Younger
Cranford (MASTERPIECE) • PBS • Dame Eileen Atkins as Miss Deborah Jenkyns
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale • HBO • Ashley Jensen as Maggie Jacobs
Pictures Of Hollis Woods (Hallmark Hall Of Fame Presentation) • CBS • Alfre Woodard as Edna Reilly
Recount • HBO • Laura Dern as Katherine Harris
The only one I saw was McDonald, and she was very good. Still, when I saw the clips, Dern WAS Harris.

Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series
Late Show With David Letterman • CBS
Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO
Saturday Night Live • NBC
The Colbert Report • Comedy Central
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central
Stewart, deservedly.

Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special
Bill Maher: The Decider • HBO
George Carlin: It’s Bad For Ya! • HBO •
James Taylor: One Man Band (Great Performances) • PBS
Kathy Griffin: Straight To Hell • Bravo
Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project • HBO
The Kennedy Center Honors • CBS
I always watch the Kennedy Center Honors and enjoy them, but I’m guessing a sentimental vote for the late Carlin.

Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series
30 Rock • Rosemary’s Baby • NBC • Jack Burditt
30 Rock • Cooter • NBC • Tina Fey
Flight Of The Conchords • Yoko • HBO • James Bobin, Jemaine Clement, Bret McKenzie
Pushing Daisies • Pie-Lette • ABC • Bryan Fuller
The Office • Dinner Party • NBC • Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky
Fey’s up for ANOTHER Emmy and might have won if she wasn’t up against her own show. Moreover, Dinner Party was one of the most painful (in a funny way) things I ever saw, so I pick that. BTW, the Pushing Daisies pilot was effective in establishing the plot.

Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
Battlestar Galactica • Six Of One • Sci Fi Channel • Michael Angeli
Damages • Pilot • FX Networks • Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, Daniel Zelman
Mad Men • Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Pilot) • AMC • Matthew Weiner
Mad Men • The Wheel • AMC • Matthew Weiner, Robin Veith
The Wire • 30 • HBO • David Simon, Ed Burns
I just have a feeling that they’ll take one last chance to honor The Wire, especially with the Mad Men vote split.

Outstanding Writing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special
Bernard And Doris • HBO • Hugh Costello
Cranford (MASTERPIECE) • PBS • Heidi Thomas, Written By
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale • HBO • Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant
John Adams • Independence • HBO • Kirk Ellis
Recount • HBO • Danny Strong
Adams!

Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program
Late Night With Conan O’Brien • NBC • Mike Sweeney, Head Writer
Late Show With David Letterman • CBS • Eric Stangel, Justin Stangel, Head Writers
Saturday Night Live • NBC • Seth Meyers, Andrew Steele, Paula Pell, Head Writers
The Colbert Report • Comedy Central • Tom Purcell, Head Writer
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central • Steve Bodow, Head Writer
Stewart!

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