Hollywood Deep

“The Sopranos” finished its seven-season 10-year run fittingly, as the outstanding dramatic series of the year at Sunday’s 59th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. David Chase’s show, long touted as one of the finest series in television history about a mobster coping with mixing the challenges of his domestic life and running his crime family. The show had only won best drama once before, in 2004, and was the favorite to win it again last night.

The audience gave Chase and the cast of “The Sopranos” a well deserved standing ovation when the winner was announced by Helen Mirren. The star studded crowd rose to its feet for the show earlier in the night after a tribute to “The Sopranos, that featured Broadway’s “Jersey Boys” cast and the The Sopranos cast coming out and taking a theater like bow.

“The Sopranos” also won Emmys for direction and writing, one of just a few shows to win multiple awards Sunday night. The top 10 categories, outstanding comedy, outstanding drama, and lead and supporting male and female performers in both genres were split among 10 different shows. David Chase “The Sopranos” creator personally received 2 Emmys last night. However, James Gandolfini and Eddie Falco, who played Tony and Carmella Soprano, got robbed and did not get the trophies last night. James Spader from “Boston Legal”, an actor and a show that I like, beat Gandolfini shocking everyone. Gandolifini’s loss begs the question: How could the TV show “The Sopranos” win the award for outstanding dramatic series, but the actor that played Tony Soprano, the driving force behind the success of the show, does not win? It seems like there is something wrong there. The Emmy voters have always been known to have agendas, and do not always give the award to the most deserving. I think what was on the agenda this year was, to give David Chase and “The Sopranos” it’s due for a ground breaking piece of television history, but not give them too much because Chase has never worked as part of the Hollywood system. I am a big fan of James Spader, a fine actor, and the show “Boston Legal” is well done. This however should not have been Spader’s year, the voters made a big mistake this time.

“I feel like I just stole a pile of money from the Mob,” Spader said, looking back at the “Sopranos” troupe arrayed behind him.

The other big part of their agenda this year was to honor Al Gore and make him a part of the show. So now Gore has an Oscar and an Emmy in the same year. Maybe now the bleeding heart liberal crybabies of the entertainment industry can finally get over the fact that GORE LOST THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. I’m tired of hearing the crybabies cry in Hollywood.

Sally Field, the “Flying Nun”, taking the trophy over Falco was not as surprising. Field went on to give a prepared long rambling political speech that no one cared about. She thankfully wound up getting dumped by the sensor because she used foul language. I think the producers should have got a big wooden hook and pulled the blathering idiot off the stage. Or maybe they could have put the nun hat on her and flew her into the rafters, that would have been cool.

“Entourage’s” Jeremy Piven, “Lost’s” Terry O’Quinn, “Grey’s Anatomy’s” Katherine Heigl and “My Name Is Earl’s” Jaime Pressly won supporting honors. The AMC miniseries “Broken Trail” was roundly honored at the show, winning three awards during the evening — for best actor, best supporting actor and best miniseries or movie. It was great to see one of the great American actors of our time, Robert Duvall get his due. Tony Bennett and his special “Tony Bennett: An American Classic” were honored several times Sunday night, most notably for outstanding variety, music or comedy special. “The Amazing Race” won best reality/competition program for the fifth time.

Ultimately it was the last time the television academy voters could recognized one of the best TV shows we will ever see on the air. In typically Hollywood fashion, they gave them some love, but fell short of doing the right thing. I think today any who watches TV realizes that James Gandolfini’s work on “The Sopranos” was arguably the best portrayal of a character by any actor in television history. Congratulations certainly go out to Mr. Spader, but Tony Soprano got ripped off this time.
…Going DEEP!!!

Technorati Tags: “The Sopranos”, 59th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, David Chase’, “The Sopranos”, Helen Mirren, Broadway, “Jersey Boys”, Emmys, James Gandolfini, Eddie Falco, Tony and Carmella Soprano, James Spader, “Boston Legal”, Gandolfini, Tony Soprano, Emmy, television history, Mob, Al Gore, Oscar, Hollywood, Sally Field, “Flying Nun”, Falco, “Entourage’s” Jeremy Piven, “Lost’s” Terry O’Quinn, “Grey’s Anatomy’s” Katherine Heigl, “My Name Is Earl’s” Jaime Pressly, AMC, “Broken Trail”, American actors, Robert Duvall, Tony Bennett, “Tony Bennett: An American Classic”, “The Amazing Race”