60th Primetime Emmy Awards

60th Primetime Emmy Awards
Promotional poster
Date	September 21, 2008 (Ceremony) September 13, 2008 (Creative Arts Awards)
Location	Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles, California
Presented by	Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Hosted by	Tom Bergeron Heidi Klum Howie Mandel Jeff Probst Ryan Seacrest
Highlights
Most awards	John Adams (5)
Most nominations	John Adams (8)
Outstanding Comedy Series	30 Rock
Outstanding Drama Series	Mad Men
Outstanding Miniseries	John Adams
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program	The Amazing Race
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series	The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Website	http://www.emmys.com/
Television/radio coverage
Network	ABC
Produced by	Ken Ehrlich
Directed by	Louis J. Horvitz

The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 21, 2008, at the newly opened Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California to honor the best in U.S. prime time television. The ceremony was hosted by Tom Bergeron, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Jeff Probst, and Ryan Seacrest (all were nominated in the debut category—Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program) and televised in the United States on ABC.

The nominations were announced on July 17 by Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards were held eight days earlier (September 13) at the same venue. The ceremony was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and Sarah Chalke.

The telecast was viewed by 12.20 million with a household rating of 8.86/12.79 making it the lowest rated and least viewed ceremony in its televised history. Many critics cited lackluster performances from the five hosts as a reason for the huge decline. Others pointed to the field of nominees which were dominated by low-rated and sparsely viewed programs, thus making the Emmys widely considered as a bust, which was panned by critics as "... the worst ever, laid a big, fat ratings egg as well ..."

In 2011, when TV Guide Network re-did their list of "25 Biggest TV Blunders", this ceremony was included.

For the first time in a decade, the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series was won by the defending champion. 30 Rock

Outstanding Drama Series went to AMC freshmen series Mad Men. This marked the first series award for a program on a basic cable station. Mad Men led all dramas with seven major nominations.

This would be the final ceremony to have five nominees per category, most major categories (acting and programs) were expanded to include at least six slots the following year.

Tin Man's win for Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries or Movie (Non-Prosthetic) made The Wizard of Oz the third franchise to complete EGOT status.

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold:

Alec Baldwin, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series winner

Tina Fey, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series winner

Bryan Cranston, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series winner

Glenn Close, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series winner

Paul Giamatti, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie winner

Laura Linney, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie winner

Jeremy Piven, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series winner

Jean Smart, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series winner

Dianne Wiest, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series winner

Tom Wilkinson, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie winner

Jeff Probst, Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program winner

Don Rickles, Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program winner

Programs

Outstanding Comedy Series	Outstanding Drama Series
30 Rock (NBC) Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) Entourage (HBO) The Office (NBC) Two and a Half Men (CBS)	Mad Men (AMC) Boston Legal (ABC) Damages (FX) Dexter (Showtime) House (Fox) Lost (ABC)
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 Show with David Letterman (CBS) Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) Saturday Night Live (NBC)	Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project (HBO) Bill Maher: The Decider (HBO) George Carlin... It's Bad for Ya! (HBO) Great Performances (Episode: "James Taylor: One Man Band") (PBS) Kathy Griffin: Straight to Hell (Bravo) The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
Outstanding Made for Television Movie	Outstanding Miniseries
Recount (HBO) Bernard and Doris (HBO) Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale (HBO) The Memory Keeper's Daughter (Lifetime) A Raisin in the Sun (ABC)	John Adams (HBO) The Andromeda Strain (A&E) Cranford (PBS) Tin Man (Sci Fi)
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race (CBS) American Idol (Fox) Dancing with the Stars (ABC) Project Runway (Bravo) Top Chef (Bravo)

Acting

Lead performances

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock (Episode: "Rosemary's Baby") (NBC) Steve Carell as Michael Scott on The Office (Episode: "Goodbye, Toby") (NBC) Lee Pace as Ned on Pushing Daisies (Episode: "Pie-lette") (ABC) Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk on Monk (Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Naked Man") (USA) Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men (Episode: "Is There a Mrs. Waffles?") (CBS)	Tina Fey as Liz Lemon on 30 Rock (Episode: "Sandwich Day") (NBC) Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly on Samantha Who? (Episode: "The Restraining Order") (ABC) America Ferrera as Betty Suarez on Ugly Betty (Episode: "Odor in the Court") (ABC) Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell on The New Adventures of Old Christine (Episode: "One and a Half Men") (CBS) Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin on Weeds (Episode: "Bill Sussman") (Showtime)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Bryan Cranston as Walter White on Breaking Bad (Episode: "Pilot") (AMC) Gabriel Byrne as Dr. Paul Weston on In Treatment (Episode: "Week 4: Paul and Gina") (HBO) Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan on Dexter (Episode: "There's Something About Harry") (Showtime) Jon Hamm as Don Draper on Mad Men (Episode: "The Wheel") (AMC) Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House on House (Episode: "House's Head") (Fox) James Spader as Alan Shore on Boston Legal (Episode: "The Court Supreme") (ABC)	Glenn Close as Patty Hewes on Damages (Episode: "Get Me a Lawyer") (FX) Sally Field as Nora Walker on Brothers & Sisters (Episode: "History Repeating") (ABC) Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Episode: "Undercover") (NBC) Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko on Saving Grace (Episode: "Tacos, Tulips, Duck, and Spices") (TNT) Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson on The Closer (Episode: "Manhunt") (TNT)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Paul Giamatti as John Adams on John Adams (HBO) Ralph Fiennes as Bernard Lafferty on Bernard and Doris (HBO) Ricky Gervais as Andy Millman on Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale (HBO) Kevin Spacey as Ron Klain on Recount (HBO) Tom Wilkinson as James Baker on Recount (HBO)	Laura Linney as Abigail Adams on John Adams (HBO) Judi Dench as Matilda "Matty" Jenkyns on Cranford (PBS) Catherine Keener as Gertrude Baniszewski on An American Crime (Showtime) Phylicia Rashad as Lena Younger on A Raisin in the Sun (ABC) Susan Sarandon as Doris Duke on Bernard and Doris (HBO)

Supporting performances

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold on Entourage (Episode: "The Day Fuckers") (HBO) Jon Cryer as Dr. Alan Harper on Two and a Half Men (Episode: "Meander to Your Dander") (CBS) Kevin Dillon as Johnny "Drama" Chase on Entourage (Episode: "The Dream Team") (HBO) Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother (Episode: "The Goat") (CBS) Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute on The Office (Episode: "Money") (NBC)	Jean Smart as Regina Newly on Samantha Who? (Episode: "The Girlfriend") (ABC) Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook on Pushing Daisies (Episode: "Girth") (ABC) Amy Poehler as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Tina Fey") (NBC) Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper on Two and a Half Men (Episode: "Media Room Slash Dungeon") (CBS) Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty (Episode: "Bananas for Betty") (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Željko Ivanek as Ray Fiske on Damages (Episode: "I Hate These People") (FX) Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher on Damages (Episode: "Jesus, Mary, and Joe Cocker") (FX) Michael Emerson as Ben Linus on Lost (Episode: "The Shape of Things to Come") (ABC) William Shatner as Denny Crane on Boston Legal (Episode: "Mad About You") (ABC) John Slattery as Roger Sterling, Jr. on Mad Men (Episode: "Long Weekend") (AMC)	Dianne Wiest as Dr. Gina Toll on In Treatment (Episode: "Week 6: Paul and Gina") (HBO) Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt on Boston Legal (Episode: "The Mighty Rogues") (ABC) Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Whedon on Brothers and Sisters (Episode: "Domestic Issues") (ABC) Sandra Oh as Dr. Christina Yang on Grey's Anatomy (Episode: "The Becoming") (ABC) Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy (Episode: "Lay Your Hands on Me") (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Tom Wilkinson as Benjamin Franklin on John Adams (HBO) Bob Balaban as Benjamin Ginsberg on Recount (HBO) Stephen Dillane as Thomas Jefferson on John Adams (HBO) Denis Leary as Michael Whouley on Recount (HBO) David Morse on George Washington in John Adams (HBO)	Eileen Atkins as Deborah Jenkyns on Cranford (PBS) Laura Dern as Katherine Harris on Recount (HBO) Ashley Jensen as Maggie Jacobs on Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale (HBO) Audra McDonald as Ruth Younger on A Raisin in the Sun (ABC) Alfre Woodard as Edna Reilly on Pictures of Hollis Woods (CBS)

Hosting

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Jeff Probst for Survivor (CBS) Tom Bergeron for Dancing with the Stars (ABC) Heidi Klum for Project Runway (Bravo) Howie Mandel for Deal or No Deal (NBC) Ryan Seacrest for American Idol (Fox)

Directing

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series	Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Barry Sonnenfeld for Pushing Daisies (Episode: "Pie-lette") (ABC) Dan Attias for Entourage (Episode: "No Cannes Do") (HBO) James Bobin for Flight of the Conchords (Episode: "Sally Returns") (HBO) Michael Engler for 30 Rock (Episode: "Rosemary's Baby") (NBC) Paul Feig for The Office (Episode: "Goodbye, Toby") (NBC) Paul Lieberstein for The Office (Episode: "Money") (NBC)	Greg Yaitanes for House (Episode: "House's Head") (Fox) Allen Coulter for Damages (Episode: "Get Me a Lawyer") (FX) Vince Gilligan for Breaking Bad (Episode: "Pilot") (AMC) Arlene Sanford for Boston Legal (Episode: "The Mighty Rogues") (ABC) Alan Taylor for Mad Men (Episode: "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") (AMC)
Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Program	Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special
Louis J. Horvitz for The 80th Annual Academy Awards (ABC) Jim Hoskinson for The Colbert Report (Comedy Central) Don Roy King for Saturday Night Live (NBC) Chuck O'Neil for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) Lonny Price for Company (Great Performances) (PBS)	Jay Roach for Recount (HBO) Bob Balaban for Bernard and Doris (HBO) Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale (HBO) Tom Hooper for John Adams (HBO) Mikael Salomon for The Company (TNT)

Writing

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series	Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Tina Fey for 30 Rock (Episode: "Cooter") (NBC) James Bobin, Jemaine Clement, and Bret McKenzie for Flight of the Conchords (Episode: "Yoko") (HBO) Jack Burditt for 30 Rock (Episode: "Rosemary's Baby") (NBC) Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky for The Office (Episode: "Dinner Party") (NBC) Bryan Fuller for Pushing Daisies (Episode: "Pie-lette") (ABC)	Matthew Weiner for Mad Men (Episode: "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") (AMC) Michael Angeli for Battlestar Galactica (Episode: "Six of One") (Sci Fi) Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler, and Daniel Zelman for Damages (Episode: "Get Me a Lawyer") (FX) David Simon and Ed Burns for The Wire (Episode: "–30–") (HBO) Robin Veith and Matthew Weiner for Mad Men (Episode: "The Wheel") (AMC)
Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Program	Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special
The Colbert Report (Comedy Central) The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC) Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) Saturday Night Live (NBC)	Kirk Ellis for John Adams (Episode: "Independence") (HBO) Hugh Costello for Bernard and Doris (HBO) Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale (HBO) Danny Strong for Recount (HBO) Heidi Thomas for Cranford (PBS)

Most major nominations

By network

• HBO – 44
• NBC – 30
• ABC – 29
• CBS – 11

By program

• John Adams (HBO) – 8
• Mad Men (AMC) – 7
• Damages (FX) / The Office / “30 Rock” (NBC) – 6

Most major awards

By network

• HBO – 11
• NBC – 6
• ABC – 4
• AMC – 3
• CBS / Comedy Central / FX – 2

By program

• John Adams (HBO) – 5
• 30 Rock - 4 (NBC)
• Mad Men (AMC) / Damages (FX) – 2

Notes

Presenters

The awards were presented by the following:

Name(s)	Role
Tina Fey Amy Poehler	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Marcia Cross Dana Delany Teri Hatcher Felicity Huffman Eva Longoria Nicolette Sheridan	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Ricky Gervais	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special
Conan O'Brien	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Steve Martin	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
Alec Baldwin	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Ruth Buzzi Gary Owens Alan Sues Lily Tomlin Jo Anne Worley	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Variety Series
David Boreanaz Lauren Conrad	Introducers of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series winner Kathryn Joosten
Kathryn Joosten	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
David Boreanaz Lauren Conrad	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate Christian Slater	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Television Movie
Laurence Fishburne William Petersen	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Stephen Colbert Jon Stewart	Presenters of the awards for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special
Patrick Dempsey Sandra Oh	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Kathy Griffin Don Rickles	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
Sally Field	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Miniseries
Kristin Chenoweth Neil Patrick Harris	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
Wayne Brady Kate Walsh	Introducers of Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series winner Glynn Turman and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series winner Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Nixon Glynn Turman	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Glenn Close	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Candice Bergen	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
America Ferrera Vanessa Williams	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Kiefer Sutherland	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Craig Ferguson Brooke Shields	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Jimmy Kimmel	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Mary Tyler Moore Betty White	Presenters of the award for Outstanding Comedy Series
Tom Selleck	Presenter of the award for Outstanding Drama Series

In Memoriam

• George Carlin (twice)
• Bernie Brillstein
• Joey Bishop
• William F. Buckley Jr.
• Charlton Heston
• Les Crane
• Alice Ghostley
• Ivan Dixon
• Cyd Charisse
• Mel Ferrer
• Claudio Guzmán
• Barry Morse
• Deborah Kerr
• Larry Harmon
• Estelle Getty
• Roger King
• Sydney Pollack
• Ron Leavitt
• Bernie Mac
• Eric Lieber
• Suzanne Pleshette
• Abby Mann
• Dick Martin
• Delbert Mann
• Harvey Korman
• Jim McKay
• Lois Nettleton
• Mel Tolkin
• Richard Widmark
• Stan Winston
• Tim Russert
• Isaac Hayes

External links

• Emmys.com list of 2008 Nominees & Winners
• Academy of Television Arts and Sciences website
• 60th Primetime Emmy Awards at IMDb