Hurricane Emmy

OK, Emily may be storming up and down the nation, but I've just been damaged by a different Hurricane. Hurricane Emmy.

Seems the Emmy nominations came out yesterday. Now, there would have been a time when this was a big deal for me. I used to care about TV shows. For as much TV as I watch these days, and believe me folks, it's a lot, I don't place a lot of emotional stock in it. Sure, I cared that Rob and Amber didn't win "The Amazing Race," but that's about as far as it goes. The cancellation of "Freaks and Geeks" was probably the beginning of that descent into apathy, or it may have come before then, I'm not sure.

Anyway, this year I kind of cared. Why? You mean, you have to ask? Well, I'll tell those of you who hadn't already guessed. There was a possibility my very own idol Alan F Arkin (that's Mr F Arkin to you) could be nominated, for his guest-starring role as Grace's dad on "Will and Grace." The show isn't much, but you tell me Mr Arkin isn't much and I'll have to ask you to step outside, I'm afraid.

Well, to make a very long story very short, there in the "Guest Actor in a Comedy Series" nominations, there was a distinct lack of idols named Arkin. I was dejected, especially since of the five nominees, four of them came from that cesspool known as "Will and Grace." Four? Four people who've been on that show could be better than Mr F? I don't think so.

Anyway, since I was at the site that had the complete nominations, I decided to give them all a scan. Boy, are there some weird categories in which a person can win an Emmy.

Choreography for a TV show, that one's interesting. I don't think of there being that many musical numbers in the box, especially since "The Drew Carey Show" went off the air. But they found five instances to nominate, even if one of them was an ice show.

They give awards for editing, now, that's OK, they do that in the movies. However, even the movies don't give away awards in six different categories. Seems anyone with a pair of scissors can get a nomination in the world of teevee.

Hairstyling. That's a fun one. I think of that as being frivilous, but the more I've pondered it, I'm wondering if actually the Oscars shouldn't do that one as well. Many movie stars' entire careers have been made and broken over their hairstyles. And as for make-up, they've got that category as well, along with a separate category for prosthetic make-up.

Can you type? Pick out fonts? Title design is a category as well.

As far as sound mixing, eight different categories. If you have a pot, pan, or can squeeze your hands through a bowl of potato chips, you're in like Flynn.

On the plus side, there are two categories I liked. Best commercial, that should definitely be a part of the Emmys since it's all TV is anymore. The only problem I have with that is that, and I know my commercials, people, I'd never heard of any of the five nominated.

And probably my favorite category of all is Best Casting. I think that should be right up there with Best Series and Best Actor. A TV show basically lives and dies on its casting, and I can't believe they relegate it to the "we read these award winners really fast while we're going to commercial" space. (BTW, in doing some research, I found that the aforementioned "Freaks and Geeks" was nominated for this award, and was happy. What a perfect cast that show had.)

And so, there you go. Will I be watching when the awards are broadcast? Of course not, I haven't for years and I'm not starting now.

I am, however, writing Alan Arkin and telling him to learn to make sound effects with his hands in a bowl of potato chips. He may get his Emmy yet.

Betland's Olympic Update:
* Original podmobile may still be dead in the shop, but at least I got the "money" portion of my new car transaction completed. Turned over all my worldly goods and got my $22000 personal check back I left with the dealership on Saturday. See, when I told you they gave me this car on a bad check and my good looks I wasn't lying.
* And now, for you - looky! A bonus blog!