60th Primetime Emmy Awards


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 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 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 was the top show of the night receiving five major awards, including the top prize. It also made history when it tied the record for most major nominations by a comedy series of 13 set by The Cosby Show in 1986; it would break this record the next year. It set another record when it received seven nominations in the guest acting categories, a mark that has not been matched since.
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 were expanded to include at least six slots the following year.
Tin Mans win for Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries or Movie made The Wizard of Oz the third franchise to complete EGOT status.

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold:
, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series winner
, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series winner
, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series winner
, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series winner
, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie winner
, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie winner
, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series winner
, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series winner
, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series winner
, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie winner
, Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program winner
, Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program winner

Programs

Outstanding Comedy SeriesOutstanding Drama Series

  • 30 Rock
  • * Curb Your Enthusiasm
  • * Entourage
  • * The Office
  • * Two and a Half Men
  • Mad Men
  • * Boston Legal
  • * Damages
  • * Dexter
  • * House
  • * Lost
    • Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy SeriesOutstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special
  • The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
  • * The Colbert Report
  • * Late Show with David Letterman
  • * Real Time with Bill Maher
  • * Saturday Night Live
  • * '
  • * George Carlin... It's Bad for Ya!
  • * Great Performances
  • * Kathy Griffin: Straight to Hell
  • * The Kennedy Center Honors
    • Outstanding Made for Television MovieOutstanding Miniseries
  • Recount
  • * Bernard and Doris
  • * Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale
  • * The Memory Keeper's Daughter
  • * A Raisin in the Sun
  • John Adams
  • * The Andromeda Strain
  • * Cranford
  • * Tin Man
    • Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
  • The Amazing Race '
  • * American Idol
  • * Dancing with the Stars
  • * Project Runway
  • * Top Chef''

    • Acting

    Lead performances

    Supporting performances

    Hosting

    Directing

    Writing

    Most major nominations

    ;By network
    ;By program
    ;By network
    ;By program
    ;Notes

    Presenters

    The awards were presented by the following:
    NameRole

    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series





    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie




    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Variety Series

    		Introducers of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series winner Kathryn Joosten
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Television Movie

    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

    		Presenters of the awards for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special
    and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special

    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Miniseries

    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program

    		Introducers of Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series winner Glynn Turman
    and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series winner Cynthia Nixon

    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
    and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program

    		Presenters of the award for Outstanding Comedy Series
    Presenter of the award for Outstanding Drama Series

    In Memoriam