Gay Today: Entertainment

Will & Grace:
No Nominations for the Emmys

By William Horn
Assistant Entertainment Media Director, GLAAD

Emmys Overlook 'Will & Grace'

Cast of Will & Grace

Despite season-long critical acclaim, NBC's Will & Grace failed to garner any acting nominations or a Outstanding Comedy nomination Thursday for the 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

Emmy favorite James Burrows claimed the show's only nomination for Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series. Burrows has accumulated 14 Emmys over the past two decades, 5 of those for directing such shows as Taxi, Cheers and Frasier.

The biggest surprise, however, is in the Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress categories with the omission of Will & Grace's two supporting players Megan Mullally (Karen) and Sean Hayes (Jack). Mullally was shut out of the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category, while three new nominees joined 1997 winner Kristen Johnston (3rd Rock From The Sun) and last year's winner Lisa Kudrow (Friends).

They were Lucy Liu on Ally McBeal, Wendie Malick on Just Shoot Me and Doris Roberts on Everybody Loves Raymond. Even more surprisingly in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category, Sean Hayes was not included in one of the four open spots. Instead, Emmy named first time nominees Peter Boyle (Everybody Loves Raymond), John Mahoney (Frasier), Peter MacNicol (Ally McBeal) and David Spade (Just Shoot Me).

It should be noted that none of the nominees in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, are from freshman shows of which Will & Grace is one. Here's hoping the talented cast and the show get more nods next year.

Take Note:

… Trick and Treat: Judith Light, Luke Perry, Aaron Spelling and Felicity's Keri Russell joined the Trick cast members Tori Spelling, Christian Campbell and Steve Hayes at the films Outfest '99 premiere in Los Angeles Monday night. The gay-themed film opens in limited release today.

… Condon and Bess: The director and Oscar-winning writer of Gods and Monsters, Bill Condon, will next direct the film Queen Bess. Condon developed the script with writer John Hoffman, which tells the real-life tale of former Miss America Bess Myerson who held office in Ed Koch's New York City administration only to be embroiled in a messy corruption scandal in 1987.

Previous Entertainment Features from the GayToday Archive:
Awarding the World's Most Beloved Drag Queen

'Triple Crown' Media Awards

Ben Affleck & Matt Damon Star in 'Dogma'

Related Sites:
Will & Grace

The Real World
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… Out of This Real World Ratings: MTV's latest installment of the Real World, this time from Hawaii, has seemed to rejuvenate the series. Ratings for the eighth season of the in-your-face show have been strong. The show features the soberly challenged bisexual Ruthie and the hardly seen gay man Justin. Tune in this Tuesday at 10:00PM EST/PST to watch the issue of homophobia hit the fan.

… Etheridge's Rockin' Roll High School: Melissa Etheridge is heading to her 20th High School reunion in Leavenworth, Kansas to mingle with old friends, with some of whom she still keeps in touch. "I'm not one of those artists that were tortured in high school," she told the Associated Press. "I had lots of friends."

… Wilson Cruz's the Party: My So-Called Life and Rent's Wilson Cruz will be have a recurring role this fall on FOX's Party of Five. He'll portray Victor, the new nanny for baby Diana.

… Schlesinger Sharing: Legendary director John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy; Sunday, Bloody Sunday) will next direct a gay comedy entitled Two Gentlemen Sharing, a tale of a town turned upside down when a gay couple move in. Schlesinger recently wrapped production on another gay themed project, The Next Best Thing, starring Rupert Everett and Madonna.

VCR ALERT:

Tuesday, July 27: Things get ugly on the latest Real World when Justin feels the roommates are being homophobic (MTV, 10:00PM EST/PST).

Wednesday, July 28: A new episode of HBO's pansexual original series Oz (10:00PM EST/PST).

Thursday, July 29: ABC and Isabella Rossellini present the latest Paris Fashion Collection. Need we say more? (9:00PM EST/PST).

The Real World's Justin