Jane Lynch was selected as the outstanding host of a reality or reality-competition program for the second consecutive year while Jon Hamm’s Emmy futility was extended during Saturday’s Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
Lynch, who hosts NBC’s “Hollywood Game Night,” won in a field that was identical to last year’s. The other nominees were 2013 winners Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn (“Project Runway”); 2012 winner Tom Bergeron (“Dancing With The Stars”); Anthony Bourdain (“The Taste”); and Cat Deeley (“So You Think You Can Dance.”)
Bradley Whitford won as outstanding guest actor in a comedy series for his portrayal of the best friend the character played by series star Jeffrey Tambor on the Amazon Instant Video transgender comedy “Transparent.”
The Emmy was the second for Whitford, who also won for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series in 2001 for his portrayal of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman on NBC’s “The West Wing.”
Hamm was nominated in the category for his role as a charismatic kidnapper and founder of an Apocalypse cult on “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” which streams on Netflix.
This was the 14th time Hamm has been nominated for an Emmy and failed to win, including 11 times as a performer.
Hamm will have two more chances to win an Emmy at the Primetime Emmy Awards Sept. 20.
He is nominated for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role as advertising executive Don Draper on AMC’s “Mad Men” and as a producer of the period advertising drama, which received an outstanding drama series nomination.
The other nominees for outstanding guest actor in a comedy were Mel Brooks, nominated for portraying himself on the short-lived FX comedy “The Comedians”; Bill Hader and Louis C.K., both nominated for hosting NBC’s “Saturday Night Live”; and Paul Giamatti, nominated for his role as a juror deciding whether Amy Schumer is hot enough for television on Comedy Central’s “Inside Amy Schumer.”
Although “Saturday Night Live” does not air in prime time, it is eligible for the Primetime Emmys, which cover programs that initially aired between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Although beaten out for outstanding guest actor in a comedy, Louis C.K. won for outstanding writing for a variety special for “Louis C.K.: Live At The Comedy Store,” which he initially made available on his website, LouisCK.net.
The other acting awards went to Reg E. Cathey, Joan Cusack and Margo Martindale.
Program winners included ABC’s “Shark Tank” for structured reality program and Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch” for unstructured reality program. Both won for the second consecutive year.
The Creative Arts Emmys mix awards for obscure technical disciplines such as picture editing, costuming, hairstyling, makeup, lighting and sound with honors for guest acting and hosting a reality or reality-competition program.
HBO’s fantasy drama “Game of Thrones” was the top winner, with eight Emmys. FX Networks’ “American Horror Story: Freak Show” was second with five, while NBC’s “The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special” and HBO’s biography of blues singer Bessie Smith “Bessie” won four.
“Bessie” won for outstanding television movie.
HBO led the network race with 29 Emmys, followed by NBC, which won 11, and FX Networks, which won eight.
Cathey won for outstanding guest actor in a drama for his portrayal as a dishwasher in a Washington, D.C., restaurant who accepts an offer from President Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) of a kitchen job on the Netflix political drama “House of Cards.”
The Emmy was the first for Cathey, who was also nominated in the category for the same role last year.
The other nominees included Alan Alda and Michael J. Fox.
Alda, who won three Emmys for his portrayal of surgeon Hawkeye Pierce on the classic 1972-83 CBS comedy “M.A.S.H.” was nominated an for his role as a senior member of a criminal syndicate on NBC’s “The Blacklist.”
Fox received his fourth nomination in the category for his portrayal of a ruthless attorney diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia, a condition which causes erratic body movements, on CBS’ “The Good Wife.”
The remainder of the field consisted of Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham (“Homeland”); Beau Bridges (“Masters of Sex”); and Pablo Schreiber (“Orange is the New Black.”)
Cusack also became a first-time Emmy winner when she won for outstanding guest actress in a comedy series for her recurring role as agoraphobic germaphobe Sheila Jackson on Showtime’s “Shameless.” She had been previously nominated four times for the role.
Tina Fey was among the other nominees, nominated for for her portrayal as a less-than-competent prosecutor on “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” which she co-created.
The other nominees were Pamela Adlon (“Louie”); Elizabeth Banks (“Modern Family”); Christine Baranski (“The Big Bang Theory”);and Gaby Hoffmann (“Girls”).
Martindale won for outstanding guest actress in a drama series for her recurring role as a KGB handler on the FX Networks’ period espionage drama “The Americans.” The Emmy was Martindale’s first for the role and second of her career. She won for outstanding supporting actress in a drama for her work on “Justified,” which also aired on the FX Networks.
The other nominees were Allison Janney (“Masters of Sex)”, last year’s winner; Khandi Alexander (“Scandal”); Rachel Brosnahan (“House of Cards”); Diana Rigg (“Game of Thrones”); and Cicely Tyson (“How to Get Away With Murder”).
A rule change announced in February changed the definition of guest actor to performers appearing in fewer than 50 percent of a program’s episodes.
A+E Networks received the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Governors Award in recognition of their corporate social responsibility programs.
A+E Networks has undertaken pro-social initiatives tied in with their programming and led to partnerships with Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, March of Dimes, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Stand Up to Cancer and Team Rubicon.
The public service campaigns have advanced a wide range of causes, including drug and alcohol addiction and recovery; women and girls’ empowerment; breast cancer research and advocacy; preservation of historic sites; and issues facing veterans and military families.
Spike Jones Jr. received the Syd Cassyd Founders Award, which honors Television Academy members who have made a significant, positive impact on the academy through their efforts and service over many years of involvement.
The Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards honor programming that initially aired from June 1, 2014, to May 31, 2015.
A two-hour edited presentation of the ceremony will be shown at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Sept. 19 on FXX and streamed in its entirety on Emmys.com, Yahoo.com and Fox.com at noon Sept. 20.
