Emmy Nominations For "West Wing"

From the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences:

"The West Wing" was nominated for Best Drama together with "Grey's Anatomy", "The Sopranos", "24" and "House". This is the "The West Wing"'s 7th Best Drama nomination. It has won 4 times, and it holds a record for most Emmys won in a first season.

Martin Sheen was nominated in the Lead Actor category together with Cristopher Meloni, Denis Leary, Peter Krause (also on "Sports Night") and Kiefer Sutherland. This is his 6th Emmy nomination for "The West Wing".

Allison Janney was nominated in the Lead Actress category together with Kyra Sedgwick, Geena Davis (from the now cancelled one season "Commander in Chief"), Mariska Hargitay and Frances Conroy. This is her 6th Emmy Nomination, she was four times.

Alan Alda was nominated in the supporting actor together with Oliver Platt ( for "Huff", also played Oliver Babish), Michael Imperioli, William Shatner and Gregory Itzin. This is his second nomination for "The West Wing".

Mimi Leder was nominated for Best Direction for Election Day Part 1 together with "Big Love", "Lost" "Six Feet Under" and "The Sopranos" (2 episodes). She has on Emmys in the past for "E.R." and "China Beach."

The Live Debate episode was nominated for in the category Outstanding Multi-Camera Sound Mixing For A Series Or Special together with "Two and a Half Men"

Other nominations:
Stockard Channing was nominated for her role in CBS's cancelled one season long "Out of Practice" in the category for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Stockard Channing has previously been nominated six times for "The West Wing", and won once. Also nominated in this category was Jane Kaczmarek, wife of Bradley Whitford, for Fox's now cancelled long-running "Malcolm in the Middle". Lisa Kudrow, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Debra Messing are also nominated in this category. This Jane Kaczmarek's seventh nomination.

Martin Sheen was also nominated for his guest appearance on Two and a Half Men, on which his son Charlie Sheen stars, together with Ben Stiller, Patrick Stewart, Alec Baldin and Leslie Jordan. Charlie Sheen is nominated in the category Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, together with Larry David, Tony Shalhoub, Kevin James and Steve Carell.

The Emmy Awards will be broadcast August 27 at 8PM ET on NBC.


arcadia215 posted at Television Without Pity:
"Allison [Janney] was just on CNN (by phone). She totally took the anchor to task (when the anchor clearly didn't watch the show or know anything about it)- the anchor made a comment like, Let's face it, not "The West Wing"'s best season, most critics said it had fallen a lot this past season and Allison Janney says, "Um, well, I totally disagree with that. Actually, most of the critics said this season the show reclaimed its crown" (or something to that effect). They cut away to the anchor's face which looked ready to shoot the segment producer who briefed her."

Cecily writes in an e-mail:
"I happened to be watching CNN this morning and they were talking to AJ on the phone about her nomination and she said was was surprised and excited, in addition to being happy about the other nominations for the show. The CNN person commented that this season wasn't as good as others, but allison came right back to say that it had made quite the comeback and then the CNN person admitted she didn't actually watch the show, she had just heard that. They also discussed that now she was worried about what to wear and they showed many clips of the last season in in the background while they were talking."

Thanks, Cecily!

Transcript from CNN.com:
" The Emmy award show airs on August 27the.

One nominee joining me on the phone now from California, "The West Wing's" Allison Janney.

Allison, good morning and congratulations.

ALLISON JANNEY, ACTRESS: Thank you, Daryn. Good morning to you.

Daryn KAGAN: Well, with all of your success with Emmy, we could almost make it Allison Emmy. You could be going for number five here.

Allison JANNEY: I know. It's completely overwhelming.

Daryn KAGAN: It doesn't get old to see your name pop up on the screen there?

Allison JANNEY: No, it doesn't. And I have to say, everyone has been the same amount of shock and surprise and excitement. It doesn't -- it doesn't get old.

Daryn KAGAN: Were you watching at 5:30 this morning there in California?

Allison JANNEY: No, I really -- I mean, I was asleep, and the phone rang. And I -- my first thought was, who died? I was very -- you know, because the phone never rings that early, and I completely forgot the nominations were being announced this morning. So I was kind of -- my mindset was not at all about the Emmys. And now, of course, it's wonderful.

Daryn KAGAN: What are you going to wear?

Allison JANNEY: Yes, exactly.

Daryn KAGAN: And then there's that.

Allison JANNEY: What am I going to wear, what am I'm not going to eat.

Daryn KAGAN: All of that kind of stuff. JANNEY: Yes.

KAGAN: Bittersweet this time? Because C.J. Craig one for the history books and "The West Wing"?

Allison JANNEY: Yes. It's such a lovely honor and a tribute to a lot of -- I haven't memorized the whole list of nominees, but it seems like the Emmy voters decided to honor a lot of these great shows. I mean, I really truly feel that I was, you know, honored -- blessed to be on one of the greatest shows -- greatest dramas in television.

Daryn KAGAN: And, of course, "The West Wing" getting a nomination, too. And a time, a season, let's be honest, people said not the strongest, not the best ever.

Allison JANNEY: This -- actually, I disagree with you.

Daryn KAGAN: I'm just saying what people have said.

Allison JANNEY: People were saying, what an amazing season this has been for "The West Wing".

Daryn KAGAN: So nice to have it wrap up with a nomination for the show as well.

Allison JANNEY: Oh, absolutely.

Daryn KAGAN: Let's look at your competition coming up. Some fabulous women actresses.

Allison JANNEY: Wonderful women.

Daryn KAGAN: Yes. OK. Kyra Sedgwick, for "The Closer." That's hot.

Allison JANNEY: I love her.

Daryn KAGAN: Yes.

Geena Davis, you got that presidential thing working as well for "Commander In Chief."

Allison JANNEY: Yes.

Daryn KAGAN: Mariska Hargitay with -- she just had a baby. Now she gets an Emmy nomination.

Alliosn JANNEY: Beautiful -- I mean, amazing actresses. And I'm excited to be there with them all.

And Geena Davis, of course, because I won't be -- I won't be able to look her in the eye.

Daryn KAGAN: Is it -- speaking of being tall, because I ask you as a fellow tall girl here, is it true that when you first started acting you couldn't get an agent because they told you were too tall and you would never make it? JANNEY: Oh, yes. You know, people always love to discourage you from acting, and they love to pick out the one thing that's, you know, obvious about someone, and say, well, you're not going to make it because of that. You know. But ha-ha.

Daryn KAGAN: Ha-ha. Ha-ha, times six for all the Emmy nominations.

Allison JANNEY: Exactly.

Daryn KAGAN: Besides the Emmys at the end of August, what's next for you now that "West Wing" has wrapped up?

Allison JANNEY: I'm looking for the next thing. I've been fortunate enough to feel like I can be a little picky right now. I'm looking for the right thing, whether it be on the stage and television again, or movies.

I'm really trying to find the right thing. And I'm also a little burned out in enjoying the time off.

Daryn KAGAN: Good for you. And that time off, do you ever tune into CNN midday or, I guess, morning in California and catch the actual White House briefings? Do you ever watch...

Alliosn JANNEY: Yes, I have watched them before. Not so much anymore. But it's just depressing. I can't bear it. But I have watched the briefings before on CNN.

Daryn KAGAN: And, of course, Tony Snow, the new guy with the job.

Allison JANNEY: Yes.

Daryn KAGAN: We wish you well. August 27th, good luck finding the dress.

Allison JANNEY: Thanks, Daryn. I appreciate that.

Daryn KAGAN: I know you'll look tall and fabulous and wonderful.

Allison JANNEY: Thank you.

Daryn KAGAN: Congratulations.

Allison JANNEY: Thank you.

Daryn KAGAN: Allison Janney, nominated once again. She's won already four times for the role of C.J. Craig in "The West Wing".

Emmy nominations coming out earlier this morning.

OK. Getting to the real West Wing,..."



The nominations for the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced at 5:39AM PCT, 8:39AM ET. The nominations will be webcast on the official Emmy site. They will also be broadcast on E!, and possibly also on E! International, although they are not currently listed there.