THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 21, 1996 TAG: 9607190094
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY BONKO, TELEVISION COLUMNIST
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES LENGTH: 53 lines
WHILE SCHMOOZING with television writers a day or two before the Emmy nominations were announced, Jay Leno said he would not be crushed if ``The Tonight Show'' were not included among TV's elite in 1996.
``We won the Emmy last year, and one Emmy is fine with me,'' said ``The Tonight Show'' host. ``We're not greedy. We're not one of those guys on `Friends.' ''
As things developed here on Thursday, Leno might need more space in his office for another Emmy. ``The Tonight Show'' was nominated as outstanding variety, music or comedy series along with ``Dennis Miller Live,'' ``Late Show with David Letterman,'' ``Muppets Tonight'' and ``Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher.''
Reflecting the growing impact of cable on the TV landscape, a cable channel (Home Box Office) had 66 nominations. NBC is the leader with 88.
For the 16th time, Angela Lansbury has been nominated as outstanding lead actress in a drama for ``Murder, She Wrote,'' which ended its run as a weekly series on CBS. She is up against Gillian Anderson of ``The X-Files,'' Christine Lahti of ``Chicago Hope,'' Kathy Baker of ``Picket Fences'' and Sherry Stringfield of ``ER.''
Lansbury has yet to win the Emmy.
Same deal with Julia Louis-Dreyfus of ``Seinfeld.'' She was nominated for a fifth time Thursday as outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series. Days before the nominations were announced, Louis-Dreyfus appeared before the TV press to promote a made-for-TV film, ``London Suite.''
She was reluctant to talk about the upcoming Emmy nominations for fear she would jinx her chances. ``I'm not really superstitious,'' said Louis-Dreyfus, ``But. . . ''
She had no need to worry. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences included her in the list of nominees for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series along with Janeane Garofalo of ``The Larry Sanders Show Starring Garry Shandling,'' Christine Baranksi of ``Cybill,'' Jayne Meadows of ``High Society'' and Renee Taylor of ``The Nanny.''
Meadows' nomination for her part on a canceled show was a bit of a surprise, but there were not many eyebrow-lifters in the list of nominees. No big surprises, certainly, in the major categories.
Nominated for outstanding drama series - ``Chicago Hope,'' ``ER,'' ``Law & Order,'' ``NYPD Blue'' and ``The X-Files.'' A mild surprise is that ``Murder One'' was passed over. Nominated for outstanding comedy series - ``Frasier,'' ``Friends,'' ``The Larry Sanders Show Starring Garry Shandling,'' ``Mad About You'' and ``Seinfeld.''
The Emmys will be presented in 28 categories in primetime on ABC Sept. 8. Paul Reiser, nominated as outstanding lead actor in a comedy series, will be the host. In his category, the competition is Kelsey Grammer of ``Frasier,'' John Lithgow of ``3rd Rock from the Sun,'' Jerry Seinfeld of ``Seinfeld'' and Garry Shandling of ``The Larry Sanders Show Starring Garry Shandling.'' by CNB