Comments on: Choose Your Own Narrative: The 2014 Emmy Awards

By: Myles McNutt

Tue, 26 Aug 2014 23:27:35 +0000

Which isn’t new, of course: the Emmys struggled to confront the rise of cable in much the same way, and there has historically been complicated relationships between the networks and the Academy as it relates to categories, ceremony details, and other elements.

But we’re at the point where it’s bleeding into the broadcast itself, which seems new (or at least seems amplified when it’s so built into the swirling online narratives about the broadcast). Now I want to go back to the first Emmys featuring cable to see if there were similar “inside jokes” dominating the broadcast.

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By: Myles McNutt

Tue, 26 Aug 2014 23:25:27 +0000

Apparently, Stephen Colbert’s bit—which died, deservedly—was something he came in with himself, so I don’t think this is just Bruce Vilanch syndrome. That said, I do think there’s a certain genre of award show humor that has become entrenched, to the point where a dramatically different approach is unlikely given the inherently traditionalist nature of the Academy.

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By: Erin

Tue, 26 Aug 2014 18:49:59 +0000

Great post, Myles. I agree that the politics of the narrative of the Emmys are fascinating, and indicative of larger narratives in how broadcast television attempts to define itself in this new digital era (and a perfect post for my upcoming fall class on television and new media). The industry seems to love to talk the talk of “newness” while either not changing (the continued preference for Modern Family and Big Bang Theory) or only marginally changing in ways that don’t really disrupt their established conventions (inviting Netflix to the party, but giving them nothing). The category switching was particularly interesting to me, though I doubt if OITNB entering as a drama would have resulted in a win, as Breaking Bad was (deservedly, imo) unstoppable in its final trip to the awards. But I think it further underscores that the industry still doesn’t quite know what to make of the actual changes that are already occurring.

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By: mal

Tue, 26 Aug 2014 16:15:43 +0000

I have a bit of a conspiracy theory, maybe it can be confirmed: there are long time writers of the Emmys (comedy writing especially), that no matter who the host and writer(s) the host brings in, those veteran writers have to have their jokes/sketches be on. This may be the case with the Vegara skit and many hokey/horrible bits of past shows (including the Oscars and Globes)? Could this in any way be the case?
Is this an industry secret in some way? like, hosts have to sign something to keep this secret?
Over the years there have been just really bad segments/jokes (apart from the monologues which I assume belong to the host)

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