TVSquad

The third most important story in the Entertainment section of my news page this morning is this: which stars are going to present awards at this year's Emmy Awards ceremony (September 21 on ABC). And to that I say a big ... who cares?

Every year, in the weeks leading up to the Emmys, we hear about which stars are going to present awards. I've always found it odd because the people they say are going to present are, you know, TV stars. Seriously, this is the Emmy Awards, and like the Oscars or the Grammys, I expect the people who have something to do with television (maybe the people who actually star on the shows!) to either present awards, introduce segments of the show, or even host. Yeah, it's mildly interesting that William Petersen and Laurence Fishburne will present an award together, since Fishburne is taking over for Petersen on CSI, but it's not that big of a deal. And it's certainly not a big deal that America Fererra and Vanessa Williams are going to present an award or that Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Hugh Laurie are going to present awards - separately. I would assume that these current TV stars will be involved in some way, but even if they aren't, why is it news?

Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl.

That's pretty much been the talk this summer. It's on the CW and doesn't get great ratings, but everyone is talking about the cast romances and the clothing and the ad controversy. It's the "buzz-worthy" show of the moment, and a lot of people are getting sick of it. And that list of people seems to include America Ferrera.

I'm not a body language expert (my degree is actually in psychotherapy) but I just know that the clip after the jump shows the Ugly Betty star about 33 seconds away from walking off the set as Blake Lively goes on and on about Gossip Girl. Which would be fine if Lively and Ferrera weren't there to promote something else, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. E's The Soup caught Ferrera's reaction and showed it to the world.

While Ugly Betty's move to New York City might not have been good news for the show's crew, Queens residents couldn't be happier to have the Suarez family in town. Fans welcomed the comedy series with a block party-style celebration in Jackson Heights, Betty's home base.

Actors America Ferrera and Tony Plana attended the event and thanked fans in both English and Spanish. The Ugly Betty cast and crew have already been seen filming in their new, more authentic surroundings. As Allison mentioned, America Ferrera was recently spotted riding a motorcycle in Brooklyn (dressed as Betty Suarez, of course).

First there was Walter, then Henry, then Gio and now Jesse? For a girl whose called ugly, Betty Suarez gets an awful lot of appreciative looks and more from the fellows, does she not?

The new man with eyes for Betty is named Jesse and actor/musician Val Emmich has been cast in the Ugly Betty role. The role is recurring -- kind of like Freddy Rodriguez when he started as Gio -- but since he's a potential love interest with UB, he could be bumped up to regular.

With the show now filming in New York, perhaps a young hot guy like Val Emmich is just the ticket for Betty. Emmich's done a lot of Manhattan TV shows -- Hope & Faith, 30 Rock, Third Watch -- so he's going to sound like a New Yawker.

As the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences tries to whittle the submissions down to actual nominees, it's interesting to take a look at who has made it to the semifinals. It's not a nomination, but it's one step away. Today comes word of the finalists for best comedy actress and best supporting drama actor. There are some surprises.

Chief among those for me is Sarah Silverman. I honestly hadn't even considered her in the running. I'm not much of a fan, but I do like that she is being considered for the simple fact that the base the nominees are drawn from can always use some expansion. And if she is the most surprising inclusion, the most surprising snub just might be Teri Hatcher. Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross, and Felicity Huffman all made the cut, but not Hatcher. Ouch. The rest of the finalists, and the supporting actors from a drama, after the jump.

Ugly Betty definitely avoided the sophomore slump, but something was missing from the show's post-strike episodes. Elements that made the first season great were left out of the second part of season two. Fortunately, Ugly Betty only needs to make some small changes to return to its former glory. Feel free to add your own suggestions to my list.

Bring Cliff back - It's nice to see Marc do something besides taunt Betty or do Wili's bidding. Season one's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" proved that Marc has a heart, and his relationship with Cliff continued to explore that sensitive side. Marc found love by looking beyond surface beauty, which is what the show is all about. The post-strike episodes favored Betty's love triangle at the expense of the other characters' relationships. Why have so many well-written relationships if you're only going to focus on one or two? The fantastic ensemble cast had better get more screen time in season three.

(S02E17) Wili's moment of triumph arrived, and it was just as glorious as I expected it to be. La Slater is officially back at Mode as Creative Director, and all is right with the Ugly Betty world. This episode was all about couples. Hilda pursued Coach Diaz, Gio pursued Betty, and Marc and Amanda did what they do best--torture Betty. The "Betty Whorez" e-mail was one of those small Mode moments that I haven't seen in a while.

(S02E16) Things are finally coming into place on Ugly Betty. Wili officially declared war on the Meades, Betty dealt with serious baby drama, and Hilda got back into the dating game (almost). If this keeps up, the show will be back to its old self--Wili scheming, Betty working with Daniel against her, and an end to the Suarez family mourning period. Sounds good to me!

(S02E15) You can add "glamourtunity" and "preg-nasty" to the Ugly Betty lexicon. While this episode gave us some cute moments and clever dialogue, I felt like it was light on plot. Yes, we got Renee's storyline out of the way, but the rest of it was build-up to the season's bigger issues. I'm ready for things to start happening.

(S02E14) That look says it all, doesn't it? Betty spent part of her birthday with fellow dreamer Gio, and came home to Henry with a lot on her mind. The reappearance of Charlie reminded us that Henry's baby is coming soon. There's a difficult decision in Betty's future. Who will she choose, Henry or Gio?

When the writers' strike ends, the show Ugly Betty will be minus two producers. Executive producers Marco Pennette and James Hayman were let go from the series just as it was renewed for its third season.

This is not the first time significant changes were brought to the show between seasons. Five writers were released from the show between its first and second seasons.

(S02E13) It might not have been an official season finale (a faux-nale?), but this week's Ugly Betty could be the last one we see for a very long time. I miss the show already. So many issues are up in the air! What will happen with the Henry-Betty-Gio triangle? Will Wili's baby scheme succeed? Is Ignacio ever going to get another storyline? For now, we'll either have to use our imaginations or content ourselves with the Season One DVD. I've never been big on fanfic, so I'm going with Option B.

(S02E12) Courtroom drama! Perfume that makes you crazy! Baby-making schemes! This week's Ugly Betty had all the telenovela angles covered. In the grand tradition of fictional court proceedings, Claire's murder trial was over and done with in a couple of days. Don't you love that about TV? There was even time to spare for Gio, Wili, and Christina. Good thing, too, because there's only one episode left. Better get your fill of Suzuki St. Pierre now, folks.

(S02E11) Many weeks ago (man, it's been a while since we've had a new episode) I shared my dream of a Dixie Carter-Vanessa Williams showdown. This week, Amanda visited a psychic played by another Designing Women cast member, the wonderful Annie Potts. So close! It's great to have Ugly Betty back, at least for now. The sad truth--that there are only two episodes left--is beginning to sink in. Who's panicking?

It's a shame that the Golden Globes ceremony was cancelled in a year when so many talented comedic actresses received nominations. For the first time since 2004, the category of Best Actress in a Television Musical or Comedy includes none of the Desperate Housewives cast. The housewives have dominated the category over the past few years, and their absence has made room for some fresh faces in 2008.

I couldn't be happier that this category looks more competitive than ever. The fact that I had so much trouble predicting a winner is a very good sign. I'm also pleased that each nominee represents a different style of comedy--and there's not a cranky suburban wife or over-the-top diva to be found. The five characters that these ladies play are likeable, genuine, and hilarious.