TVSquad

The Emmy Awards voting is different than it used to be (more steps in the voting process and a special panel watches episodes and votes after that), and last year the list of the semifinalists was leaked online before it was officially announced. Well, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences don't really want that to happen again, so they've decided to just announce the finalist list itself.

After the jump, the ten comedies and ten dramas that are semifinalists for the Emmy award this year. The list will be knocked down to five (more if there's a tie) once another round of voting is done. The nominees will be announced live on July 17, and we'll have coverage here at TV Squad.

Hey Miss Heigl,

How's it going? Good I hope! You must be enjoying the off-season, huh? I bet you can't wait to get back into production for Grey's Anatomy though. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I think you're a really good person. You seem awfully nice and it's very admirable the way you stand up for things you believe in.

You held your own against Isaiah Washington and stood up for your friend T.R. Knight when Washington's hateful words stunned us all. You even spoke out against the sexist undertones of Knocked Up, a film you starred in no less!

Since you seem so nice, I'm wondering if you could do me a small favor. I need a few thousand bucks to cover some recent medical costs. See, I sprained a muscle in my neck real bad a few days ago. How'd it happen you ask?

From craning to get a glimpse of your self-righteous mug way up on top of that high horse of yours.

OK, so this is just really cool. In an effort to drum up some buzz for their numerous Emmy nominated programs, NBC Universal is offering up free Emmy campaign buttons at their 2008 nomination website.

All you have to do is plug in your full name, street address, and e-mail and just like that, you got free buttons! 15 in all to be exact since you're allowed to check off as many as you want. Most of them have pretty funny campaign-esque sayings on them, similar to the 30 Rock button pictured at right.

Perhaps you like House (airs on FOX, but NBCU distributes it)? Then "Thank Hugh!" Or maybe you like The Office? Then get ready to "Believe in Steve." For those than can't wait for Sylar's return, don't forget to "Support our Heroes."

The only one I don't like? The Law & Order: Criminal Intent button. "D'Onofrio/Noth - Vote Both." Vote... both?? What? Does that even rhyme?

Just when you thought awards shows couldn't get any longer, The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced that reality show hosts are eligible to receive Emmys. This year's 60th Annual Emmy Awards will include a category called Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program.

The academy named popular hosts like Ryan Seacrest, Tom Bergeron, Samantha Harris, and Howie Mandel as possible nominees. Ty Pennington, Tyra Banks, and Jeff Foxworthy are also eligible. I'm not surprised that reality hosts are getting this opportunity. The Emmys have had categories for Outstanding Reality Program and Reality-Competition Program since 2001 and 2003, respectively.

Here are the weekly ratings, by number of viewers.

1. NBC Sunday Night Football (NBC)
2. Emmy Awards (FOX)
3. 60 Minutes (CBS)
4. Sunday Night Football Pre-Kick (NBC)
5. Without A Trace (CBS)
6. Two and a Half Men (CBS)
7. CSI: NY (CBS)
8. CSI (CBS)
9. Big Brother - Thurs (CBS)
10. CSI: Miami (CBS)
11. Football Night in America - Part 3 (NBC)
12. Criminal Minds (CBS)
13. Big Brother - Tues (CBS)
14. House (FOX)
15. NCIS (CBS)
16. Power of 10 - Wed (CBS)
17. The Biggest Loser (NBC)
18. Cold Case (CBS)
19. Rules of Engagement (CBS)
20. Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader (FOX)

So Jay liveblogged the Emmy Awards and we've seen the pictures and debated the winners and losers. But what about those bleeps and cutaways during Ray Romano's standup routine and Sally Field's acceptance speech? Here's the scoop.

A lot of people think that Field was censored because of her liberal views and the war in Iraq. Not so, according to FOX. They bleeped her because of her use of the word "goddamn." It's always been a weird rule on television that you can say "God" and you can say "damn," but if you put the two words together, civilization as we know it will end. People always say that religion is dumped on in the media too much, but I think that in this case the media goes out of its way to please everyone.

Here's a quick list of the major winners at tonight's Emmy Awards.

Supporting Actor - Comedy: Jeremy Piven (Entourage)
Supporting Actor - Drama: Terry O'Quinn (Lost)
Supporting Actress - Comedy: Jamie Pressly (My Name is Earl)
Supporting Actress - Drama: Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)
Reality Competition Program: The Amazing Race
Lead Actor - Movie or Miniseries: Robert Duvall (Broken Trail)
Lead Actress - Movie or Minseries: Helen Mirren (Prime Suspect)
TV Movie: Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee
Miniseries: Broken Trail
Lead Actress - Comedy: America Ferrara (Ugly Betty)
Lead Actor - Comedy: Ricky Gervais (Extras)
Lead Actress - Drama: Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters)
Lead Actor - Drama: James Spader (Boston Legal)
Comedy Series: 30 Rock
Drama Series: The Sopranos

And check out AOL Television for a complete list of the 2007 Emmy Awards winners.

Also check out our galleries of winners and presenters.

• At 7, NBC has a new Football Night in America, followed by the Patriots/Chargers game.
• At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother.
• FOX as The Emmy Awards at 8 (E!'s red carpet coverage started at 6).
• Nickelodeon has a new Drake & Josh at 8, followed by a new Zoey 101.
• At 9, PBS has new Mystery!
• Lifetime has a new Side Order of Life at 9.
• There's a new Iron Chef America at 9 on Food Network.
• HGTV has a new Design Star at 9.
• USA has the season finales of The 4400 and Dead Zone, starting at 9.
• VH-1 has a new Rock of Love with Bret Michaels at 9, then a new Hogan Knows Best.
• Also at 9: HBO has a new Tell Me You Love Me, followed by a new Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• At 10, MSNBC has this morning's Meet the Press, if you missed it this morning.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• TV Guide's Matt Roush predicts the winners of tonight's Emmy Awards.
• Speaking of the Emmys, Joan Rivers won't be on the red carpet this year...she's blogging instead!
• Jaime Weinman compares various seasons of several Miller-Boyett shows, including Perfect Strangers, Angie, and Full House.
• Did you know that Mike Nelson has a blog?
• Nikki Finke is still not a fan of Jon Stewart hosting the Oscars.
• Anthony Bourdain is blogging Top Chef.
• The Futon Critic lists the 10 things you need to know about the new season.

Get this: not only is Ryan Seacrest going to host The Emmys later this month, he actually might sing as well.

This is all part of Seacrest's plan for world domination by the year 2019. He's already hosting The Super Bowl and New Year's Eve coverage on ABC and doing various weekly radio shows and shows on E! He also waits tables three nights a week at the T.G.I. Fridays in Glendale, CA. How does the man do it?

Do you hear that sound? It's the sound of summer dying. Only a few more weeks 'til Jerry Lewis comes out on stage and the kids are back and school and we're reviewing the new fall shows.

In the meantime, ABC has a plan: they're bringing back The Nine again and running a marathon of shows the last week of August. Ha! Just kidding. I think ABC is done kicking that show around. But they do have a plan for the rest of the summer: they're going to run Emmy-nominated episodes of their shows, including Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives, Boston Legal, According To Jim, Extreme Makeover, and Grey's Anatomy. The episodes will feature sneak previews of the new fall season.

And I'm sure I speak for all of America when I ask, "According To Jim was nominated for an Emmy?"

• Is ABC's Dean Reynolds going over to CBS?
• There's a Mad Men blog over at AMC's web site.
• Best Week Ever picks the 10 Best Simpsons endings of all time.
• Speaking of The Simpsons, here's an interview with Matt Groening.
• Was Lost really snubbed when it comes to Emmy nominations?
• I saw this commercial last night and I thought it was odd: why is Naomi Campbell suddenly a spokesperson for Dunkin' Donuts?
• Five sitcom dances you can do at your next party.

• Kid Nation, the reality show that sets kids loose in an abandoned New Mexico town, is (of course) creating some controversy,
  
• The Emmy nominations are in!
  

Looking at the Emmy nominations announced this morning, one word comes to mind: BORING.

Or maybe two words, if you add "safe." I mean, come on. I don't usually watch Friday Night Lights, Dexter, or Battlestar Galactica, but even I know that those shows should have been nominated for something (beyond technical and writing awards). Instead we get...Tony Shalhoub again? He's fine, but there has to be someone else who they can plug in there. Grey's Anatomy and House for Best Drama? That's not to say that the shows nominated aren't good and solid, but when you take a look at the dramas that were left out...gah.

Beyond the major nominations (Best Comedy, Best Drama, Lead Actor and Actress, etc), there are other nominations where a lot of your favorite shows actually show up. After the jump, I'll highlight several.