TVSquad

Here come two more lists of the ten actors and actresses that are finalists for Emmy nominations in the supporting comedy categories. As with the other awards, there are some surprises on the list, and some notable omissions. For the ladies, the headline is that last year's winner, Jaime Pressly (My Name Is Earl), didn't make the cut. Surprise finalists include Conchata Ferrell (Two And A Half Men) and Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live). I don't mind seeing Conchata on the list because she is consistently funny on the show, but I don't know that there is enough to her role for her to actually garner a nomination when you consider the competition.

On the other side of the coin, the defending champ, Jeremy Piven (Entourage), is back. None of the boys over at SNL managed to make the leap from Variety to Comedy that Poehler did.

(S02E15) Two of my favorite things about My Name is Earl are that the show has great supporting characters, and that while each episode stands on its own, the producers reward viewers who have been following the program all along by bringing back characters and plotlines where you least expect them.

This episode does a great job on both of those fronts. In fact, while I tend to prefer episodes where Earl gets to cross something off his list, this episode would have been just fine if Earl hadn't been in it at all. I'm not sure I'd watch a show with Randy or Joy as the main character (although last week's My Name is Randy/Joy/Crabman sequences make me wonder), but they can each certainly hold their own in a fight. Or at least we know Joy can.

Jaime Pressly, who plays Joy on My Name is Earl, announced her pregnancy last night on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. She said she is four months along and the baby is a healthy boy. The father is disc jockey Eric Cubiche. The couple has been dating for 18 months.

As far as I know, Pressly didn't say whether her pregnancy would be written into Earl (I don't watch Leno). But, it probably wouldn't be too far-fetched for Joy to be pregnant again. Plus, it's going to be super hard to hide her pregnancy since so much of Joy's character is in her tight, slutty costumes.

I'm not sure I like this news. The television reporter at the Washington Post is reporting that every episode of My Name is Earl will not be about checking something off his list. According to Lisa de Moraes, the writers/creators felt confined by the format and only stuck with it to see if they could get through the first season (and be renewed). Apparently, some episodes will have nothing to do with the list. The Post reporter doesn't say what the other episodes will be about. The writing on the show is definitely hilarious but I kind of liked the gimmick of Earl having to cross something off his list each week. Although, I can see how that would get old after a few seasons. Guess we'll have to see what they come up with. See how I talked myself off the edge?

How do you feel about this change?

The preview for this weeks Blade teased a kiss between Krista (Jill Wagner) and Chase (Jessica Gower). In celebration of that possibility, I thought now would be a good time to touch on other girl-girl kisses in our television history. Sometimes they are to make a statement. Sometimes they are a ploy to grab ratings. And every once in a while, it's just a natural part of the story. Here are the five that come to mind first for me.

Roseanne (Roseanne Barr) and Sharon (Mariel Hemingway) - Roseanne
This was an important moment in television. At the time, there was no L-Word, and two girls kissing was still a very controversial thing. Roseanne has her faults, to be sure, but standing up to the network to get this episode on the air is something to be proud of.

Ally (Calista Flockhart) and Ling (Lucy Liu) - Ally McBeal
This one strikes me as somewhat the opposite of the Roseanne kiss. There was much less statement, and much more ratings grabbing sensationalism in this lip-lock. In that regard, it worked very well. Of course, the gang over at Ally McBeal had plenty of practice. Along with Ling, Ally also kissed Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith) and Elaine (Jane Krokowski). But if I have to pick one, it's Ling every time. And yes, I was an Ally McBeal fan.

Ethan Suplee (pronounced soo-PLEE) plays lovable Randy Hickey on the NBC hit comedy, My Name is Earl. He has a long list of movie roles, including three Kevin Smith movies and a cameo in the upcoming Clerks II, roles in American History X, Without a Paddle, Cold Mountain, Butterfly Effect and the newly released Art School Confidential. Ahead of tonight's season finale, Ethan took some time to talk to me about the first season of Earl, antics on the set, and about a certain cat he let out of the bag regarding an extra episode on the upcoming Earl DVD.

He has the pox! Production for My Name is Earl was halted over the weekend because Jason Lee has red, itchy spots all over his body. So far, no one else in the cast or on the production crew has chicken pox. NBC says Jason is pretty miserable and highly contagious, so he'll be out of commission for several weeks.

Of course, show creator Greg Garcia had a great comment about Jason's misery. He said, "I saw him shake Charlie Sheen's hand at the Golden Globes, and the next morning he woke up with bumps all over him."

The Best:
1. My Name is Earl: I didn't think this was going to be any good when I first saw the commercials because it looked like another stupid sitcom about -- whoo-hoo -- rednecks. Jason Lee's a cool cat, though, so I tuned in for one episode... Boy, am I glad I saw it! Although Lee doesn't disappoint, Jaime Pressly's performance is absolutely hysterical and often steals the show. Definitely one of my favorite programs of the year.

2. The Daily Show: I've loved it. Sill love it.

3. The Colbert Report: I was a little worried about this show in the beginning, but quickly grew to love it. Stephen Colbert's got a good thing going on right now and I'm definitely looking forward to more.

4. Lost: I love it when a show/film has a strong ensemble cast. That plus deep, conflicted backstory and tremendous writing is must-see TV for me.

5. Project Runway: Okay, they're only a few episodes in, but Project Runway never fails to deliver. Classiest reality show, hands-down.

Best:

5. CBS Sunday Morning  If you don't watch this, you should. It's old-school television news at its best with in-depth news stories, and lots and lots about the arts. Plus, the original "moment of zen" at the end.
4. The Daily Show  A good way to blow off steam when the news of the day is really getting you down.
3. The Office  This show really came into its own this season, and I just adore all the characters.
2. My Name is Earl  Always good for a one-liner.
1. Lost  They mess with our heads. And we like it!

Worst:

5. Night Stalker  I couldn't even stomach the first episode of this new show. Sad, because I had such high hopes for it.
4. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition  Too much showmanship, fabricated content (i.e., who can we get to build this house?), and way too much product placement.
3. Britney & Kevin: Chaotic  Quite possibly the most useless piece of crap to air this year.
2. Desperate Housewives  That's right. I can't stand this show. Too many open plotlines that don't interest me at all.
1. Saturday Night Live  It hasn't been funny in years. Except for that Narnia rap everyone is talking about.