I’d like to thank the Academy….For coming to its senses and reversing its idiotic format change. All awards will be presented on the live broadcast. Eight will no longer be pre-taped and edited allowing the show more time to pay tribute to AMERICAN IDOL and CSI. Pressure from my blog post (oh… and the WGA and DGA who threatened to not waive license fees on aired clips) have caused the ATAS to return to its regular format.
They believed that editing out winners walking on and off the stage would streamline the show and provide more time for saluting mainstream shows that don’t get Emmy recognition but viewers actually watch. This would hopefully boost ratings, which are probably lower now than the old Cable Ace awards were twenty years ago.
But the problem is this – in addition to dissing the creative people who ARE up for awards, the one big attraction of a live show is that it is LIVE. What if somebody trips while walking up to the stage? What if there’s a, uh wardrobe malfunction? What if a winner thanks Hitler?
THAT’S the fun part. So to remove spontaneity in favor of more rehearsed tributes is more likely to lose viewers than attract them.
I’m sure there are ways of improving the presentation. Getting a better host this year (Neil Patrick Harris) is a great first step. Cutting down the number of categories might be worth considering in the future. Reality show hosts get millions of dollars for saying “Wanna know what you’re playing for?” If they don’t also get statuettes they can afford therapy.
The Emmys air Sunday night September 20th on CBS. As always, I’ll be reviewing them. And now that they've returned to their regular format I’ll even watch them too.
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