Brett's Emmy Picks: Supporting Actor - Comedy

Continuing our run of searching for content in the otherwise bone-dry summer season, I present to you the first in a series dedicated to bambat's official Emmy picks. I'll give my five nominations and then tell you who I feel should win. As a bonus, I'll also provide my guesses about who foolishly WILL be nominated because people are idiots. I'll do at least the major categories, and then more as I feel like it.

Obvious caveat: Look, I don't watch every show on TV. I watch the shows I think are good (and that's a lot of shows, mind you). As such, most of these picks are going to come from those shows. I don't watch crap like Entourage or Grey's Anatomy which I think are garbage but are sure to pile up the Emmy nods. If you want to read praise of the actors on those shows, look elsewhere.

First up: Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother












Prior nominations: 2008, 2007

There is simply no overstating the comedic talents of friend of the blog Neil Patrick Harris. He has been jobbed out of the award for two consecutive years by Jeremy Piven of all people. Barney is one of the primary reasons that HIMYM (official show of bambat) is the funniest half hour on television. Doogie has shown how much range he has this year with Barney becoming much less of a one-dimensional character (not that he was ever stale). Given his recent successful hosting of the Tonys, his star has never been brighter. That was only half sarcastic.


Jason Segal as Marshall Eriksen in How I Met Your Mother















Prior Nominations: None

Six of the last eight years have featured two actors from the same show nominated in this category. Considering that each year that was either Everybody Loves Raymond or Entourage, two of the most overrated pieces of garbage in the last decade, I can easily justify the dual-HIMYM nod here. Much like NPH, Segal's star is on the rise given his successful roles in the Apatow films, especially his leading role in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. But HIMYM is his definitive role, and his comedic chemistry with NPH is legen... wait for it... dary! Given the unforeseen absence of Alyson Hannigan for most of this season (bun in the oven), Segal got a chance to shine in more solo arcs, and nailed all of them.


Jim Parsons as Dr. Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory















Prior Nominations: None

Perhaps no show divides the editorial staff of bambat more than The Big Bang Theory. I think it is a harmless and clever show that is always good for a laugh. Mike thinks it is shit. What is shit is the entirety of the cast other than Jim Parsons. It is the true hallmark of a comic genius when an actor can be consistently hilarious when surrounded by such sub-mediocre talent. You don't have to be a huge nerd like me to appreciate the fact that nearly every word out of Dr. Sheldon Cooper's mouth is a stitch. To call him a "supporting actor" is almost unfair, since he absolutely carries the show, but to me at least he is a no-doubt inclusion in this category.


Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute in The Office














Prior Nominations: 2008, 2007

The fact that neither Wilson nor NPH has won this award the previous two years is absolutely criminal. Perhaps because The Office features such an ensemble cast, the excellent work of Wilson is often overlooked. Not by this observer. On a show that has at times (at least of late) struggled to remain funny, there is no doubt that Wilson has maintained his high standard of performance. Really, Ed Helms could have just as easily been nominated here, as they form one of the most consistent comic duos on television today - I've said before and I'll say again that I would gladly watch a show simply titled "Dwight and Andy go to work". Wilson gets the nod because of seniority, and hopefully another "real" Emmy nomination is forthcoming as well.


John C. McGinley as Dr. Perry Cox in Scrubs
















Prior Nominations: None

A funny thing happened when I was trying to look up how many times the talented and hilarious John C. McGinley has been nominated for this award in Scrubs eight seasons: I learned that he's never once been nominated. Not only does this stand as a testament to how idiotic the people who actually pick these things are, but it's absolutely criminal that such a fine performance has never even been recognized with a nomination. Well, at least in the small world of bambat, that injustice has now been adressed. McGinley's Cox has served admirably through the ups and downs (far more ups) of Scrubs as not only the father figure to J.D., but also as one of the most real characters on a show that from time to time been prone to slip into caricature. It's still unclear whether or not he'll be part of the new incarnation of Scrubs (or even what that will be), but let it be said here that his work has not gone unnoticed.

The Pick:

Believe me when I say that I agonized over this one, it will probably be the hardest category for me to pick of all of them. Each one of these actors is perfectly suited to the character they portray. On the one hand Parsons and Wilson clearly stand above the rest of the characters on their respective shows, while McGinley has a very strong ensemble and Segal and NPH have one another to play off of. Part of me wants to give it to McGinley simply as a lifetime achievement award for his work on Scrubs. Parsons might earn a win in a year or two if he continues to carry Big Bang to strong ratings. And of course I am pulled strongly towards my favorite characters on my favorite comedy. In the end, I'm going to go with everyone's favorite gay Tony-hosting dude (and chick) magnet, and friend of the blog: Neil Patrick Harris.





















Congrats NPH! Let the accusations of bias begin.


These People Will Be Stupidly Nominated For The "Real" Emmys:
Jeremy Piven, Jon Cryer, Kevin Dillon