The Emmy Awards

I watched the Emmy Awards on Sunday night. Other than the Tony's, I am not an award show fan. But I wanted to see Ellen DeGeneres, who now that she has gotten over her "coming out" issues, is one of my favorite television personalities. (I really like her American Express commercials. She has me dancing in the elevators!!!) Unfortunately, most of these types of shows have taken on a political tone which takes the fun out of them. Case in point, Miss America was "politically corrected" to death. At the end of the day, I really don't care if Miss Arkansas has 3 graduate degrees and spent 5 years in Africa. I just want to see some "T and A".

The network did try to suppress the political harrangs that have become common place in Hollywood award shows as of late. (Didn't Marlon Brando send some Indian, excuse me, Native American, chick, I mean lady, to accept his Academy Award years ago?) To some extent, the network succeeded this year.

But what was with those Magnolias?? Do we really need to wear flowers on our lapels to show we care for the victims of Katrina, or red ribbons for Aids, or whatever the "cause du jour" happens to be? I never was one to tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree. Outside of flying the American Flag after 9-11, I keep the victims in my heart, and try to do whatever small thing I am able with as little aplomb as possible.

I felt uncomfortable watching the show. You could see the seething under the surface, and watch it rise slightly above the surface as numerous anti-Bush clips were shown in the guise of segments of nominated material. Only one award recipient spouted out to get the boys out of Iraq as she walked off the stage.

Politics positively breached the surface, however, when they hauled out Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather in a tribute to the nightly news hosts. I cringed watching Dan Rather extol the virtues of good and honest reporting. Here is a man who tried to influence the last presidential election by holding out phony documents as true, and then claiming that even if the documents were forged, the substance of them was true. What????? Really makes me want to watch CBS for news.

The height of hypocrisy came when The Daily Show with Jon Stewart won the award for...being a funny show?? They marched all of the writers up on the stage. I didn't see one female or one black in the group. Maybe there was one up there, but I didn't see it. My eyes aren't that great and I do watch the television from a 45 degree angle. But they looked mighty white and mighty male to me. Others there had to see it, too. What am I missing?

Political brow beating and magnolias on lapels aren't near as effective as actual deeds. I think I will act and write the EEOC. In the meantime, pardon me if I don't do as you say.