The Tony Awards are always gay, the Oscars less so (at least they are more closeted), but the Emmys? They’ve almost kept up with the Tonys in recent years. Consider: This year’s ceremony on Sept. 22 will be hosted by regular Tony Awards host Neil Patrick Harris — who plays straight on his TV show but is a camptastic song-and-dance man at heart.
Harris and Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul announced the nominees for the Emmys this morning, and it proved to be a very gay affair indeed. Here are some queer highlights:
• Game of Thrones was a huge winner with 16 nominations, including Peter Dinklage and Emilie Clarke, and a writing nod for the “red wedding” episode. The series’ frank depictions of gay sex are about as hot as TV gets.
• Gay themes really soared in the minseries/TV categories, with the overall top nomination recipient being gay producer Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story: Asylum, which last season addressed sexual repression in the 1960s. Out actors Zachary Quinto and Sarah Paulson were each nominated for their supporting performances, and Jessica Lange for leading actress for her creepy matron role.
• Close behind was Behind the Candelabra, with 15 nominations. The biopic about flamboyant entertainer Liberace was intended for a theatrical release, but couldn’t get one despite high-voltage star power attached. HBO proved the studios wrong, nabbing noms for best actor candidates Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, pictured above, supporting actor Scott Bakula, best miniseries or movie, best director (Steven Soderbergh), best writing … and, of course, best costumes.
• As I mentioned earlier this week, Neflix is the new HBO, as it proved with the Emmys this year: House of Cards (starring perpetual is-he-or-isn’t-he actor Kevin Spacey), was nominated for nine awards, including best drama series and best actor and actress (Robin Wright), while super-queer Arrested Development nabbed three nominations, including best actor in a comedy series for star Jason Bateman. (Tony Hale, who plays Buster on AD, was nominated for best supporting actor in a comedy for the HBO series Veep.)
• Bateman is up against previous winner Jim Parsons, the openly gay star of The Big Bang Theory, as well as Don Cheadle, who plays the parent of a flamboyant little boy on House of Lies, and ally Alec Baldwin for the final season of 30 Rock.
• 30 Rock actually managed a surprisingly strong 13 nominations, including outstanding comedy series, actress in a comedy (Tina Fey, who was also nominated for co-writing a nominated song), and for supporting actress Jane Krakowski and guest actor Will Forte, who play a sexually ambiguous couple.
• Fey will compete against a song performed by Neil Patrick Harris: “If I Had Time,” the closing number performed on the 66th Tony Awards broadcast. Gay fave Smash is up for two nominations in that category.
• Kerry Washington, star of the gay fave Scandal, was nominated for best actress in a drama, while out actor Dan Buchatinsky, playing a gay Washington insider, was tapped for best guest actor in a drama.
• Lily Tomlin snagged a nom — not for her Reba McIntire sitcom but for best voice-over performance as narrator of An Apology to Elephants.
• Some of the other gay nominations have become almost predictable. Modern Family — which has won for best comedy series three years running — is up for 12 awards, including openly gay supporting actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson, pictured right. One stunner? Prior winner Eric Stonestreet, the straight actor who plays Ferguson’s onscreen husband, was not nominated (the only adult member of the cast overlooked this year).
• As has happened before, the nominees for best reality host have become predictable. Only this year, it was expanded slightly: In addition to repeat nominee Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn was added as well; they will compete as a team for Project Runway, which is also up for best competition series. Sadly, RuPaul’s Drag Race was once again overlooked.
