These Emmy-nomination breaking-news guys have gotten surprisingly lackluster in their efforts

Now those sadists at The Envelope are just f@%&ing with us: They're landing the finalists in categories that no one really cares about (guest performances, which almost invariably go to a big name who is slumming, not to a really great performance, so who really cares?), but they still haven't figured out who're the finalists in the Best Actor Comedy category; they're teasing us with seven of the 10 nominees. And I thought you guys ran a crack outfit.

Nonetheless, they've managed to eke out this:

TOP 10 FINALISTS: SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTRESS

Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies" (ABC)
Conchata Ferrell, "Two and a Half Men" (CBS)

Jenna Fischer, "The Office" (NBC)


(Apparently, this is not from a scene from the actual show, which explains its relatively low ratings.)
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock" (NBC)

Judith Light, "Ugly Betty" (ABC)

Elizabeth Perkins, "Weeds" (Showtime)

Amy Poehler, "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)

Jean Smart, "Samantha Who? (ABC)

Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men" (CBS)

Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty" (ABC)

Well, I guess the most offending finalist is Poehler - do you really want to honor someone who's only able to tip you to the fact that she's doing comedy by being one of maybe five people laughing at her material? I would've replaced her in a heartbeat with "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's" Kaitlin Olsen or "Curb Your Enthusiasm's" Cheryl Hines or "Ugly Betty's" Becki Newton.

Anyway, of this bunch, I'll go with Chenoweth, Fischer, Krakowski, Smart and Williams, though next year, I'd definitely pencil in Perkins, given how redeemably funny she's been on a kind of lackluster "Weeds" year.

And here's what they've cooked up so far for Best Actor in a Comedy:

Definite finalists:

Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock" (NBC) 

Steve Carell, "The Office" (NBC) 

Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO) 

David Duchovny, "Californication" (Showtime) 


(Well, if I did it with Fischer, it's only fair to do it with a guy, too, though this shot would be more at home in the Daily News' "Out in Hollywood" blog.)
Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies" (ABC) 

Tony Shalhoub, "Monk" (USA) 

Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men" (CBS)

They declare Kelsey Grammer of Fox's "Back to You" a no-go, then offer these possible finalists:

Zach Braff, "Scrubs" (NBC) 

Jemaine Clement, "Flight of the Conchords" (HBO) 

Kevin Connolly, "Entourage" (HBO)
Johnny Galecki, "The Big Bang Theory" *CBS) 

Brad Garrett, "'Til Death" (Fox) 

Adrian Grenier, "Entourage" (HBO) 

Jason Lee, "My Name Is Earl" (NBC) 

Bret McKenzie, "Flight of the Conchords" (HBO) 

Jim Parsons, "Big Bang Theory" (CBS) 

Josh Radnor, "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS)

I can't think of any better explanation for the ruined ratings fortunes of TV comedy than the fact that a number of the above names are even being considered as representing the best the genre has to offer us these days. Nonetheless, of these, I'll go with (in alphabetical order) Baldwin, Carell, Clement, McKenzie and Parsons (which should not be construed as a wholehearted endorsement for his show), though clearly Clement and McKenzie will cancel one another out because they depend so heavily upon the other's equally deadpan work on "Flight of the Conchords."

Thoughts, anyone?