For the past 24 hours I’ve been reading the "Who got snubbed?" stories about the Emmys, and I can’t figure out why more people aren’t sad that Tracy Morgan (pictured) didn’t get a supporting-actor nod for 30 Rock. Mandi’s PopWatch post yesterday on "the biggest Emmy snubs" has elicited about 300 comments from you so far, but only, like, two posters mentioned Morgan by name. There’s gotta be more of you out there than that who love this guy, right?
Morgan kills on that show. Some weeks he’s funnier than Alec Baldwin — even just the way he says "Liz Lemon" is great. Morgan won me over in the very first episode, when he’s sitting down to lunch at a fancy restaurant with his crew, and the waiter asks him what he’d like to drink, and Tracy says apple juice, and the waiter says they don’t have apple juice, and then Tracy pauses a sec and says, "Okay I’ll take a vodka tonic!" I’ve been in love with the show ever since. Somebody put together 10 great Morgan moments here (the best: "It only looks like I’m walking out of a Starbucks, when actually I’m doing the Robot going backwards into a Starbucks!"), and a minute ago my friend Karen was in my office, and she showed me this old clip of Morgan acting nuts during a live TV interview; I haven’t laughed so hard since 30 Rock finished its season a few months ago.
So what do you think about Tracy Morgan? And after the jump, we have two more curious little Emmy oddities for you.
These come courtesy of columnist Mark Harris.
• Did you notice that Justin Timberlake is an Emmy nominee, for co-writing the song "D— in a Box"? Did you even know that the Emmys had a "Best Original Song" category? And if it wins, will someone get to say "D— in a Box" on the air?
• In the category "Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special" (I know, who cares, but anyway…), one of the nominees is an episode of Drive, which was actually a series that Fox canceled before its run was complete and burned off on its website. I noticed that the network that’s credited with the nomination in the Emmy press release is not Fox, but Fox.com. That must be a first, right?
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i love tracey morgan on 30 rock but honestly, sometimes it feels like hes mugging the camera instead of just acting- even though he is absolutely hysterical on the show, i think ken the page was more deserving of a nomination… also- i need more jane krakowski on the show– she’s brilliant but just not enough is shown. p.s. so glad tina fey was nominated twice!
I love Tracy Morgan so much, I want to take him behind the middle school and get him pregnant!
Too much? Can only Tracy pull off that line?!
He’s amazing and shoulda been nominated.
Re: user before me…I respectfully disagree. “Jenna” (Jane) is perhaps the most grating and annoying character to ever “live”. She’s barely tolerable, at best. Though, I guess she does make Liz appear that much more wonderful!
Tracy Morgan’s spot on impersonation of Martin Lawrence is inspired, but it’s a character not too hard for him to play. Come now, Morgan built a career on eccentric characters. For him to portray himself as a controversy seeking and insecure black comic actor’s not enough of a stretch for him. Kind of like when Courtney Love played a heroin addict in that Larry Flynt movie.
That said, 30 Rock’s a brilliant series and it would not be the same without Tracy Jordan.
I’m Black NBC and Proud, like Peacocks! Ain’t that right my maroney?
PS agreed with Melissa about the Office. I love Jenna, but can’t stand her as Pam. Liz on the other hand? Let’s just say Mrs. Sato’d have to drag me back into the house by my leash if Liz walked into the room.
Jenna’s just fine. She’s in her own little me-me-me world, which is why I (we?) love the show – because it’s populated by characters that are pure id or ego (for the most part).
I mean, when she went to lunch with Liz and Phoebe, and she compared herself to Carrie and Charlotte of SATC and Liz to the woman at home who watches – that was hilarious!
The reason Tracy Morgan was not nominated has to do with the fact that he submitted himself in the Lead Actor category, not supporting like he should have been. He easily would have been nominated had he gone Supporting. I also agree that Jack McBrayer should have been nominated.
Isn’t it obvious why Tracy didn’t get a nomination? The Black Crusaders! After all, they cancelled Eddie Murphy’s Oscar for running out on Scary Spice.
Interesting point about Morgan idiotically putting himself in the leading category, but that actually speaks to why he still would not have been nominated. He is so much using Martin Lawrence as his inspiration, but a toned down version of himself. He is really that way in real life, so why nominate him for acting like himself?
Harry marries ginny and has three kids
His lack of a nomination is obviously the continued work of the Black Crusaders.
Maybe Tracy will get nominated next year. Afterall, nothing is impossible, except for dinosaurs. In the mean time, he can call Dr. Spaceman for some medicinal supplement to deal with his grief over not being nominated. Does anyone else love how he pronounces Spaceman’s name phonetically? Cracks me up every time…
Maybe Tracy will get nominated next year. Afterall, nothing is impossible, except for dinosaurs. In the mean time, he can call Dr. Spaceman for some medicinal supplement to deal with his grief over not being nominated. Does anyone else love how he pronounces Spaceman’s name phonetically? Cracks me up every time…
I don’t see any more range from Tracey on 30Rock than his years on SNL. Kudos to the writing staff on keeping his only character, himself, fresh.
Maybe because nobody watched 30 Rock
Tracy Morgan? Seriously? He’s so annoying. And the only reason why he’s “good” on the show it’s because of the superb writing.
And if you actually have seen any of this talk show interviews, you will see not much ‘acting’ is involved.
“30 Rock” is as funny as food poisoning. That it got *any* nominations is as baffling to me as the fact that “The Shield” and “The Wire” got none. Tracy Morgan deserves a nomination like I deserve a hole in the head. I simply can’t find any humor in that show, least of all from Tracy Morgan.
I think he is kind of annoying and for me that show is ONLY about Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin. Yes, some of the other characters are funny, but Tina and Alec are the reason I watch every week.
I would have loved to see Tracy Morgan get a nomination, but perhaps like many 30 Rock fans, I was just happy to see the show get acknowledged in any capacity by the Emmys. Heck, I’m just grateful it got renewed for another year!
Jane Krakowski should have been nominated!!! “My muffin top is all that, whole grain low fat.”
Ben Franklin: Don’t be a d—. Some of us would actually like to enjoy the book NOT thinking about what the ending might be.
Back on topic: Tracy Morgan is funny on 30 Rock, but when you consider how competitive Best Supporting Actor is, his lack of a nomination is not a surprise. Think about this: you could have a whole extra category just for the guys who got snubbed from Thursday night shows:
John C. McGinley
Donald Faison
Ethan Suplee
John Krasinski
Jack McPraver
Sorry Tracy, but until McGinley gets his (a crime, IMO) you’re gonna have to wait.
Mark Harris was right about the emmy nods. What happened to “Rome” which happens to be the greatest miniseries ever. I can’t watch the emmys anymore due the way they pick nominees. Emark
I like Tracy Morgan, a lot and I guess the reason why i didn’t even think of him was, that 1. he seems to always be like his character, which could me that he’s really, really good or 2. just playing himself, or 3. playing a schtick. But I don’t think he’s a particularly engaging actor, where I go, that’s what acting is!! I do often say, I can’t believe he did that, oh, that was funny!But I have never sat in awe of an acting moment, or a delivery because he’s been doing the same thing for so long.
The real reason that Tracy didn’t get a nomination… he placed himself in the “Lead Actor” category, not “Supporting Actor.” I mean, against actors like Tony, Steve, Ricky, Charlie, Zach, Jason, and of course, Alec, there was no way that Tracy would have gotten in in that category. So, everything else is a moot point.
Horatio,
The “Black Crusaders” are based on Fact, sort of. A google search on “Black Crusaders” leads to an unintentionally funny site that explains how a group of so called “black crusaders” got Chappelle off the air. Just as Tracy Jordan got hated on by a fellow on NBC, the “Black crusaders” site alleges that at one point Oprah said “Chappelle, you should be ashamed of yourself”.
So while it’s fiction, the paranoid conspiracy theorist element of Tracy’s character totally picked up on that site. Good find by 30 Rock’s writers to introduce that particular arc.
God forbid Justin wins, scarry. How did he even get on the list? Dumbing down the general public! Best Musical score for a mini-series or show, these ARE catagories – Bear McCeary!!!
Best visual effects-check out the season finale of BSG! or any of the space battles.
Ugh. Tracy Morgan? No thanks. Worst actor ever.
Tracy Morgan foolishly submitted himself in lead actor comedy instead of supporting actor comedy. That’s the reason why he’s not nodded. It’s no big mystery to be solved. Maybe he’ll know better next year, b/c a supporting actor nod was ripe for the taking this year, and he blew it. The Emmys clearly dug 30 Rock this year. Too bad.
30 Rock should be engulfed in emmy nominations. it’s by far the best sitcom in years. but, it doesn’t matter what happens with these emmy nods, or even in the event that it wins (remember arrested development?)…PEOPLE, NEED TO WATCH THIS SHOW!
Most people are saying that it was stupid of him to submit himself as Lead Actor and that’s why he didn’t get the nomination…
I disagree with that, seeing as how there were FAR more scene stealing supporting actors in comedy series. To wit, Michael Urie, Mark Indelicato, John Krasinski, Ethan Suplee, Donald Faison, John C. McGinley, Jack McBrayer, Rex Lee, and others.
Meanwhile, in the lead actor categories, I would’ve easily supplanted Tracy for either Tony Shalhoub (SO played out) or Charlie Sheen (who’s ok, but not as funny as Tracy Morgan). I would’ve nominated him alone for his work in “Hardball” (the taking you out behind a middle school and getting you pregnant) or the episode with the fake “Jefferson” trailer. By the way, I ALSO love the way he says “Liz Lemon”…nice catch, Greg.
EPSato,
I did not write anything about the Black Crusade, so no clarification needed on my part. But thanks anyway.