Talk show Emmy nominations

The 61st Annual Emmy Award nominations were announced this morning, and here are the talk shows that got the nod:

The Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series nominees: "Late Show With David Letterman," "Real Time With Bill Maher," "Saturday Night Live," "The Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart."

Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Series: "Late Night With Conan O'Brien," "Late Show With David Letterman," "Saturday Night Live," "The Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart." This category was always a comic highlight of the Emmycast, since the writing staffs made their own goofy videos; while the award will still be given annually, unfortunately, it will now only be broadcast every other year. Boo, hiss, Emmy producers!

Stephen Colbert's "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All" was nominated for Outstanding Art Direction For Variety, Music Or Nonfiction Programming and Outstanding Picture Editing For A Special (Single Or Multi-Camera). The song "Much Worse Things" scored a nod for Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics. Personally, we would have gone for Colbert's duet with Jon Stewart, "Can I Interest You In Hannukah?" It'll be competing against, among others, the "Saturday Night Live" digital short tune "Motherlover" and Flight of the Conchords' "Unnatural Love."

"The Colbert Report"'s director Jim Hoskinson was nominated in the Outstanding Directing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Series category for the show that aired on Dec. 10, 2008. Chuck O'Neil of "The Daily Show" was nominated for directing the Aug. 26, 2008 episode, taped in Denver, CO during the Democratic National Convention. Jerry Foley was also acknowledged for directing "Late Show with David Letterman"'s June 3, 2008 show.

Two "Daily Show" editors were nominated for Outstanding Short Form Picture Editing: the Aug. 28 show from Denver (Einar Westerlund) and the July 31 episode (Graham Knox Frazier).

"The Daily Show" got yet another nod for its special web content in the Outstanding Special Class - Short-format Live-Action Entertainment Programs category. "'The Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' Digital Experience" was nominated for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media - Nonfiction, and "Jay Leno's Garage" was nominated in Outstanding Special Class - Short-format Nonfiction Programs.

The lighting directors of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "Late Show With David Letterman" were acknowledged in the Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming category. In other technical awards, "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "Late Show With David Letterman" will compete in Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Series.