Predicting the Emmy Nominations: The Comedies

There's still about a month until this year's Emmy Award nominations are announced, but since the 2006-2007 television season has come to an end, I thought it would be fun to try and predict who will and won't make the cut.

This list actually includes two sets of predictions -- who I think should be nominated, and who I think will be nominated. Last week I looked at the Drama prizes, now it's time for the comedies -- the prizes for Best Comedy, Best Actor and Actress in a Comedy, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Comedy. Here goes...

Best Comedy Series
Which of NBC's stellar comedy line-up will make the cut? Will Desperate Housewives sneak onto the list, despite a creatively uneven season? Will Entourage snag a nod?

Should Be Nominated:
30 Rock
Entourage
The Office
Scrubs
Ugly Betty

Will Be Nominated:
30 Rock
Desperate Housewives
My Name is Earl
The Office
Ugly Betty

Best Actor in a Comedy
I would love to see Entourage's Adrian Grenier snag a nomination, but is it really likely to happen? Multiple winner Tony Shaloub, last year's champ Steve Carrell, and tabloid magnet Alec Baldwin's nominations seem like foregone conclusions, but will Extra's Ricky Gervais or Scrubs' Zach Braff make the cut?

Should Be Nominated:
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Zach Braff, Scrubs
Steve Carrell, The Office
Ricky Gervais, Extras
Adrian Grenier, Entourage

Will Be Nominated:
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Zach Braff, Scrubs
Steve Carrell, The Office
Jason Lee, My Name is Earl
Tony Shaloub, Monk

Best Actress in a Comedy
America Ferrera has to be considered the frontrunner in this category, although you can never rule out a Desperate Housewives onslaught (in my opinion Eva Longoria and Felicity Huffman are the worthiest contenders). I think we can also expect a first-time acting nod for Tina Fey, and a return nomination for Mary Louise Parker and last year's winner Julia Louis Dreyfus.

Should Be Nominated:
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives
Eva Longoria, Desperate Housewives
Mary Louise Parker, Weeds

Will Be Nominated:
Julia Louis Dreyfus, New Adventures of Old Christine
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives
Mary Louise Parker, Weeds

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy
This category is packed full of deserving fellows, including the boys from Entourage and most of the cast of both The Office and Scrubs. With all of the competition, will Neil Patrick Harris get recognized for his hysterical work on How I Met Your Mother?

Should Be Nominated:
Kevin Connolly, Entourage
Donald Faison, Scrubs
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Justin Kirk, Weeds
John Krasinski, The Office

Will Be Nominated:
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Justin Kirk, Weeds
John Krasinski, The Office
Jeremy Piven, Entourage

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Several of the ladies from Ugly Betty could hear their names called on July 19th (Vanessa Williams, Becki Newton, and Rebecca Romaijn, among them), but will Nicolette Sheridan get her first-ever nomination? How about Scrubs' hysterical Judy Reyes, or The Office's Jenna Fischer and Melora Hardin?

Should Be Nominated:
Jenna Fischer, The Office
Becki Newton, Ugly Betty
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
Judy Reyes, Scrubs
Nicolette Sheridan, Desperate Housewives

Will Be Nominated:
Jenna Fischer, The Office
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
Jamie Pressley, My Name is Earl
Nicolette Sheridan, Desperate Housewives
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty

Click to read Predicting the Emmy Nominations: The Dramas

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