For Emmys, networks have the right sense of humor (AP)

LOS ANGELES – With "Mad Men," "Boardwalk Empire" and other prestige series, cable ruled the Emmy nominations for drama. But broadcast networks got the last laugh with their sitcoms.

Of the six nominees for best drama series only one, CBS' "The Good Wife," is a network program. Of the half-dozen comedy series contenders, all air on networks.

Members of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences clearly favored sitcom tradition in Thursday's nominations. "Modern Family," "The Office" and other broadcast shows have a more purely comic bent and err on the good-natured side of satire. Cable comedies are increasingly, in a word, mordant: Think Showtime's "The Big C," about a cancer-stricken woman.

"There was a heyday of comedies on cable like `Sex and the City,' but now it's broadcast" that dominates the genre for Emmy voters, said Tom O'Neil, editor of the award websites goldderby.com and theenvelope.com.

The lack of cable comedy bids may represent "a bit of a backlash" against the hybrid comedy-drama, O'Neil said.

It also underscores the sitcom's resurgence on broadcast TV, which seemed to lose its comic touch as hits such as "Friends" and "Seinfeld" faded into memory and weren't replaced.

A winning new crop is now emerging, including ABC's "Modern Family" and its clever take on what family has come to mean. Crowned best comedy series after its freshman season, it received 17 nominations this time around. Nods also went to NBC's "Parks and Recreation," "The Office" and "30 Rock," CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" and Fox's "Glee."

They've yet to break into lofty ratings territory — only one comedy, CBS' former Charlie Sheen vehicle "Two and a Half Men," cracks the Nielsen top 20 — but they're generating buzz and gaining momentum.

"OK, keep it together," a surprised nominations co-announcer Melissa McCarthy said Thursday when she realized she was a nominee herself for "Mike & Molly."

While cable comedies were overlooked, their stars weren't. Edie Falco, who was named best actress in a comedy last year for Showtime's "Nurse Jackie," was nominated again. Laura Linney scored a bid for "The Big C" and Louis C.K. earned a best comedy actor bid for his FX Networks show "Louie."

Given broadcasters fixation on franchise crime dramas such as "CSI"and "NCIS," it's unsurprising that cable's daring, unique (and often awash in nudity and violence) series dominate the Emmys.

Besides handing AMC's "Mad Men" 19 nominations and a shot at a fourth consecutive best drama series trophy, the academy gave fistfuls of bids to HBO's wild Prohibition-era series "Boardwalk Empire" (18) and fantasy saga "Game of Thrones" (13). Other best drama cable nominees are DirecTV's "Friday Night Lights" and Showtime's "Dexter."

"The Good Wife" had to be really good to wrestle a spot. It received eight other nominations, including one for star Julianna Margulies.

The period melodrama "Mildred Pierce," starring Kate Winslet and based on the 1941 James M. Cain novel, grabbed a top 21 bids, including best miniseries or movie in the new category that combines both formats.

Also in the category is the miniseries "The Kennedys," which was dropped by the History channel and given a second chance by lesser-known ReelzChannel. It received 10 nominations, including best miniseries and, among its acting bids, one for the critically lauded Barry Pepper as Robert Kennedy.

There was room for fresh faces, including best drama actress nominee Mireille Enos of AMC's "The Killing" and best drama actor Timothy Olyphant of FX Networks' "Justified."

And there were longtime favorites as well, most notably Betty White. The 89-year-old wonder nabbed a best supporting actress bid for the sitcom "Hot in Cleveland." If she wins, it would be her eighth Emmy.

"I am so thrilled. How lucky can an old broad be?" White said by phone a few minutes after her agent woke her. "I wasn't even thinking about the nominations because I didn't even think there was a chance."

Jon Hamm of "Mad Men" received his fourth nomination and another chance to convert one to a win. Although three-time winner Bryan Cranston is out of the running because "Breaking Bad" took a breather, Steve Buscemi, a Golden Globe winner for "Boardwalk Empire" is among the formidable competitors.

Emmy voters have a chance to flaunt their risk-taking side with "Game of Thrones," given the usual resistance to rewarding genre shows such as fantasy or science fiction. The series based on the George R.R. Martin novels scored a best drama nod but only a single acting bid, for Peter Dinklage in a supporting role.

HBO received the most nominations, 104, more than double second-place CBS' 50. NBC has 46 bids; PBS, 43; Fox, 42; ABC, 40; AMC, 29; Showtime, 21.

The nominations were announced by McCarthy and Joshua Jackson of "Fringe" at academy offices. The Emmy Awards are scheduled to air Sept. 18 on Fox, with "Glee" star and nominee Jane Lynch hosting.

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AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang contributed to this report.

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Cattrall, 'Kids Are All Right' win GLAAD awards (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO – Kim Cattrall and "The Kids Are All Right" were among the winners Saturday night at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's 22nd annual Media Awards.

The "Sex and the City" star was honored with the Golden Gate Award, which is presented to a media professional who has increased the visibility and understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

The Oscar-nominated family drama "The Kids Are All Right," starring Annette Bening and Julianne Moore as lesbian mothers, was awarded the outstanding film trophy at the GLAAD ceremony at the Marriott Marquis in San Francisco.

Other winners included "8: The Mormon Proposition" for documentary, Christian Chavez as Spanish-language music artist, Kara Swisher as local hero and AT&T as corporate leader.

The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Other awards were previously presented at ceremonies in New York on March 19 and Los Angeles on April 10. Those winners included Scissor Sisters as music artist, "Project Runway" for reality program, "True Blood" for drama, and "Modern Family" and "Glee" in a tie for comedy series.

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"Kids Are All Right," Kim Cattrall, honored by GLAAD (Reuters)

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – The lesbian family drama "The Kids Are All Right," about a couple whose lives are disrupted when their children seek out their sperm donor dad, won GLAAD's outstanding film award on Saturday.

The film, which was nominated for four Oscars earlier this year, starred Annette Bening, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo. Writer-director Lisa Cholodenko was on hand to accept the award from the U.S. gay campaign group.

"Sex and the City" star Kim Cattrall was honored with GLAAD's Golden Gate Award for increasing the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Other honorees on Saturday included the documentary "8: The Mormon Proposition," Spanish-language music artist Christian Chavez, and former Wall Street Journal columnist and author Kara Swisher. The corporate leader award went to telecoms company AT&T, which has LGBT inclusive policies for its employees.

The awards were presented at a ceremony in San Francisco hosted by "Glee" star Naya Rivera.

"Glee" tied with "Modern Family" for GLAAD's best TV comedy series award, given out ceremony in April in Los Angeles.

Saturday's ceremony wrapped up the 22nd annual media award season by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which recognizes TV shows, movies, journalists, musicians and bloggers that most fairly portray the LGBT community and the issues that affect them.

(Reporting by Zorianna Kit; Editing by Jill Serjeant)

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Katie Couric Was Right! Muslim-Americans Do Want Their Own TV Show

Katie Couric came under fire this month for suggesting a Muslim version of 'The Cosby Show' would go a long way in fixing America's ignorance about the Islamic faith.

"Maybe we need a Muslim version of 'The Cosby Show' ... I know that sounds crazy," Couric said on a web version of her show, while discussing the major stories from 2010. "But 'The Cosby Show' did so much to change attitudes about African-Americans in this country, and I think sometimes people are afraid of things they don't understand."

Critics were quick to call Couric's well-intentioned remarks simplistic and "bird-brained."

But Muslim and Arab writers, directors and actors say they see Couric's remarks as a stepping stone to tolerance and say the CBS news anchor gave them a platform they wouldn't have otherwise had to express their desire for more positive Muslim portrayals on scripted television. They're hoping her remarks will be the catalyst to make that happen.

"We want to see a typical Arab-American family that is just like every other family in America," said Arab-American comedian Dean Obeidallah, who has developed a pilot for Comedy Central. "Television has had the ability to demonize Muslims and Arabs, but we realize that it also has the ability to humanize us."

Couric's suggestion might not be as radical or as far off as her critics decried. In fact, Muslim-American writers say that broadcast and cable networks are starting to be more receptive to scripts prominently featuring both Arabs and practitioners of Islam. A decade-removed from the September 11th terrorist attacks, television may finally be ready to portray Muslim-Americans as more than terrorists and taxi cab drivers.

"Hollywood would definitely embrace a Muslim 'Cosby Show' with one caveat: It would have to be really good. It's the one factor that has linked shows about minorities like the 'Cosby Show' or even 'Will & Grace.' Currently, I believe Americans are open to any minority as long as the show speaks to universal human truths and makes them laugh," said Muslim-American Hollywood television and movie producer Tariq Jalil, the executive producer of the comedy 'Marmaduke.'

"From a network perspective, a show just needs to be socially responsible and pull in ratings. I don't think there's a single network that would turn down a good show that features Muslim-Americans as long as it brought in viewers."

Jalil says the atmosphere is right; the problem is more Muslims need to write this kind of material.

Wajahat Ali, a Muslim-American playwright and author, recently released a play about the familial drama and comedy of a Muslim-American family, called 'Domestic Crusaders,' through McSweeney's publishing imprint and has been tapped by HBO to write a pilot with bestselling author Dave Eggers about a Muslim-American police officer living in San Francisco. Ali says several theaters passed on producing 'Domestic Crusaders,' despite loving the script.

"There seems to be hesitation amongst artistic directors that the play, featuring all Pakistani-American characters, might not resonate with mainstream audiences. There is also a fear that the mere mention of a play about Muslim-Americans will generate controversy and backlash," Ali said.

But when he pitched his idea for a television pilot featuring a Muslim-American cop, HBO was very receptive.

"HBO has been great, but at the end of the day we have to acknowledge that the color that matters in Hollywood and show business is green. They need to be convinced that the story you are telling will be accessible to the mainstream audience to get their revenue," Ali said.

A Newsweek poll conducted in August showed 58 percent of Americans believe they don't know anyone who is Muslim. A television show won't entirely close that gap, but could go a long way toward making Americans feel like they know a Muslim. More than that, it could help Muslim-American children feel like their American counterparts know someone like them.

"For a Muslim-American child to see people who look like him or her, a normal family living in the U.S., will make them feel a genuine sense of acceptance. Talking to a child about the constitution and their rights will go right over their head, show them a 30-minute sitcom and they will understand tolerance, acceptance and even equality," said Linda Sarsour, director of the Arab American Association of New York and mother of three.

Playwright Aizzah Fatima, who wrote and performs the one-woman show 'Dirty Paki Lingerie' in New York City, just hopes such a program would combat the general ignorance about Islam that Couric was referring to. "Just as the Cosby show debunked stereotypes about African-Americans, so could a similar show do for Muslim-Americans. We are just like everyone else. Some of us are religious, and others aren't. We do not want to impose Islamic law or anything else on our neighbors of different faiths."

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