Ryan Seacrest got it right at Sunday night’s Emmy awards.
The first-time host acted as ringmaster but let the presenters, winners — and some surprises — have the spotlight.
“The Sopranos” win for best drama was not a surprise. But its stars, James Gandolfini and Edie Falco, didn’t take home trophies as expected.
James Spader brought up the mob drama when he accepted his best actor/drama award for “Boston Legal.”
“I feel like I just stole a pile of money from the mob. And they’re all sitting over there,” Spader said, pointing to “The Sopranos” cast seated behind him.
Sally Field beat out Falco as best actress/drama for “Brothers & Sisters,” and she gave the censors a run for their money with her speech, which was cut. It was one of several moments in the show that Fox censors blacked out.
The stars and presenters pumped some unexpected fun moments into the show.
Presenter Katherine Heigl, who plays Izzie Stevens on “Grey’s Anatomy,” corrected the announcer when her name was mispronounced. “It’s Heigl,” the actress said.
When Heigl returned to the stage to accept her best supporting actress/drama Emmy, she thanked the announcer “for getting my name right.” The crowd laughed.
“My own mother told me I didn’t have a shot in hell of winning tonight, so I don’t really have anything prepared. But she’s a really big supporter. She does love me,” Heigl said. “This is my dream come true. I’ve been doing this for 17 years.”
Terry O’Quinn of “Lost” was a surprise winner for best supporting actor/drama.
“Sometimes when we’re rolling around in the jungle in the mud, hitting each other and stabbing each other, I wonder what it would be like to bake up a sheet of cookies on Wisteria Lane and get one of their checks,” O’Quinn said, referring to “Desperate Housewives.”
Jeremy Piven of “Entourage” won again for best supporting actor/comedy. “I want to thank our entire crew,” he said. “I don’t know any of their names.”
