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‘Modern Family’ or ‘Glee’ for the Emmys?

Out and up for an Emmy: openly gay actor Chris Colfer, nominated for his supporting role as Kurt Hummel on Glee, performs in the “Laryngitis” episode of the series that was acknowledged with a whopping 19 nominations.

Pick a team!
by Donalevan Maines

Other out actors vying for an Emmy Award in the supporting-role category include Neil Patrick Harris for “How I Met Your Mother.”

This year’s Emmy Awards are an embarrassment of riches for LGBT television fans. Leading the big parade with a high-kicking 19 nominations is Glee, a show heaven-sent for queens who can summon a show-tune for any occasion. Hard on its heels, Modern Family boasts 14 nominations in the race for Best Comedy Series.

Three openly gay actors are vying for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel in Glee), Neil Patrick Harris (Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother), and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Mitchell Pritchett in Modern Family). Their competition includes two of Ferguson’s co-stars, Eric Stonestreet as Mitchell’s partner Cameron

Jesse Tyler Ferguson — also out — was nominated for supporting-role Emmy for "Modern Family."

Tucker, and Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy, along with last year’s winner Jon Cryer as Alan Harper in the tired-but-true Two and a Half Men.

Out actress Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester in Glee) is nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, in competition with Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy and Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in Modern Family. Lynch also scored a nod for her guest appearance as Dr. Linda Freeman in anepisode of that same tired-but-true Two and a Half Men. That category includes gay fave Kristin Chenoweth as April Rhodes in Glee’s “The Rhodes Not Taken.” Glee stars Matthew Morrison

Jane Lynch garnered a Best Supporting Actress nomination for 'Glee.'

(Will Schuester) and Lea Michele (Rachel Berry) compete for best actor Emmys in their respective categories.

Among other Glee nominees are the show’s out creator Ryan Murphy, who wrote and directed the pilot, and openly gay director Paris Barclay, who directed the episode in which Kurt comes out to his father. As Burt Hummel, Mike O’Malley is nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, along with Neil Patrick Harris as Bryan Ryan in the “Dream On” installment of Glee, Fred Willard as Frank Dunphy on Modern Family, and Will Arnett as openly gay Devin Banks on 30 Rock, winner of Best Comedy Series for three years running.

Multiple Emmy-winner Lily Tomlin is nominated for her dramatic supporting role on FX’s “Damages.”

Lily Tomlin is up for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her searing portrayal of tragic Marilyn Tobin on Damages. Also nominated in that category is Ann-Margret for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the series for which comedian Kathy Griffin lobbied unsuccessfully for a nomination. However, Griffin did land another nomination for her series My Life on the D-List, once again recognized in the category of Outstanding Reality Program.

Out comedian Wanda Sykes is nominated for her comedy special, Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me, which found laughs in her experiences as a recently married lesbian raising a family.

Alan Cumming is a nominee for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama

Wanda Sykes, a multiple Emmy winner, is nominated for her comedy special “Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me.”

Series for his portrayal of Eli Gold on The Good Wife. It’s also nominated for Best Drama Series, which Mad Men has won on the past two outings.

Sir Ian McKellen vies for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his performance as Two in The Prisoner. McKellen won the Emmy last year asKing Lear.

In addition, Ryan Seacrest is nominated for (as Kathy Griffin would say) “her” hosting duties on American Idol.

The 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will air live Sunday, August 29, at 7 p.m. on NBC. At the helm will be comedian, writer, and talk show host Jimmy Fallon (NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon). Fallon says, “Hosting the Emmys has been a dream of mine ever since they told me I was doing it.”

Donalevan Maines also writes about Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in this issue of OutSmart.

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Don Maines

Donalevan Maines is a regular contributor to OutSmart Magazine.

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