‘Mad Men,’ ‘Damages’ make Emmy history

Nods for comedy series lead actors went to Tony Shalhoub for “Monk,” Steve Carrell, “The Office,” Lee Pace, “Pushing Daisies,” Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock” and Charlie Sheen, “Two And A Half Men.”

Ryan Seacrest, host of top-rated series “American Idol” made the cut in the new category of best host for a reality or reality-competition show. Other nominees were Tom Bergeron of “Dancing with the Stars,” Howie Mandel of “Deal or No Deal,” Heidi Klum of “Project Runway” and Jeff Probst of “Survivor.”

“I’m thrilled that they’ve added this category, and thrilled to be part of this virgin group, if you will,” Bergeron said.

Nominees in the top categories for the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences by Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris and TV academy Chairman John Shaffner.

Shaffner surprised Harris and Chenoweth at the end of the telecast by announcing supporting-actor nominations for each. Chenoweth, of “Pushing Daisies,” stood open-jawed, while Harris, the regular scene-stealer of “How I Met Your Mother,” pumped his fist and said, “Nice!”

The trio then blew out candles on a birthday cake to celebrate the Emmys’ 60th anniversary.

Harris later joked about “shvitzing,” or sweating, in his grey pin-striped suit while surrounded by a crush of reporters. Otherwise, the actor seemed happy but calm about his Emmy nod.

“There’s not a lot of weight on this,” he told The Associated Press. “You don’t get nominated, you don’t get fired or anything. But this turned out nice.”

Harris also kidded about his easy rapport onstage with Chenoweth, whose seemingly off-the-cuff quips injected some life into the normally dull telecast.

“We dated for years and years,” joked the actor, who came out as gay to People magazine in 2006.

Besides ABC’s 76 nods, the broadcast networks tallies were CBS, 51 nominations; NBC, 50 and Fox, 28. PBS had 33 bids, while AMC garnered 20 bids.

The Emmy Awards ceremony will be held Sept. 21 and broadcast on ABC. Other Emmy honors, including those for technical achievement and guest actors and actresses in series, will be given at the creative arts ceremony on Sept. 13.

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