Steve Martin and This Year’s Other Top Comedy Emmy Snubs
If we were being fair to the Emmys, we’d acknowledge that each year there are more deserving comedy candidates than there are actual slots for nominees. But we’re not here to be fair. Really, Emmys, you going to do Steve Martin like that? To help you prepare your outraged tweets and threads, here are the most egregious snubs in each of the top comedy categories this year…
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Outstanding Comedy Series Snub: ‘Atlanta’
What’s especially surprising about Atlanta’s absence from this year’s Outstanding Comedy Series list is that it was the show’s final season. That’s usually how Emmy gets it done, sending shows like Schitt’s Creek off with their flowers before they settle into Netflix retirement. But no such luck for the last bow for Atlanta, which got a double-snub when Donald Glover was unexpectedly passed over for a nomination. The show will just have to live with its previous six wins and 26 nominations. Also missing in action: Last year’s nominee What We Do In the Shadows and the Jason Segel hit Shrinking.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Snub: Steve Martin
Last year, both Martin Short and Martin were recognized for their work in Only Murders in the Building. This year, only Short got the nod, which is going to make things a little awkward on their joint You Won’t Believe What They Look Like Today tour. Martin can console himself as one of the producers of Only Murders, which was once again nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Snub: Selena Gomez
Last year when did this exercise, we cried about Gomez being passed over for Outstanding Lead Actress. Aaaaaaand here we are again. Frankly, we thought last year’s wailing and gnashing of teeth over Gomez’s rebuff would practically ensure a make-right from Emmy voters this year. Nope — for some reason, there’s something about Mabel Mora that just isn’t vibing with the Television Academy.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Snub: Stephen Root
The final season of Barry was a killer — pun intended, we guess? — and Emmy voters concurred, granting nominations to the series and its performers Bill Hader, Anthony Carrigan and Henry Winkler. But Root, who won the whole dang category back in 2019 for his role as Monroe Fuches, couldn’t even sniff a nomination this time around. He’s got good company with other accomplished actors who deserved a nod this year, including Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Tony Shalhoub and Shrinking’s Harrison Ford.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Snub: Sarah Goldberg
What the heck does Goldberg have to do to get an Emmy nomination? Does it have anything to do with the fact that her excellent performance isn’t especially, you know, funny? Winkler and Carrigan play characters that provide occasional comic relief, which Goldberg did as well in earlier seasons as a narcissistic acting student. But as Barry has grown darker, so has her performance — and that’s the only reason we can think of for passing by Goldberg yet again. Like her fictional series Joplin, fantastic reviews just didn’t pay off.
