It's Saturday night, so here are the 15 Emmy nominations for 'Saturday Night Live'

For National Presidential Joke Day, I presented the variety talk show nominees at the Emmy Awards. I could just as easily have written about the variety sketch series nominees, as they also make jokes about President Trump. On that note, here are the nominations for Saturday Night Live and its competitors in that category from Wikipedia.

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO)
Drunk History (Comedy Central)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Last year, "Saturday Night Live" led sketch variety series nominees with 18 Emmy nominations. This year, it has 15. In contrast, both "A Black Lady Sketch Show" and "Drunk History" have three and "At Home with Amy Sedaris" has one, which was not in this category. That's something of a snub. The favorite is SNL, which won six Emmy Awards last year, including this category, and the year before, so I expect the result will be the same; SNL will win.

SNL also has supporting acting nominations, which will be awarded at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Mahershala Ali as Sheikh Ali Malik on Ramy (Episode: "Little Omar") (Hulu)
Alan Arkin as Norman Newlander on The Kominsky Method (Episode: "Chapter 14: A Secret Leaks, a Teacher Speaks") (Netflix)
Andre Braugher as Captain Ray Holt on Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Episode: "Ransom") (NBC)
Sterling K. Brown as Reggie on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Panty Pose") (Prime Video)
William Jackson Harper as Chidi Anagonye on The Good Place (Episode: "Whenever You're Ready") (NBC)
Dan Levy as David Rose on Schitt's Creek (Episode: "Happy Ending") (Pop TV)
Tony Shalhoub as Abe Weissman on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Marvelous Radio") (Prime Video)
Kenan Thompson as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "At Home #2") (NBC)

Last year, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" swept the supporting and guest acting categoris for comedies, so Tony Shalhoub is the nominal favorite. Two things work against it repeating, both here and in the next category. First, the series has two nominees that could split the vote, returning winner Shalhoub and former drama winner Sterling K. Brown. Only if the voters think one is clearly better and settle on him will it help one of them win. Second, this was the final season of "Schitt's Creek," which will only help Dan Levy. Other strong contenders are two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali and Oscar winner Alan Arkin. One of them will win, leaving both Kenan Thompson and my personal favorite, William Jackson Harper of "The Good Place," which also had its final season, out in the cold. Phooey and sorry.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Alex Borstein as Susie Myerson on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Marvelous Radio") (Prime Video)
D'Arcy Carden as Janet on The Good Place (Episode: "You've Changed, Man") (NBC)
Betty Gilpin as Debbie "Liberty Bell" Eagan on GLOW (Episode: "A Very GLOW Christmas") (Netflix)
Marin Hinkle as Rose Weissman on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "A Jewish Girl Walks Into the Apollo...") (Prime Video)
Kate McKinnon as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Daniel Craig") (NBC)
Annie Murphy as Alexis Rose on Schitt's Creek (Episode: "The Presidential Suite") (Pop TV)
Yvonne Orji as Molly Carter on Insecure (Episode: "Lowkey Lost") (HBO)
Cecily Strong as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Eddie Murphy") (NBC)

Alex Borstein won last year and the year before, so she's the favorite. She competed against Marin Hinkle last year as well, so I'm not worried about vote splitting. She also doesn't have to contend with Oscar winner Olivia Colman. My guess for strongest competition for Borstein is Annie Murphy as Alexis Rose in "Schitt's Creek" for the same reason I think Dan Levy is a strong contender for supporting actor in a comedy series; the series has ended. As for the rest of the field, it's also strong. I'm happy D'Arcy Carden earned a nomination for playing Janet on "The Good Place," but that's as far as it goes. I'm also happy Cecily Strong earned a slot alongside repeat nominee and past winner Kate McKinnon. She played both Tulsi Gabbard and Jeanine Pirro in the same episode, clips from which I included in SNL has fun with the December Democratic debate and impeachment. Both performances were hilarious.

Now for the acting nominations recognized at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

Adam Driver as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Adam Driver") (NBC)
Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "It's Comedy or Cabbage") (Prime Video)
Eddie Murphy as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Eddie Murphy") (NBC)
Dev Patel as Joshua on Modern Love (Episode: "When Cupid Is a Prying Journalist") (Prime Video)
Brad Pitt as Dr. Anthony Fauci on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "SNL at Home #2") (NBC)
Fred Willard as Frank Dunphy on Modern Family (Episode: "Legacy") (ABC)

SNL has three nominees in this category, Adam Driver, Eddie Murphy, and Brad Pitt. The two strongest are Murphy and Pitt, whose nominated performance I used to open SNL at Home on last week's coronavirus news. That alone is enough to get me to root for him. However, he has tough competition. Luke Kirby won for playing Lenny Bruce on "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" last year, so he's the nominal favorite. Also, Fred Willard passed away, so he might earn a sympathy vote in tribute. Dev Patel is also a talented actor, so I have to mention him.

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

Angela Bassett as Mo on A Black Lady Sketch Show (Episode: "Angela Bassett Is the Baddest B***h") (HBO)
Bette Midler as Hadassah Gold on The Politician (Episode: "Vienna") (Netflix)
Maya Rudolph as The Judge on The Good Place (Episode: "You've Changed, Man") (NBC)
Maya Rudolph as Senator Kamala Harris on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Eddie Murphy") (NBC)
Wanda Sykes as Moms Mabley on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "A Jewish Girl Walks Into the Apollo...") (Prime Video)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Phoebe Waller-Bridge") (NBC)

On the one hand, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" won this category last year. On the other, the Emmy went to a different actress in a different role, so I'm not considering Wanda Sykes as Moms Mabley to be the nominal favorite, as talented as Sykes is. That means that someone else actually has a good shot at winning. My personal favorite is Maya Rudolph as The Judge on "The Good Place," but she also earned a nomination for playing Kamala Harris crashing the December Democratic debate. I'd prefer her winning as The Judge, but I'll take her carrying home an Emmy for either performance. I just hope vote-splitting doesn't hurt her chances.

As for the rest of the competition, it's pretty stiff. Phoebe Waller-Bridge won last year as an actress, producer, and writer for "Fleabag," so she's a contender, although her roles on SNL were not as memorable as Rudolph's Harris. This is the second Emmy nomination this season for Oscar nominee Angela Bassett, the other being for Outstanding Narrator. Finally, Bette Midler is a two-time Oscar nominee and multiple Grammy winner. I can't count any of them out.

Follow over the jump for the rest of SNL's nominations.

Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming

Dancing with the Stars (Episode: "Halloween Night") (ABC)
Drunk History (Episode: "Fame") (Comedy Central)
The Masked Singer (Episode: "The Season Kick-Off Mask-Off: Group A") (Fox)
RuPaul's Drag Race (Episode: "I'm That Bitch") (VH1)
Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Eddie Murphy") (NBC)

"RuPaul's Drag Race" has won this category three years in a row, so I consider it to be the favorite. As for the sketch variety nominees, I would actually favor "Drunk History," which split this category in 2015 with Katy Perry's Super Bowl Halftime Performance, over SNL.

Here's a category I forgot to include in For National Presidential Joke Day, I present the variety talk show nominees at the Emmy Awards — oops!

Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Series

America's Got Talent (Episode: "Live Results Finale") (NBC)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (Episode: "Jimmy Kimmel Live in Brooklyn - Jason Alexander, Tracy Morgan, John Krasinski, Paul Shaffer, and Music from Kanye West") (ABC)
Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: John Mulaney") (NBC)
So You Think You Can Dance (Episode: "Finale") (Fox)
The Voice (Episode: "Live Finale") (NBC)

SNL won this category last year and the year before, so I consider it to be the favorite. It's strongest competition would "The Voice," which won four and five years ago. As for "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" I now count three for the show proper plus a fourth for the show's short form spinoff.

Outstanding Music Direction

Rickey Minor for The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
Sheila E., Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince (CBS)
Rickey Minor for The Oscars (ABC)
Lenny Pickett, Eli Brueggemann and Leon Pendarvis for Saturday Night Live (Episode: "SNL At Home #1") (NBC)
Adam Wayne Blackstone for Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show Starring Jennifer Lopez and Shakira (Fox)

The history of this category shows that music specials usually win its award with "Fosse/Verdon" taking home the Emmy last year being an exception that proves the rule. Based on that, I'd pick "The Grammy Salute to Prince" as the favorite, "The Kennedy Center Honors" for second, and the Super Bowl halftime show as the spoiler.

Here's another category I forgot to include in For National Presidential Joke Day, I present the variety talk show nominees at the Emmy Awards — oops, again!

Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Competition Series

At Home with Amy Sedaris (Episodes: "Outdoor Entertaining", "Travel") (truTV)
Drunk History (Episode: "Bad Blood") (Comedy Central)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Episode: "Episode 629") (HBO)
Queer Eye (Episode: "We're in Japan!: The Ideal Woman") (Netflix)
Saturday Night Live (Episodes: "Host: Eddie Murphy", "Host: John Mulaney") (NBC)

SNL won this award both times in its current form and also in its previous incarnation as Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Series. It's the favorite and it helps that the last show to beat it, "Portlandia," is no longer airing new episodes.

The last nominations today are the ones I already covered in For National Presidential Joke Day, I present the variety talk show nominees at the Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series

Dime Davis, A Black Lady Sketch Show (Episode: "Born at Night, But Not Last Night") (HBO)
David Paul Meyer, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Episode: "Dr. Fauci Answers Trevor's Questions About Coronavirus") (Comedy Central)
Paul Pennolino and Christopher Werner, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Episode: "Episode 629") (HBO)
Jim Hoskinson, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (Episode: "Live Show; Chris Christie; Nathaniel Rateliff") (CBS)
Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Eddie Murphy") (NBC)
Linda Mendoza, Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready (Episode: "Flame Monroe") (Netflix)

SNL won this award last year and the two years before that, so I expect they will win it again.

Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Series

Curb Your Enthusiasm (Episode: "The Spite Store") (HBO)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (Episode: "Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Brooklyn") (ABC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Episode: "Episode 629") (HBO)
Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Woody Harrelson") (NBC)
The Voice (Episode: "Live Finale") (NBC)

"Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" won this category last year, so I consider it the nominal favorite, although I really think SNL could sneak past it.

Since I already described SNL's chances, I don't have to add anything except this image summarizing all the categories excluding acting in which SNL earned nominations this year.


I close with a fan upload of the musical guest from the episode nominated for Outstanding Music Direction, Shelter from the Storm - Coldplay's Chris Martin.



I'm shifting focus to the Television Critics Assocation Awards for tomorrow's Sunday Entertainment feature. Stay tuned.

Previous posts about the 2020 Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards

• Kerry Washington promotes 'The Fight,' a documentary about the ACLU's legal battles with the Trump Administration
• Sandy Hook Promise's 'Back-To-School Essentials' and P&G's 'The Look' among Emmy nominees for Outstanding Commercial
• 'Tiger King' vs. 'McMillion$' — big cats and true crime at the Emmy Awards for World Lion Day
• For National Presidential Joke Day, I present the variety talk show nominees at the Emmy Awards
• 'The Cave' vs. 'American Factory' — Oscar nominees and other documentaries at the Emmy Awards
• 'Short Treks,' '#FreeRayshawn,' and 'Reno 911!' — government in short form at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards