Sunday, July 31, 2022

Colbert examines Manchin agreeing to the reconciliation bill that would fight climate change

Stephen Colbert had good news and bad in his last monologue of July, Manchin, Schumer Reveal Washington's Best Kept Secret | Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich Prices Spike.

Senate Democrats announced a surprise deal that would lower health care costs, reduce the deficit and combat climate change, and New York City residents are on edge as inflation has nearly doubled the price of a beloved bodega staple.
The good news is that Joe Manchin agreed to a bill that would fight climate change, making it possible to follow the IPCC roadmap to fix climate change. Even better, he helped the Senate Democrats bypass Mitch McConnell, who prides himself on being the Grim Reaper for progressive legislation. I just hope Kyrsten Sinema doesn't gum up the works. The bad news, well, inflation and a possible recession. At least they made for good comedy.

The week also began with a monologue about climate change, It's Really Hot, But Al Gore Says It Could Get Worse | Josh Hawley Says He Won't Run Away (Again).

Former almost-president Al Gore issued a stark warning about the consequences of not acting to clean up the Earth's atmosphere, and Republican Senator Josh Hawley made a laughable claim at a meeting of conservatives last weekend.
That was grim, but at least we're doing something about climate change now. Also, I should have known I would enjoy the news that Steve Bannon convicted of two counts of contempt of Congress even more as comedy.

I could share a lot more from Colbert's show last week, but I need to fulfill the promise I made yesterday, "Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment feature, when I plan on continuing my series on the 2022 Emmy nominees." Follow over the jump to read about the Emmy nominations for "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and "Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News."

I begin this section with the nominations for both of Stephen Colbert's shows from 74th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards beginning with the nomination for "Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News."

Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series
Carpool Karaoke: The Series (Apple TV+)
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson (Netflix)
Late Night with Seth Meyers: CORRECTIONS (YouTube)
The Randy Rainbow Show (YouTube)
Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News (Paramount+)
While I'm rooting for "Tooning Out the News, clips of which I've embedded in my blog entries before, I have a soft spot for "The Randy Rainbow Show," which has been nominated for this category and its predecessor Outstanding Short Form Variety Series the past three years. I would like an independent YouTube creator winning against a field of network and streaming shows and spinoffs. It's not going to happen, as "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" this and its predecessor category the past four years and I expect it will win again. As consolation, I'm embedding Highlights from Tooning Out the News Season 2.

A look back at the newsiest, ratings-grabbiest moments from Season 2 of Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News. Stream the whole season now, only on Paramount+.
Looks like it was a great season. Looking forward to the next one.

Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Competition Series (Area) A Black Lady Sketch Show: "Anybody Have Something I Can Flog Myself With?" – Cindy Chao, Michele Yu, and Lizzie Boyle (HBO/HBO Max)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: "Colbert's "Lord of the Rings" Rap Celebrates 20 Years of The Greatest Trilogy in Movie History" – Jim Fenhagen, Larry Hartman, Brendan Hurley, and Riley Mellon (CBS)
Queer Eye: "Angel Gets Her Wings" – Thomas Rouse and Josh Smith (Netflix)
RuPaul's Drag Race: "Catwalk" – Gianna Costa and Allison Spain (VH1)
Saturday Night Live: "Host: Kim Kardashian" – Eugene Lee, Akira Yoshimura, Keith Ian Raywood, N. Joseph DeTullio, and Melissa Shakun (NBC)
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" is the only variety talk show nominated in this category, competing against the two nominees for variety sketch series and the top nominees for structured reality show and competition show. While that means that this episode had the best production design of all the variety talk shows, beating out "Last Week Tonight," which earned a nomination in this category last year but not this year, I doubt that will be enough. "Saturday Night Live" has won this award five years in a row and I expect it will win it again.
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special (Area)
Adele One Night Only – Paul Wittman, Tom Elmhirst, Eric Schilling, Josh Morton, Kristian Pedregon, Shane O'Connor, and Christian Schrader (CBS)
The 64th Annual Grammy Awards – Thomas Holmes, John Harris, Eric Schilling, Christian Schrader, Eric Johnston, Josh Morton, Ron Reaves, Jeffrey Michael Peterson, Mike Parker, Tom Pesa, Juan Pablo Velasco, and Aaron Walk (CBS)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: "First Show Back with an Audience, Dana Carvey as Joe Biden, Interview with Jon Stewart, and Jon Batiste Performs "Freedom"" – Pierre de Laforcade, Harvey Goldberg, Alan Bonomo, and Tom Herrmann (CBS)
The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent – Thomas Holmes, Alex Guessard, Dave Natale, Tom Pesa, Christian Schrader, and Pablo Munguia (NBC)
Saturday Night Live: "Host: John Mulaney" – Robert Palladino, Ezra Matychak, Bob Selitto, Frank J. Duca Jr., Caroline Sanchez, Josiah Gluck, Tyler McDiarmid, Douglas Nightwine, William Taylor, Devin Emke, Eric Pfeifer, and Andrew Guastella (NBC)
Again, "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" is the only variety talk show nominated in this category, competing against "Saturday Night Live" and three variety specials, all of which feature music. I think of those three will win. I might pick my favorite when I look at variety specials.

Now for the categories I examined in John Oliver examines inflation plus 'Last Week Tonight's Emmy nominations.


First, the show's two nominations at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO/HBO Max)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
"Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" no longer has the most nominations all by itself, which it did for five consecutive years. Both it and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" have five nominations. Add in the spinoff "Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News," which "The Late Show" features on its YouTube channel, and Colbert has six, breaking the tie. While "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" has four nominations for the main show, two of its spinoffs have nominations as well for a total of six. "Late Night with Seth Meyers" finally earned a nomination in this category along with one more for the main show and another for a spinoff, a total of three. "Jimmy Kimmel Live" rounds out the field with a nomination in just this category. Despite its competition earning as many if not more nominations, "Last Week Tonight" is the six-time returning winner, so I think it's still the favorite.
On the one hand, this is the best year so far for "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," so it's the best chance for it to win. On the other, its best probably won't be good enough, despite my entries featuring Colbert's show beating "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" last year. On the other, as I noted below, my readers are not members of the Television Academy, as far as I know, so they're not the ones voting. Electorates matter.
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO/HBO Max)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO/HBO Max)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
The three top variety talk nominees along with both of the variety sketch nominees earned nominations in this category. While my readers have voted with their page views for "Saturday Night Live" over "Last Week Tonight" during the past year, they're not the Emmy voters, who have awarded the writers for "Last Week Tonight" the Emmy statuette the past six years. I still think that will happen again. Remember, electorates matter.
Colbert's writers really have done great work, possibly their best, this past season, they still haven't surpassed Oliver's.
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show: "Save My Edges, I'm a Donor!" – Bridget Stokes (HBO/HBO Max)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: "Union Busting" – Paul Pennolino and Christopher Werner (HBO/HBO Max)
Late Night with Seth Meyers: "Episode 1252" – Alexander J. Vietmeier (NBC)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: "Artistic Musical Performance by Chance the Rapper; Monologue: Ukraine & Russian War, January 6 Committee Evidence on Trump & Donald Jr.; Guest Beanie Feldstein" – Jim Hoskinson (CBS)
Saturday Night Live: "Host: Billie Eilish" – Don Roy King and Liz Patrick (NBC)
"Saturday Night Live" has won this award four times in a row, so I consider it the favorite this year as well. Sorry, "Last Week Tonight."
Also, sorry, "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

Stay tuned as I continue examining the Emmy nominees with the categories recognizing "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah," possibly as early as tomorrow.

Previous posts about the 2022 Emmy Awards

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