Emmy Nominations: Big Suprises

WENN

Neil Patrick Harris and Kristen Chenoweth were on announcing duty this morning at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards nominations.

Cute set-up: The two actors found out they'd each scored supporting-actor nods, Harris for How I Met Your Mother and Chenoweth for Pushing Daisies.

HBO execs had reason to sulk, as the premium cable channel—which once dominated the awards with The Soparanos, Six Feet Under and Sex and the City—was overshadowed by underdogs like AMC's Mad Men and FX's Damages. Both Jon Hamm and Glenn Close were nominated in the lead dramatic actor categories for Men and Damages, respectively.

Last year's best comedy series winner, 30 Rock, lead sitcoms nominees with 17 total nominations, including a best comedy series actress bid for Tina Fey.

The Academy gave props to unscripted personalities with a new category, best host for a reality or reality-competition show. Project Runway's Heidi Klum and American Idol's Ryan Seacrest will duke it with Tom Bergeron, Howie Mandel and Jeff Probst.

The Emmy Awards will air September 21 on ABC, the network which, incidentally has the most nods, with 76.

LIST OF MAJOR NOMINATIONS:

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Steve Carell, The Office
Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Charlie Sheen, Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

James Spader, Boston Legal
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Hugh Laurie, House
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures Of Old Christine
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Glenn Close, Damages
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Rainn Wilson, The Office
Jon Cryer, Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

William Shatner, Boston Legal
Ted Danson, Damages
Zeljko Ivanek, Damages
Michael Emerson, Lost
John Slattery, Mad Me

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program

Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With The Stars
Howie Mandel, Deal Or No Deal
Heidi Klum, Project Runway
Jeff Probst, Survivor

Outstanding Comedy Series

Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock
Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Drama Series

Boston Legal     
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men