While fans of scripted television will be arguing over Emmys snubs for the next month, late night television viewers might be shocked to see that the elder statesmen of the late hours were both shut out. David Letterman, who is leaving The Late Show sometime next year, and Jay Leno, who has already left The Tonight Show, both missed out on nominations.
The nominees this year for Outstanding Variety Series category does include The Tonight Show, but the TV Academy acknowledged Jimmy Fallon as the host. The only other network late night talk show nominated is ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!. They will be competing with Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO), Saturday Night Live (NBC), The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) and the show hosted by Letterman’s replacement, The Colbert Report (Comedy Central).
Even in the technical variety categories, both hosts’ shows were shut out. Fallon’s Tonight Show did get Directing and Writing nods, but that won’t make Leno happy.
It’s possible that the Emmys voters are looking to honor Letterman next year, but they clearly didn’t care for giving Leno a goodbye party. Stephen Colbert was named Letterman’s replacement in April, but CBS has not set a date for his tenure as Late Night host will start.
Last year, Colbert’s show won both the Writing and Series statues, ending The Daily Show’s streak.
Craig Ferguson’s The Late Late Show was also shut out.
Letterman’s probably not complaining about the snub, though. He does have five Emmys. Leno only won once for The Tonight Show, and that was back in 1995.
You can check out the other Emmy nominees here. The ceremony is set for Aug. 25 on NBC.
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