Freakin’ sweet

They tell you always to be careful when you're drinking so that your beverage doesn't end up choking you. That is useful and wise advice…provided, of course, you aren't startled by news you never expected to hear in mid-swallow.

That's precisely what happened in the midst of Thursday's announcement of the prime-time Emmy Award nominees. In went the coffee just at the moment that the Outstanding Comedy Series nominees, and in particular, Family Guy, were being revealed. Out went the coffee in a spit take worthy of Danny Thomas, father of Marlo and star of the sitcom, Make Room For Daddy.

Don't get me wrong. For years now, I've been telling people that Family Guy, the animated adventures of the Griffin family of Quahog, R.I., is the funniest, take no prisoners show on television. So, how the hell was I to believe that Emmy Award nominators, of all people, would actually listen? These are people, after all, who gave a nomination and then an Emmy to the late John Ritter for his seminal work as Jack Tripper on Three's Company.

But there was Family Guy, the first animated show to land a Best Comedy Series nomination in 48 years. Amazing stuff, this. Perhaps this portends a new, hipper day in the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Of course, this was the first step in the proverbial journey of a thousand miles, meaning the Academy ain't quite so hip yet. The nomination panel missed some good stuff along the way.

To wit:

*The wonderful Pushing Daisies deserved more than a Supporting Actress in a Comedy nomination for Kristen Chenowith as it pushes up daisies after it was cancelled by ABC.

*The Big Bang Theory should have joined Family Guy and How I Met Your Mother among the Comedy Series nominees. At least Jim Parsons, as the delightfully socially inhibited Sheldon, snared a Best Actor nomination.

*How in the name of all that is holy could Friday Night Lights be left out of the Outstanding Drama Series category? Again? And Connie Britton, who portrays Tami Taylor, turned in the most amazing single scene of work last season by an actress during an episode when she spoke frankly and honestly with her daughter about sex. And Kyle Chandler, as her husband, Coach Eric Taylor, was similarly brilliant in a scene where he spoke evenly, but firmly to the object of his daughter's lust, his starting quarterback. Yet, both were shut out of the acting categories.

*HBO's No.1 Ladies Detective Agency was apparently the only show on the pay channel not to get a major nomination, though CCH Pounder did snare a Guest Actress nod, and the show got a couple of minor nominations. The show, which stars singer Jill Scott, could use the attention a nomination and a win could provide.

*Tony Shaloub? William Shatner? Kyra Sedgwick? Charlie Sheen? Tina Fey? 30 Rock? Again? Really?

A big thumbs up for HBO's Generation Kill, which snagged 11 nominations. I know a very special person who slept a lot better Thursday night after that news came down. Way to go, K!