For the first time in the sixty years of existence, the Emmy Awards will be honoring five of the nation's most outstanding reality TV hosts. Among those nominees announced earlier this month are
Ryan Seacrest for FOX's
American Idol, Tom Bergeron for ABC's
Dancing with the Stars, Howie Mandel for NBC's
Deal or NO Deal,
Heidi Klum for Bravo's
Project Runway and
Jeff Probst for CBS'
Survivor. Aside from vying for the first ever Emmy for Outstanding Host For a Reality Or Reality-Competition Program, the nominees will be hosting the Emmy Awards night on September 21st at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, marking the first time that a group of individuals under one nomination category will be hosting the show.
"We're excited by the addition of this new category, as it reflects the broad appeal of reality television, and think it will be one of the most competitive moments of the night," Senior Vice President for Alternative Series, Specials and Late Night, ABC Entertainment Vicki Dummer told Reality TV Website. "We're thrilled to see these hosts' roles and talent recognized, and look forward to watching them do what they do best on Emmy night."
Moreover, Chairman and CEO for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, John Shaffner points out that "Reality television has grown exponentially over the past five years and it is now a bona fide programming sector. The Television Academy's decision to add this category is a reflection of the importance of this genre, and we are delighted with the Television Academy's choice of nominees."
Howie Mandel, the 52-year-old stand-up comedian who was discovered at amateur night at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, later rose to fame in the series St. Elsewhere, playing Dr. Wayne Fiscus for six years. His other notable appearances include those in Bobby's World, Little Monsters, and his voice work as Gizmo in Gremlins. More recently, Mandel appeared as a guest on series such as
Monk,
Medium and
My Name is Earl.
Howie Mandel will return to host NBC's
Deal or No Deal in the competition's fourth season, which begins on August 25th.
-Valerie Anne del Castillo, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source:
LA Times,
RealityTV Website
(Photo courtesy of NBC)