Ryan Seacrest

Ryan Seacrest is one of five hosts who will handle this weekend's Emmy ceremony.

Vince Bucci, Getty Images

It's almost time for the ceremony after the big week of buildup, so let's go over a few of the things to look for this weekend.

• The hosts. The ceremony will be co-hosted by the five (count them: five) nominees for best reality-show host. So on the one hand, you get people who are trained hosts, and on the other hand, you get people who are, in one case, Howie Mandel. Also on the docket: Survivor's self-important but weirdly endearing Jeff Probst, Dancing With The Stars' secret weapon Tom Bergeron, the inescapable Ryan Seacrest of American Idol, and Project Runway's Heidi Klum. (I will now pause while you do your impression of Heidi Klum saying, "I'm sorry, Two and a Half Men, you are out." Go ahead. Are you finished? Good.)

More things to look out for, after the jump ...

• The fashions. Red-carpet fashion is celebrity gossip for people who don't actually want to stalk anyone. America Ferrera (of Ugly Betty) will dress well; Heidi Klum will wear something you could not; Jeremy Piven from Entourage will look like this is his eighth red-carpet event of the day and he hasn't had access to a clothing steamer, a comb, or a toothbrush.

• The big contest. ABC, which will broadcast the ceremony Sunday night, has been running an online contest where viewers vote for the all-time most memorable moments in comedy and drama. They'll announce the winners during the show.

They had to shoehorn everything into one of those categories, which resulted in odd decisions like making The Ed Sullivan Show a comedy. Nevertheless, the list of nominees they came up with was actually pretty good, and it's not nearly as easy to take shots at as lists of its kind often turn out to be.

• The heartbreaker. Do you have a heartbreak category where you come up disappointed every time? Mine, in recent years, has been Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series. Just like last year, I will be holding my breath for Neil Patrick Harris of How I Met Your Mother -- or, almost as good, Rainn Wilson of The Office. And I'm afraid that just like last year, I will watch as it's won by one of the dudes from Entourage. And I do mean "dudes."

• The surprise. Last year, it was 30 Rock winning Outstanding Comedy Series after a season it wasn't initially expected to survive. This year, it could be that bitter speech from David Simon about The Wire that many of us kinda want to hear, or it could be Steve Carell winning for The Office at last, or ...

Well, the fact is, the surprise is usually something you haven't even thought of. But there's always one.

--Linda Holmes

categories: Television

12:04 - September 19, 2008

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