Emmys Awards Show on Hold
L O S A N G E L E S, Oct. 8, 2001 -- The Emmy Awards show was postponed for a second time Sunday night after the United States and Britain launched airstrikes on targets in Afghanistan.
"We are not calling it a cancellation at this point," said Bryce Zabel, chairman of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. "We are looking into all the options. For now, we are postponing and we're not announcing any winners at this point."
A decision is expected at the end of the week regarding any rescheduling, according to Reuters.
None of the stars had shown up in Los Angeles by 12:30 p.m. PT, when word came from CBS that there would be no show. The Emmys had already been delayed three weeks in wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
If the show is canceled, it will be the first time in the awards show's 53-year history.
Security Not a Consideration
Law enforcement officials had warned Hollywood studios in recent weeks that they could be the target of future strikes. But organizers said that security issues were not the reason for calling off the show.
"From a security point of view, they felt it would have been better held today than tomorrow or another time," said CBS President Leslie Moonves.
Moonves said the decision to postpone the Emmys at the last minute came after speaking with executives from the other major networks and with the producers of many of the nominated television shows, as well as Zabel and show producer Don Mischer. The consensus was that they felt "uncomfortable" and in a "non-celebratory mode."
Unconfirmed rumors circulated that the cast of The West Wing refused to attend the Emmys after news of the attacks on Afghanistan came earlier in the day. No one would validate the story, but Mischer did say he spoke with many nominees and some were eager to continue while others were most definitely not.
It is worth noting that The West Wing is nominated for 18 awards and has been heavily favored to walk away with many statuettes. Without the cast members in attendance, the very nature of opening the envelopes and announcing the winners would have changed dramatically.
Stars Divided Over What to Do
After the first postponement, many stars had expressed reservations over traveling and over whether it was appropriate to hold such an event in wake of the tragedy.
Show organizers eventually decided on a toned-down celebration. Former CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite was going to join master of ceremonies Ellen DeGeneres to pay tribute to the heroes and victims of the attacks.
In deference to East Coast-based nominees, part of the presentation of 27 awards was to take place in a Manhattan studio. The bicoastal Emmy broadcast was to be the first in more than two decades.
The arrangement was made to accommodate the more than 100 New York-based nominees — including the casts and crews of The Sopranos and Sex and the City — who declined to travel to Los Angeles for the ceremony.
Mischer said DeGeneres was very disappointed to not be going on with the show. "When she was rehearsing," he said, "I could tell there were tears in her eyes."
Food and Flowers Go to Charity
More than 3,000 meals had already been delivered for the Unity Dinner that was to take place directly following the Emmy telecast. The dinner, a renamed and mellowed version of the annual Governor's Ball, was to feature catered food by Patina. Zabel said the food would be delivered to Los Angeles area homeless shelters. Floral arrangements will be distributed to various charities.
"It's a tough decision we all had to make," Moonves said emotionally. "I want to go out and puke right now."
Sharon Knolle is a reporter for Mr. Showbiz. Heidi Oringer is director of entertainment programming at ABCNEWS Radio.