Hugh Laurie: The Emmy Judging Committee Got It Wrong
September 22, 2008 by Lynn
First of all, I do not in any way wish to take away from Greg Yaitanes’ win for directing House’s Head. He totally deserved it. That episode was amazingly directed!
Secondly, I can deal with the fact that House didn’t win the Best Drama category, since it has won twice before. I suppose it’s fair to let someone else have a chance…
[Correction: I was mistaken about the previous Emmy wins for House. I apologize...but it doesn't change my opinion...] 
Besides, perhaps the judging committee didn’t like the new format in season 4. Who knows?
But for Hugh Laurie to have been passed over for an Emmy yet again? It’s unthinkable!
Hugh Laurie
[Photo: ©2008 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Timothy White/FOX]
I’m not saying that the other actors who were nominated in the category are not wonderful actors. They all are, or they wouldn’t have been nominated to begin with. But here’s my case for why Hugh Laurie should have won Best Actor this year:
- Hugh Laurie takes a misanthropic, rude, thoughtless character and makes him somehow likeable – not every actor could do that
- Hugh himself is a very self-deprecating, thoughtful, humble and charming man who is diametrically opposed to the character he plays – proof that he’s a great actor
- Hugh is from the UK and has to deliver every single line in an accent that is not natural to him, yet his speech on the show is flawless – few could pull that off
- Hugh manages to play a slightly handicapped person and even though it is physically demanding, he makes it look natural
- The show House is named for the character of Greg House and revolves around the character. The show wouldn’t exist without him
- Hugh has those amazing expressions, any of which speaks a thousand words without him uttering a single syllable
- Hugh brings his own comic genius to the character and even though Greg House is completely irritating, abusive and at times even cruel, he still makes us laugh
In most people’s minds, Hugh Laurie IS Greg House. No one else could play that character and the show couldn’t continue without him.
I daresay that any of the other nominated actors’ characters could be plucked from their show and replaced with an equally fascinating character and their show could go on.
If Hugh Laurie left House, the show would be over. End of story. That’s that.
Even though the show House has a fantastic group of wonderful actors in the cast, the show revolves around House and is House. None of those other nominated actors can truly say that, can they?
Yes, you might say that I am steamed about the fact that consistently, Hugh Laurie is passed over for the Best Actor Emmy. He absolutely deserves it! What were the judging committee huffing, sniffing or smoking when they chose the winner of this category?
And I guess I should conclude my rant by saying that to me, Hugh Laurie is the Best Actor, whether he won the Emmy or not. Hands down!
What are your thoughts on this subject? Leave a comment and let’s discuss!
Hugh is THE BEST!!! Those judges are on dope or something!!!
I totally agree with Lynn’s post / reasoning.
It’s a shame that Hugh Laurie didn’t win. Every year the Academy loses more and more credibility in my eyes.
As I only remember the names of a few actors who made an impact on me, I don’t remember the name of that guy, but he got his Emmy and the voice said 7-times nominated and 1st time win (was that West Wing perhaps?) – and I was like “Oh my God, I guess that’s what it will be like with Hugh.”
I cannot believe that they did not give the Emmy to Hugh Laurie!! I thought this was the year!! What does the man have to do to win I ask you? Last year I was convinced that the judges were blind. Now, they’re not only blind, they’re deaf too. Hugh has to do so much more for his role as Dr. House than the others have to do for theirs. I’m sure that the other contenders are wonderful actors, but Hugh has to fake a handicap, change his beautiful British accent, learn so many medical terms and do so many things that they do not. I would think that this alone makes him so deserving of the Emmy. Not to mention his acting, singing, juggling, etc….. I could go on and on with the talent this man has! It’s just not fair!! It doesn’t matter how many awards Hugh Laurie gets or doesn’t get, he’s still the best!!
I wonder why Hugh was not a the awards. He was scheduled to be a presenter. Something very inportant must have come up because he is the consumate professional and does not blow off a gig for trivial reasons. I just hope he is ok and well and so it his family.
I totally agree with all that as been said on the above.
It is such a shame that Hugh Laurie’s talent didn’t get recognised, once more. Event though I understand the judges might not have liked last season’s format, how could they deny Hugh’s acting ? He has been so wonderfully good all seasons long. And, without repeating what Lynn has already said I dare say he was just tremendous in the last two episodes, conveying so much about Houses’ feelings without saying it . I hope all those judges did watch the première of season 5 and realized what an error they have made! Laurie is so good at letting us know how his character deeply and really feels, event though he is saying, and acting, the contrary.
I guess he will again be nominated next year…once again !
I am just glad he was too sick to go to the ceremony !
dodirae:
Hugh wasn’t at the event because he was sick with the flu! You are right, he never would have missed it otherwise!
~~ Lynn
Why did the director thank Hugh Laurie but not the actress who played Amber?
There’s nothing left to add, he is the best and he would have deserved this award so much! I’m just glad he decided to stay at home and didn’t sit through the whole thing for nothing despite having the flu. Hope you get well soon, Hugh!
I wouldn’t be reading this blog if I didn’t think the world of Laurie and House, but the Emmys got the lead actor award right this time with Cranston. His Breaking Bad performance is a tour de force.
“I can deal with the fact that House didn’t win the Best Drama category, since it has won twice before. I suppose it’s fair to let someone else have a chance”
Unfortunately HOUSE, MD has never won the “Outstanding Drama Series” Emmy either… What a shame!!!
I totally agree with you Lynn, you spoke for me and for many others.
Hugh Laurie is an amazing actor, the others are certainly very good too but that man had been great in every cut, every scene of every episode of the four seasons of House.
I’m still wondering and baffled about the Emmy’s jury criteria.
I think it wasn’t about Hugh not being a good (excelent) actor that made him not win the emmy for outstand actor, but the competion was very hard for him to win. An example of this is the guy who won the emmy I forgot his name, but, is the one who performs Breaking Bad, if I am not wrong, it’s a very good actor, I think he deserved.
I’m not saying Hugh Laurie doesn’t deserve, but the character of Gregory House is so hard, so intriguinguing and misterious (between many other things) has problems playing him for sure, and it’s because of this problems he didn’t get the emmy, I guess.
I’ll just cross my finger for him to win next time… >_<///
how does anyone know Hugh Laurie had the flu?
I agree!
Hugh should’ve won.
without him, House wouldn’t be House.
and people that decide who gets the awards are just *insert a word here*
I am very dissapointed!
Gaynell:
In a red carpet interview just before the event, Lisa Edelstein told the interviewer that he had the flu and may not be able to make it.
I hope he’s feeling better!
~~ Lynn
Desde el sur, en Argentina, adhiero a la disconformidad manifestada.
Hugh Laurie merecía el Emmy, eso es así.
De todos modos, tiene desde este espacio y otros en el mundo la valoración de quienes como yo destacan su maravillosa labor en la serie.
The best, el mejor, sin ninguna discusión.-
your post was so well-articulated that it is impossible to add anything else. excellently put!!
The Judges are just thinking in too commercial ways….maybe House didn’t get an emmy because of the changes from season 4….but this just shows that the emmys aren’t about giving prices to the best shows, in my opinion they are about giving prices (sry for the bad english) just to the NEW shows….in almost every category there were shows that were aired for the first time this year and….i dunno how to say, but i think the emmys just became a new way of promoting NEW shows and not honoring the BEST shows. My favourite shows….House, Prison Break, 24, Supernatural….they all won prices as long as they were new or didn’t change the way of the episodes (I hope you understand what i mean)…but for me it seems like the jury of the emmys doesn’t even WANT to recognize the way a show HAS to be changing…
Cheliozz:
That’s a very good point. I hadn’t considered that the awards mostly went to new programs. Hmmm…
Very interesting! Thanks for the perspective!
~~ Lynn
Where do I sign???? I could copy and paste everything you said to a million people. I got SO frustrated when his names wasn´t said.
THAT´S SOO UNFAIR!
I absolutely agree. You take that less-talented creep Bryan Cranston, who, before his Emmy, was only known for Malcolm In the Middle??…and pull him off the show…someone else could be Bryan Cranston. No one else can replace Hugh Laurie. And this coming from a just-last-week fan of House. He totally deserved the win. And sure, it’s nice to say that he’s still the winner in our eyes even though he doesn’t have a statue. But it still remains that the stupid judges were definitely stoned or something, they were completely off their rockers whenever they decided that no-talent quack Cranston would beat out Hugh.
WE LOVE HUGH!
well… I missed the Emmy on the 20th but didn’t plan to watch it with out Hugh. yes, he’s still the best actor.
He sings very well too. Did anyone watch his preformance years ago? Go to youtube… Hugh is just great!
if the judges just give the prizes for new shows, then, then, they should have given House or Hugh one in the first season shouldn’t them? Why haven’t they done that? *thinking õo*
For what I have seen, when the shows have too many seasons, (two or more), the writing, starts to become less good as it was in the original plot, the original idea. It starts to become too much diferent and therefore, worse… I don’t know why, maybe lack of ideas or something, but that is what I have noticed over the years…
I’m not saying that, in House happened this, for me House, M.D. is one of the few shows is still as good as it was in the beggining… and this year there is lot of shows with good and original plot (perhaps because they are still in the first season?)…
Perhaps their second season wouldn’t be so good as this first… and in the next emmy Hugh will won the emmy…! \o\ xD
Hollywood doesn’t like House, MD. It takes on all kinds of politically incorrect subject matter, including abortion—remember the episode when the baby’s hand grabbed House’s finger?—individual responsibility, a heavy emphasis on the possibility of there being a God, and a theme that people, for the most part are good, despite sometimes being silly and foolish. Hollywood has a much different world view. Abortion is always good, human beings are always bad, and there is no God…period/exclamation point; and any TV show that even slightly, (and slyly,) digresses from absolutes into possibilities, threatening the Hollywood world view, AND achieves great success, must be shunned. Given the big red letter “A.”
Ewwwwwwwwwww! Is he really holding a heart?
I guess it’d be fun to throw one at someone.
Oh…maybe someone would…need ….it……
anyways……lol
HUGH LAURIE IS SO PERDY FULL!!!<3
I have never, and I mean never, done anything like this. But I watch the show and find Hugh the sexiest man EVER! I walk away from the TV with a WOW! I recently found out that we have somewhat of a mutual connections from a freind I just met from New Zealand. Just wanted you to know that I fing you soooo handsome!
I don’t mean to offend your wife either. I’m sure she already knows how lucky she is. You are also a great actor and I really enjoy the show. I’ll keep watching!
Veronica