Ira and Louis discuss the 2024 Emmy nominations in a bonus pod.

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Ira Madison III All right, so the Emmy nominations came out a day after we recorded Keep Up. So we’re back with a bonus episode of Keep It. I’m Ira Madison, the third.

Louis Virtel I’m Louis. No, I’m not Louis Virtel. I’m Emmy nominee Louis Virtel. And I better be addressed as such for the rest of my tenure on Keep It, by you specifically.

Ira Madison III I don’t know about that.

Louis Virtel Yeah, I don’t see it in the cards. I have to say.

Ira Madison III Congratulations.

Louis Virtel Oh. Thank you. Also, the amount of scrolling I did to get to the category and like clicking over between tabs, etc.. Yeah. The Kimmel writers are nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series for the Oscars this year, which is very exciting. And yes, I feel exactly like Cloris Leachman. I know this is what was going through her head every time she was nominated. Gilda Radner, all my faves.

Ira Madison III This is your first nomination?

Louis Virtel Yeah. The, Kimmel’s been nominated for a variety series, a number of times. Never for variety writing, though, and they just cut down the nominees in both those categories. Interestingly, actually, my takeaway from the Emmy nominations is they cut down a lot of categories, and I am happy to see it.

Ira Madison III Well, you know, the Emmys were a little bit of a mess with the rollout today. I want to say that every website I looked at had random nominees that I feel like weren’t actually nominated. I think variety at one point was telling me that, The gentlemen was nominated for best comedy series, and I was like.

Louis Virtel Come again?

Ira Madison III Yeah. And then I discovered Theo James was nominated for best actor in a comedy Series for The Gentleman. So some chicanery did sneak in there.

Louis Virtel How interesting. Yeah. Looking at the. I guess we’ll just start at the top. Lead actor in a drama series. You’ve got your Idris Elba, Donald Glover, Walton Goggins, Gary Oldman. Right. Slow horses, a show. Hiroyuki Sanada for Shogun. That might be my choice to win. I feel like Shogun is the most exciting show of the year.

Ira Madison III Yes, I am very excited to finally watch Shogun. I have not seen it yet. The girls have been talking, and, I’m ready to listen. I was waiting for a white body of men, to tell me that the show was good.

Louis Virtel Oh, right. Well, I’m the whitest body of them all. And watch me go. I will say about this show, I guess it’s the first time ever in fashion history where the fits were popping. I had no idea that Japan was going this hard with the fashions at that time.

Ira Madison III Yeah. The the fashion looks good. I mean, I’m really excited. Just about all the clips that I’ve seen, I have sort of been in a space where I haven’t been diving into serious dramas. If that makes sense. You know, I feel like coming out of the pandemic, I was still in a reality TV show mode, and then I was in a comfort comedy mode where I’ve just mostly been rewatching comedies that I’ve seen already.

Louis Virtel Oh me too. No. Likewise.

Ira Madison III And now I feel like I’m ready for. I’m ready for, like, serious drama. You know, I’m already watching stupid drama. As in, I watch House of Dragon every week, right? So if I can do the idiocy, then I should be able to watch show drive. I also am excited to get into, interview with the vampire, which is not represented here. Well, I’ll.

Louis Virtel Say this about stupid dramas. The Emmys here you because lead actor in a drama series. Both Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon got in for The Morning Show. And we haven’t used the word payola in about 50 years. Guys, what is going on here? What is happening?

Ira Madison III You want to talk about payola?

Louis Virtel Yeah. These are talented women. I have seen many of their Emmy Award winning and or Emmy nominated and or Oscar nominated turns. This show is like a comic book in terms of how zany it is.

Ira Madison III I mean, if you want to talk about payola as well.

Louis Virtel Com Royal Palm Royal has all the ingredients of a great show and then it forgot to be interesting. What happened? It’s like I always say if a curse was placed on Kristen Wiig and all she could do for the rest of her life, and I know this is a comedy show, but if all she had was allowed to do was drama, we would all be, I think, even richer for it because she’s such an amazing actress. I’m happy she’s getting this moment on a TV show to prove she’s just a fabulous actor and, a reliable performer. But yeah, to me it lost steam somewhat immediately. I’m happy Carol Burnett got the work and is, you know, doing something new, but not a show for me.

Ira Madison III Okay, so once again, I am very confused because multiple outlets are saying that Theo James is nominated for the gentlemen, and yet he’s not on the official Emmys. Website. So what is going on in the reporting here? Let’s talk about election integrity in the Emmys.

Louis Virtel Please, please. The voting machines, etc.. Get Mike Lindell down here. I can’t even say those two words without thinking of work. I’ve had to write jokes about Mike Lindell up, down, back, and diagonally for the past three years anyway.

Ira Madison III She’s back. She’s she’s back. She’s back in the news, baby.

Louis Virtel Lead actor in a comedy series. We’ve got, Matt Berry from What We Do in the shadows. Okay, Larry David, curb your enthusiasm. My God, this is somebody who’s been. This show is still it to me. It’s like hearing that, like Bonanza is still getting nominated for Emmys or something like, Jesus Christ, it’s been 175 years. Both Steve Martin and Martin Short are nominated for Only Murders in the building. Jeremy Allen White for The Bear, which, as you know, I’m still laughing. And the Pharaoh Blue in a tie for Reservation Dogs. By the way, we should just move ahead to the most, I’ll say, provocative nomination of the evening. And Selena Gomez is nominated for lead actress and Only Murders in the building. Now, that is some wizard from Waverly Place. I did not expect baby. It has been a huge, prestigious year for her.

Ira Madison III Let me tell you something. I have always kept an eye out for Selena, okay? Never. Just count me, Raina. All right? She is. She has been slaying the year. I’m shocked. I’m shocked. I’m also unaware of the talents that she’s brought to this show. Because I have not watched only murder since the first season, but I think I’m going to catch up. I think I’m going to catch up because I actually have always said that. I think that Selena Gomez’s best skill is comedic acting.

Louis Virtel Right? I mean, that’s where she came from, obviously. Also, I do have to say about only murders in the building. There’s something just esthetically about it that I do find very pleasing and also not contrived. The feel of that show is one of a kind I like, and also, of course, they bring in these A-list talents like not just Meryl Streep, like Jane Lynch, was really fabulous.

Ira Madison III Only stars in the building.

Louis Virtel If you will. If you will, let’s see you lead actress in a comedy series. Got Quinta Brunson who won last year. oh. Iowa. Debra is lead actress in a comedy series this year. How interesting for the bear. Selena Gomez, Maya Rudolph and lute. All right. Jean smart and hacks and Kristen Wiig in palm real Hmhm I would I’m going to go Jean smart again. I feel like Jean smart is going to come back to the throne for this one.

Ira Madison III Yeah I could see did I01 last year for supporting right.

Louis Virtel Correct.

Ira Madison III Yeah. And I don’t know, I feel like she had her big year Kwanzaa had her big year. Obviously I could take it again. But you know, I, I kind of agree with you that maybe we’re looking for a jean smart when again, hacks was just too juicy this year.

Louis Virtel And also she’s so eminently affordable. I mean, somebody where, if you know anything about television or entertainment, she has lots of fabulous movie roles, too. You can’t not have five favorite Jean smart roles. And I feel like only one Emmy for this series when she’s such a dominating force on it and so believable. Feels incorrect so I can see her winning again. Now comedy series is Abbott Elementary. The Curb Your Enthusiasm hacks only murders in the building. Palm Raya Palmer out for best series.

Ira Madison III Girl, I told you put money in my purse. Okay. That’s what was happening with these nominations.

Louis Virtel Call Dick Clark, I want to know what’s going on. Reservation dogs and what we do in the shadows. Now. What we do in the shadows. That would be a radical, and I think a much lauded choice if they did go for it. That said, God, I guess we’re looking at the bear again, though. This current, I guess this current season, the one that just came out, which is getting kind of, middling reviews, is not the one being graded. It’s the one before. Right? So maybe the bear or maybe hacks.

Ira Madison III This season of the bear is getting middling reviews. Yes, I sort of don’t pay attention to anything going on with the bear. If a bear is in the woods and Jeremy Alan White is making a sandwich and no one sees it, and by no one, I mean me. Did it happen?

Louis Virtel Who are you, ASAP? What was that? Okay. I learned something, I think, actually, this is one of the best categories. Lead actor in a limited or anthology series. Matt Bomer for fellow travelers. Richard Gad for baby reindeer. Which cleaned up baby reindeer is all over these nominations. Jon Hamm for Fargo, Tom Hollander, our friend for feud, Capote Versus the Swans and Andrew Scott for Ripley. I feel like I feel like Richard Gadd is going to take it. I feel like that was the limited series that really captured people’s imaginations and shocked people, because you thought it was about one thing, and then it picks three other pop plot complications that make it such a strange, psychological spelunking expedition.

Ira Madison III Plus, when it comes to, you know, American award shows, they really love to award a British person for popping in, doing a thing, and then never talk about them again. Yeah.

Louis Virtel I’m I’m so glad I could catch you. Between your commentary on Wimbledon games, whoever that person is.

Ira Madison III I’ve watched you get mute behind. Okay. No, it does. See, I mean, we’ve joked about this before, but, you know, the the international ness of it all, particularly with British people being nominated. But, I mean, when you kind of suck to be an actor in the U.S. and. Just come on in. They win this shit and then they bounce.

Louis Virtel Right? And there’s just something about them we immediately associate with prestige because there’s a flash of shit about them and we don’t have that here, so we’re right to do that.

Ira Madison III But yeah, I mean, I was talking with a British guy this weekend, and he was just we’re just musing, you know, generally on British TV and like Fleabag and Andrew Scott and that stuff. And it was just sort of like it is random that that show just sort of popped off and got so big. He was like, my parents watched that show, you know? And I think that like when it came over here, there’s just a thing about like a British show that that does make it to our airwaves. We tend to pay attention to it a little bit more and then in turn, make it bigger internationally than we sort of do for our own shows or the way our own shows have been hit in, like the UK.

Louis Virtel I do think there was something about that show where once it got over here, people thought, well, it must be amazing. I mean, what the hell is this show? It’s so simple. How could it be that good? And then everybody tuned in and of course, still love her. And I can’t wait for her to do her second project. What is she doing?Come on back.

Ira Madison III Lara Croft Baby.

Louis Virtel Whenever we get that Alicia Vikander found upset, I think she was hoping for another installment.

Ira Madison III Okay, wait. Also, we made a joke about where the fuck Alicia Vikander is. A few weeks ago, and then I feel like she popped up in the news the very next day. Maybe she’s pregnant. Maybe she’s doing something, I don’t know.

Louis Virtel She was amazing in Irma Vep. I want to be clear about that. If if anybody hasn’t seen Irma Vep, the, mini series adaptation of the science movie, it is so fucking good. And very strange.

Ira Madison III It was that Alicia Vikander, who I always forget, is together with Michael Fassbender, that they are going to be working together on a project for the first time since the project that they met on.

Louis Virtel Excellent. He was unfortunately extremely good in that movie The Killer on Netflix, which was basically four scenes of him sniping, but okay.

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Louis Virtel Lead actress in a limited or anthology series Jodie Foster. Talk about somebody who has had a prestigious jump this year with Nyad. And now to the Touch of Night Country, Brie Larson and life lessons in Chemistry at Juno Temple in Fargo, Sofia Vergara and Griselda. I saw the billboards and Naomi Watts in feud. Capote versus the Swans, darling nei finally getting some Emmy credibility.

Ira Madison III Baby, let me tell you, my money’s on drug lord. Griselda used to wait through Delta. Okay. That’s a Nicki Minaj lyric that predates Griselda, the TV series. So she’s in she’s in the pop culture sphere, like, wow, who Griselda was before the show. And I feel like that show was maybe it’s died down a bit, but everybody was talking about Griselda, and I feel like everyone was talking about that big turn that she had to playing drama.

Louis Virtel Also, it must be said, I rewatched, I’ll say, 15 episodes of Modern Family while I was in Fire Island recently. Talk about a show. I mean, like we talk about how we rewatched 30 Rock all the time. You can put on Modern Family and roll through it and like, laugh consistently. It’s a very consistently funny show.

Ira Madison III 15 in Fire Island. Is that what your focus was doing.

Louis Virtel Girl? The episodes are short. I’m telling you, it’s like a vignette. She never won an Emmy for that show, whereas Julie Bowen now two. And when you watch Sofia Vergara on that show, never not getting the laugh, never like an awkward delivery as she is a and a performance every time. She’s amazing on that show.

Ira Madison III I did not watch lessons in chemistry, although I did watch the first like 20 minutes of it because I said Brie Larson and the concept seems good. And then I got distracted and never came back to it, which happens on Apple TV all the time because it’s just there.

Louis Virtel And there’s something about TV where if there isn’t a sustained conversation about a given show, you give your. Especially if you’re people like you and I who it’s like we consume all that we can within reason. You know, it’s like if we can get rid of if we can take something off of our plate, that isn’t going to make a dent. Otherwise, it’s like, unfortunately, when it comes to like hours and hours of one show, we’re likely to miss it, you know?

Ira Madison III Yeah, it’s very weird because I feel like when people ask us about TV series, even this week. Right. When I was referring to Shannen Doherty, I can recall moments from Beverly Hills, 90 210 and charmed. Even there was a period where kids who were growing up who were really in the popular culture, all we did was watch everything that was on TV, like we would watch a CBS sitcom, you know, that was meant for adults and one that’s been on for like one season. It was canceled, but we remember it, and now there’s just so much shit on, and I feel like you don’t need to watch everything anymore to be a part of the conversation. And I wonder for even shows like that. What is the point of them? Because who is having the conversation? Who’s having a watercooler about Brie Larson in lessons in chemistry? You know, I hate to.

Louis Virtel Put it that way, but it is. What is the shelf life of a show like that is its interest. But then I get it. Maybe people discover it at a later date. That seems to happen with a lot of TV. Who knows? Yeah. Limited or anthology series. Baby reindeer. Fargo. Lessons in chemistry. Ripley. True detective, night. Country. I will say Ripley enjoyed the entire thing. And yet I still felt it could have been three episodes shorter. I think Baby Reindeer is the one that sticks with people. And unfortunately when something has that zeitgeisty feel of not just people are enjoying it, but it’s picking up and you have to tell somebody to see it. I think that’s what’s going to win. Ultimately, it’s the most exciting of these nominees.

Ira Madison III Well, as you know, I hated Ripley, so we’ll move on from that.

Louis Virtel Did you really hate it?

Ira Madison III I just I just stopped watching it. I really wasn’t into it at all. I didn’t dig it. And it is strong. I don’t want to say I don’t like. I don’t like to spew vitriol like that towards a show that wasn’t offensively bad or didn’t, you know, like it did not like it did anything to me personally. And I truly love most of the people involved in it, but I just didn’t dig it. It wasn’t for me.

Louis Virtel Well, then we will move on. Outstanding talk series. Now see, this is necessarily a cut down category. There are always like five in this category before and there just aren’t that many talk shows. But it’s The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Late Show with Stephen Colbert. I guess it’s going to be Stephen Colbert, I don’t know. I mean, I think you need to get the writing nomination to make that happen. And as you know, I’m not a double nominee. You know, Seth Meyers got it. I’d be thrilled. I mean, I would be thrilled to write for Seth Meyers. I mean, in another universe.

Ira Madison III You throw your pitch out there.

Louis Virtel That’s right. Please, sir. I want to live in Hell’s Kitchen.

Ira Madison III I think you do. Well, there.

Louis Virtel I was, just went to a bunch of bars there and I went to three bars in a row. And I’m telling you, I thought all three of them were the same bar. It was like an optical illusion.

Ira Madison III Yeah. I mean, we don’t go out in Hell’s Kitchen, but, you know, I think you do while living there.

Louis Virtel Oh right. Well thank you. I hope that’s not shady. It seems like everything’s in Brooklyn nowadays where people want to go and hang out.

Ira Madison III Yeah. There’s some things I’m really excited about over in the animation category. X-Men 97.

Louis Virtel Great. Everybody loves that.

Ira Madison III Yeah. Also, Bob’s Burgers is nominated, and I keep forgetting that.

Louis Virtel Still on. Right. Another show that’s been on since I think I was four. Like, it makes no sense.

Ira Madison III Yeah. And. This is. This is for the history books may be nominated for best choreography in a scripted series. The idol.

Louis Virtel Wooooh! I’m trying to think of the choreography.

Ira Madison III Oh, yes. Yeah. I’m just a freak, world class sinner. That is the only thing that people that is truly the lasting impact of that series. I feel like like that song played. For months in gay bars and at parties at. Well, after that show was canceled and no one thought about it anymore. I think that to have that choreography nominated is perfect for that. Shows like I see.

Louis Virtel That is true. I definitely concur. I’m just going to glance sparingly over the supporting actor and drama and comedy series and all right, Carol Burnett being nominated. Interesting. I feel like Hannah Einbinder. It could be her her year to win. I feel like that’s a character that’s really grown with people over time. Like, you know, when the show premiered, Jean smart was obviously the marquee figure, but it’s a little you know who? I’ll compare it to rose Byrne on Damages. It was like, oh, Glenn Close is this doyenne who was like dominating every scene, kind of chewing the scenery but also eating. And then who’s this person who’s simpering near her? She can’t possibly be as good. Oh, wait, there’s a quiet integrity and Machiavellian quality to this woman. So anyway.

Ira Madison III Can I say. I love you for using one of my favorite words, Machiavelli.

Louis Virtel And I’m like, Tupac, Machiavelli and I, you know, oh, go ahead.

Ira Madison III Draw. Yeah.

Louis Virtel Oh, yeah. Great work. Yes.

Ira Madison III Cate Blanchett obviously always referred to as the doyenne of her, home country because of her, you know, theater involvement.

Louis Virtel Right? When I think, Diane, I think, I mean, it’s got to be a French person’s got to be Miss Juliette Binoche. Yeah.

Ira Madison III And I never actually really thought to compare hats and damages. And now I feel like I want to do a rewatch of damages with a closer look at hats.

Louis Virtel Please. That’s like my dream assignment. I do think it’s one of those shows where every successive season gets a little bit worse, but it starts off really high, so there’s a lot there’s a long ways for it to fall.

Ira Madison III I mean, that one season where I feel like Rose Byrne wakes up and like, like her boyfriends or something, it’s like just she’s covered in blood. She was covered in blood in the beginning of the series, of course. But then there’s another one where it’s like, oh, who does she murder someone again? And I’m like, we’re going to the well, a bit. Yeah, yeah.

Ira Madison III But you really can’t. We made this joke. I made this joke when we talked about sort of pairing Glenn Close with Glen Powell, but I feel like you really sort of can’t go wrong with a mentor mentee series of that ilk, right?

Louis Virtel No, I think those things are it’s like, whiplash or something, you know, like there’s something very interesting about they need each other, they’re teaching each other, but also there’s friction. And my favorite word toxicity.

Ira Madison III It’s queer coded as.

Louis Virtel Queer coded. Yes, of course.

Ira Madison III JK wanted to fuck him. All right.

Louis Virtel All right. Okay, I want to hear that interesting essay for McSweeney’s. You could write for us. Supporting actor in a limited anthology series. Lots of interesting choices here. But Jonathan Bailey for fellow travelers. All right. I just saw a video of him and fellow nominee Andrew Scott carrying Kylie Minogue to the stage. We. I’m sorry to borrow Mean Girls tech, terminology, but we found ourselves. I mean, I didn’t know we could.

Ira Madison III I think Kylie saw I kissed a boy and said. That’s enough of that, Danny.

Louis Virtel Yes. Also, that’s enough of that, Danny, because half of Danny’s dialog is referencing Kylie Minogue socks.

Ira Madison III Oh, and when we got to the reunion and sort of like the finale of the series two, when she was when they were finally picking their couples and deciding if they were going to be out in the real world together. Every every five minutes, Danny going, Padam, padam, padam my heart. And I was like, girl, give it a rest.

Louis Virtel Oh, I will say, an outstanding guest actress in a comedy series. Devine Joy Randolph, nominated for Only Murders in the building. Love to see that. And also would love to see her on Keep It the podcast. Divine Joy. Randolph, where are you? Yale’s Owen divine joy Randolph, come hang out.

Ira Madison III Yeah, I did not know that she was hanging out on only murders.

Louis Virtel Yes. According to this, she is. That’s right.

Ira Madison III Okay, well, then I’m going to have to get into this. Only murders gay day behind Selena Gomez. Meryl Streep.

Louis Virtel Meryl Streep. Ratitouille ass.

Ira Madison III Has. Has she ever played latina?

Louis Virtel Yes. In Bridges of Madison County.

Ira Madison III Okay. All right. I love with my white women do that

Louis Virtel Anyway. Yeah. The East la Bonita effect. Yes.

Ira Madison III Yeah. Let us not forget, who was. Was it? Oh. Angelina Jolie in A  Mighty Heart.

Louis Virtel Yep. Right. Of the stills of it alone are so out of something like Tropic Thunder. So funny. And we’ll just wrap this up by saying. I’ll see host for a reality competition. A program that that rain is not letting up for. RuPaul, I don’t think.

Ira Madison III Yeah, I don’t see that, you know, slipping out of his fingers. But also, I want to say I see the trainers might win for competition show.

Louis Virtel Alan Cumming is there too. And he is, as you know, lost in a whodunit and running the whole shebang. He’s like, Tim Curry, time’s being up on the guy. That’s what he is. That that is what Alan Cumming.

Ira Madison III It’s gotten close, but the traitors could stand to be as zany as clue.

Louis Virtel Right? And I’m wondering what the secret ingredient to that is. More running around, I guess.

Ira Madison III Yes, I think that there actually isn’t enough, because the the funniest thing is in clue is watching them run from room to room. Right? And I think that I think that if you had a round table. And then all of a sudden and they were, deliberating. And Alan Cumming was like. Well, I do want to let you all know there is a shield that protects you from being banished hidden in the house, and you have 20 minutes to find it. And then they all start running.

Louis Virtel That’s funny. Or if he was like, if they were on the top floor of the building and he’s like, and it’s in my hand. And there it goes. And he tosses it out the window. And then they all have to go run and get it. Do you know what the traders needs? Fancy costuming. They really should be dressed like they’re guests at a mansion party as opposed to, like, the laser they all fucking walk around in.

Ira Madison III I feel like there are some people who come in and deliver, like we’re in this castle and they’re trying to give you outfits, thinking parties, headbands. Tamra Judge before she died early but was giving you some sort of, you know, British countryside looks. Who knows what peppermint had in that trunk?

Louis Virtel For Tricia and not.

Ira Madison III Enough, sister. All right, well, this is the Emmys.

Louis Virtel All right? And I’m among them.

Ira Madison III Yeah. Emmy nominated Louis for towel ladies.

Louis Virtel Yes. I keep calling myself things like Valerie Harper. I get confused with all the other nominees. Jean smart. No, that’s not me, Louis.

Ira Madison III I mean, the way that you have your women on your wall, you know, there’s some keep it listener that probably has a print out of your headshot in black and white, and it’s just hanging behind them and their coworkers see it on zoom.

Louis Virtel Your lips to God’s ears. If that person would like to show himself herself, their self would love to meet them from afar over zoom.

Ira Madison III Let’s hope it’s not an Andy Baker.

Louis Virtel Right?

Ira Madison III What’s her real last name? Anyone else? Andy Baker’s the playwright. Sorry. I love you. Any baker. Anyway, that’s our episode. Our bonus episode. And those are the Emmy nominations. We’ll see you next week. Don’t forget to follow Crooked Media on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

Louis Virtel You can also subscribe to Keep It on YouTube for access to full episodes and other exclusive content. And if you’re as opinionated as we are, consider dropping us a review.

Ira Madison III Keep It is a Crooked Media production. Our producers are CJ “Seige” Polkinghorne and Chris Lord, and our associate producer is Kennedy Hill. Our executive producers are Ira Madison, the third, Louis Virtel, and Kendra James.

Louis Virtel Our digital team is Megan Patsel, Claudia Shang, and Rachel Gaieski. This episode was recorded and mixed by Evan Sutton. Thank you to Matthew DeGroot, David Toles, Kyle Seglin, and Charlotte Landes for production support every week.

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