VQT elects 'West Wing,' 'Frasier'

The Hollywood Reporter - June 14, 2000

By David Finnigan

LOS ANGELES --- NBC's insider White House drama "The West Wing" and its veteran sitcom "Frasier" each received six nominations Tuesday for the 16th annual awards bestowed by the nonprofit group Viewers for Quality Television.

Fox's surprise midseason hit "Malcolm in the Middle" didn't make it into the best comedy category, but co-star Jane Kaczmarek did earn a best comedy actress nod.

Of the 50 nominations in 10 categories, NBC received the most -- 23 compared with 18 last year -- of any broadcast or cable network, followed by ABC's 14 nominations, seven for CBS and three nods each for Fox and HBO.

After "The West Wing" and "Frasier," five Q nominations each were snagged by ABC's law drama "The Practice" and the comedies "Will & Grace" from NBC and "Everybody Loves Raymond" on CBS. ABC's canceled sitcom "Sports Night" secured four nominations, while three each went to HBO's mob drama "The Sopranos" and NBC's cop-and-court drama "Law & Order."

Based in Fairfax, Va., the 15-year-old Viewers for Quality Television group has some 2,000 members and about half of them submit nominations. Tuesday's list of the most popular five nominees in each category will be mailed this week in the VQT member newsletter for a final vote, VQT founder Dorothy Swanson said. Winners will be announced in August.

Nominated for best quality drama are "Law & Order," "The Sopranos," "The West Wing," ABC's new second-chance middle-age drama "Once and Again" and "The Practice," which won last year.

Nominated for best quality comedy are "Frasier," "Sports Night" "Will & Grace," NBC's "Friends" and "Everybody Loves Raymond," which nailed this category in one of the four Q awards it won last year.

Competing for best dramatic actress are Amy Brenneman for "Judging Amy" on CBS; Edie Falco for "The Sopranos"; Mariska Hargitay of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"; Julianna Margulies of NBC's "ER"; and Sela Ward of "Once and Again."

Nominated for best actor in a drama are James Gandolfini of "The Sopranos"; Dylan McDermott of "The Practice"; Martin Sheen of "The West Wing"; and Sam Waterston of "Law & Order"; and Dennis Franz of ABC's "NYPD Blue," last year's winner.

For best comedy actress, Patricia Heaton of "Everybody Loves Raymond" won last year and this year competes with "Ally McBeal" star Calista Flockhart, Felicity Huffman of "Sports Night," Debra Messing of "Will & Grace" and "Malcolm" mom Kaczmarek.

"Everybody Loves Raymond" star Ray Romano won the Q last year for best comedy actor and this year defends the title against dual "Sports Night" nominees Josh Charles and Peter Kraus, Kelsey Grammer on "Frasier" and Eric McCormack of "Will & Grace."

The other nominees for drama supporting actress are Tyne Daly ("Judging Amy"), Kim Delaney ("NYPD Blue"), Laura Innes ("ER"), Allison Janney ("The West Wing") and Camryn Manheim ("The Practice").

For drama supporting actor, the nominees are Michael Badalucco ("The Practice"), John Spencer ("The West Wing"), Steve Harris ("The Practice"), Bradley Whitford ("The West Wing") and Jerry Orbach ("Law & Order").

The nominees for comedy supporting actress are Peri Gilpin ("Frasier"), Doris Roberts ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), Jane Leeves ("Frasier"), Susan Sullivan ("Dharma & Greg") and Megan Mullally ("Will & Grace").

For comedy supporting actor, the nominees are Brad Garrett ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), John Mahoney ("Frasier"), Sean Hayes ("Will & Grace"), David Hyde Pierce ("Frasier") and Peter MacNicol ("Ally McBeal").


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