SkimIt
Yeah yeah yeah, I get it. You're the biggest tv fan that ever lived. You were watching The Sopranos back when Joseph Stack was busy putting the mafia away. You learned how to perform a tracheotomy from watching M+A+S+H. Heck, Yesmeen Bleeth gave you her number in '94 but you plumb forgot where you left the thing.
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Whatever hotshot. Test your knowledge with this Emmy Quiz. Then you can go back to your couch.
#1 Why is the thing called an 'Emmy' anyway?
A: An 'Immy' is oldschool speak for the picture tubes on early tv sets. They figured turning it into the more feminine 'Emmy' was catchier. Go figure.
#2 Was the Emmy always for American Television?
A: Yes and no. In its infancy, the Emmy's were only intended to honor programs local to the Los Angeles area, so though it was in the U.S., nothing outside of L.A. was eligable. Later on they wised up and went nation-wide.
#3 What was the first cable television show to win an Emmy?
A: The Sopranos of course. (There's one you probably knew)
#4 Who started the Emmy's?
A: That would be Syd Cassyd, founder of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (the governing body that picks the winners). This guy was so hardcore he didn't even want to hand out awards for the first Emmy's, just recognition.
#5 When did the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences come into being?
A: They held their first meeting in Los Angeles wayyyyyy back on November 14th, 1946.
#6 Were any other names considered for the award?
A: Yes. Cassyd wanted to call it an 'Ike'--not for Eisenhower, but another shortened abbreviation for old-fashioned tv picture tubes. With the memory of World War II a fresh wound, however, the name was scrapped.
#7 Who runs the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences now?
A: At the end of 2007, Production Designer John Shaffner took over as the head of the academy.
#8 True or False: The Twilight Zone is an emmy award-winning program.
A: Surprisingly, it isn't.
#9 How about Six Feet Under? I love that show.
A: Nada. Add that to the list of surprisingly good shows that never brought home the statuette.
#10 Which TV show has racked up more Emmy nominations than any other?
A: That would be hospital drama E.R., with a whopping 122 nominations.
#11 What genre of television program had its own short-lived award?
A: At the height of its craze in the John Wayne-dominated 50's, there was a Best Western Television Program award from 1958 to 1959
#12 Who won best comedic AND best dramatic performance Emmys for the exact same role?
A: Ed Asner for playing Lou Grant in the titular program as well as The Mary Tyler Moore show.
#13 Lets get back to basics. When was the first Emmy Award ceremony held?
A: January 25th, 1949
#14 Considering our modern obsession with reality TV, who was the first actor to win an Emmy for playing himself?
A: Jack Benny in The Jack Benny Show.
#15 What was the longest recorded Emmy telecast.
A: in 1987 the telecast ran for almost four hours.
