A Night At The Emmys

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With the Best Comedy and Best Drama categories last up, it would be quite a while before we learned our fate. When the night started, we didn't think we had much of a chance against our competition, The Wonder Years, Designing Women, Cheers and The Golden Girls.

But as the evening progressed, we started winning. Diane won for Best Writing, and Candice took honors for Best Actress. I was getting antsy, so during a commercial break I strolled to the restroom. When I got back there was a handsome twenty-something guy in my seat. "Who's your new friend?" I asked Karen, slightly indignant. "He's a seat filler, you moron," she said in that dismissive tone that wives must save only for their husbands. The Academy wants to make sure there are no empty seats on TV, so anytime anyone leaves a seat a battalion of star wannabes in tuxes and gowns is ready to sit in and fill the void.

Finally the big moment arrived. Time to announce Best Comedy. I don't remember who the presenter was, but I do remember thinking whoever said, "it doesn't matter if you win or lose, it is an honor just to be nominated," was full of crap. I wanted to win.

Karen took my hand as, oh yeah, Milton Berle announced, "The Emmy goes to... Cheers." One year later Murphy Brown would win the first of three Best Comedy Emmys. But I wouldn't get a statue, because the episode I had produced was in a previous award season.

Still, the experience wasn't a total loss. Karen looked great. And the studio let me keep the tux.