Emmy Voters Face Tough Choices in Outstanding Variety Special (Live) Category
Emmy voters face the challenge of comparing vastly different programs in the outstanding variety special (live) category. This year's nominees include two short performances by individual artists and three lengthy multi-artist shows. The nominees range from 15-minute performances to over three-hour extravaganzas.
The short programs, Beyoncé Bowl and The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar, are up against the longer shows like SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, SNL50: The Anniversary Special, and The Oscars. Despite the varying lengths, Emmy voters have the task of evaluating and selecting the best in this category.
The Oscars have separate categories for short films to avoid comparisons between long and very short programs. They have categories for animated short film, documentary short film, and live action short film. This allows for a fair assessment of different types of content based on their length and format.
The Grammys also have specific rules regarding the definition of an album based on its length. An album must contain at least five tracks and have a total playing time of at least 15 minutes, or it can have any number of tracks if the total playing time is at least 30 minutes. This rule ensures that albums are recognized based on their content and duration.
Final-round Emmy voting for outstanding variety special (live) is open until Aug. 27, with the award presentation scheduled for the live Primetime Emmys telecast on Sept. 14. The competition this year is particularly strong, prompting the move of the award to the main primetime show. This move may also be an attempt to attract Beyoncé to the awards, as she has never attended despite multiple nominations.
Beyoncé has received numerous Emmy nominations in various categories over the years, including outstanding variety special, directing, writing, and music direction. She recently won her first Primetime Emmy in a juried category for outstanding costumes for variety, nonfiction, or reality programming. The anticipation for this year's outstanding variety special (live) award is high, with the competition heating up as the Emmy season progresses.