First Emmy Predictions!

by Tom O'Neil

Jane Lynch ("Glee") won last year and will surely pose a tough challenge again, but beware: She competes against two of Emmy's most beloved stars.

BEST SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTRESS
(Front-runners)
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Allison Janney, "Mr. Sunshine"
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"
Diane Ladd, "Enlightened"
Cloris Leachman, "Raising Hope"
Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Martha Plimpton, "Raising Hope"
Gabourey Sidibe, "The Big C"
Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
Betty White, "Hot in Cleveland"
Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live"
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There's a very good chance that all six of last year's Emmy nominees for best supporting comedy actor will return. That means the "Modern Family" trio likely will be back: Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and 2010 winner Eric Stonestreet. But, hey, what about their poor costar Ed O'Neill, who's never nabbed an Emmy nom, not even back during his "Married With Children" heyday?

If O'Neill finally sneaks in along with his "Family" members, that means one of the other 2010 nominees must go. But recent Golden Globe champ Chris Colfer ("Glee") is so red hot right now that he's a lock for a spot, of course, and could finally win because he's way overdue. And nobody's bumping 2009 Emmy victor Jon Cryer ("Two and a Half Men"), who gets a big sympathy hug for all the tiger blood he's had to swallow of late. That leaves Neil Patrick Harris, who finally won Emmys last year, not for "How I Met Your Mother" but for guesting on "Glee" and for hosting the Tony Awards. He's overdue to win for "Mother," so surely he'll be nominated.

Knocking very hard on this category door are Mike O'Malley ("Glee") and Oliver Platt ("The Big C") plus a few others. Below, my handicapping.

BEST SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTOR
(Front-runners)
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Chris Colfer, "Glee"
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family"
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
Nick Offerman, "Parks and Recreation"
Mike O'Malley, "Glee"
Ed O'Neill, "Modern Family"
Oliver Platt, "The Big C"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"

LA Times1, LA Times2