6:10 p.m.: Neil Patrick Harris of "How I Met Your Mother" and "Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere came out to present the nominees for guest actor and actress in a drama series, which were handed out last week. The legendary Leslie Caron, who won for her performance in a "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," in turn handed out the Emmy for directing of a drama series to Alan Taylor for HBO's "The Sopranos."

6:15 p.m: Harris and Panettiere also presented David Chase, the creative and executive producer of "The Sopranos," with an Emmy for writing for a dramatic series. And no, Chase did not explain the finale in his acceptance speech.

6:20 p.m.: Funnyman Steve Carell presented the award for oustanding veriety, music or comedy series to Jon Stewart and Comedy Central's "The Daily Show." Carell then stuck around to present variety, music or comedy special to "Tony Bennett: An American Classic." Bennett also earned a standing ovation, but he had to wait last to get in his 2 cents at the microphone, and he used that time to draw attention to his blond, and much, much younger wife, Susan.

6:28 p.m.: Mark Harmon of "NCIS" and Marcia Cross of "Desperate Housewives" presented outstanding supporting actress in a movie or miniseries to Judy Davis for USA's "The Starter Wife," in which she played the neurotic friend. Davis was not present to accept the award.

6:32 p.m.: Special awards go to "American Idol's" charity show, which raised over 75 million for the poor, as well as HBO's multipart series "Addiction."

6: 36 p.m.: Before presenting the award for outstanding made for television movie, actresses and co-presenters Glenn Close, Kyra Sedgwick and Mary-Louise Parker hailed cable's willingness to developing roles around strong central characters who just happen to be women. The honor went to HBO's Western historical drama, "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee," which entered the evening as the most nominated program, with 17 nods. (It won five technical awards last week.)

6:40 p.m.: Joe Mantegna announces the cast of the Tony Award winning musical "The Jersey Boys" who performed the songs of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons as a tribute to "The Sopranos." At 6:45 p.m., the cast of "The Sopranos" came on stage to a standing ovation as they bowed and waved.

6:49 p.m.: Sally Field of "Brothers & Sisters" and Patrick Dempsey, a.k.a. McDreamy, of "Grey's Anatomy," handed Helen Mirren the Emmy for lead actress in a movie or miniseries for PBS' "Prime Suspect: The Final Act." Mirren won in this category last year for "Elizabeth I."

6:52 p.m. : Comic Lewis Black started by berating TV executives and ranting about the constant interruptions: "Have you forgotten what your job is? It's to tell stories. Even reality stories tell stories. It's not, to tell us in the middle of a story, what show is coming on next.... Hey, here's a message from all of the viewers: We don't care about the next show ... you destroy the drama or the comedy." His tirade ended with "A Merry Christmas to all, and watch all of the blockbuster Fox fall schedule." "Look for Lewis Black this fall on Valium," quipped Seacrest afterward.

6:58 p.m.: Philip Martin receives the Emmy for outstanding directing for a movie, miniseries or dramatic special for PBS' "Prime Suspect: The Final Act."

6:59 p.m.: Frank Deasy receives the Emmy for writing "Prime Suspect: The Final Act."

7:03 p.m.: "Heroes" hero Masi Oka presents the first ever Emmy Award for creative achievement in interactive television to former Vice President Al Gore's "Current: An Interactive TV Network." He also earned a standing ovation and offered this shout-out: "More to come, Current.com, next month."

7:10 p.m.: "Til Death" stars Joely Fisher and Brad Garrett engaged in some off-color back and forths. Garrett began by joking about the success of Westerns and "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" by saying he would soon be starring in a show called "Bury My Head Between Your Knees." The topic soon turned to Fisher's bosom on display. "Do you like my dress," she asked? Indeed, said Garrett, who towers over his co-star, "You should see it from up here...Note to self. Buy Milk." He then said that Fisher looked so good she was on Charlie Sheen's "To Do" list. (The camera panned to Sheen, who was shaking his head.) Fisher and Garrett then handed out the individual performance in a variety program to Tony Bennett for "Tony Bennett: An American Classic."

7:11 p.m.: Anthony Anderson of the new series "K-Ville" and Teri Hatcher of "Desperate Housewives" announce the nominees for best guest actor and actress in a comedy series and then present the winners, Stanley Tucci for USA's "Monk" and Elaine Stritch for NBC's "30 Rock."

7:15 p.m.: Tucci and Stritch in turn hand out the Emmy for directing for a comedy series to Richard Shepard for ABC's "Ugly Betty."