This morning, Fred Armisen used the words “really,” “exciting” and “group” extensively as he hopped on the horn to discuss “Portlandia's” six Emmy Nominations for the 2014 honors.
The IFC program earned nods for a varied crop of comedy and variety series awards, some of which are more elaborate than others: Art Direction For Variety, Nonfiction, Reality Or Reality-Competition Program; Directing For A Variety Series; Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Comedy Series; Guest Actor In A Comedy Series; and Writing For A Variety Series.
But a surprise first for Armisen was in a major category, for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series.
In my second interview in a half year with Armisen, I ask about his newly minted Supporting Actor nominee status, the snub of Brownstein for Supporting Actress, and what role (if any) he may play at the ceremony in August with “Late Night” buddy and Emmys ceremony host Seth Meyers.
Check out the television shows with the most 2014 Emmy nominations here.
Congratulations! What has your morning been like, did you get up bright and early for the announcement?
Fred Armisen: We have to get up fairly early anyway for pre-production, but I definitely woke up to a whole bunch of really excited texts from friends and the group.
I mean, I really love TV. I love watching TV so much. Thank you so much, I'm just… yes.
This is the first time you've earned an Actor Emmy nomination. Does that feel any different than “Portlandia's” other former nominations?
It's all a huge honor, all the way through. It's all because the way we work on the show, we do everything in a group. It's very harmonious. It's just really exciting.
I assume you feel pretty strongly that Carrie should have gotten an actress nomination?
I feel like is all part of the same thing. There's nothing singular about my nomination in the category. We do everything together.
When I went to sleep last night, I was think about the group, not in sums of should or shouldn't. It's all celebration. We're lucky to be doing comedy at all. We're lucky to have a show on air. Even that is a really huge honor to be in anything.
We really all write together, perform together. She's nominated for writing. It's all very much in the same room.
The Emmys have special rules for comedy actors in a variety series, about submitting as Supporting as opposed to Leads. You're obviously a co-lead in “Portlandia,” but your nomination is for Supporting Actor. Do you have any strong feelings about those inner workings, anything you'd want to change?
I just don't know how everything… works. I just feel like we all get to go and be part of it. It's not for me to say what should and shouldn't be. There are people who are definitely better with questions like that.
Has Seth [Meyers] dialed you in for any musical duties for the ceremony?
We haven't talked about it yet. I hope that may come somewhere down the line. We've been texting all this morning.
Any other nominees this morning that knock your socks off?
Oh man. I sit down at my TV and I've got “Veep,” “[Inside] Amy Schumer,” “Key & Peele”… in the future, we're gonna look back at this time period and think, “People really did some great shows, great work, great art.” “Orange Is The New Black,” are you kidding me? “Girls?” All of it I love it all, how exciting.