A star-studded red carpet, a silly spoof or two and perhaps an amusing musical number may very well be par for the course when UAE viewers tune into the live airing of the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards early on Monday on the OSN First channel. And as celebrities hand out the angel-wing hardware to their peers, the Glee actress Jane Lynch, host of the television awards show, will be ruling the stage.
"I mean, I'll do anything that works," says Lynch, who is best known for her Glee alter-ego as the conniving and aggressive cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester.
The veteran actress, who won her first Emmy last year, is again a nominee for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series this time around, and for the same role. She made a cameo appearance in last year's opening number with the late-night chat-show host Jimmy Fallon at the helm.
As master of ceremonies, Fallon offered witty, guitar-comedy stylings, fun twists and entertaining musical numbers, all of which went down surprisingly well with both fans and critics. For once, most agreed, the Emmys had delivered an honestly entertaining evening of television.
The creators of this year's instalment have taken the lessons of success to heart, and hope Lynch will spin more of the same magic that worked so well for Fallon.
"I hope we'll do a song-and-dance number at some point in the show," says Lynch, in an interview with The National. "We're still homing in on what we're doing, but I had such a good time doing that last year, and I was so honoured that they asked me to do it, and Jimmy was fantastic.
"I didn't realise at the time that I was watching him to see how I would do it next year. But I look back on it and go, 'He did such a good job.' He was so relaxed, and the show was all about his energy, which is very open and funny and smart, and I take great comfort in that."
The show's executive producer, Mark Burnett, best known for the Survivor franchise as well as The Apprentice, Shark Tank and Expedition Impossible, knows when to do more of what is proven to work. "It's not broke, I don't need to fix it," he says.
Burnett said Lynch was his first "and only" choice" to host this year.
"She has incredible comedic timing and is a charismatic, talented actress whose energy leaps off the screen and stage. Jane has been incredibly engaged. She's not a host who wants to be given lines. She's totally in the writer room and having the equal number of ideas as the writers."
If Lynch loses track of the comic timing that has served her so well in the past, viewers can at least rely on a steady stream of stars to fill their screens: there are 504 separate nominations in categories and areas this year.
Five of the 12 nominated drama and comedy series are first-time nominees, while seven of the 12 are US network programmes.
Many of the best drama and comedy nominees are shown in the UAE, including Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Modern Family, Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, Glee and American Idol. Mildred Pierce, a five-part mini-series that was shown on OSN this summer, has 21 nominations, including Best Actress in a Lead Role for Kate Winslet and a nomination for Guy Pearce for his supporting role.
Many of the nominated lead actors can also be seen in the UAE, including Laura Linney in The Big C, Johnny Galecki in The Big Bang Theory and Steve Buscemi (in his role of an illustrious lifetime as corrupt Prohibition-era politician Enoch "Nucky" Thompson in Atlantic City) in Boardwalk Empire, as well as supporting performers such as Betty White in Hot in Cleveland with her 17th nomination and Ed O'Neill in Modern Family.
Notable guest-star nominees include Elizabeth Banks and Matt Damon in 30 Rock, Gwyneth Paltrow and Dot-Marie Jones in Glee, Idris Elba in The Big C, Nathan Lane in Modern Family and Zach Galifianakis in Saturday Night Live.
Although it's a given there will be at least one Kardashian on hand, Burnett says don't expect to see many reality "personalities" on Emmy night.
"The truth of the matter is, reality television is seven out of the top 10 TV shows on television all the time, the most viewers by far," says Burnett. "However, it's not full of stars. And therefore, it doesn't translate to an awards show because people are tuning in for glamour. [The Emmys] celebrate glamour and stars.
"So I am, like, the biggest offender for changing my mind, because I was complaining when we weren't getting enough nominations for our [reality] shows and now I'm producing [the Emmys] - and now I'm all about the stars."
The 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on Sunday night from California and can be seen in the UAE at 3am on Monday and again at 7pm on OSN First.
Results
2pm: Handicap Dh 90,000 1,800m; Winner: Majestic Thunder, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.30pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,950m; Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
3pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m; Winner: Native Appeal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
3.30pm: Jebel Ali Classic Conditions Dh300,000 1,400m; Winner: Thegreatcollection, Adrie de Vries, Doug Watson.
4pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m; Winner: Oktalgano, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.30pm: Conditions Dh250,000 1,400m; Winner: Madame Ellingtina, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m; Winner: Mystery Land, Fabrice Veron, Helal Al Alawi.
5.30pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,000m; Winner: Shanaghai City, Jesus Rosales, Rashed Bouresly.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
FIGHT CARD
1. Featherweight 66kg
Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg
Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg
Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg
Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg
Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
9. Featherweight 66kg
Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Mobile phone packages comparison
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
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Price: From Dh98,800
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The specs: 2019 Cadillac XT4
Price, base: Dh145,000
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 237hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
Company%C2%A0profile
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The%20specs
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Oscars in the UAE
The 90th Academy Awards will be aired in the UAE from 3.30am on Monday, March 5 on OSN, with the ceremony starting at 5am
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers