2012 Emmy Awards Live Blog

9:05 p.m. — “Breaking Bad’s” Aaron Paul wins the best supporting actor in a drama Emmy for the second time. “To the rest of the writers, thank you for not killing me off,” he shouts. “That was the plan!”

9:00 p.m.

— “DWTS” host Tom Bergeron scores the award for best reality TV host, sneaks in a plug for the “All-Stars” season, which begins tomorrow. Smart.

8:58 p.m. — … And the award for best save goes to Seth MacFarlane, who began presenting best reality TV host at the wrong mike and then saved himself by saying in a Stewie voice, “This is what happens when you don’t come to rehearsal.”

8:52 p.m. — “The Amazing Race” clinches the trophy for best reality program. It’s won the award every year since 2003, with the exception of 2010, when “Top Chef” won.

8:46 p.m. — Julia Louis-Dreyfus scores the Emmy for best actress in a comedy for

“Veep,” says sweetly, through tears, that she doesn’t see anything funny about her being the vice president of the United States.

8:39 p.m. — Jon Cryer wins best actor in a comedy for "Two and a Half Men." "I'm stunned," he says. After all the turmoil the show's been through since Charlie Sheen's downward spiral, Cryer sums up his sentiments simply: "This is crazy."

8:37 p.m. — Even though the Emmys are feeling like an extended PSA for “Modern Family,” the skit featuring Ken Jeong stepping in as the new Lily was pretty funny.

8:33 p.m. — And the “Modern Family” domination continues. Steve Levitan wins best directing for a comedy.

8:20 p.m. – Louis C.K. grabs the Emmy for outstanding writing in a comedy for his FX series “Louie.” “Your daddy won an Emmy,” he said to his kids at home.

8:12 p.m. — Eric Stonestreet scores the first Emmy of the night for the second year in a row — best supporting actor in a comedy. He sweetly thanks his fellow nominee and “Modern Family” husband Jesse Tyler Ferguson first, saying, “There would be no Cam without Mitch.”

8:08 p.m. — The trend Ricky Gervais started when he first hosted the Golden Globes in 2010 is still going strong: insults rule. Kimmel made fun of Cat Deeley, Jon Hamm, and pretty much every actor in the Nokia Theater in his opening monologue, though not as sharply as Gervais.

8:07 p.m. — President Obama isn’t immune. “I don’t think the president should be watching ‘Homeland’ for the same reason I don’t think Charlie Sheen should be watching ‘Breaking Bad.’”

8:05 p.m.

— First zing of the night, Kimmel on what he finds fascinating about “Downtown Abbey:” “If really gives you a sense of what it must have been like to grow up in Mitt Romney’s house.”

8:00 p.m. — Half a minute into the official Emmy Awards and we’ve already got a naked Lena Dunham! The “Girls” star and Emmy nominee appeared naked, on a toilet, eating cake during the pre-taped montage to open the show, which also featured a sobbing, over-botoxed Jimmy Kimmel, bathrobe-clad entourage of A-list TV actresses, and every reality TV host you could name off the top of your head. Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Kathy Bates, Mindy Kaling and more punched Kimmel until he got his act together. As far as awards show opens go, it was pretty epic.

7:49 p.m. — “Dancing with the Stars” host Tom Bergeron promised that the “All-Stars” season of the show, which premieres tomorrow, will up the ante. ”Out of the gate, you’re going to see some of the best performances you’ve ever seen,” he said.

7:46 p.m.

— Edie Falco looks stunning in navy blue and white Stella McCartney gown. We’re in a good amount of disbelief that she’s about to turn 50.

7:30 p.m. — With the last season of “30 Rock” underway, Tina Fey is savoring every last moment of awards show goodness. “We’re gonna party like it’s 1996,” she said on the carpet. She also revealed that the show’s writers are preparing to script their own finale by watching the final episodes of other iconic comedies, like “Frasier.”

7:28 p.m. — Jesse Tyler Ferguson, however, is willing to criticize. The “Modern Family” actor (he’s also up for an Emmy) was in disbelief about the fact that a book about the hit series is coming out. “This is insane,” he said. “Like they need to make more money off the show.”

7:24 p.m. — “Modern Family’s” Sofia Vergara isn’t modest about her show dominating the Emmys (they’re up for 14 awards, she’s in the running for best supporting actress in a comedy). “We’re all here, all the cast, all the writers, all the kids,” she said on the carpet. “It’s a party for us.”

7:19 p.m. — Of course Kristen Wiig doesn’t have a typical approach to picking an Emmys dress. Wearing white Balenciaga on the red carpet, she told Lara Spencer she “wanted to look like a ghost.”

7:10 p.m. — After many trying months in her personal life, newly single “Project Runway” host Heidi Klum “wanted something fun and happy” to wear to the Emmys. Hence her aqua, low, low, low cut dress.

7:03 p.m. – Well this is cute. Alec Baldwin and his new wife Hiliara Thomas coordinated: his purple tie matches her glittering plum gown.

7:02 p.m. – It’s hard to ignore the cleavage on the red carpet. Among the stars strutting down the carpet in low cut, bust-boosting gowns: “Homeland’s” Morena Baccarin, “Two Broke Girls’” Kat Dennings, and “Top Chef’s” Padma Lakshmi.

7:00 p.m. — Though the 90 degree temps have everyone else wilting, the A-listers appear to be shrugging off the heat. Jon Hamm looked like the epitome of cool in his tux (would we expect anything less from the “Mad Men” star?) and a hunter green clad Allison Williams of “Girls” told the New York Times, “I’m amazed by the well-behaved sweat glands.”

PHOTOS: 2012 Emmy Awards Red Carpet