Entertainment

EMMY NOD FOR FARRAH FAWCETT

Farrah Fawcett received a posthumous kudo today as nominations were announced for the 61st Emmy Awards.

Fawcett, the former “Charlie’s Angels” icon who died June 25, received a nomination (Outstanding Nonfiction Special) as an executive producer of “Farrah’s Story”– which aired on NBC and chronicled the cancer battle that claimed her life.

MORE: Drama Mama Extra on Emmy Nominations

POPWRAP: Emmy Reactions

Among the other surprises was Fox’s “Family Guy,” which becomes the first animated series in nearly 50 years, since “The Flintstones” in 1961, to snare a nomination as Outstanding Comedy Series.

Noticeably absent from the list: perennial “Entourage” favorite Jeremy Piven, who angered the show-business community by breaking his contract to leave Broadway’s “Speed-the-Plow” after claiming he had mercury poisoning from eating too much sushi.

NBC’s “30 Rock” claimed the most comedy nominations (22), while AMC’s “Mad Men” snared a leading 16 drama nominations–including a first-time nod for co-star Elisabeth Moss.

The prevalence of cable over broadcast was also noticeable, including five of the seven Outstanding Drama Series (“Big Love,” “Breaking Bad,” “Damages,” “Dexter” and “Mad Men”).

Also noticeable were the same old tired names– including Tony Shalhoub (“Monk”), Steve Carrell (“The Office”) and William Shatner (“Boston Legal”)–but also newcomers like Jermaine Clement (“Flight of the Conchords”), Jim Parsons (“Big Bang Theory”) and Simon Baker (“The Mentalist”).

Full 2009 Emmy Nominees List