More than half of Gold Derby’s experts, editors and users predict Gwyneth Paltrow to prevail in the Comedy Guest Actress race for her three-episode stint on “Glee.” However, a quick analysis of recent winners in this category suggests that the popular Oscar champ (“Shakespeare in Love”) may have her work cut out for her. At age 38, she’s simply too young!
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Last year, comedy legend Betty White (now 89) won for the hilarious Mother’s Day episode of “Saturday Night Live,” while Kathryn Joosten (now 71) prevailed in 2005 and 2008 for her recurring character of nosy neighbor Karen McCluskey on “Desperate Housewives.” Stage vet Elaine Stritch (now 86) claimed the prize in 2007 for playing Alec Baldwin‘s mother on “30 Rock,” while all-time Emmy champ Cloris Leachman (now 85) won her second trophy for playing “Malcolm in the Middle’s” Grandma Ida in 2006.
Over the last seven years, the sole winner who not eligible for AARP membership was Tina Fey (now 41) who won over audiences and Emmy voters as Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live” (2009). Fey was already an academy favorite with six wins, unlike Paltrow who’s up for her first Emmy this year.
On “Glee,” Paltrow played substitute teacher Holly Holliday who wooed last year’s Comedy Lead Actor nominee Matthew Morrison. In a series that receives its fair share of criticism, television jounalists absolutely loved Paltrow’s performance. Tim Stack (EW.com) even cheered, “Seriously, how good was Paltrow? Give the gal an Emmy now. I honestly would hold this TV guest stint up against some of her best performances ever.” The episode she’s submitting to Emmy voters (“The Substitue”) was such a hit that she was asked back to sing and act in two additional episodes.
As for this year’s other Comedy Guest Actress nominees, our poll has nine-time Emmy winner Cloris Leachman (“Raising Hope) nipping at Paltrow’s heals with 40% of the vote. The other four ladies are far behind, all with less than 10%. They are Fey (“Saturday Night Live”), Kristin Chenoweth (“Glee”), Elizabeth Banks (“30 Rock”) and Dot-Marie Jones (“Glee”).
Find out who wins when the Creative Arts Emmy are announced Sept. 10.
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