Mad Men, 30 Rock, John Adams lead Emmy race

Legal thriller Damages and 1960s ad industry drama Mad Men joined workplace comedies 30 Rock and The Office on the list of nominees for the 60th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, announced from Los Angeles on Thursday morning.

Actors Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris joinedJohn Shaffner, chair of the U.S. Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, at an early-morning news conference to announce nominees in about a dozen top categories.

Damages and Mad Men, two fledgling U.S. cable offerings, will face off against another relative newcomer, serial killer dramaDexter and a host of regulars Lost, Boston Legal and House for the outstanding drama series trophy. Current media darling Mad Men was the top drama nominee, nabbing 16 nominations in total.

30 Rock, the 2007's best comedy Emmy-winner and the leading comedycontender this year with 17 nominations overall, will once again vie for outstanding comedy series, facing off against The Office,Two and a Half Men, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage.

John Adams, the HBO historical drama about the second U.S. president and author of the Declaration of Independence, scored a leading 23 nominations including a nod for Paul Giamatti's turn as the titular founding father.

Giamatti faces stiff competition for the best lead actor in a miniseries or movie category, with actor Kevin Spacey (Recount) and three notable Brits Ricky Gervais (Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale), Ralph Fiennes (Bernard and Doris) andTom Wilkinson (Recount) his rivals for the prize.

Acclaimed actress Laura Linney, who portrays Abigail Adams opposite Giamatti, is up against a host ofequally talented veterans for the best lead actress in a miniseries or movie Emmy: Judi Dench forCranford, Catherine Keener forAn American Crime, Phylicia Rashad for A Raisin in the Sun and Susan Sarandon forBernard and Doris.

Nominees in other categories include:

• Lead actress, drama: Glenn Close (Damages), Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters), Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Holly Hunter (Saving Grace), Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer).
• Lead actor, drama: Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment), Brian Cranston (Breaking Bad), Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Hugh Laurie (House), James Spader (Boston Legal).
• Lead actress, comedy: Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty), Tina Fey (30 Rock), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine), Mary-Lousie Parker (Weeds).
• Lead actor, comedy: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Steve Carell (The Office), Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies), Tony Shalhoub (Monk), Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men).
• Miniseries: John Adams, The Andromeda Strain, Cranford, Tin Men.
• Made for TV movie: Bernard and Doris, Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale, The Memory Keeper's Daughter, A Raisin in the Sun, Recount.
• Variety, music or comedy series: The Colbert Report, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Late Show with David Letterman, Real Time with Bill Maher, Saturday Night Live.
• Reality program: Antiques Roadshow, Dirty Jobs, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Intervention, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.

The reality genre is getting increased recognition thisyearwith a brand new category to honour hosts. American Idol's Ryan Seacrest and Survivor's Jeff Probst are inaugural nominees, joined by former supermodel Heidi Klum (Project Runway ), Dancing with the Stars MC Tom Bergeron and Canadian Howie Mandel for Deal or No Deal.

The Amazing Race is up for its sixth consecutiveEmmyin the best reality competition category. Looking to knock the adventure-seeking favourite off the podium are popular singing, dancing, fashion designing and cooking contests American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Project Runway and Top Chef.

Critically acclaimed crime series The Wire, which concluded this year,was among thesurprising omissions from the list of top Emmy contenders. Also, popular network series (and past winners)Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy were noticably absent from the major categories, though they saw nods in other categories, including technical work for Housewivesand supporting actress in a drama nominations for Grey's Chandra Wilson and Canadian Sandra Oh.

Their co-star Katherine Heigl, an Emmy winner last year,caused a minor kerfuffle ahead of the nominations when she revealed she withheld submitting her name for consideration this year because she felt her character had been given lacklustre scripts. This week, ABC network executives denied rumours that she might be leaving the medical drama.

At the conclusion of Thursday's early morning announcement, academy chair Shaffner surprised announcers Chenoweth and Harris by revealing that the two comedic stars had also scored an Emmynomination each: a supporting actress nod for Chenoweth for Pushing Daisies and a supporting actor nod for Harris for How I Met Your Mother.

The 60th annual Primetime Emmy Awards gala will be broadcast live from Los Angeles on Sept. 21.

A Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony,honouring technical achievements, guest starsand other categories, will take place Sept. 13.