Magic Emmy ball: Our award predictions

It's "Auf" to Heidi Klum of "Project Runway" and Ryan Seacrest is, to borrow his own phrase, "out."

When the Emmy tribe has spoken, expect Jeff Probst to be this new category's survivor.

Lee Pace ("Pushing Daisies") and Steve Carell ("The Office") most likely will find the joke's on them. The Emmy should go to Alec Baldwin (Jack Donaghy, "30 Rock").

James Spader ("Boston Legal") has enough awards. Michael C. Hall ("Dexter") or Hugh Laurie ("House") are both deserving, but...

I expect this Emmy to come with a side of Hamm (as in Jon Hamm, Don Draper on "Mad Men").

Forgive me for being lazy and not uploading the same photo three times, but is there any doubt?

The script for HBO's "John Adams" may have been historically flawed, but the performances by Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney (as John and Abigail Adams) were moving and masterful. The miniseries itself is up against Masterpiece Theater's "Cranford" (unseen by virtually all) and two flawed series I still can't believe were even nominated ("The Andromeda Strain" and "Tin Man"). Term limits be damned, "John Adams" should win the Emmy election three times.

Mary-Louise Parker (Nancy Botwin, "Weeds") deserves to win, but due to the subject matter of her show, her shot for an Emmy will probably go up in smoke. The charm of last year's winner America Ferrera (Betty Suarez, "Ugly Betty") has waned a bit thanks to some so-so writing on that show. That leaves one actress rock solid:

It's Lemon bar none! Tina Fey (Liz Lemon, "30 Rock").

Without a doubt, this is the one category this year with the strongest performances. Sally Field continues to delight as matriarch Nora Holden-Walker on ABC's "Brothers & Sisters." Week after week, Mariska Hargitay turns in a brilliant performance as Olivia Benson on "Law & Order: SVU." Holly Hunter's hard drinking and living detective Grace Hanadarko on "Saving Grace" and Kyra Sedgwick's deputy chief Brenda Johnson on "The Closer" were both compelling to watch. There is one actress who shouldn't be ignored:

Glenn Close kept us guessing all season long as to the true nature of her character Patty Hewes on "Damages." I'll be the first to "boil the rabbit" if she doesn't win.

No competition here, "American Idol" should trump all.

Neil Patrick Harris (Barney Stinson, "How I Met Your Mother") should win, but probably won't.

Evanston-native Jeremy Piven will again find gold from playing Ari Gold on HBO's "Entourage." Though an upset by Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute, "The Office") isn't unthinkable (just unlikely).

I expect the Emmys to be mad about AMC's "Mad Men."

With three of the five nominations going to "John Adams," my bet is on the one character that was never elected president.

For those of you who flunked 10th Grade American History, that would be Benjamin Franklin (played by Tom Wilkinson).

Having lost the Tony to her "Wicked" co-star Idina Menzel in 2004, I hope Kristin Chenoweth will finally receive some just desserts for her role as The Pie Hole's waitress Olive Snook on ABC's "Pushing Daisies"

It's another strong category that's tough to handicap. Rachel Griffiths (Sarah Walker-Whedon, "Brothers & Sisters") and Dianne Wiest (Dr. Gina Troll, "In Treatment") were both engaging (as always). Chandra Wilson (Dr. Miranda Bailey, "Grey's Anatomy") already picked up a Screen Actor's Guild award, so she's my pick.

Audra McDonald should enjoy her own day in the sun for her role as Ruth Younger in ABC's adaptation of the classic "A Raisin in the Sun."

It's got to be "The Daily Show" with John Stewart, right?

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