Gearing up for tomorrow’s Creative Arts Emmys: Aniston, Fey, Timberlake, Burnett, Hamm and Borgnine among guest acting nominees

Be sure to check in on Greg In Hollywood tomorrow because, despite battling a cold (annoying!) I plan to be covering the Creative Arts Emmys to be hosted by Kathy Griffin.

This is the show Kathy has affectionately nicknamed the “Schmemmys” because it takes place two weeks before the main Emmy telecast and it is where the award for Outstanding Reality Show (non-competitive) is presented. My Life on the D-List has won the last two years and is nominated again this year.

Two years ago when accepting her Emmy, Kathy made all kinds of headlines (and loved every minute of it) when she said: “Suck it Jesus, this award is my God now!”

There are usually plenty of stars on hand not only to present, but also nominees since there are four “guest” acting categories. Among the guest acting nominees this year as Justin Timberlake and Tina Fey for Saturday Night Live appearances; Jennifer Aniston, Jon Hamm, Steve Martin and Alan Alda for  30 Rock stints.

Aniston will be competing against four fellow past-Emmy winners: Fey for SNL,  Christine Baranski for  The Big Bang Theory, Gena Rowlands for Monk ,and Betty White for My Name is Earl. I think Fey is a shoo-in because she’s nominated for her dead-on impersonation of Sarah Palin which was pure genius.

Another past female winner better known for comedy is up for a guest actress in a drama: Carol Burnett, nominated for an appearance on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Burnett’s competition is also stellar: Sharon Lawrence for  Grey’s Anatomy, Ellen Burstyn for Law & Order: SVU, Brenda Blethyn for Law & Order: SVU; and CCH Pounder for The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.

The guest actor in a drama category pits four past-Emmy winners against a 92-year-old Oscar winner! Ernest Borgnine, nominated for an episode of ER, will be trying to win his first Emmy to go along with his Academy Award for Marty. He has been nominated for the Emmy three times in the past and has yet to win.

Ed Asner, nominated for his work on CSI: NY, has seven Emmys on his mantle. Fellow nominee Michael J. Fox (Rescue Me) has four, while Ted Danson (Damages) has won two and Jimmy Smits (Dexter) one.

I’ll  be doing the red carpet outside the Nokia Theatre interviewing nominees and presenters then be in the pressroom watching the show and waiting for winners to come back to chat with us.