Oh, Snap: Emmys Shut Out American Idol and X Factor in Favor of The Voice

Why nominations are another huge blow to Fox

By Kristin Dos Santos Jul 18, 2013 5:18 PMTags
Randy Jackson, Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban, Mariah Carey, AMERICAN IDOLMichael Becker / FOX

Remember when it felt like that silly red-swivel-chair show couldn't possibly put a dent in the behemoth that is American Idol?

Well, those days are gone as Emmy voters once again completely snubbed American Idol in the Outstanding Reality-Competition Program category. (Ryan Seacrest did get a nod for reality host, though—well-deserved in this challenging season.) Although Idol was nominated every year since the category's inception, the Fox singing competition has been shut out for two years in a row now for reality series, while NBC's The Voice received its second consecutive nomination.

Fox has to be feeling the sting. This Emmys blow comes at the end of a troubled Idol season, with ratings slipping and the controversial judges' table and production team completely torn apart. Though we know Swedish producer Per Blankens has been chosen to helm the show for the new season, no announcements have been made yet as to who will the seats left empty by Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson.

Regardless, The Voice is still a long shot to win the reality competition race, given that that CBS' The Amazing Race has won nine out of the past 10 years. The only show to break that streak was Top Chef, which is once again nominated this year, and could possibly do it again. Also in the running: Project Runway and Dancing With the Stars  (for a similary lackluster season).

Watch: 2013 Emmy Nominations: Reality, Variety & Miniseries

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Our secret hope? That So You Think You Can Dance, which bumped Idol out of the running for a nomination, will pick up its first win. With ratings never having been up to what they should be for this well-produced series, an Emmy win might be the only way to secure an 11th season.

Seacrest (who surprisingly has never won an Emmy) will take on Cat Deeley (ditto), along with Tom Bergeron, Anthony Bourdain, Heidi Klum and Betty White in the hosting category. Survivor's Jeff Probst was shut out for the second year.

Simon Cowell's The X Factor also was completely snubbed this year. And we can't help but imagine Mark Burnett doing the Happy Snoopy Dance this morning, as not only did his reality series The Voice kick Idol and X Factor out of the running, he also got three nominations for his first foray into scripted programming, The Bible.

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Full list of reality-TV nominees follows:

OUTSTANDING REALITY SHOW HOST

Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Betty White, Betty White's Off Their Rockers
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
Heidi Klum/Tim Gunn, Project Runway
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
Anthony Bourdain, The Taste

OUTSTANDING REALITY COMPETITION

The Amazing Race , CBS
Dancing With The Stars, ABC
Project Runway, Lifetime
So You Think You Can Dance, FOX
Top Chef, Bravo
The Voice, NBC

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PHOTOS: 2013 Emmys: Notable Nominees