The Sopranos and 30 Rock took top honors, as best dramatic and comedy series, respectively, but it was often "Silent Night" at the 59th annual Primetime Emmy Awards – where such stalwarts as Sally Field and Ray Romano had their onstage comments bleeped.

Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl, who was named best supporting actress in a dramatic series, blurted out an expletive that was bleeped when her name was announced. "My own mother said I didn't have a shot in hell of winning tonight," she said onstage, "so I don't have anything prepared."

Heigl did say, though, that she'd been in the business since she was kid and had waited 17 years to win an Emmy – "I worked my *** off."


'American' Dream
Also heard from in a big way: America Ferrera, the winner of best actress in a comedy, for Ugly Betty. The 23-year-old said winning was "a dream come true," and that she couldn't wait to go to work tomorrow.

Field, winner as best actress in a dramatic series for Brothers and Sisters, was bleeped during her acceptance speech when she spoke about the war in Iraq.

"I said g--damn," she later told reporters backstage. "I wanted to say something about the mothers whose sons aren't coming home. I can't imagine. I can't imagine."

Romano's censored comments came at the outset of the show when he joked about what he was doing at home since Everybody Loves Raymond went off the air two years ago.


Mob Scene
Best actor in a dramatic series winner James Spader's remarks were left untouched. Clutching his third Emmy for his lawyer role on Boston Legal, Spader said, "I feel like I just stole a pile of money from the Mob, and they're all sitting over there" – referring to James Gandolfini and the cast of The Sopranos, which, besides winning the top prize, was also honored for its writing and directing.

Ricky Gervais was named best actor in a comedy series, for Extras, but because he was not at the event, presenters Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert joked that they were giving the Emmy to their pal, Steve Carell, who raced to the stage and embraced them.

But it was best comedy series 30 Rock that had the last laugh. Up on the Emmy stage of Los Angeles's Shrine Auditorium, the show's creator Tina Fey thanked the program's "dozens and dozens of viewers."


Support Group
Early in the show, Jeremy Piven, Terry O'Quinn and Jaime Pressly were among the first to take home the gold. "What an embarrassment of riches," said Piven, who collected his second consecutive Emmy as supporting actor in a comedy series for Entourage. "I want to thank the entire crew. I don't know any of their names," he joked.

Pressly nabbed her first Emmy win, for supporting actress in a comedy series for My Name Is Earl.

Lost costar O'Quinn, who won as best supporting actor in a dramatic series, cracked in his speech: "Sometimes when we're rolling around in the jungle in the mud, hitting each other and stabbing each other, I wonder what it would be like to bake up a sheet of cookies on Wisteria Lane – and get one of their checks," he said, referring to the cast of Desperate Housewives.