HBO dominated the 56th Annual Emmys, with The Sopranos finally beating The West Wing for outstanding drama, and the miniseries Angels in America winning 11 awards, including acting prizes for Al Pacino and Meryl Streep. Frasier's Kelsey Grammer, Wing's Allison Janney, Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker, and The Practice's James Spader won the major acting prizes, while Fox's Arrested Development was a surprise winner for outstanding comedy series. An emotional Drea de Matteo scored her first Emmy for her Sopranos role as the late Adriana. She declined to offer a list of thank-yous, citing the fear that she might ''puke, choke, cry, or die.''
Meanwhile, Broadway vet Elaine Stritch became the night's go-to punchline, delivering a lengthy, madcap speech after winning outstanding performance in a variety, music, or comedy special for her show Elaine Stritch: At Liberty. ''I'm not leaving here until someone comes and gets me,'' she said. Later, host Garry Shandling brought two unsuspecting civilians -- who had been blindfolded outside in a trailer -- onstage to present the award for outstanding reality/competition series to Amazing Race. ''They've already been signed to host next year,'' Shandling joked.
And the Emmys went to:
DRAMA SERIES
The Sopranos
COMEDY SERIES
Arrested Development
ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Allison Janney, The West Wing
ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
James Spader, The Practice
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Drea de Matteo, The Sopranos
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos
ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex and the City
ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Kelsey Grammer, Frasier
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Cynthia Nixon, Sex and the City
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
David Hyde Pierce, Frasier
MINISERIES
Angels in America
TV MOVIE
Something the Lord Made
ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Meryl Streep, Angels in America
ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Al Pacino, Angels in America
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE
Mary-Louise Parker, Angels in America
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE
Jeffrey Wright, Angels in America
GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
William Shatner, The Practice
GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Sharon Stone, The Practice
GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
John Turturro, Monk
GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Laura Linney, Frasier
VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SERIES
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SPECIAL
Elaine Stritch: At Liberty
REALITY PROGRAM
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
The Amazing Race
