Emmy contenders: Can Jon Cryer pull off an upset again?

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Two years ago no Emmy pundit on the planet predicted Jon Cryer (‘Two and a Half Men’) would win best supporting comedy actor. Nonetheless, he pulled off an upset over Kevin Dillon (‘Entourage’), Neil Patrick Harris (‘How I Met Your Mother’), Jack McBrayer (’30 Rock’), Tracy Morgan (’30 Rock’) and Rainn Wilson (‘The Office’).

Now pundits are dismissing Cryer’s latest bid opposite Chris Colfer (‘Glee’) and four ‘Modern Family’ stars: Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ed O’Neill and Eric Stonestreet. Are they foolish?

There’s an enormous amount of sympathy across Hollywood for Cryer these days in the aftermath of Charlie Sheen’s meltdown. Cryer seemed to have it all just before the crash. He costarred in TV’s top-rated comedy, which was still hugely popular during its eighth season. When Sheen wigged out, it looked like the TV series might be kaput. Currently, hopes run high that Ashton Kutcher may save it, but, of course, he may not. Cryer remains vulnerable and in need of a hug.

Emmys are all about hugs, of course. Do you think voters will embrace him again? He competes with the episode titled ‘The Immortal Mr. Billy Joel’ in which he puts on Sheen’s bowling shirt and pretends to be his brother when trying to pick up a gal.

-- Tom O’Neil

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