It’s shaping up to be a stellar week for the AMC dramedy Breaking Bad.

Not only was the Emmy-winning Bryan Cranston-led series honored with a prestigious George Foster Peabody Award yesterday, but not too long after that announcement, its home network announced the show has been renewed for a third season projected to begin in 2010. The second piece of good news comes just four episodes into the show’s sophomore run.

Said AMC executive Joel Stillerma: “Breaking Bad is one of the most unique and layered dramas on television today. The Peabody win, the critical acclaim and strong audience growth for the second season reinforce that this is the kind of exceptional original storytelling AMC intends to deliver to audiences.”

Woot! Both awards couldn’t have happened to a better and more entertaining basic-cable program. Glad to see so many viewers are giving the series the love it’s due.

Breaking Bad airs Sundays on AMC at 10pm EST.

Following in the footsteps of last year’s politically savvy comedian winner Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey has been named the Associated Press Entertainer of the Year, and I couldn’t be happier.

The honor means that AP members believe Fey is the one performer who has had the greatest impact on culture and entertainment in 2008. Second runner-up was Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. and third runner-up was deceased Dark Knight star Heath Ledger, whose death was named the AP’s biggest entertainment story of 2008.

Says Lexington Herald-Leader assistant features editor Scott Shive: “[Fey] simultaneously entertained us with her wit and put a mirror up to the nation during the election and made us think about what was going on. She is the epitome of the smart kid coming out on top for once.”

It wasn’t just Fey’s downright eerie impression of Alaska governor and recent U.S. vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin that wowed the voters consisting of newspaper editors and broadcast producers nationwide, but also her noteworthy achievements on the big and small screens.

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Tina Fey and 30 Rock did good!

Mosey on after the jump to see who won what in the comedy categories during Sunday’s 60th Primetime Emmys ceremony. Hopefully, each and every TV comedy lover will find something to make them happy with the results.

Personally, I still wish either How I Met Your Mother’s Neil Patrick Harris or The Office’s Rainn Wilson had scored a statuette, but I guess there’s always next year.

At least former Malcolm in the Middle dad Bryan Cranston achieved a very deserved win in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category for his work on AMC’s fantastic dramedy Breaking Bad.

He was up against Boston Legal’s James Spader, Dexter’s Michael C. Hall, House M.D.’s Hugh Laurie, In Treatment’s Gabriel Byrne, and Mad Men’s Jon Hamm, obviously pretty stiff competition, with the first two nominees also dramedy stars. Comedy was all over this year’s show.

Now for the winners, which follow in bold at the top of the categories…

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Remember way back in the day when mega movie star Will Smith was just the silly Fresh Prince from West Philly? I guess many don’t, but did he ever get payback on the hordes of people who used to put him and his music partner D.J. Jazzy Jeff down for not keeping it real.

Will attended the 2008 Teen Choice Awards on Sunday, August 3, and he had his two sons in tow to watch him pick up a total of three wins: Choice Movie Horror/Thriller for I Am Legend, Choice Summer Movie Action Adventure for Hancock, and Choice Movie Actor Horror/Thriller for I Am Legend.

Follow the jump for a few photos of Will with his oldest son Willard Christopher III, also known as Trey, and youngest son Jaden Christopher Syre. Will looks like a classic proud dad, as he should.

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Earlier today, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the finalists for this year’s 60th Primetime Emmys ceremony, which is scheduled to air on Sunday, September 21. Just taking one swift look at the results of the long road to these ultimate contenders makes it obvious that 30 Rock rocks, at least to academy voters. Scroll down to the Guest Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series categories if you really want to see what I mean.

On another note, I’m thrilled to see both Neil Patrick Harris and Rainn Wilson among the supporting actor nominees. I hope one of them is victorious on the big night.

Now on to the list…

Outstanding Comedy Series

• 30 Rock, NBC
• Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO
• Entourage, HBO
• The Office, NBC
• Two and a Half Men, CBS

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
• America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
• Tina Fey, 30 Rock
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
• Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
• Steve Carell, The Office
• Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies
• Tony Shalhoub, Monk
• Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men

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Once again, we go to Gold Derby’s Tom O’Neil, this time for the ten 2008 Emmys semifinalists in the Best Comedy Supporting Actor category.

Congratulations to 30 Rock’s Jack McBrayer, who so deserves his place on the list.

Best Comedy Supporting Actor Semifinalists

• Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men (“Meander to Your Dander”)
• Kevin Dillon, Entourage (“The Dream Team”)
• Justin Kirk, Weeds (“Bill Sussman”)
• Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother (“The Goat”)
• John Krasinski, The Office (“Branch Wars”)
• Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock (“Episode 210″)
• Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock (“Secrets and Lies”)
• Jeremy Piven, Entourage (“The Day Fuckers”)
• Fred Willard, Back to You (“Cradle to Grave”)
• Rainn Wilson, The Office (“Money”)

The final five nominees will be announced on Thursday, July 17.

Since Gold Derby’s Tom O’Neil hasn’t been able to track down all ten semifinalists on the 2008 Emmys list in the Best Comedy Actor category, we’ll have to make do with the eight he did confirm.

In the meantime, it should be fun to ponder the possibilities for the remaining two slots, at least until we get tired or bored, whichever comes first.

My votes are for Derby’s suggestions of Jim Parsons from The Big Bang Theory and one of the dudes from either Entourage or Flight of the Conchords.

Best Comedy Actor Semifinalists

• Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (“Rosemary’s Baby”)
• Steve Carell, The Office (“Goodbye, Toby”)
• Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm (“The Bat Mitzvah”)
• David Duchovny, Californication (“The Last Waltz”)
• Brad Garrett, ‘Til Death (“Swimming with Starks”)
• Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies (“Pie-lette”)
• Tony Shalhoub, Monk (“Mr. Monk and the Naked Man”)
• Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men (“Is There a Mrs. Waffles?”)

The final five nominees will be announced on Thursday, July 17.

According to enterprising Tom O’Neil at Gold Derby, the eleven semifinalists for the 2008 Emmys in the Best Comedy Guest Actress category are the following.

Please take a moment to savor the wonderful absence of names like Britney Spears and Mary-Kate Olsen — who were submitted for their appearances on How I Met Your Mother and Weeds, respectively — before perusing the list.

Best Comedy Guest Actress Semifinalists

• Polly Bergen, Desperate Housewives (“Distant Past”)
• Edie Falco, 30 Rock (“Episode 210″)
• Vivica A. Fox, Curb Your Enthusiasm (“The Rat Dog”)
• Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives (“Welcome to Kanagawa”)
• Annie Potts, Ugly Betty (“Zero Worship”)
• Carrie Fisher, 30 Rock (“Rosemary’s Baby”)
• Shirley Knight, Desperate Housewives (“If There’s Anything I Can’t Stand”)
• Jane Lynch, Two and a Half Men (“Rough Night in Hump Junction”)
• Amy Ryan, The Office (“Goodbye Toby”)
• Sarah Silverman, Monk (“Mr. Monk and His Biggest Fan”)
• Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock (“LudaChristmas”)

The final five nominees will be announced on Thursday, July 17.

Gold Derby’s Tom O’Neil reports the following ten semifinalists for the 2008 Emmys in the Best Comedy Supporting Actress category.

The big news is that last year’s winner, Jaime Pressly of My Name Is Earl, is not among this year’s contenders, and neither are last year’s semifinalists Becki Newton and Ashley Jensen of ABC’s Ugly Betty. Hmmm…

Best Comedy Supporting Actress Semifinalists

• Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies (“Girth”)
• Conchata Ferrell, Two and a Half Men (“Fish in a Drawer”)
• Jenna Fischer, The Office (“Fun Run”)
• Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock (“The Collection”)
• Judith Light, Ugly Betty (“I See Me, ICU”)
• Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds (“Risk”)
• Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live (“Tina Fey”)
• Jean Smart, Samantha Who? (“The Girlfriend”)
• Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men (“Media Room Slash Dungeon”)
• Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty (“Bananas for Betty”)

The final five nominees will be announced on Thursday, July 17.

Since the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences refuses to release the Emmy nomination shortlists of acting talent in the various lead and support categories, certain people track the lists down and publish them for the general public.

The big news this awards season regarding the comedy lead actress category is the fact that Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher is missing, although all three of her costars — Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman, and Eva Longoria Parker — are included. Ouch!

Another piece of big news is the nod given to standup specialist Sarah Silverman of Comedy Central’s The Sarah Silverman Program. While the Academy claims the acknowledgment is based on her work in the episode “Bored of the Rings,” we all know it’s really due to her role in “loving” Matt Damon.

The ten semifinalists for the Best Comedy Actress category follow; the final five nominees will be announced on Thursday, July 17.

Best Comedy Actress Semifinalists

• Christina Applegate, Samantha Who? (“The Restraining Order”)
• Marcia Cross, Desperate Housewives (“Now You Know”)
• America Ferrera, Ugly Betty (“Odor in the Court”)
• Tina Fey, 30 Rock (“Sandwich Day”)
• Anna Friel, Pushing Daisies (“Bitter Sweets”)
• Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives (“Now I Know, Don’t Be Scared”)
• Eva Longoria Parker, Desperate Housewives (“In Buddy’s Eyes”)
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine (“One and a Half Men”)
• Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds (“Bill Sussman”)
• Sarah Silverman, The Sarah Silverman Program (“Bored of the Rings”)

For the third year in a row, all I have to say is, “WTF?! Still no Tichina Arnold from Everybody Hates Chris?!” Idiots.