Kelsey Grammar claims he was snubbed by Emmys for being a Republican


Kelsey shows his tattoo with his new wife’s name at about 1:50

Kelsey Grammar was on The Tonight Show Tuesday promoting season two of “Boss” on Starz, in which he plays the lead. As he’s done in most of his recent interviews, Kelsey talked about his new 32 year-old former stewardess wife, Kayte. He even showed off the tattoo he got of her name on his hip (That’s at 1:50 into the video above) and admitted that the tattoo was Kayte’s idea. Of course it was. He’s such a fool.

Although Kelsey won the Golden Globe for best actor for Boss, the show wasn’t nominated for any Emmys. When Leno asked him why he thought that happened, Kelsey got whiny and claimed it’s because he’s a rare Republican in the industry. Really. Here’s EW’s coverage:

Kelsey Grammer won this year’s Golden Globe for Best Actor for his starring role in Boss, the Starz drama about a ruthless Chicago mayor, so you might be wondering why the Emmys failed to even nominate him. Jay Leno wondered, so he asked Grammer what he thought of the slight when the actor visited The Tonight Show last night. “It may have to do with several things, honestly, but I think it’s possible… I mean, I am a… I’m a declared out of the closet Republican in Hollywood,” said Grammer. He went on to say, “Do I believe it’s possible that some young person, young voting actor — or even older voting member for the Emmys — would sit there and go, ‘Yeah, that’s a great performance, but ooooooooooooh, I just hate everything he stands for?’ [Cue sarcasm.] I don’t believe that’s possible.”

After picking at the scab, Leno then reversed course and pointed out to Grammer that his absence may have had more to do with Starz not being as prominent a channel as its competitors, since Grammer had won Emmys before (for Cheers, Frasier, and The Simpsons), most recently in 2006, during which time he presumably was also a Republican. But Grammer reinforced his argument, saying “Just after that last [Emmy win], I became one.”

The easy rebuttal to Grammer’s theory is that not enough people — and presumably voters — saw his show enough to recognize his performance, just as Leno hinted. Though a second season of Boss was picked up even before the series premiere, the show soon was drawing less than 300,000 viewers per episode. Which is a shame, because the show is riveting and Grammer’s performance as the dark and combustible mayor is excellent.

[From EW]

If Kelsey wants to believe that the Emmy committee is biased against him, (and I doubt that’s what happened) it’s more likely that they’re biased because of his personal life, not his politics. This is a guy who admitted cheating on his wife for over six months, and then made her go with him as his date for the Tony Awards, after which he promptly dumped her, talked smack about her, and married his young jump-off a hot second later. Scenes from the end of Kelsey’s marriage aired on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and we saw his now ex-wife, Camille, struggling to come to terms with his infidelity and the cruel way he treated her when he wanted out of the marriage. We saw what a pompous, entitled ass this guy is. That said, I agree with Leno that the issue is that the show has low viewership, not that Kelsey was overlooked for some specific personal reason. Although again if that were the case his politics wouldn’t even be on the list.

Kelsey and his wife, Kayte, on 5-13-12. Kayte has since had the baby

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64 Responses to “Kelsey Grammar claims he was snubbed by Emmys for being a Republican”

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  1. Ann says:

    Ugh. There’s just something grotesque about old men fathering children with women considerably younger.

    • Environ says:

      He’s so gross. I might be older than most here, 34, but does anyone remember Kelsey Grammar being addicted to cocaine, his numerous DUIs/car wrecks, and that time he was arrested for leaving pornographic messages on a 12 year old’s answering machine? He is a great actor, but complete and total slime. He’s lying about just coming out republican. He’s been openly republican since the 90s and it never stopped him from getting awards before. Also there are PLENTY of Hollywood Republicans, they’re the ones who run the studios.

      • cd says:

        well i’m even older than you and didn’t know about the pornographic messages.

        oh dear…

        still a fan of his work, but what a sleezebag… he should have been arrested and placed on a sex offenders register!

        :S

      • Relli says:

        Close to your age and i remembered everything except those messages, WTF? I was incredibly disappointed because i loved Cheers and Frasier/Lilith were and are still some of my favorite characters on TV. But you are right he has always been and out and proud republican.

      • Bluedog says:

        A google search doesn’t show ANYTHING about any pornographic messages on some kid’s answering machine. Are you sure you’re remembering that right?

      • Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

        All true, all icky.

        Hollywood celebrities aren’t he rare breed he believes them to be. There’s Adam Sandler, Carrie Underwood, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lara Flynn Boyle, Kelly Clarkson, Arnold S., whatever kind of IT dungeon keeps Britney Spears’ mind alive, Tom Selleck, Elisabeth Hasselbeck (condolences), Kid Rock (see previous), Clan Palin’s roving band of professional victims, The Mists Of Duggarland, all of those Fox News pundits who spend about as much time addressing true Republicanism as does Paddington Bear, Gin Tits Limbaugh, Mike Frigging Savage, Dennis Miller (what on odd turnaround there, hm?), Michael ‘Ugh’ Medved, Scieno von Botoxblight…

        He’s right, let the funeral bells peal. Ay, the suffering of the wee ones. And he’s hardly a Crypto Con, unless talking about your sympathies for 20 year means ‘cast into the shadows, trapped under the ribs of silent despair.

      • Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

        Phone messages? Colour me ignorant of any of that bit of gossip.

        There may be fewer Republican celebrities than Democratic, but they’re hardly oppressed in the manner that he describes here. At any rate, it’s not mandatory to bring a film crew to the voting booth or to bed and the party (any party) will live to see another day. They’ll go on whether one person decides to create a turgid and moralizing swamp of anti-entertainment (An American Carol) or slum it at Occupy so all your other well-heeled know-it-all hipster friends and cameras can see you roughing it in the trenches.

    • sunmoonstars says:

      Well that’s sexist and ageist and quite frankly I’m surprised to see it here on a site where everyone is so progressive, and pro-equality. I have a feeling that you don’t have the same sentiments towards that Innsmouth-looking chick in her 40’s that was with that guy, Aaron Johnson Wood I think his name is, am I right? Awfully judgmental of you……

      • Ella says:

        Uh, everyone has EXACTLY the same sentiment towards Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson.

      • olcranky says:

        as Ella points out we’re equally disgusted at the Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson situation and a lot of us are a bit skeeved by the Swifty-Kennedy relationship as well (pointing out that male celebs would be attacked for being in a similar situation)

      • sunmoonstars says:

        Wow, glad to see I was wrong because I had some vague memory of reading a lot of indignant posts about how if it was a MAN nobody would care,and “You go girl”….you know, the usual. I’d go back and look but I’m way too lazy 🙂

        For the record, I think the real travesty of the Johnson-Wood thing isn’t their age difference but the fact that she might be one of the ugliest women I’ve ever seen in my life. Like I said, she’s got that Innsmouth look and he looks like an angel, he’s so beautiful. It just seems so wrong!

        Taylor and the Kennedy bothers me, but mainly because she might get Chappaquiddicked. Wow that sounds like a Punk’d spinoff, doesn’t it? “You just got CHAPPAQUIDDICK’D, bro!”

        (I’m going to hell I know it)

  2. lucy2 says:

    What a tool. He already has a bunch of Emmys and awards, and he needs MORE validation for his work? Grow up already. He’s a mental mess.
    He’s on a very, very small show, and there is a ton of competition as TV has some really excellent shows out right now. To imply he deserved a spot but was snubbed for politics is an insult to the nominees, who all turned in great performances and deserve their recognition. And I don’t know (or care) what any of their politics are. Which of them does he feel was undeserving and has his spot?

    • wilkiecollins says:

      Yes, this. Everytime this man speaks I am reminded he is his own worst enemy. Who should have been cut so he could have recieved another accolade.

    • CG says:

      ITA. When I read the headline, my immediate reaction was, “Bitch, you’ve won like 47 Emmys so STFU!”

      • lucy2 says:

        Exactly. He’s acting like Hollywood has been so cruel to him and held him down for his politic beliefs. Puh-lease! He’s worked steadily for 30 years, including 3 long running hit shows (Cheers, Frasier, Simpsons), a bunch of movies, and has a very successful production company. 5 Emmys, 3 Golden Globes, SAG awards, and BUCKETS of money. But somehow, because he wasn’t nominated for an Emmy this year alone, he’s being persecuted for his politics.

        I don’t see Timothy Olyphant or Hugh Laurie crying over it.

  3. lassie says:

    Oh, Sideshow Bob. If only you could avenge your name by killing Bart and ruining Krusty the Klown…then the Emmy would be yours…

  4. Sarah says:

    I got pissed off when he won the Golden Globe as I expected Bryan Cranston to win it. *Fun Fact: Neither Bryan Cranston nor Breaking Bad in general have won a Golden Globe and they are not whining about it.

    • debbi says:

      I read an article that the Golden Globes are pretty much bought by way of bribes and gifts. In terms of this like 300000 people watch this show, so no one sees it to judge, and I don’t hear the cast of The Wire bitch about their lack of Emmys, and on their worst day they out shined Kelsey’s best. I also don’t hear the cast of Son’s of Anarchy or Kyle Chandler for all those years he was ignored on Friday night Lights.

      There are a million shows on prim time, with a million brilliant actors, a lot of people get snubbed or missed. It sucks but it has nothing to do with his political beliefs, especially when you consider he has 5 Emmys as a public Republican!! No one watches his show and besides Cranston is going to win so why whine and look like a bitter fool when you don’t stand a chance.

      • the original bellaluna says:

        I remember Kurt Sutter complaining about something about award shows, but he backed off and claimed he was joking. SOA is an AWESOME show and I can’t wait till it’s back!!!!

      • cd says:

        you’re pretty much right imho.

        i know someone who gets to vote in them but he never watches anything. come voting time he’s sent all kinds of gifts and freebies, but he asks other people about what they’ve seen and what they like. he loans out dvds of the nominees so that people can essentially do the work for him :o/

        the whole awards thing is about PR.

      • Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

        I will not have this kind of talk, my people will destroy you.

        Together forever and never to part,
        Pia Zadora.

        P.S. Hooray for Santy Claus.

  5. GirlOne says:

    Seems like the appropriate punishment for being a Repbulican.

    • sunmoonstars says:

      How tolerant and accepting of views that differ from your own! Man I’m so glad we have you guys to set an example on acceptance and respect for others and their beliefs!

      (No I am not a Republican, but I’m DEFINITELY not a Democrat)

  6. the original bellaluna says:

    Wife’s name on his hip was her idea? So all his strange can read her name when his pants come off. I bet Camille is pissed she didn’t think of it!

  7. Jacq says:

    This guy is a d*ck with a raging sense of self-entitlement. He is cruel & expects us to care when his widdle-bitty feelers her hurt.

    • DreamyK says:

      Hah!

      No one cares if he’s a Republican. This Persecution Complex he has going on further enhances his twatwaffleness. So f*ing gross. How can she stand him touching her? Eeeew

  8. Dibba says:

    He seems like a douche, regardless of his political affiliation

  9. Holl says:

    I made my husband turn the channel when Kelsey’s new show came on. Or rather, I started bitching about what a no good piece of you know waht Kelsey is and how bad he treated Camille and his morally bankrupt behavior etc that my husband changed the channel to save his sanity. Point is, Kelsey you a dog.

    and your new wifey is seriously not attractive in a weird Leann kind of way thats not ugly but just odd/average.

  10. Ella says:

    His head looks like a pumpkin.

  11. bagladey says:

    KG is a creepy, old douche bag – no morals what-so-ever.

  12. Incredulous says:

    I thought the first season of Boss was brilliant and Grammar gave an absolutely incandescent performance in it. That said, screw awards.

    I think it is also worth noting that Grammar is remarkably together given all that has happened in his life. Seriously.

    • Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

      Also true. I’m not sure if I would even be alive for long enough to experience the kind of decay discussed now.

  13. Not-so-New Christine says:

    GrammEr (with an E)!

    (I’ll see myself out…)

  14. AnnieGrey says:

    This Christian/Republican is not a fan of men who treat women like objects. He needs therapy and lots of it.

    • sunmoonstars says:

      It seems like they know what they’re signing up for, but the money makes it worth it. I’m sick of people acting like the women are such victims when they had to know what he’s about. You don’t want to be objectified, then don’t make yourself an object! I guess Camille was used to it, wasn’t she a stripper or something before she gold-dug her way up the ladder? IDK about this new one but I’m sure she is well aware of what her husband is, but the $$$ is just too good. I mostly just feel bad for them all though, none of them have any idea what a real relationship is about and that’s so sad. Oh well I guess they’ll cry themselves to sleep on their piles of money lol 😀

  15. hmmmm..... says:

    I have watched this show and it’s not very good. He’s good in it but the rest of the show is just plain boring most of the time. I just couldn’t get into the characters or care much about anything they were doing.

    If he’s going to blame someone, I would start with the writing staff.

  16. dorothy says:

    Kelsey, maybe it’s just because your a douchebag that left your wife and children and carried on a public affair with a woman that could be your daughter?? Just a thought.

    • lucy2 says:

      Or maybe the Emmy voters thought the guys who were nominated did better work?

    • sunmoonstars says:

      Why would that faze them? Remember, this is Hollywood, where child molestors continue to win awards and are showered with praise. You should check out crazy days and nights blind items some time, Kelsey Grammer is a freaking saint by Hollywood standards.
      He’s still a pig though, don’t get me wrong.

  17. cd says:

    like a lot of people, i’ve been a fan of kelsey’s since the 80s, and whilst i still love his work, i question about what kind of person he is after how he treated camille.

    she’s not totally innocent though – something must have been wrong in the marriage; cheating is not usually about sex, even though it can seem that way. sex can be a draw, and it usually is, but it’s about connecting with someone – or rather, a symptom of having emotionally disconnected from your partner.

    of course, i’ve never even met either, so i know no more than any normal person about them. watching camille on ‘real housewives…’, i personally felt she was misrepresented a little bit, but she’s not as innocent as she tends to make out, and some of the swipes made on her personality i think fit (and to some degree she acknowledged that in one of the reunion shows). i think that unless you have a more open mind it would be easy to hate camille and make it more convenient to still love kelsey, but i don’t think it’s as clear cut as that.

    i think he treated her despicably – even if there were problems in the marriage. it was cowardly, self-serving, cold – not just to camille but to their children too.

    i realise ‘real housewives’ edit the show with their own agenda in mind, and ultimately it’s not the public’s place to have a opinion on it… but we do…

    i’ll still enjoy his work but just have a bit less respect for him. whatever their marriage was like he still comes out as the villain of the piece for how he ended it.

    i know this thread is really about his politics, but i’m not in the us, so i don’t care too much about it…! :o)

  18. Linda says:

    That’s good enough reason for me but there are a few others I can think of!!

  19. KellyinSeattle says:

    I think he’s great in Frasier, but being an idiot doesn’t make a reason for getting an award; many idiots have…..I think he’s pretty full of himself and doesn’t really even know it…”I’m a big star” syndrome

  20. Mrs. Ari Gold says:

    He became a republican in 2006? That’s worse than just being a republican. Many republicans were *leaving* the republican party during that time. Wow. He really is an idiot.

  21. Katija says:

    I’m resisting the eleven-year-old-esque urge to just yell, “AH! SIDESHOW BOB!”

  22. lucy2 says:

    So he didn’t become a Rep. until after his last Emmy in 2006, huh?

    -His first political donation on public record was to GHW Bush in 1992.
    -12 of the 13 donations on that list, from 1992-present day, are to Republican candidates or GOP.
    -He was a guest of GWB at his first inauguration in 2000.
    -He donated to GWB again in 2004.

    All these things were prior to 2006, and during that time period he won 5 Emmy awards.

    I couldn’t care less that he’s a Republican, who people vote for is their business. But when people use their politics as an excuse for things not going 100% their way ALL the time, or to play the victim like he is here, I get pissed and have to call them out on the BS.

    • Havik says:

      Thank you! *applause* I completely agree. Couldn’t care less about his politics, it’s his dodgy social life that skeeves me out.

  23. Garrish Utley says:

    Judging by the reception that conservatives receive here, he’s absolutely right.

    • sunmoonstars says:

      Yeah, it’s funny because these are the “tolerant” people who respect everyone and their opinion, or so they always claim. It never quite manifests itself when they’re confronted with a dissenting opinion but I keep waiting. I guess I’ll be waiting a while though…

      • Disbelieving says:

        Funny, I don’t see any comments which are over-generalizing and intolerant, here, except yours. One’s political preference need not be linked to personal behavior. Its you making that assertion in your itty bitty pity party.

  24. Whatever says:

    Maybe they just dont like your stupid show or the fact you left 2 kids without a father to start a new family with some slut working for a airline.
    I know I think you suck for what you did to your wife this time but then this wife will get a taste of what she did someone else soon enough if theres one thing you can count on from this guy its lies,cheating and bad parenting maybe they dont think your on show persona is that different from who you really are. IS HE ACTING OR JUST doing what he does at home with cameras following. By the way your tattoo should be on a chick ol dude lol…

    • sunmoonstars says:

      Well I certainly hope you feel the same about all the other non-Republican Hollywood cheaters and deadbeat dads! Otherwise it would just look hypocritical….and we wouldn’t want that, right?

  25. Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

    As a non-American observer (not to say that I special insight, just to say that I’ve been exposed to things a little differently) I frequently see one side or the other effectively never forgetting to remind people that they’re fundamentally bad and that’s all that they’ll ever be. Well then, case closed, politics is retiring to Florida and the final word is there in stone. I want to hear ideas, so if you’ve got something to say, say it, please don’t run off because you’re ‘sure’ of how people will respond. You may choose to say nothing and needlessly throw yourself on a sword, capitulating to a mob you don’t address but who benefits from that self-silencing? Why make a world-weary proclamation about a foregone conclusion and take yourself out of the conversation? Whatever a person’s opinion may be (on anything, from everyone) saying nothing loudly is exactly that and it’s useless to tell everyone that it’s beneath your dignity to actually engage. Did you just walk in with no other plan but to dismiss? Why even bother to peek in? Now there’s a whole bunch of people who don’t get to hear you because you decided that it’s pearls before swine.

    You can disagree on anything under the sun, but if your only arguing point is that it would be impossible for base people to ‘get’ it, what’s left?

    • sunmoonstars says:

      Hahaha I never understand a damn thing you’re trying to say! Is English your first languge (not being mean, just curious)?

      • mayamae says:

        Wow, you are on a tirade today.

        By the way, I don’t know if Jo ‘Mama’ Besser finds you rude but I do. As well as condescending and irritating.

  26. Nikki says:

    Not that he is correct, but he was asked a question during an interview and answered it. It isn’t as though he is so bent out of shape about it that he brought it up and went off on the topic…

  27. Ruffian9 says:

    Yes, Kelsey, it’s because you’re a republican. Also, your new wife isn’t a gold digger, you’re probably a a terrific father to your previous children, and everyone wants to see the tattoo on your 57 year old hip. Right.

  28. Gigi says:

    Yep…he’s definitely a Republican. He’s got those good Republican morals and values.

  29. efwcheryl says:

    Maybe he was snubbed because he comes off like a pompous ass…

  30. Zvonk says:

    He’s a one note actor. Not worthy of any additional Emmys. Irrespective of his political affiliation.

  31. erika says:

    that poor unborn child…may an Angel escort you through your life with…

    Too bad this jerk ‘recovered’ from drugs/alcohol abuse, he apparently is still in serious DENIAL that he has a SICK, diseased mind.

    Yes…KelKels…it’s your roots for RomRom and not your misogynistic manchild manners.

    oh…poo your fresh salad and scrambled eggs

  32. dee says:

    The Emmys are so lame that the single best predictor of who will get nominated is whether a person has won before. This guy could have done absolute crap but in the world of Emmys he had every reasonable expection to be nominated because he was good 15 years ago. Don’t know if politics was the issue but it is aberrant behavior from the Emmy crowd to not endlessly nominate the same people when at all possible.

  33. Matthew says:

    Or maybe his show isn’t that great.