‘SNL’ ‘gift’ skit gets a music nod

In addition to bestowing lots of love on upstarts like ABC’s “Ugly Betty” and NBC’s “Heroes” and “30 Rock,” the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on Thursday also embraced a saucier side.

Remember that much-talked-about, much e-mailed, much-parodied “Saturday Night Live” skit starring a bearded Justin Timberlake singing about his, uh, gift that keeps on giving? It was nominated in the original music and lyrics category. (We can’t mention the title in a family newspaper, and “SNL” had to use the bleep button repeatedly during the broadcast, but you know the one we’re talking about.)

Other amusing ditties nominated in this category include “My Drunken Irish Dad” from Fox’s “Family Guy” and “Everything Comes Down to Poo” from NBC’s “Scrubs.”

No ‘Idol’ slight

Although a ratings and cultural phenomenon, Fox’s “American Idol” has always been dissed by Emmy voters. It earned seven nominations Thursday -- bringing the show’s lifetime total to 29 -- but it has never won. Worse, it again finds itself against perennial winner CBS’ “The Amazing Race.” And adding insult to injury, ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” scored more Emmy nods than “Idol,” with eight.

How West wins

Move over, Tony Soprano. The two shows that lassoed the most nominations Thursday were westerns. The HBO movie “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” garnered 17 nominations. And AMC’s first foray into a miniseries, “Broken Trail,” corralled 16. Tony? His crew came in third place, with 15 nods.

Golden approval

Two of this year’s acting nominees are awards season royalty: Helen Mirren and Forest Whitaker won Oscars this year for their lead performances in “The Queen” and “The Last King of Scotland.” Mirren earned an Emmy nomination for lead actress in a miniseries or movie for PBS’ “Prime Suspect: The Final Act,” Whitaker was nominated for guest actor in a drama series for NBC’s “E.R.”

Spousal support

Husband-and-wife duo William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman received Emmy nominations: Huffman for best actress in a comedy series for ABC’s “Desperate Housewives,” her husband for TNT’s “Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (Umney’s Last Case).”

Like a fine wine...

Age isn’t everything, even in youth-obsessed Hollywood. Veteran Eli Wallach, 91 years young, is nominated for outstanding guest actor in a drama series for his appearance on the now-defunct NBC show “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”

Give her an A

Tart-tongued Kathy Griffin might want to pull herself out of the running next year: How can the comedian continue to leverage her status on the “D-List” now that her Bravo reality TV show has back-to-back nods?