The 61st annual Emmy Awards show is taking place tonight, Sunday, September 20, 2009, at the Nokia Theatre. Click here for a list of this year's 2009 Emmy Winners & Nominees Click here for a list of the 2008 Emmy  Winners Click here for a list of the 2007 Emmy  Winners Click here for a list of the 2006 Emmy winners. Click here for a list of the 2005 Emmy winners. Click here for a list of the 2004 Emmy winners. Click here for a list of the 2003 Emmy winners. Click here for a list of the 2002 Emmy winners. Click here for a list of the 2001 Emmy winners. Click here for a list of the 2000 Emmy winners.

The annual Emmy awards show is television's biggest night. TV's version of the Oscars have been awarded each summer since 1948 by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and over 600 million viewers (in 85 countries) tune in to watch.

Virtually every star of the small screen shows up, and the good news is that you can watch them - in person.

You can see stars from your favorite TV series, such as Kiefer Sutherland ("24"), Teri Hatcher ("Desperate Housewives"), Kevin James ("The King of Queens"), Sally Field ("Brothers & Sisters"), Steve Carell ("The Office"), Charlie Sheen ("Two and a Half Men"), James Spader ("Boston Legal") Charlie Sheen ("Two & a Half Men"), Geena Davis "Commander in Chief", Peter Krause ("Six Feet Under"), Tony Shalhoub ("Monk"), Holly Hunter ("Saving Grace") and Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock").

Emmy nominees in recent years have also included:

Martin Sheen (President Bartlet on "The West Wing"), Sarah Jessica Parker (Carrie on "Sex and the City''), James Gandolfini ("The Sopranos"), Jennifer Garner ("Alias"), Debra Messing ("Will & Grace''), Kelsey Grammer, ("Frasier"), Anthony Edwards (Mark Greene on "ER"), Calista Flockhart ("Ally McBeal"), Michael Richards (Kramer on "Seinfeld"), Ray Romano ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), Jenna Elfman ("Dharma"), Helen Hunt (Jamie in "Mad About You"), Jane Seymour ("Doctor Quinn"), Dennis Franz ("NYPD Blue"), Roma Downey ("Touched By An Angel"), Garry Shandling, Christine Lahti, Jane Leeves, Kim Delaney, Julianna Margulies, Eriq La Salle, Christine Baranski, John Larroquette, Carol Burnett, Charles Nelson Reilly, Jan Hooks, Laura Innes, Rip Torn and Hank Azaria.

Recent special events on the Emmy stage included Whitney Houston hosting a segment on TV Cinderella stories, with pop singer Brandy singing "The Sweetest Sounds'', Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("Seinfeld") hosting a segment on TV's farewell episodes, while Jay Leno and Chris Rock told how television has affected their lives.

And the celebs you see at the show aren't necessarily TV regulars. You can see presenters such as Neve Campbell, Cher, Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, and Gregory Hines, as well as movie stars who have turned in a single exceptional performance on television, such as Bette Midler, Robert Duvall, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Michael Caine, Diana Rigg, Armand Assante, Tracey Ulman, Billy Crystal, Beau & Jeff Bridges, and Bridget Fonda.

Recent nominees included: Tom Hanks, Jack Lemmon, Sigourney Weaver, George C. Scott, Emma Thompson, Patti LuPone, Michael Crawford, Danny Glover, Helena Bonham Carter, Hume Cronyn, Mel Brooks, Ellen Barkin, John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ving Rhames, Sam Neill, Martin Short, Mare Winningham, Julie Harris, Nathan Lane, Olympia Dukakis, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, Swoosie Kurtz, Cloris Leachman and Francis Ford Coppola.

The Emmy Awards show is usually held on the second Sunday in September.

This year, they were be held on Sunday, September 20, 2009, at the new Nokia Theatre (next to the Staples Center) in downtown L.A. The host was Neil Patrick Harris.

This was be their second year at the Nokia. following a long run at the Shrine Auditorium. (The Emmys signed up for a 10-year run at the Nokia.)

Last year, the 60th annual show was held on Sunday, September 21, 2008. (Click here for the results from that year.) In 2008, they opted for a team of hosts, all hosts of reality/competition shows: Tom Bergeron, Ryan Seacrest, Heidi Klum, Jeff Probst and Howie Mandel.

In 2007, the 59th annual show was held on Sunday, September 16, at the Shrine. The host was American Idol's Ryan Seacrest.

In 2006, the 58th annual show was held on Saturday, August 27, 2006, at the Shrine Auditorium. The host was Conan O'Brien.

In 2005, the host was Ellen Degeneres.

In 2004, it was hosted by Gary Shandling. Presenters included Conan O’Brien, Sarah Jessica Parker ("Sex & The City"), Dennis Franz ("NYPD Blue"), Matt LeBlanc ("Friends" & "Joey"), Kiefer Sutherland ("24"), Eric McCormack ("Will & Grace"), James Spader ("The Practice"), Amber Tamblyn ("Joan of Arcadia"), Donald Trump (has "The Apprentice"), Kathryn Morris ("Cold Case"), Teri Hatcher ("Lois & Clark"), Jason Bateman ("Arrested Development"), Portia de Rossi ("Ally McBeal"), Jon Stewart ("The Daily Show"), Zach Braff (Scrubs"), and Mischa Barton ("The O.C.").

In normal years, when they allow bleacher seating for fans outside the Shrine, if you want to have any chance of getting a bleacher seat for future events , you have to come early - be in your seat by at least 2 PM. Remember that bleacher space is limited, phone the Academy at (818) 754-2800 ahead of time to be sure of dates, times & location.

But if you can afford the price of admission, you may not need a bleacher seat, since tickets are now sold for seats inside the Shrine..

Since 1998, after the show was moved from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium to the larger Shrine Auditorium, members of the public have been able to buy tickets to the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony for the first time ever. About 2,000 public tickets usually go on sale - the whole of the second balcony and part of the first balcony. Tickets are only available directly from the Academy... and they're not cheap.

One thing is certain: you'll never get an better chance to see so many major TV stars on a single day, in a single location...

However, you might want to think twice before you waste your time trying to get a bleacher seat outside the Shrine Auditorium. Although paid seats are available inside the Shrine, the bleacher situation outside was apparently ill-managed in past years. I haven't tried to get a bleacher seat at the Shrine myself, but I received this email from one poor soul who did a few years ago, and lived to regret it:

Stay tuned for information about the 2010 Emmy Awards show.

Getting there: The Shrine Auditorium is located about five miles south of downtown Los Angeles, on Jefferson Blvd at Royal Street, across the street from the USC campus, and not far from Exposition Park. Take the Harbor (110) Freeway to the Exposition Blvd exit. Turn west on Exposition one block to Figueroa Street, then turn right (north) on Figueroa and go one long block to Jefferson Blvd. Turn left (west) on Jefferson, and the Shrine will be on your right (north) side. You can't miss it.

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