STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
"Homeland" and "Modern Family" were big winners last night at the Emmy Awards. For Showtime, the "Homeland" win was a first-ever Emmy for a drama series.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
It's a thriller about the CIA fighting terrorism in the U.S. It also won acting awards for Claire Danes and Damian Lewis.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE 2012 EMMY AWARDS")
DAMIAN LEWIS: Hello, everybody. I'm Damian Lewis. I'm one of those pesky Brits. Apologies. I don't really believe in judging art, but I thought I'd show up, just in case. It turned out all right.
GREENE: A writing award for "Homeland" brought its total take up to four last night, and four awards went to the big comedy winner, "Modern Family."
INSKEEP: Which is considered an old hand at the Emmy comedy thing. Last night was its third win in a row as Best Comedy Series. But they have nothing on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."
GREENE: Stewart's program had its 10th consecutive Emmy win for Best Variety Show Last night.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE 2012 EMMY AWARDS")
JON STEWART: We make topical comedy, which has the shelf life of egg salad, like, nobody cares after five days. So, to do this for 15 years and to have tangible proof that what we made wasn't just ephemeral is wonderful.
GREENE: And as Stewart waxed eloquent about this honor, he dropped a few words that prompted producers to cut off his microphone.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE 2012 EMMY AWARDS")
STEWART: Years from now, when the Earth is just a burning husk and aliens visit, they will find a box of these, and they will know just how predictable these (bleep).
GREENE: That's Jon Stewart of "The Daily Show." Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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