My Dream Emmy Nominations part 3: Best Lead Actor and Actress (comedy)

Image Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC; Martin Segal/Showtime; Adam Larkey/ABC; Mitchell Haaseth/NBC; Paul Drinkwater/NBCHey, Emmy voters, it’s me again! We’re nearing the homestretch. We just have six more categories to get through, including the two below — lead actor and actress in a comedy. (My suggestions for lead actor and actress in a drama will be posted later this afternoon, followed by outstanding comedy series and drama series tomorrow.) To recap: Use this list of recommendations as your guide when the balloting process begins next week. Nods are announced July 8 — don’t let me down!

Best Lead Actress (Comedy)

* Courteney Cox (Cougar Town): At last, a role as good as, if not better than, Monica.

* Portia de Rossi (Better Off Ted): Her ice queen was headed for legendary status. Damn you, cancellation!

* Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine): The best revenge for having your show axed? Emmy!

* Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie): Carmela who?

* Tina Fey (30 Rock): She’s what keeps us from declaring the rare off episode a deal breaker.

* Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation): Makes Leslie as endearing as she is daffy. And she’s REALLY daffy.

Best Lead Actor (Comedy)

* Alec Baldwin (30 Rock): There’s a reason he already has two of these under his belt.

* Steve Carell (The Office): Dunder Mifflin’s bad times brought out the best in Michael and his portrayer. (See “Murder” for more.)

* Jay Harrington (Better Off Ted): The funniest performance no one (with a Nielsen box) watched.

* Zachary Levi (Chuck): He epitomized a new kind of superhero: Everyman!

* Joel McHale (Community): Made an honor role of his snarky underachiever.

* Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory): What could’ve descended into shtick ascended into madness.

Agree/disagree with my picks? Consider the comments section below your own personal Dream Emmy Ballot.

Coming up later today: Lead Actor and Actress (drama)

My Dream Emmy Nominations part 1: Best Supporting Actor and Actress (comedy)

My Dream Emmy Nominations part 2: Best supporting Actor and Actress (drama)