Standing before a 40-piece orchestra and gazing out at a sold-out Carnegie Hall, Seth MacFarlane reflected, “I look at this magnificent collection of musicians behind me and I think, Jesus, I’m just doing the world’s most expensive karaoke.”

That was just one of the odd juxtapositions evident at “Family Guy Sings!,” a two-night (Nov.24-25) comedy-and-music extravaganza based on MacFarlane’s animated Fox sitcom. Another was watching him and the show’s cast — Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Danny Smith, Mike Henry — read two complete episodes from the stage: The performance suggested a bizarre pastiche of theater, television, and old-time radio.

Front and center, though, was MacFarlane’s two wildly divergent obsessions—ribald humor, and the American songbook. The troupe belted out fan faves like “Prom Night Dumpster Baby” as well as in-character versions of “I’ve Got a Little List” from Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado” and “Shipoopi” from “The Music Man.”

Things got edgier—and more hilarious—when MacFarlane and Borstein explored the dark side of the Frank Loesser standard, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” and  went downright X-rated with a re-reading of the 1978 Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond hit, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers Anymore.”

For the pre-holiday Gotham crowd, it was “Family” entertainment at its finest.

--- Mike Flaherty

Hot off the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences nomination vote-tallying machine, here are the top 10 finalists for Emmy noms in the comedy and drama series heats. The final noms will be announced on Thursday, July 17.

(My 2 cents on the list follows after the jump)

COMEDY

Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
The Office
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds

DRAMA

Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Grey’s Anatomy
House
Lost
Mad Men
The Tudors
The Wire

It may have taken them a little longer to get there than most shows, but Fox's unsinkable "Family Guy" is prepping a 100th episode party for Oct. 29 at the ever-fashionable Social Hollywood. Seth MacFarlane and his crew are known to know how to celebrate their "freakin' sweet" milestones. This bash might lend itself to some TMZ moments, if Stewie gets out of hand...

There might be some TMZ action coming out of next week's Hollywood Radio and Television Society gathering of the heads of the five network families. The selection of Barry Sonnenfeld, helmer and exec producer of ABC's "Pushing Daisies," as moderator of the Oct. 16 luncheon has raised some eyebrows among rival nets. It's a head-scratcher for others, given that Sonnenfeld isn't exactly known for his emcee-ing skills. But for those of us who've complained about milquetoast HRTS moderators in the past, we've got to give Barry the benefit of the doubt. It outta be a lively sesh, anyway, with ABC's Steve McPherson, CBS' Nina Tassler, CW's Dawn Ostroff, Fox's Kevin Reilly and NBC's Ben Silverman...

The milestone-episode parties continue on Nov. 3 with Warner Bros. Television's celebration of "ER's" 300th at Hollywood's Cabana Club. Hard to believe it was 13 years ago that George Clooney did such an effective job of playing the tipsy Dr. Doug Ross in the famously good two-hour "ER" pilot. NBC skein has had its ups and downs since then but it has earned its place in the pantheon of primetime's longest-running series, and casting history. This party outta be a classy affair to remember, especially if it attracts a full (or even pretty full) complement of thesp, writer and producer alums....

And from the good-cause department, Zimmer Children's Museum will fete Fox talent relations exec Missy Halperin (pictured left) and PBS' kidvid programming exec Linda Simensky (pictured right) at its 7th annual Discovery Award dinner on Nov. 8 at Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel. Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher, the battling spouses of Fox sitcom "'Til Death" will emcee. Zimmer org is focused on teaching small fry about ethics, community involvement and cultural sensivity through interactive and roll-up-your-sleeves exhibits at its museum on the Miracle Mile.

"Family Guy" had its force-is-with-you mojo working on Sunday. Animated skein's two-part season opener, a "Star Wars" spoof dubbed "Blue Harvest, Parts 1 and 2," drew 10.7 million viewers and a 5.5 rating/13 share in the adults 18-49 demo in the 9-10 p.m. hour, which indicated a high awareness of the seg among a slightly older crowd that doesn't typically tune in to the toon. (Granted, most of the competish was still in repeats.)

Young auds showed up as well, of course, to the tune of a 7.7/19 in adults 18-34 and 5.3/17 in teens, per prelim Nielsens. In the boys-to-men 12-17 demo, "Family Guy" smoked with 7.8/22. In most key measures, Sunday's perf marked "Family Guy's" best numbers since its return to Fox's air (after its resurrection on Adult Swim and DVD) in May 2005.

Emmycast started with a musical number from "Family Guy's" potty-mouthed baby Stewie and Brian. "If you want it you can find it on TV...." The bit had barbs for each of the networks, but there was a particularly nasty one aimed at "Scrubs," about it going into its "seventh and a half" season: "Reminds you a sitcom doesn't have to make you laugh." Ouch! As Emmy host Ryan Seacrest observed when the bit was over, it's clear the Emmys "are on Fox this year."

Not much shaking here backstage yet but "Lost" fans around the world are excited that Terry O'Quinn just won for his role as the mystical John Locke. And how 'bout that pink-pink-pink shirt. During his quips he seemed to make a thinly veiled request for a raise, comparing the duties on "Lost" to those on "Desperate Housewives'" Wisteria Lane.

Seth MacFarlane and the gang have assembled at TCA to do a live table reading of the upcoming 100th episode "Stewie Kills Lois" for our lunchtime pleasure. The room is loving it. Alex Borstein and MacFarlane are fascinating to watch. MacFarlane does a mean imitation of Ringo Starr....It's especially fun to watch MacFarlane doing Stewie, and then shifting into other characters.

Now the episode is really getting good, because we're getting to the part that they never could've done on Fox -- even by this show's standards. Let's just say the part we're in right now involves Stewie, and fantasies and riding crops, and Lois. It's just plain crazy, which is what this show's always been known for...

Now we're into Peter telling a story about a one-handed abortionist...I'm not kidding.

Oh no, Stewie's just pulled out a gun and has shot Lois while the family is on a cruise ship.

Now James Woods and Rob Lowe have entered the scene, in night caps, Ernie and Bert style. MacFarlane does a mean James Woods!

Now it's Harrison Ford running around grabbing random people and saying "I want my family back!"

Alex Borstein has managed to crack MacFarlane up with a bit about cancer of the vagina. Peter is now trying to date, now that it's been a year since Lois' death.

Now Stewie is admitting that he shot Lois despite having led everyone to believe that  Lois' death was accidental. "Good luck proving that," Stewie says.

Meg wearing lingerie is opening a package of Jumbo Hot Dogs....when the room groans, MacFarlane breaks character and admonishes: "C'mon, it's either this or Herman's Head folks, you make the choice?"

Now Barbra Streisand is blowing $100 bills out of her nose. Don't even ask!

Now the story is turning so that it looks dangerous that Peter took out a life insurance policy against Lois, just before they got on the cruise ship. But Brian knows the truth and is determined to bring Stewie to justice.

The cops are convinced that Peter did it, especially after finding damning evidence that actually comes from Stewie.

Now there's a scene of Jesus and Lazarus trying to settle up for Lazarus bringing Jesus back to life. Don't ask.

Now Peter's on trial for the murder of Lois. Carter Pewterschmidt, Lois' father, is testifying that Peter confessed to him. It comes with a video featuring an Asian hooker. Don't ask!

Now Peter's on the stand. "I certainly think I'd remember killing her," he says. "I plead the fifth of Jack," he quips when asked if he's a drinker.

Peter's just about to be convincted and .. the Kool-Aid guy bursts through the courtroom. Big oops, he leaves.

Now, the courtroom door flings open and there's a silhouetted figure...it's Lois! She turns and fingers Stewie as the real killer. Cut to black, a chyron slate reads...."To be continued."

OK, table read's over. Questions begin.

MacFarlane confirms that much of it was edited out from the episode that has already been produced and slated to air in the fall. The wild and wooly version we've just seen will run in all its glory on the DVD set, MacFarlane assures. He also confirms that James Woods and Rob Lowe have committed to film a live-action sequence of their little bit -- and yes he's serious. (Woods and Lowe have been on the show before.)

"It's fun because it kind of mixes up the medium a little bit," he says.

"I do know that certain members of the Brolin family were amused by the last gag we did," MacFarlane responded when asked about the show's incessant Barbra-bashing.

"Do you think your comedy works better when it offends people," one questioner asks, earnestly. MacFarlane takes a moment to give it some thought.

"We try to walk a balance of both. I try to have the balance between the classic and the edgy. We do a lot of poop jokes but at the same time we use a 45-piece orchestra every week. We don't try to shock for shock's sake. If something's not funny, we'll cut it out."

MacFarlane notes that the show's ultimate taste barometer is the table reads that they have on each script, which are well populated by writers, actors, network and studio execs.

"No one is shy about gasping in horror if we've crossed the line," MacFarlane says.

So what shocks and offends him? MacFarlane's answer was no surprise to regular viewers of "Family Guy."

"Oh, the Bush administration, I guess."