The SAG Awards Snubs Aren't Cool

They may not be as fun as the Golden Globes or as prestigious as the Oscars, but the SAG Awards have always had the distinction of being the first — nominations-wise, at least. On Wednesday, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, which honors both film and television performances, announced its 2014 SAG Award nominees for its 20th annual show.

While there were definitely some welcome nominations (James Gandolfini for Enough Said, Judi Dench for Philomena, Veep for ensemble comedy), there were also a bunch that left us confused and disappointed. No Amy Adams for American Hustle? Jon Hamm for Mad Men? Anyone for Orange Is the New Black? And, most disturbingly — no Amy Poehler for Parks and Recreation?

We know, we know, Parks and Rec is one of those critic-loved, ratings-challenged shows that's never going to get all the love it truly deserves. Yet while we've stopped holding our breath for a "Best Comedy" nomination, we've always been relieved to know we can at least count on the show's star, Amy Poehler, getting some awards show love.

Since the series began in 2009, Poehler has earned four Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations, among half a dozen other honors for her work on Parks and Rec. They're all hugely deserved — especially this year, when Poehler has consistently done some of the best work of her career — and they help ease the pain of seeing every other cast member of the show not get any awards recognition, year after year. So, when Poehler's name wasn't listed this morning as a contender for "Female Actor in a Comedy Series," it was a deeply unwelcome surprise.

Hopefully, the lack of Poehler from the SAG Award list doesn't have any impact on what we should expect from other awards shows this season. Poehler still has a great chance of being nominated for a Golden Globe, and it's possible — although not likely — that the show itself could sneak a nomination come Thursday morning.

More importantly, let's keep our fingers crossed that Parks and Rec doesn't suffer as a result of Poehler's snub. For a show as frequently close to cancellation as Parks, the lack of awards season recognition could, unfortunately, make a difference about whether NBC decides to renew it for another year. Even if for some awful reason Poehler doesn't get any nominations this year, though, fans of Parks and Rec know it'll be okay.

After all, this is a show that has withstood low ratings, short seasons, and even the death of a miniature horse — a couple snubs aren't nearly enough to kill its spirits.

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