"Transparent" emerged as an early winner at Sunday's Emmy Awards, capturing a best comedy actor trophy for Jeffrey Tambor and a directing award for its creator, and giving both winners a chance to pay tribute to the show's trangender themes.

"I'd like to dedicate my performance and this award to the transgender community. ... Thanks for letting us be part of the change," said Tambor, who plays a man journeying toward womanhood.

Jill Soloway, who based the series on the life of her own "moppa," as she calls her parent, used her directing trophy acceptance speech to ask for equal rights for transgender individuals.

"It is legal in the majority of U.S. states to refuse to rent to trans people," she said, saying the country has a civil rights problem that must be addressed.

Emmys voters didn't give up their fondness for choosing the familiar over the groundbreaking.

Past winners won again, including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, honored as best lead comedy actress for "Veep" for the fourth time. Allison Janney of "Mom" and Tony Hale of "Veep" were repeat winners for supporting comedy acting honors.

Janney, who plays a dysfunctional parent, thanked series producer Chuck Lorre for creating a deeply flawed character and "thinking of me to play her."

"This is nuts," said Tony Hale, thanking his show's writers and lauding his fellow nominees: "You make me laugh hard."

"Olive Kitteridge," based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Elizabeth Strout, nearly swept the limited series categories, with six trophies including the top award and lead acting honors for Frances McDormand and Richard Jenkins and a supporting award for Bill Murray.

Regina King of "American Crime" won supporting actress honors for a limited series. "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" won for best writing, outstanding variety talk show and directing. "Inside Amy Schumer" won for best variety sketch series.

"The Voice" won a best reality series trophy, breaking the hold that "The Amazing Race" long had on the category and snaring an award that always eluded "American Idol."

Host Andy Samberg noted that the 67th Emmys coincided with the 67th birthday for George R.R. Martin, whose novels are the basis for "Game of Thrones." A smiling Martin was in the theater audience to accept the congratulations.

Samberg kicked off the ceremony with a video in which he made elaborate fun of the overload of TV programs available.

"So many shows, so little," he sang, before entering a "TV viewing bunker" to binge-view on all the nominated shows. A bearded, shaggy-haired Samberg emerged to boast to contenders Jon Hamm and Kerry Washington that he had them and everyone else covered.

Appearing on stage, groomed, Samberg touched briefly on the political scene.

"Sure, Donald Trump seems racist," he said. "What else?"

He also took note of what he called the most diverse group of nominees in Emmy history. They include Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson, who could become the first non-white winner in the best drama series actress category.

"So congratulations, Hollywood, you did it. Racism is over! Don't fact-check that," Samberg said.

"Game of Thrones," this year's top nominee overall, could make a notable showing with a best drama victory: It would become the second fantasy or sci-fi show to get the award, following "Lost" in 2005.

Its competition includes the final season of "Mad Men," poised to set a record as the most honored drama series ever with a fifth award. The cast hasn't fared as well, never winning despite repeated nods.

Making a last stand are star Hamm, whose portrayal of troubled ad man Don Draper has been nominated for each of the drama's eight seasons, along with best actress nominee Elisabeth Moss and supporting actress contender Christina Hendricks.

When it comes to ratings, Fox is counting on more than the audience's love of TV as the attraction. "Fox NFL Sunday" is broadcasting from the red carpet and the Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys telecast precedes the awards.

Having football as the lead-in to 2013's Emmys made the ceremony a winner for CBS with 17.8 million viewers, the biggest audience in eight years. Last year's 15.6 million viewers was the second-highest total for the period.

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Online: http://www.emmys.com (**)

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