Per Zap2It: “NBC is blowing up its development process, doing away with pilots in most cases in an effort to save money.”

Or, as Christopher Farnsworth puts it: “Cutting your own throat to save on groceries.”

Someone at Zap2It has been hitting the NoDoze and Diet Coke. Spurred on by the presidential bid of Law & Order actor Fred Thompson, the entertainment Web site created an intricate 6-degrees-type graphic linking the rest of the presidential candidates to the show.

Our favorite links Sam Brownback via George Clooney — a connection we’re sure the actor would be very proud of.

The people whose jobs it is to give you the most up-to-date information possible about meaningless awards shows watched the sun rise this morning as the 59th Annual Emmy nominations were announced. Here’s a sampling of their work.

Tom O’Neil posts at 6:16 a.m. that the academy “showed a sense of saucy humor,” in nominating the Justin Timberlake’s SNL skit, Dick In A Box. Except he wasn’t allowed to print the name of the skit.

Zap2It didn’t time stamp its offering, and we have a feeling more coverage from them is TK. The site, so far, offers the recognition that 15 Emmy nominations means The Sopranos finally have a shot at getting “a more definitive ending,” than they gave viewers.

Deadline Hollywood Daily offers some thoughts, like this one written at 5:13 a.m.: “I always find it ridiculous how year after year the Emmy voters tend to favor the tried and true (and, therefore, stultifying) shows over new series that haven’t passed their expiration date and still try to push the envelope. It’s like an episode has to jump the shark before the voters will give it a modicum of respect.”

E!’s 7:10 a.m. posting declares The Office can repeat, 24 won’t.