Why the TV academy is splitting the Creative Arts Emmy Awards into two ceremonies

The Creative Arts Emmy Awards: The ceremony so nice that, from now on, they'll do it twice. 

The Television Academy announced Tuesday that it will split the annual Creative Arts Awards into two ceremonies on consecutive evenings.

The Creative Arts Emmys honor the nonperforming categories of TV production, such as editing, costuming and direction. Traditionally they take place the week before the Primetime Emmys known to millions of TV viewers.  Now, both Creative Awards shows will take place in the same weekend before the Primetime Emmys.

The move comes as the explosion of content in recent years has led the academy to keep adding prize categories, resulting in more than 80 last year. That in turn has led to a marathon Creative Arts show that punished the patience and bladders of even the most formidable attendees. The situation grew so dire that winners were warned to keep their speeches under half a minute.

"One of our primary missions as an Academy is to recognize creative excellence, both in front of and behind the cameras," Bruce Rosenblum, chairman and chief executive officer of the academy, wrote in a statement. "Our Academy has a legacy of adjusting and expanding our awards to reflect the changing nature of our members' Emmy-worthy work. The industry is growing, and we now have more than enough wonderful creativity to enjoy a second Creative Arts show where we can celebrate the excellence and achievement of this year's work."

This means, among other things, that the academy will be throwing not just one but two identical and extremely expensive gala parties after the respective Creative Arts ceremonies. And of course there will still be the mammoth after-party for the Primetime Emmys.

All that is, if nothing else, excellent news for the town's caterers and florists.