Actor Peter MacNicol loses 'Veep' Emmy nod over technicality

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Peter MacNicol's Emmy nomination for best guest actor for his work on "Veep" this past season has been revoked after officials determined he appeared in too many episodes of the HBO comedy.

MacNicol was nominated last week for his portrayal of powerbroker Jeff Kane. But the Los Angeles Times reports the Television Academy now says he is ineligible for the award because he appeared in five of the 10 episodes of the fifth season of "Veep." Under rules changed last year, performers must appear in less than 50 percent of a season's episodes to be eligible as a guest actor.

An HBO representative tells The Associated Press that the network expected MacNicol to appear in only four episodes and he was entered before all the episodes had aired.