‘Modern Family’ races to lead at the Emmy Awards

Sofia Vergara, left, and Ty Burrell, right, of “Modern Family” arrive at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012, in Los Angeles. AP

LOS ANGELES – What is “Two and a Half Men” with Jon Cryer and without Charlie Sheen? Really good was the Emmy Awards verdict Sunday as Cryer claimed the best comedy actor trophy.

“Don’t panic, people. Something has clearly gone terribly wrong. I’m stunned,” said Cryer, who on the red carpet before the show has expressed confidence he wouldn’t win. Among others, he beat out two-time winner Jim Parsons of “The Big Bang Theory.”

Ashton Kutcher, who joined the show after Sheen was fired, wasn’t nominated.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus was honored as best actress in comedy for “Veep.”

“Modern Family” made it look easy as the comedy’s Eric Stonestreet and Julie Bowen claimed supporting actor awards.

Stonestreet was funny and touching as he accepted the best supporting actor award for his role as half of a devoted gay couple on “Modern Family.”

“I wouldn’t be standing here without Jesse Tyler Ferguson, there is no Cam without Mitch,” he said, saluting his co-star. “We get the awesome opportunity to play these two characters on TV and show America and the world what a loving couple we can be just like everybody else.”

Then he turned saucy: “I never knew I’d be on TV as a gay man, but I love the pictures of hairy chests you guys are sending me, it’s really amazing. Thank you for those.”

Bowen got a huge shout-out from castmate Sofia Vergara.

“Oh, that’s my Sofia, God bless you. … This is an embarrassment of riches,” Bowen said.

The show started with bathroom humor: A filmed bit with Kathy Bates, Zooey Deschanel and other nominated actresses prepping in the restroom, then discovering a weeping Jimmy Kimmel lamenting a Botox reaction he said would keep him off stage as host.

“You look beautiful,” he was reassured. “You look like a ‘Real Housewife.'”

Viewers of the skit may have been puzzled by a nude Lena Dunham, the creator-star of “Girls,” who’s routinely brave about showing skin on the HBO comedy.

Standup comic Louis C.K. won the Emmy Award for best comedy writing for “Louis C.K.”

HBO came into the night with a leading 17 creative arts Emmys from a Sept. 15 ceremony honoring technical and other achievements. CBS was second with 13, followed by PBS with 11.

Discovery received six awards, NBC got five and ABC and the Cartoon Network won four each. Fox received two trophies.

Emmy has to prove herself a winner with the audience. After rebounding somewhat to 13.5 million viewers in 2010 after an all-time low in 2008 of 12.3 million, last year’s show drew 12.4 million viewers airing on Fox. The ceremony rotates annually among the four major networks.