Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey’s hit comedy 30 Rock is leading the charge for the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards after landing a whopping 22 nominations.

The show will defend its title as Outstanding TV Comedy for the third year running, against Entourage, Weeds, Flight of the Conchords, The Office, How I Met Your Mother, and Family Guy. The animated series’ inclusion is the first time a cartoon has been shortlisted for the prize since The Flintstones in 1961.

30 Rock’s leading stars will do battle in the male and female categories for the outstanding comedy actor awards. Hollywood star Baldwin is up against the likes of Steve Carell (The Office), Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men) and Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), while Fey is competing with Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?), Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program), and Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds).

Meanwhile, Mad Men has scored 16 nods – including Outstanding Drama Series, which it won last year (08), Outstanding Lead Actor, Drama for Jon Hamm, and Outstanding Lead Actress, Drama for Elisabeth Moss.

Source, Bauer-Griffin