The 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards brought more jokes about diversity than actual diversity.
While the show bragged about their nominee talent pool – a record 36 non-white actors were nominated this year, a 20% increase over 2017 – the show’s opening number was a clever musical jab at the notion that the industry had done anything more than just scratch the surface of the problem.
“We Solved It!” featured Kate McKinnon, Kenan Thompson, Tituss Burgess, Kristen Bell, Sterling K. Brown, RuPaul, Andy Samberg, Ricky Martin, John Legend and, wait for it… the “One of Each” dance troupe.
From the stage, Thompson briefly threw to Sandra Oh in the audience, acknowledging her as the first Asian woman ever to be nominated for a lead actress Emmy. “It’s an honor just to be Asian,” she quipped from her seat. Thompson beamed. “You see? There was none. Now there’s one,” he said. “And so,” said McKinnon, “we’re done!”
She lost. Oh well.
One pre-recorded sketch featuring Emmy co-host Michael Che kept the theme alive.
“As a black comedian, for so many years our TV legends and heroes have gone unrecognized,” Che said. “So this year as host, I took it upon myself to finally right some of those wrongs. I present: the Reparation Emmys.”
The awards honored Marla Gibbs, who played Florence, the “wise-cracking maid” on The Jeffersons; Jimmie Walker from Good Times, Kadeem Hardison, who played Dwayne Wayne on the ground-breaking A Different World; Jaleel White, who played Steve Urkel on Family Matters, Tichina Arnold from Martin and Everybody Hates Chris, and John Witherspoon, a long time familiar face on television, perhaps best known for his work on The Wayan Bros.
It was unexpectedly poignant to see them again – particularly Gibbs, who had been nominated for an Emmy five times and never won. It was also impossible not to think about the impact some might have had if they’d been lauded for their work.
For all the joking about diversity, few of the nominees of color won last night. But, despite that fact that the mission is still not accomplished, at least they were in the room and honored. (To be Asian, etc.)
There were plenty of well-deserved wins, including an important nod to tech: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel became the first streaming show to win an Emmy. The brilliant Regina King also won for Seven Seconds and as did Thandie Newton for Westworld. Other bright spots included Betty White’s lovely tribute to her fans, a surprise marriage proposal, and the comic genius of presenter Hannah Gadsby, who is still enjoying the accolades and outrage from her Netflix special, Nanette.
She summed up the American zeitgeist in a minute and a half.
“I mean, for somebody like me — a nobody, from nowhere — gets this sweet gig, free suit, new boots, just ’cause I don’t like men? That’s a joke, of course. Just jokes, fellas, calm down,” she said. “Hashtag: NotAllMenButALotOfEm. No, it is just jokes, but what are jokes these days? We don’t know. Nobody knows what jokes are. Especially not men! Am I right, fellas? That’s why I’m presenting alone.”
Fortune.com
While the show bragged about their nominee talent pool – a record 36 non-white actors were nominated this year, a 20% increase over 2017 – the show’s opening number was a clever musical jab at the notion that the industry had done anything more than just scratch the surface of the problem.
“We Solved It!” featured Kate McKinnon, Kenan Thompson, Tituss Burgess, Kristen Bell, Sterling K. Brown, RuPaul, Andy Samberg, Ricky Martin, John Legend and, wait for it… the “One of Each” dance troupe.
From the stage, Thompson briefly threw to Sandra Oh in the audience, acknowledging her as the first Asian woman ever to be nominated for a lead actress Emmy. “It’s an honor just to be Asian,” she quipped from her seat. Thompson beamed. “You see? There was none. Now there’s one,” he said. “And so,” said McKinnon, “we’re done!”
She lost. Oh well.
One pre-recorded sketch featuring Emmy co-host Michael Che kept the theme alive.
“As a black comedian, for so many years our TV legends and heroes have gone unrecognized,” Che said. “So this year as host, I took it upon myself to finally right some of those wrongs. I present: the Reparation Emmys.”
The awards honored Marla Gibbs, who played Florence, the “wise-cracking maid” on The Jeffersons; Jimmie Walker from Good Times, Kadeem Hardison, who played Dwayne Wayne on the ground-breaking A Different World; Jaleel White, who played Steve Urkel on Family Matters, Tichina Arnold from Martin and Everybody Hates Chris, and John Witherspoon, a long time familiar face on television, perhaps best known for his work on The Wayan Bros.
It was unexpectedly poignant to see them again – particularly Gibbs, who had been nominated for an Emmy five times and never won. It was also impossible not to think about the impact some might have had if they’d been lauded for their work.
For all the joking about diversity, few of the nominees of color won last night. But, despite that fact that the mission is still not accomplished, at least they were in the room and honored. (To be Asian, etc.)
There were plenty of well-deserved wins, including an important nod to tech: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel became the first streaming show to win an Emmy. The brilliant Regina King also won for Seven Seconds and as did Thandie Newton for Westworld. Other bright spots included Betty White’s lovely tribute to her fans, a surprise marriage proposal, and the comic genius of presenter Hannah Gadsby, who is still enjoying the accolades and outrage from her Netflix special, Nanette.
She summed up the American zeitgeist in a minute and a half.
“I mean, for somebody like me — a nobody, from nowhere — gets this sweet gig, free suit, new boots, just ’cause I don’t like men? That’s a joke, of course. Just jokes, fellas, calm down,” she said. “Hashtag: NotAllMenButALotOfEm. No, it is just jokes, but what are jokes these days? We don’t know. Nobody knows what jokes are. Especially not men! Am I right, fellas? That’s why I’m presenting alone.”
Fortune.com
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