The moment Sheryl Lee Ralph opened her mouth and released the first striking note of Diane Reeves’ “Endangered Species”, the Emmy’s speech of all time. Ralph’s admission, trembling with emotion and overpowering concretely, was as enthusiastic as it was unforgettable—especially, perhaps, because she didn’t have to list a bunch of names before the timer ran out. Instead, Ralph wanted to mention a simple tape of people swiped at chyron as she lifted Amy into the sky victorious.
With most nominees showing up to introduce names early on in case they win, the night’s most memorable speeches were more free to break out of their script and embrace their moments in the moment. After Ralph’s brilliant show of glamour, Lizzo’s surprise reality series win culminated in a tearful speech that didn’t have to include many of the “Watch Out for the Big Grrls” producers’ names at all. Instead, they were shocked from below as she told her growing up story, wishing to “see someone fat like me, black like me, beautiful like me.”
John Oliver, by accepting his seventh straight Emmy Award (!) for the song Last Week Tonight, could turn it a little with a cheeky shriek in the scroll to his absent crew (“Thank you, and don’t worry: We’ll say hello to Oscar Isaac for you”). Succession” Jesse Armstrong also made a few sarcastic jokes, including a recent excavation about a recent England “succession” that wasn’t quite as democratic as the Emmys that were rude enough to go over the heads of most anxious attendees. Given the slight relief of knowing that the names of several agents and advertisers And the executives were passing by while they were talking, these candidates didn’t have to worry so far As difficult as having to spend post-Emmys leftovers arranging a restorative fruit basket.
However: not every winner got the space to balance their intimate reactions with their much-needed thank you, of course. In fact, the night increasingly felt like it was approaching the finish line, as the winners relentlessly tried to beat the clock even though production had taken the proactive step of asking for confessions before the show itself even started. Amanda Seyfried, who was honored for her career-altering performance on “The Dropout,” barely tried to keep up with the terrifying countdown clock before running offstage; Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director of the movie Squid Game, has publicly given up his hope of giving his speech through an interpreter due to the limited time he stares in his face. And Jennifer Coolidge, the icon fighter who finally got it after years of being kicked out of the industry, really deserves to say more than her spoiled thank you to HBO. It looked like the second winner to falter, Emmys director Hamish Hamilton and DJZ took the opportunity to put them away.
Considering the fact that the show had already tasked the winners with cutting their speeches by asking for names early on, it was odd to watch the ceremony quickly turn into winners hitting the stage already beating out the impending sound of Zedd playing them. Contrary to what NBC had hoped, no one is turning to the Emmys in hopes of seeing Peacock trailers and extended commercials for Kia masquerading as comedic sketches. As much as anyone gets along with the Emmys these days, it’s all about seeing the people who make television get their moments in the spotlight and hear what they have to say. When the winners had a chance to be themselves and allow Kron to make the industry rounds required of them, the Emmys award came as close as it has been in recent memory to getting the balance right.
[ad_2]
