EMMYS 2024
The main word that kept popping-up in my mind all night as I watched this year’s (actually 2023’s) Emmys is “sad.” Everything about it seemed sad. From the audience being half empty, to Anthony Anderson’s desperation to be funny, to the reunions of old show casts with everybody looking so old and frail. And, of course, the most heartbreaking of all was the “Tribute” section, (which is usually called “In Memoriam.”)
Joan Collins, the best-looking one there! Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one at the top of this page.
That part was hard to watch, actually, but appreciated. And very affecting. Seriously, I had to pause the show for a bit when it was over, writing, “After that truly emotional and draining and sobering In Memoriam, where Mr. X and I personally knew many of them and were fans of some others, I don’t even feel like writing this!”
The death I can’t get over is that of way-too-young Adan Canto. (I’m glad they put him first. Well, after Norman Lear, who had gotten his own tribute.) I’ve been a fan of Adan beginning with Designated Survivor, but fell in love with him on The Cleaning Lady. I must have watched that first kiss he had with the female star of the show a hundred times—it was everything. So when I saw that he had died out of the blue (from a quick, horrible cancer) a few weeks ago, I literally got sick. My heart is still breaking for his wife and two young children. And I began crying all over again when I saw his handsome face on the Emmys screen on Monday night.
And someone who’s so desperate for attention that she’s willing to look like an idiot! (I’m told her name is Aubry Plaza.)
Now let me compose myself, and tell you that, since I’ve seen only two of these nominated shows, (Abbott Elementary and White Lotus, while Mr. X loves Barry–he’s always pissed when it doesn’t win,) out of all of the nominations, and he and I seriously had not even heard of many of these shows, and football is more real, honest, and not at all phony, (except for the few bogus ref calls,) I chose to watch the two NFL play-off games that day/night in their entirety before I even began to view the Emmys. I thought of skipping the awards show entirely, but knowing that some people want to read this review, I plugged on. (Therefore, unlike the phony winners who claim they’re plying their craft for others, I am doing this one for you guys! You’re welcome.)
So, I’m not even going to edit my notes, or move them around. These are exactly as I wrote them, in the order that the show went in, and as the auxiliary thoughts came to me. Here goes:
What a dreadful opening. They had four months more than usual, (because of being postponed from September due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes,) and this is the best they could come up with???
Host Anthony Anderson’s bad way-too-short pants. Photo by Karen Salkin.
Why did they have Anthony Anderson sing, when he clearly cannot?
I feel awful for Christina Applegate to be suffering with MS now, but that does not excuse her classless behavior when presenting. Instead of announcing the winner normally and classily, she said, “Ayo, get your ass up here!” Ugh. People would like to hear their names announced. And the whole time, she was trying to sound like Jennifer Aniston.
I love that Carol Burnett is still going. And being funny!
There are sooo many nominees—was everyone who did a show this year nominated? And the categories are soooo muddled.
When Quinta Brunson won, she said, “I didn’t prepare anything,” so how did the producers have that list of who she wanted to thank running under her speech the whole time?!
Jennifer Coolidge and Michael Imperioli. Photo by Karen Salkin.
Jennifer Coolidge needs to cool it on the facial surgery, and she also needs to look into Ozempic!
How was White Lotus considered a comedy last year, but now it’s a drama?!
I think I don’t watch these shows because I have enough drama and angst in my own life, so I don’t need to see fictional stress.
I think that whatever is the popular show at the time, (such as Succession, Beef, and The Bear this year,) is what wins. It’s whatever everybody in the biz makes believe they watch. Perhaps the performances, writing, and direction really are the best, but I don’t know because I don’t seem to have as much time as everyone who’s working hard in Hollywood has! Just sayin’.
There’s no warmth to this whole presentation.
Martin Lawrence. Photo by Karen Salkin.
What happened to Martin Lawrence? He can barely talk or walk!!! How sad.
As I alluded to in the fourth paragraph above, I hate when winners say, “This is for [family, fans, cast-mates, their agents, etc.]” No, it is not—it’s for themselves only!!! They may be happy for their families, (as I was for my parents to share in my little bit of fame back in the day,) but everyone in show business does their work for their own darn selves.
After Quinta Brunson’s speech, they stopped showing the written lists of who the winners wanted to thank, for a long while. What was up with that?!
Marla Gibbs. Photo by Karen Salkin.
I really appreciate honoring our forefathers and mothers, but it’s sort-of scary to see all those older peeps, such as Marla Gibbs, who can barely walk or talk. I actually did an on-camera bit with her back in the day, when I was the TV host of the Celebrity Tent for the LA Marathon, and I haven’t seen her since then, so her appearance now was a bit of a shock to me. But I realize that she’s ninety-two, so good for her to dress-up and be there! That’s pretty amazing. (Also amazing is that she didn’t start getting acting gigs until she was over forty!!! So there’s still hope for the rest of us in life!)
I’m not a fan of Niecy Nash, but her declaration in her acceptance speech of, “I want to thank me! For believing in me,” was hilarious.
Niecy Nash, popping her boobs out, as usual. Photo by Karen Salkin.
Regarding the Cheers reunion: When Kelsey Grammar looks the best, how bad does everyone else look???
I never noticed that Joel McHale is cute until recently.
I love Trevor Noah!!! He’s adorbs! I could both listen to his beautiful speech all day and just feast my eyes on his adorable visage.
I never saw such an empty awards show. They’re trying hard to do only intense close-ups so we don’t notice all the unoccupied seats. At least get lots of seat-fillers, Emmys producers! [The picture at this top of this review, by Karen Salkin, shows just how empty the audience is.]
I think that Paul Walter Hauser has made a few comments in the past that have annoyed me, but he is funny. And his rapped acceptance speech was good, even though he was shaking like a mofo.
The show would have gone so much faster without those inane old TV series’ reunions.
The adroable guy who accepted for Elton John’s win. They never mentioned his name, so I have no idea to whom this handsome visage belongs! Do any of you? Photo by Karen Salkin.
At this point, all of a sudden, they started showing those pre-written “thank you”s again. Go figure.
Even though I, too, wanted many of the speeches to move along, and it was originally a clever bit, enough already with Anthony Anderson and his mom!
The guy who accepted for Elton John’s concert special is adorable, but they didn’t even tell us who he is!!!
Now Elton John has an EGOT, so good for him. I feel bad for him, though, and for us, that he wasn’t there on this historic occasion for him because he just had knee surgery.
Steven Yuen of Beef gave a good heartfelt speech.
Jenna Ortega and Sheryl Lee Ralph. Photo by Karen Salkin.
Sheryl Lee Ralph looks pissed she didn’t win.
I don’t even know what these categories are!
The only oldie who was not even a little bit depressing was Joan Collins. She just became my new idol! She’s ninety! How is it even possible that she looks that fabulous? I swear, she looks thirty years younger than she is!
Taraji P. Henson was good. She sort of held back, and let Joan have the spotlight, which was classy of her. I always feel bad for Taraji because she should have definitely won an Emmy for Empire, (but voters wanted to kiss Viola Davis’ ass back then,) and an Oscar for Hidden Figures, for which she wasn’t even nominated!!!
Lee Sung Jin, the creator, (and everything else,) of Beef gave three good speeches. I love that he said he does what he does for his dogs, I feel to parody everyone who pretends to do their work, (that they’re lucky to have,) for others.
Jodie Foster. Photo by Karen Salkin.
Someone, please, give Jodie Foster a hairbrush!!!
That I Love Lucy bit was stupid. And it fell flat. And it was very rude to the winner they were announcing.
That stupidity prompted Mr. X to declare, “These f-ing Emmys took a step down in class.” Ya think???
But they ended the proceedings in a good way, with actual footage of one of Martin Luther King’s famous speeches, (since the show took place on Martin Luther King Day.)
And it ended on time. So there’s that.
[In case you’re wondering where my coverage of the Arrivals shows is, I just could not force myself to watch that inanity this time. Maybe for the upcoming SAGs and Oscars.]
