best emmy speeches of all time

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17 of Our Favorite Emmys Acceptance Speeches of All Time

We'd suggest you watch these clips before sitting down for the next awards show

Ah, the  Emmys : The glitz, glamour and, of course, acceptance speeches.

Seeing our favorite TV stars get teary-eyed (like  Quinta Brunson ) or pull a hilarious stunt (like  Bryan Cranston  and  Julia Louis-Dreyfus ) is one of the best parts of the year.

While every speech is filled with humor, gratitude and a  lot  of emotion, there are some speeches that stand above the rest — here are some of our favorites.

2004: Sarah Jessica Parker, Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Watching  Sarah Jessica Parker  accept her long-awaited Emmy for the final season of  Sex and the City  is like taking a trip back in time. A smiling  Jennifer Aniston , who was nominated for  Friends , sat in the crowd. Onstage, the original two of  Two and a Half Men ,  Jon Cryer  and  Charlie Sheen , presented. However, the best part comes after SJP is announced as the winner — as she kissed her  SATC  costars one last time, marking the end of an era — that made the speech all the more special.

2004: Meryl Streep, Lead Actress in a Limited Series

With over 250 award nominations and upwards of 160 wins, there's no denying that  Meryl Streep  is one of Hollywood's reigning queens. When she took the stage at the 2004 Emmys to accept the trophy for her role on HBO's miniseries adaptation of  Angels in America , she came out with a line that would become an iconic one for the show: "You know, there are some days when I myself think I'm overrated. But not today!"

2006: Greg Garcia, Writing for a Comedy Series

Let's face it: When you're watching an awards show, the time used to hand out behind-the-scenes awards (think writing, editing, cinematography) is usually reserved for bathroom breaks. However, if you skipped  My Name Is Earl  writer Greg Garcia's speech in 2006, you  seriously  missed out. Rather than taking the usual route of thanking the people who contributed to his Emmy win, he chose to call out the people he  didn't  want to thank. These included his eighth-grade social studies teacher and a boss who forced him to clean gum off a shoe.

2009: Kristin Chenoweth, Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Acceptance speeches can get routine, especially when the winner has a collection of statuettes at home. However, that was not the case with  Kristin Chenoweth ! The  Pushing Daisies  actress was so surprised when she won the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series that she couldn't help but burst into tears. Even better, she quickly gave her speech a (hilarious) lighthearted spin, offering herself up as a guest star on  Mad Men ,  24  and  The Office  since  Pushing Daisies  had been canceled.

2011: Melissa McCarthy, Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Audiences watching  Melissa McCarthy  win the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series were treated to a little pageantry and a  lot  of emotion. Bucking convention, the  Mike & Molly  star and her fellow nominees lined up hand-in-hand onstage,  Miss America -style. Once  Rob Lowe  and  Sofía Vergara  announced McCarthy as the winner, she was handed a bouquet of roses and a crown (as well as her gold statuette!).

The speech was funny and full of emotion, but its  crowning  moment was when she said, "I'm from Plainfield, Ill., and I'm standing here, and it's kind of amazing." 

McCarthy is all of us, guys.

2013: Merritt Wever, Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

No "get off the stage" music was needed here. When  Merritt Wever  took home a trophy for her role on  Nurse Jackie , her speech redefined the meaning of "short and sweet." It was so quick, in fact, that the entire thing fits here: "Thanks so much. Thank you so much! Um, I've got to go. Bye."

2014: Aaron Paul, Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Move over,  Kim Kardashian  —  Aaron Paul 's 2014 acceptance speech quite literally broke the internet. For his third (!) win for  Breaking Bad , Paul knew how to play the game: a heartfelt thank you to "my friend" (costar Cranston) as well as thanks to all the cast and crew, plus a shout-out to his fellow nominees. He ended with a plug for his wife  Lauren Parsekian 's nonprofit, Kind Campaign, which caused such a frenzy that it crashed the organization's website.

2014: Stephen Colbert, Variety Series

The Colbert Report 's 2014 win for outstanding variety series was all the sweeter, knowing it was the show's penultimate season. However,  Stephen Colbert  wasn't the one doling out thanks: Fellow nominee  Jimmy Fallon  stole the microphone to hand out accolades of his own, making for a hilarious interruption.

2012-2014: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

If you had to name a queen of the Emmys, the title could very well go to Louis-Dreyfus, who has been nominated for 26 Primetime Emmys, winning eight acting and three producing statuettes for three shows ( Veep ,  The New Adventures of Old Christine  and, of course,  Seinfeld ). Her appearances on the Emmys stage may be numerous, but the star still manages to keep things interesting each year.

At the 2012 awards, she "accidentally" started reading from  Amy Poehler 's speech notes, thanking NBC and the entire team over at  Parks and Recreation . The "flub" was realized early on and ended with Poehler rushing up to the stage to exchange notes. The speech only got more amusing when Louis-Dreyfus told the audience: "It's a bit mystifying to me because people say this show is a comedy, but I don't see anything funny about me being vice president of the United States."

In 2013, her  Veep  costar  Tony Hale  joined her onstage — and in character — holding her clutch while she thanked everyone involved in the show, except for him.

Her acceptance speech in 2014 stole the show before she even hit the stage when  Breaking Bad  star Cranston stopped her mid-walk with a kiss.

2015: Viola Davis, Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Viola Davis  made history as the first Black American woman to win this award — for  How to Get Away with Murder  —  and used her time to passionately  appeal for more roles for women of color  in Hollywood. 

"The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity," she said, acknowledging the work of fellow stars like  Taraji P. Henson  and  Kerry Washington , who watched tearfully. "You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there."

2018: Glenn Weiss, Directing for a Variety Special

No one was going to call time on this one! When  Glenn Weiss  won for his work at the 90th  Academy Awards , he mentioned his mother, who had died two weeks prior.

"Mom always believed in finding the sunshine in things, and she adored my girlfriend, Jan," he said of his girlfriend and date for the night, Jan Svendsen. " Jan, you are the sunshine in my life , and Mom was right: Don't ever let go of your sunshine. You wonder why I don't like to call you my girlfriend — because I want to call you my wife."

Svendsen hit the stage, the crowd went crazy, and Weiss formally got down on one knee,  proposing with the ring  his father had given his mother 67 years before. The couple eloped on Feb. 14, 2023.

2021: Michaela Coel, Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

When  Michaela Coel  took the stage to  accept her first Emmy  in 2021 for writing her hit HBO series  I May Destroy You , she used her time to empower her fellow writers with poignant, courageous words.

"Write the tale that scares you, that makes you feel uncertain, that is uncomfortable. I dare you," the actress opened her speech. "Do not be afraid to disappear from it, from us, for a while, and see what comes to you in the silence."

After a few heartfelt thank-yous, Coel closed her speech with another moving dedication: "I dedicate this award to every single survivor of sexual assault."

2022: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Sheryl Lee Ralph  wasn't the only one in a pool of emotions when she  won an Emmy for outstanding supporting actress  in a comedy series in 2022 for  Abbott Elementary . As the entire room roared with a standing ovation from the crowd, the original Dreamgirl unleashed a mighty rendition of Dianne Reeves' 1993 song "Endangered Species."

"To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn't wouldn't couldn't come true, I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like," Ralph said. "This is what striving looks like, and don't you ever, ever give up on you."

2024: Quinta Brunson, Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Brunson couldn't hold back her tears when  accepting her second career Emmy  for  Abbott Elementary  — and neither could we!

Not only was the memorable moment special for TV legend  Carol Burnett  presenting her with the award, but the show creator also made history as the first Black woman in 42 years to win the trophy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series. (Isabel Sanford won it last for  The Jeffersons   in 1961.)

"Thank you so much. I love making  Abbott Elementary  so much, and I am so happy to be able to live my dream and act out comedy," Brunson said in her speech. "I say this every time: I just love comedy so much that I am so happy to be able to get this."

2024: Niecy Nash-Betts, Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

As if we haven't cried enough already,  Niecy Nash-Betts ' spirited acceptance speech certainly kept the waterworks coming. After winning the Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a limited anthology series or movie for her role on  Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story , the actress reminded the crowd of the importance of being your own biggest cheerleader.

After thanking show creator  Ryan Murphy , costar  Evan Peters  and Netflix, the actress expressed gratitude for her wife,  Jessica Betts . 

"And you know who I want to thank? I want to thank me. For believing in me and doing what they said I could not. And I want to say to myself, in front of all you beautiful people: "Go on, girl, with your bad self. You did that!"

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The 10 best Emmy speeches: Tears, cheers and a marriage proposal

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Acceptance speeches have long been a hallmark of the Primetime Emmys, providing moments of raw emotion and spontaneity. One winner said she was unemployed, and used her spotlight to ask for a job, while another used his platform to propose marriage.

Here are some of the most memorable moments from past Emmy ceremonies.

(Note: We did not include “Veep” star Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who deserves her own “best Emmy speech” category. So we obliged .)

Sarah Jessica Parker, ‘Sex and the City’ (2004)

Parker was finally recognized after 10 nominations as an actress and producer of HBO’s “Sex and the City.” Her victory came after the show had completed its final season. “This is a great punctuation to a very long sentence, a really good sentence,” Parker said . Though the orchestra tried to play her off, Parker continued with obvious emotion, thanking the cast, crew, her manager, publicists, New York City and the “passers-by who always wanted the best for me.”

Meryl Streep, ‘Angels in America’ (2004)

“There are days when I myself think I’m overrated,” the multiple award winner said , pausing before adding with a wide smile, “but not today.” Lavishing praise on others in the category, including Glenn Close and Helen Mirren, Streep humorously singled out Emma Thompson as the only one “who would hold a grudge ... but who cares?”

The Lonely Island, ‘Dick in a Box’ (2007)

Andy Samberg of “Saturday Night Live” quipped about the win for the “Saturday Night Live” short, “It’s safe to say that when we first set out to make this song, we were all thinking ‘EMMY.’”

Kristen Chenoweth, ‘Pushing Daisies’ (2009)

Kristin Chenoweth’s Emmy acceptance speech.

Chenoweth was so overcome with shock and emotion after her name was announced that it seemed like she would not be able to finish her speech. But she powered through, thanking the Television Academy “for recognizing a show that’s no longer on the air,” and noting that she was now looking for work. “I’d like to be on ‘Mad Men.’ I also like ‘The Office’ and ‘24.’”

Melissa McCarthy, ‘Mike & Molly’ (2011)

Before the winner was announced, the nominees, including Edie Falco (“Nurse Jackie”), Martha Plimpton (“Raising Hope”), Tina Fey (“30 Rock”) and Amy Poehler (“Parks and Recreation”), lined up on stage and held hands as if they were in a beauty pageant. When McCarthy’s name was called, presenter Rob Lowe crowned her, and she was given a bouquet of roses. “Holy smokes,” McCarthy declared. “It’s my first and best pageant ever!”

Merritt Wever, ‘Nurse Jackie’ (2013)

An obviously shocked Wever delivered what many Emmy observers have called the best acceptance speech of all time when she delivered this gem: “Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I gotta go — bye,” then fled the stage.

Jon Hamm, ‘Mad Men’ (2015)

Hamm had been nominated 16 times before breaking his losing streak in 2015 for his portrayal of advertising executive Don Draper. The actor was notably humble: “There’s been a terrible mistake, clearly,” he said. “This is impossible.” He praised his fellow nominees as well as the cast and producers of “Mad Men,” adding, “It’s incredible, impossible for me to be standing here.”

Viola Davis, ‘How To Get Away With Murder’ (2015)

Davis became the first African American to win in the lead actress category and delivered a heartfelt speech calling for diversity in Hollywood. “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.”

Henry Winkler, ‘Barry’ (2018)

The former Fonz received a standing ovation as he rushed to receive his trophy. “I only have 37 seconds — I wrote this 43 years ago,” said the actor as he started his speech, which gave tribute to the cast and crew of the HBO comedy. He ended with a shout-out to his kids: “Jed, Zoey and Max, you can go to bed now. Daddy won!”

Glenn Weiss, ‘The Oscars’ (2018)

Glenn Weiss used his time onstage while accepting the variety special directing award for the Oscars to propose.

Despite all the star power on stage, Weiss’ win was not only the most memorable moment of the evening, but will go down in Emmy history as the ceremony’s first wedding proposal. Thanking his girlfriend Jan Svendsen sitting in the audience, Weiss said, “Jan, you are the sunshine of my life. You wonder why I don’t like to call you my girlfriend? Because I want to call you my wife.” His speech ended with a bended-knee proposal onstage and a final “Thank you to the Academy!”

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A lifelong Los Angeles resident, Greg Braxton has written for the Los Angeles Times for more than three decades. He currently is a staff writer covering television for the Calendar section, and has also written extensively about trends and cultural issues in the entertainment field.

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30 greatest Emmy moments of all time

Take a look back at lasting memories from the big night, like Jimmy Fallon's Glee-ful riff on 'Born to Run.'

Girl gone wild (1965)

In 1965, America had heard plenty about Broadway's hottest new star, Barbra Streisand . TV viewers got their chance to see her perform when the 23-year-old ingénue appeared in her first tube special, My Name Is Barbra , which went on to win five Emmys. The ''Funny Girl'' lived up to her title when she appeared at the awards podium, giggling and joking about a run in her stocking. ''This is too fantastic!'' she gushed. ''When I was a kid — I mean a younger kid — my favorite shows were the Oscars and the Emmys. I didn't care who won then, just how she looked, how he looked… was he drunk? Television is a marvelous business.''

Lucy crowns Mary (1975)

Lucille Ball 's appearance at the podium to present the prize for best comedy series of 1975 was marked by a mishap that would unnerve even the unflappable Mrs. Ricardo. ''Oh, I'm really in trouble!'' gasped the 64-year-old star when she tried to read the winner's name and realized she didn't have her eyeglasses. Milton Berle jumped up from the audience and handed her a wineglass, saying ''Here, look through this!'' Uncle Miltie eventually saved the day by fetching real glasses, which Lucy donned before trumpeting the news of the winner: first-timer The Mary Tyler Moore Show . That program would eventually reap 29 Emmys during its seven years on the air, more than any other series in the awards' history.

S*M*A*S*H*I*N*G success (1979)

Alan Alda was so excited about winning an Emmy for writing in 1979 that he did a cartwheel down the aisle en route to the podium — and landed in Emmy's pantheon in the process. This wasn't his first victory. He'd been hailed as best comedy actor in 1974 and earned a statuette in 1977 for directing the M*A*S*H episode ''Dear Sigmund'' (which also earned him a writing nom). Alda's scripting success for the episode ''Inga'' made him the only person in Emmy history to win for acting, directing, and writing.

A new king of the hill (1981)

''Oh, boy!'' a shocked Daniel J. Travanti cried when he won best actor in a drama series for Hill Street Blues in 1981. It was an equally stunning moment for Emmy viewers. The previous year's big winner, Lou Grant , was expected to sweep the drama categories again, but instead found itself topped by a gritty police drama that was ranked 87th among the 96 prime-time programs. Hill Street Blues ' record-breaking eight victories that night — including best drama series — helped the struggling new series stave off early cancellation. It remained on the air for six more seasons, eventually becoming the Emmys' biggest champ among all dramas, with 26 awards.

Cybill Shepherd freestyles fashion (1985)

Back when the Emmys were looser, stars didn't always have glam squads and stylists dressing them from head to toe, and Moonlighting star Cybill Shepherd took advantage of this (comfortable) freedom and rocked bright orange Reebok high-top Freestyles, which were all the rage in the mid-1980s, on the red carpet. It would be years before streetwear and high-low fashion mixing would become routine down Hollywood runways, but the template was set by Shepherd nearly 40 years ago.

Father knew best (1989)

''Dad, if you're watching, this is for you!'' said Candice Bergen as she thrust her statuette heavenward after winning Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Murphy Brown in 1989. The gesture was more than just a daughter's salute to a beloved showbiz legend — ventriloquist Edgar Bergen — who'd died 11 years earlier. It was a moving reach across the awards' history. Pere Bergen was Emmy royalty — he'd been the first president of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 1947. Soon after winning her first award from that organization 42 years later, Edgar's little princess reigned as an Emmy queen, winning the lead acting award four more times to tie the record held by Peter Falk, Carroll O'Connor, and Mary Tyler Moore. But that first triumph was extra special. ''I really wanted it a lot,'' she told reporters backstage. ''I was dying for it.''

Better off Ted (1990)

After eight Emmy nods and no wins, Cheers star Ted Danson was none too happy when media wags called him ''the Susan Lucci of prime time.'' He smiled good-naturedly, though, when costar Kirstie Alley ribbed him at the 1990 ceremony, likening his bad luck to that of a guy who takes a ''tease'' to a drive-in movie. An hour later, Danson finally scored. When he won best comedy series actor, he vaulted up to the stage, and the audience leaped out of their seats as well. ''This is exactly what happened to me in the drive-in,'' gasped an excited Danson. ''When I first got lucky, they all stood up and applauded.'' Then he added somberly, ''I guess you'll be saying 'You've been robbed' to some other boy. I'll miss that.''

Big talk (1991)

Cheers star Kirstie Alley (right) stunned Emmy watchers in 1991 when she accepted the award for best comedy actress and thanked her husband Parker Stevenson, ''the man who has given me the big one for the last eight years.'' Even the usually cool Jerry Seinfeld appeared flustered immediately afterward when he appeared at the podium to resume his hosting duties. ''The big one?'' he asked with a sly shrug. ''That could be anything!'' Alley's joke turned out to be a truly big hit when, moments later, Burt Reynolds (left) won best comedy actor for Evening Shade and thanked his then wife, Loni Anderson , for giving him ''two big ones.''

Stairs foil yet another actress (1997)

Gillian Anderson was visibly nervous while Helen Mirren read the nominees' names from the stage, and gushed about why she was so intimidated standing next to Dame Helen when she accepted her Lead Actress in a Drama Emmy for X-Files , but it wasn't until 2021 that EW learned what was behind her cause for her distress. Her gown was too hard to move in, which is why she had to bunny hop sideways up the stairs .

Body positive winners (1998)

Camryn Manheim thanked her parents in the audience for paying for her acting classes, took out her autograph book on stage and asked everyone to sign it — including all of the other nominees for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, and ended her speech by saying: "This is for all the fat girls!"

The show must go on (2001)

''It's important for us to be here,'' host Ellen DeGeneres told the Shubert Theatre audience when the 2001 Emmys were finally staged after two unprecedented postponements following 9/11. The unflustered DeGeneres came out swinging with edgy jokes (''Welcome to the 53rd, 54th, and 55th Emmy Awards'') and kitschy couture (a replica of Björk's swan outfit from the Oscars). She ended up presiding over one of the most inspirational Emmycasts ever. ''They can't take away our creativity, our striving for excellence, our joy,'' she said. ''Only network executives can do that.''

Lockin' lips (2003)

You knew the 2003 Emmys couldn't resist a parody of Madonna and Britney's infamous liplock at the MTV Video Music Awards — so we got not one, but two, lengthy smooches between unlikely celebrities. In the show's opening moments, Brad Garrett planted a big wet one on Garry Shandling (pictured), who then quipped, ''I just want to say to CBS, he's worth every nickel.'' Then, Garrett's costar Doris Roberts , picking up her trophy, got a long kiss from presenter Matthew Perry . Said the actress, ''That was worth getting up here for.''

One heckuva winning Streep (2004)

Think Meryl Streep 's won enough awards for one lifetime? So does she, at times. Accepting her trophy in 2004 for best actress in a miniseries for Angels in America (in which she played four roles), she began, ''There are some days when I myself think I'm overrated.'' Pause. ''But not todaaaaay.'

Sense or censorship? (2005)

Leave it to Jon Stewart to make a political statement that was funny yet inoffensive. In a pre-taped sketch aired during 2005's ceremony, the Daily Show host delivered a seemingly profane rant about the government response to Hurricane Katrina, which was supposed to appear doctored by CBS censors. Deliberately obvious editing, redubbing, or superimposition of benign images (pictures of a puppy and a kitten masked Stewart's upturned middle fingers) muzzled his supposedly inflammatory remarks. Still, Stewart made a point: that the networks' post-Janet Jackson fear of government intervention has led to self-censorship of political speech as well as profanity.

Everybody (really) loves Raymond (2005)

After nine successful years, the cast of Everybody Loves Raymond took a final victory lap in 2005. They dominated the show from beginning (Doris Roberts danced with the Black Eyed Peas) to end (the show won the final award, Best Comedy, as well as Best Supporting Actress for Roberts and Best Supporting Actor for Brad Garrett). Accepting that Best Comedy award, creator Phil Rosenthal declared that Raymond 's departure signaled the death not only of the sitcom but also of laughter and of smiling. Given all the love the show was getting, you could almost think he wasn't joking.

A sticky situation (2005)

It's impossible not to root for S. Epatha Merkerson when awards are on the line, but S. Epatha Merkerson winning the Emmy Award for Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for her work in Lackawanna Blues, and then having to root around in her cleavage for her acceptance speech, made everyone love her even more. (Where was this woman's Emmy for Law & Order?)

"A-- over t--" (2006)

At the 2006 awards, while accepting the Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie prize for the title role in HBO 's Elizabeth I , classy British thespian Helen Mirren gave a thoughtful speech that gently urged writers to create more stories about women. But viewers are more likely to remember her opening line: ''My great triumph is not falling ass over tit as I came up those stairs.'' Not sure how that one slipped past the NBC censor, but it was so funny that presenters Calista Flockhart and Craig Ferguson both repeated it a few minutes later. They went unbleeped as well.

Cagey guy (2006)

The Emmy producers found a diabolically creative way to encourage winners to keep their speeches short at the 2006 ceremony: They put Bob Newhart in a glass booth said to have exactly three hours of breathable air, so if the show were to run long, the beloved TV icon would suffocate to death. A running gag throughout the telecast saw the cameras cut to Newhart, pounding on the walls and screaming silently to be set free. It must have worked: The show actually ended three minutes early.

The girl's got spunk (2007)

Katherine Heigl is not shy about speaking her mind — just ask former Grey's Anatomy costar Isaiah Washington — even on camera at an awards show. When an announcer mispronounced her name as ''Hei-jul'' in 2007, she pointedly corrected her. Later, when her name was read as the winner of the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama prize, the camera caught her mouthing an astonished, ''S---!'' At the podium, she explained that she'd been surprised because ''my own mother told me I didn't have a shot in hell of winning tonight.'' (Cut to Heigl's date, the mortified mom herself.) At least Heigl wrapped by thanking her mom, saying, ''This is because of you. I wouldn't want to be here without you.'' Nice save, young lady; otherwise, you might have been grounded.

'Born to Run' (2010)

The 2010 Emmy Awards began with host Jimmy Fallon 's inspired riff on the previous season's breakout hit, in which Glee cast members joined FOF (Friends of Fallon) including Tina Fey , Jon Hamm , Joel McHale , Jorge Garcia — even Kate Gosselin (remember her?) — onstage to sing and fist-pump to Bruce Springsteen's ''Born to Run.''

Oh yes, it's ladies night (2011)

When Amy Poehler initially walked up and onto the stage after her name was announced in 2011's Best Actress in a Comedy category, it was unexpected. When the rest of the nominees joined, resembling a line of pageant contestants, it was officially hilarious. Seeing the giggly gaggle of girlfriends' faux (or was it earnest?) excitement ''just to be nominated'' made for a great break from awards show tedium. Then when Bridesmaids ' breakout Melissa McCarthy took home the prize (plus a tiara and flower bouquet!) for her role on Mike & Molly , this truly went down as one for the books.

The mystery of the missing Sherlock stars (2014)

The string of surprising wins for Sherlock in 2014 made for a couple of the funniest Emmy moments for presenters. Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey introducing the award for Lead Actor in a Limited Series while doing their best impressions of each other and spouting truly universal life advice was a dream, but when Benedict Cumberbatch wasn't there to accept his Emmy, Harrelson's throwaway, "he'll get it eventually" walking off stage made it complete. Presenter Stephen Colbert took the also absent Martin Freeman 's Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie, stating, "I accept this award on my behalf." The jokes didn't end there for the mysterious duo! Showrunner Steven Moffat quipped backstage Cumberbatch was "too big to come to the Emmys" after accepting his trophy. Why, Cumberbatch hadn't even done a Marvel movie yet in 2014! Too cheeky.

Sarah, Marcia; Marcia, Sarah (2016)

Sarah Paulson brought none other than Marcia Clark herself as her plus-one to the show in 2016. Perhaps it was fate or perhaps a little luck, but Paulson took home the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her portrayal of Clark in The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story before the end of the night.

A trophy of love (2018)

While this may not be a popular choice (some people find public over-the-top proposals to be cringeworthy), it's the Emmys, and one could hardly expect the director of the Oscars to propose during his work hours. Glenn Weiss' wedding proposal to Jan Friedlander Svendsen with his recently deceased mother's ring was sweet, plus the man already had 14 Emmys. Why not go for love with a few million people watching?

Finally, for the Fonz (2018)

Henry Winkler has had a long journey between the Fonz and his current role as San Fernando Valley acting coaching Gene Cousineau in Barry , including an Emmy mishap that saw his name removed from the voting ballot because his episode of Battery Park aired outside of the eligibility window. Ever gracious, Winkler, laid it all out on stage when he finally won an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy in 2014: "I wrote this 43 years ago. Skip Brittenham said to me a long time ago, 'If you stay at the table long enough, the chips come to you.' Tonight I got to clear the table."

KTHNXBYE (2013)

Nurse Jackie star Merritt Wever 's "I gotta go, bye" speech while accepting the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series was shorter than this entry. Perfection.

'You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there' (2015)

While accepting the trophy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in H ow to Get Away With Murder , Viola Davis made sure to remind everyone in Hollywood Black women cannot win awards if there are not roles written for them in a moment so moving , host Jimmy Kimmel later in the evening remarked she won an Emmy just for her acceptance speech.

Sterling K. Brown's speech would not be stopped by music (2017)

"I wanna thank my cast. Milo, Mandy, Justin, Chrissy, you are the best white TV family that a brother has ever had. Better than Mr. Drummond, better than the white folks who raised Webster… " and we can't keep transcribing This is Us star Sterling K. Brown 's acceptance speech, because shortly thereafter, the band tried to play him off . No such chance. Sterling kept talking despite his mic being cut and the cameras pulling away.

Always say their names (2019)

When They See Us star Jharrel Jerome dedicated his Emmy win to Exonerated Five, and in an acceptance speech that had the entire room on their feet, reminded everyone of the great injustice that had been bestowed upon Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise. "The project is entirely for them. Thirty years ago they were sitting in a prison cell falsely incarcerated and today they're in suits styled by designers. Their names were [always going] to be mentioned."

The stars were the essential workers (2020)

Of the many things that changed in 2020, remembering that "stars" are not just on the screen, they include the extraordinary people who worked tirelessly throughout the tragedy during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurse practitioner Katie Duke moved us to tears describing her ordeal working with coronavirus patients and her own illness before ending with, "I hope that moving forward we are all reminded how special life is." Everyone from doctors to delivery workers had their moment at the Emmys in 2020.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Best Emmy Awards winners’ speeches over the years

Viola Davis, Meryl Streep and Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Emmy Awards-winning speeches | Image: Screenshot/Youtube

Aside from the red-carpet looks , the acceptance speeches of every awards show are something that the viewers look forward to. Sometimes it’s not the movie or series title that makes an actor’s win memorable, but the things they say on stage when they receive the trophy, as every dialogue is a testament to the emotion, spontaneity and aspiration that brought them there at that moment.

As we celebrate the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards today, Jan. 16, let’s look back on the 10 most memorable acceptance speeches that have been uttered on the Emmy stage–speeches that made us, cry, laugh and everything in between.

1. Viola Davis 

It was a historic moment in 2015 when Viola Davis became the first African American to win an Emmy for best actress in a drama for her excellent performance as Annalise Keating in ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder.” Aside from this important fact, Davis’ acceptance speech gained her a larger acclaim, making everyone say no one deserves the trophy more than her, as she gave a significant speech about diversity in Hollywood. The “Fences” star shed light on how people of color, particularly women, rarely get opportunities that will give them the chance to be recognized on a wider scale.

‘In my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful white women with their arms stretched out to me, over that line. But I can’t seem to get there no how. I can’t seem to get over that line.’ That was Harriet Tubman in the 1800s. And let me tell you something: The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there. So here’s to all the writers, the awesome people that are Ben Sherwood, Paul Lee, Peter Nowalk, Shonda Rhimes, people who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black. And to the Taraji P. Hensons, the Kerry Washingtons, the Halle Berrys, the Nicole Beharies, the Meagan Goods, to Gabrielle Union: Thank you for taking us over that line. Thank you to the Television Academy. Thank you.

2. Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep is undeniably one of the pillars of Hollywood. With more than 250 nominations and wins from different awarding bodies, she is no doubt the reigning queen of acting. Streep has delivered many memorable speeches over the span of her career, but her acceptance speech during the 2004 Emmy Awards became an iconic moment given how sassy and witty it was as she threw a remark on how “overrated” she is. 

“Oh boy, thank you! You know there are some days when I myself think I’m overrated — but not today! I’m sorry, I know Glenn [Close] is my friend, she’ll forgive me and Helen Mirren is an acting-god and nobody has put a performance on film better than Judi Davis in “The Judy Garland Story” and the only one of the group is Emma Thompson, who will hold a grudge for the rest of her life, but who cares?  Oh I have so many people to thank, mostly Mike Nichols, my master and commander, you know my king. And Al Pacino and all the boys, Ben, Patrick, Justin, thank you so much for everything you gave me. Oh and I can sing this just as well. But Tony Kushner, the bravest thing in the world is that writer that sits alone in a room and works out his grief, his rage, his imagination and his deep desire to make people laugh. And he makes the work of art and then transforms the world with the truth, because that’s all we want—you know that’s all we need! Thank you! Thank you very much!” 3. Melissa McCarthy

During the 63rd Emmy Awards, the nominees for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series category did a surprising move as they lined up on stage and held hands as they waited to see whose name was to be declared the winner, as if they were in a beauty pageant. The nominees were Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation), Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly), Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Tina Fey (30 Rock) and Laura Linney (The Big C). This candid moment led McCarthy to give her priceless reaction and genuine speech as she was announced the winner with her trophy, crown and flower, utterly occupying the spirit of a real beauty pageant.

“Holy Smokes! Wow! It’s my first and best pageant ever! Oh my God – there’s so many pe- stop that clock! – Uh, there’s so many people I want to thank. Oh my God my sweet, lovely husband Ben; I wish you were here; he’s not. My lovely sister Margie is here. I’m sorry I’m a crier! My Mom and Dad who supported me forever and shouldn’t have and just said ‘keep doing what you’re doing.’ I’m from Plainville, Illinois, and I’m standing here and it’s kind of amazing. I work with the best cast and the best crew and I love them all. And Chuck Laurie fought for me. And Peter Roth you are like a handsome cheerleader in a suit. Nina Tassler, Les Moonves, I’m gonna carry you both around tonight for a while. Um, oh my God our writers—Mark Roberts—writing your beautiful little funny weird plays for us, and the cast. I love you all so much. I go to work—I show up early like a dork, every day because I kinda can’t wait to see people. Vivi, you can go to bed now. Georgie, I love you. And, oh God I know I’m forgetting somebody, I don’t have my list. Anybody I forgot I just want to say thank you. Holy smokes!”

4. Julia Louis-Dreyfus

People have been calling Julia Louis-Dreyfus the queen of Emmy speeches as she graced the stage many times, each being a memorable and amusing moment. Her speech during the 2012 Emmy Awards was a hilarious one, as she “accidentally” switched and started reading off of Amy Poehler’s speech notes, thanking NBC and the team of “Parks and Recreation,” even though that wasn’t her show. But her speech the following year received more great laughs and has been dubbed the speech deserving its own Emmy as she brought her “Veep” co-star Tony Hale on stage and went on to thank everyone involved in the show except for him.

5. Susan Lucci

Susan Lucci’s 1999 Daytime Emmy win gave the most heartfelt speech in Emmy history, as it was a long-overdue one given that it took her 19 nominations before she finally won, and when she did, she got a standing ovation that lasted for several minutes before and after she went on stage. Her speech moved the audience to tears as it focused on thanking the people for recognizing her 19 times instead of dwelling on losing that many times. After not believing that moment would ever happen, Lucci mentioned the “poems and letters and drawings and balloons and chocolate cakes” that her children had given her to make her feel better if she did lose that night.

6. Rue McClanahan

Many consider “The Golden Girls” one of the most important shows of this lifetime as it showcases the lives of four older women who broke barriers and stereotypes on television. The four lead actresses won their Emmys for their respective characters, but Rue McClanahan’s acceptance speech for her trophy in 1987 was noteworthy after she recalled the 27-year journey that took her there.

7. Merritt Wever

The Emmy stage might have witnessed many funny moments and speeches over the years, but Merritt Wever gave the most brief, direct and comical speech in Emmy history. In 2013, Wever won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance in “Nurse Jackie.” And she went on stage just to say, “Thanks so much. Thank you so much! Um, I’ve got to go. Bye.”

8. Greg Garcia

An acceptance speech always includes a list of people to thank, but Greg Garcia chose to go the other way around after he named the people he didn’t want to thank, including his eighth-grade social studies teacher and a boss who forced him to clean gum off a shoe after he won an Emmy for Writing for a Comedy Series in 2006.

9. Billy Crystal

Even though this wasn’t an acceptance speech for an award, this Emmy delivery was one of the most memorable as comedian Billy Crystal paid a touching tribute to his longtime friend and legendary actor Robin Williams during the 66th primetime Emmy Awards, after he died two weeks before the ceremony.

“For almost 40 years he was the brightest star in the comedy galaxy, but while some of the brightest of celestial bodies are actually extinct, their molten energy long since cooled, miraculously, because they float in the heavens so far away from us now, their beautiful light will shine on us forever. And the glow will be so bright, it will warm your heart and make your eyes glisten, and you’ll think to yourselves, Robin Williams, what a concept.”

10. Fred Rogers

Fred Rogers gave a profound, touching speech for his Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 after he made the audience cry by requesting they ponder and think about the people who inspired and brought them to where they were at that moment, that moment of success, to be sitting in that room full of noteworthy people in a prestigious event.

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The Ten Most Viewed Emmy Acceptance Speeches of All Time

The Emmys are coming up in just under two weeks here, so that means it’s time to get the hype train rolling! I would go so far as to say that there have never been better shows on their air all at once the way there are now, and that should make for one hell of a year. I thought it would be good to take a look back at past Emmy moments with a series of posts. First off, I wondered which Emmy acceptance speeches have stood the test of time over the years. In this age of YouTube, we can find out which speeches have been the most viewed over the years, and these are the top ten in descending order. I’m willing to bet that a few of your favorite actors are in here, so be sure to check out the entire list below:

10. Tina Fey Wins Best Lead Comedy Actress for 30 Rock (2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqgcGqiAMIo

9. Sarah Jessica Parker Wins for Sex in the City (2004)

8. Katherine Heigl’s Uncensored Emmy Speech (2007)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl2kAMeoA2c

7. Jennifer Aniston Wins an Emmy for Friends (2007)

6. The Lonely Island Wins an Emmy (2009)

5. Fred Rogers Lifetime Achievement Award (1997)

4. Jim Parsons Wins Best Lead Comedy Actor for Big Bang Theory (2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8KJ7bqctZ0

3. Fox Cuts Off Sally Field’s Anti-War Acceptance Speech (2007)

2. Peter Dinklage Wins Best Supporting Actor for Game of Thrones (2011)

1. Oprah’s Lifetime Achievement Award (1998)

Paul Tassi In addition to writing for TVOvermind, Paul has contributed to major publications such as Forbes. He's a video game expert as well as TV and Movie guy.

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Here are some of the most memorable moments from past Emmy ceremonies.

(Note: We did not include “Veep” star Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who deserves her own “best Emmy speech” category. So we obliged.)

Sarah Jessica Parker, ‘Sex and the City’ (2004)

Parker was finally recognized after 10 nominations as an actress and producer of HBO’s “Sex and the City.” Her victory came after the show had completed its final season. “This is a great punctuation to a very long sentence, a really good sentence,” Parker said. Though the orchestra tried to play her off, Parker continued with obvious emotion, thanking the cast, crew, her manager, publicists, New York City and the “passers-by who always wanted the best for me.”

Meryl Streep, ‘Angels in America’ (2004)

“There are days when I myself think I’m overrated,” the multiple award winner said, pausing before adding with a wide smile, “but not today.” Lavishing praise on others in the category, including Glenn Close and Helen Mirren, Streep humorously singled out Emma Thompson as the only one “who would hold a grudge… but who cares?”

The Lonely Island, ‘Dick in a Box’ (2007)

Andy Samberg of “Saturday Night Live” quipped about the win for the “Saturday Night Live” short, “It’s safe to say that when we first set out to make this song, we were all thinking ‘EMMY.'”

Kristen Chenoweth, ‘Pushing Daisies’ (2009)

Chenoweth was so overcome with shock and emotion after her name was announced that it seemed like she would not be able to finish her speech. But she powered through, thanking the Television Academy “for recognizing a show that’s no longer on the air,” and noting that she was now looking for work. “I’d like to be on ‘Mad Men.’ I also like ‘The Office’ and ’24.'”

Melissa McCarthy, ‘Mike & Molly’ (2011)

Before the winner was announced, the nominees, including Edie Falco (“Nurse Jackie”), Martha Plimpton (“Raising Hope”), Tina Fey (“30 Rock”) and Amy Poehler (“Parks and Recreation”), lined up on stage and held hands as if they were in a beauty pageant. When McCarthy’s name was called, presenter Rob Lowe crowned her, and she was given a bouquet of roses. “Holy smokes,” McCarthy declared. “It’s my first and best pageant ever!”

Merritt Wever, ‘Nurse Jackie’ (2013)

An obviously shocked Wever delivered what many Emmy observers have called the best acceptance speech of all time when she delivered this gem: “Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I gotta go — bye,” then fled the stage.

Jon Hamm, ‘Mad Men’ (2015)

Hamm had been nominated 16 times before breaking his losing streak in 2015 for his portrayal of advertising executive Don Draper. The actor was notably humble: “There’s been a terrible mistake, clearly,” he said. “This is impossible.” He praised his fellow nominees as well as the cast and producers of “Mad Men” adding, “It’s incredible, impossible for me to be standing here.”

Viola Davis, ‘How To Get Away With Murder’ (2015)

Davis became the first African American to win in the lead actress category and delivered a heartfelt speech calling for diversity in Hollywood. “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.”

Henry Winkler, ‘Barry’ (2018)

The former Fonz received a standing ovation as he rushed to receive his trophy. “I only have 37 seconds — I wrote this 43 years ago,” said the actor as he started his speech, which gave tribute to the cast and crew of the HBO comedy. He ended with a shout-out to his kids: “Jed, Zoey and Max, you can go to bed now. Daddy won!”

Glenn Weiss, ‘The Oscars’ (2018)

Despite all the star power on stage, Weiss’ win was not only the most memorable moment of the evening, but will go down in Emmy history as the ceremony’s first wedding proposal. Thanking his girlfriend Jan Svendsen sitting in the audience, Weiss said, “Jan, you are the sunshine of my life. You wonder why I don’t like to call you my girlfriendBecause I want to call you my wife.” His speech ended with a bended-knee proposal onstage and a final “Thank you to the Academy!”

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Emmys: watch all the winners’ acceptance speeches.

From Jeffrey Tambor to Julia Louis-Dreyfus, what the winners said on stage.

By Joey Mendolia , Kaeli Wells September 18, 2016 9:57pm

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Twenty-seven awards were handed out Sunday night at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

If you missed any of the winners' acceptance speeches, you can watch them all below.

Related Stories

Emmy awards: the complete winners list, emmy awards 2016: the red-carpet arrivals.

Drama Series: 'Game of Thrones'

HBO's Game of Thrones won the Emmy for best drama series on Sunday night. The show is now tied with Frasier for the series with the most Emmy wins at a total of 37.  Game of Thrones led all nominees with 23 total noms and also took home awards for best writing and best directing for a drama series. "We're standing up here because George Martin created the world that we all now live and play in," said Game of Thrones co-creator D.B. Weiss.

Comedy Series: Veep

Veep won the Emmy for best comedy series for the second consecutive year. The HBO comedy was nominated for 17 total Emmys this year and earned Julia  Louis-Dreyfus her record sixth consecutive win for best lead actress in a comedy. The star tearfully dedicated her win to her late father, who died just two days before Sunday's awards. "I have a 9:30 a.m. library shift at my son's school tomorrow morning, if anybody is willing to trade with me you can just email me," joked showrunner and executive producer David Mandel , as he accepted the award.

TV Movie: 'Sherlock: The Abominable Bride'

Bloodline 's Kyle Chandler presented the Emmy to Sherlock: The Abominable Bride for best television movie movie. Director Douglas Mackinnon said he wanted to thank so many people but didn't want to waste people's time since "they're all British"

Limited Series: 'The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story'

FX's The People v. O.J. Simpson won the Emmy for best limited series. The show received 22 nominations this year and took home the Emmy for best writing.

Lead Actor in a Drama Series: 'Mr. Robot's' Rami Malek

Mr. Robot' s Rami Malek accepted the award from multiple Emmy winner Allison Janney for best actor in a drama series. The first time Emmy-winner took the stage and joked "please tell me you're seeing this, too," referencing his anti-social character, Elliot.

Lead Actress In A Drama Series: Tatiana Maslany

Tatiana Maslany won the Emmy for best actress in a drama series for her performance in Orphan Black . "I feel so lucky to be on a show that puts women at the center," Maslany said at the podium after scoring her first Emmy win. "Thank you so much to the Academy."

Lead Actor in a Comedy: Jeffrey Tambor

Jeffrey Tambor accepted his second constructive win as a lead actor in a comedy series. Tambor  became emotional in his speech pleading, "give transgender talent a chance, give them auditions, give them their story," he said. Tambor then hushed the music that tried to play him off during his acceptance to add, "I would not be unhappy if I was the last cisgendered man to play a transgendered woman."

Lead Actress In A Comedy: Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Veep's Julia Louis-Dreyfus  won the Emmy for best lead actress in a comedy for the sixth time. Her win sets the record for most wins in that category. "Our show started out as a political satire, but now it feels more like a sobering documentary," Dreyfus joked, before then going on to dedicate the award to her father, who died just two days earlier.

Lead Actor In A Limited Series Or Movie: Courtney B. Vance

Courtney B. Vance took home his first Emmy award for his role as Johnnie Cochran in The People v. O.J. Simpson . "To the woman that rocks my chain, Angela Evelyn Bassett, this one is for you girl," he said of his wife. This was Vance's first Emmy nomination, and he recently received a Tony award for his featured role in the play Lucky Guy.

Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie: Sarah Paulson

The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story' s Sarah Paulson accepted the Emmy for best actress in a limited series or television movie for her role as Marcia Clark. Paulson said: "The responsibility of playing a real person is an enormous one. You want to get to it right not for you but for them." Along with her acceptance, she apologized to Clark, saying: "I had been superficial and careless in my judgment of her." 

Supporting Actor In A Drama Series: Ben Mendelsohn

Ben Mendelsohn won the Emmy for best supporting actor in a drama series on Sunday night for his performance in Bloodline .  Empire star Taraji P. Henson presented the category's nominees and noted that Mendelsohn wasn't present to accept the award. The actress joked that she would accept the Emmy on his behalf and "have it at home when you get back, Ben."

Supporting Actress In A Drama Series: Maggie Smith

Maggie Smith won the Emmy for best supporting actress in a drama series for Downton Abbey.  Smith wasn't present at the ceremony, so host Jimmy Kimmel took the stage on her behalf, joking that she could find her Emmy in the "lost and found."

Supporting Actress In A Comedy: Kate McKinnon

Kate McKinnon took home the Emmy for best supporting actress in a comedy for her work on Saturday Night Live . "Thank you to Lorne Michaels, who gave me the job of my life," she said as she choked back tears.

Supporting Actor In A Comedy: Louie Anderson

Louie Anderson won the Emmy for best supporting actor in a comedy for his role as Zach Galifianakis' mother in Baskets . This was Anderson's first Emmy nomination and win. The actor dedicated his win to his mother, Ora Zella Anderson, who he said formed the character he played. "I have not always been a good man, but I play one hell of a woman," Anderson joked to start off his speech.

Supporting Actor In A Limited Series Or Movie: Sterling K. Brown

The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story's  Sterling K. Brown took home the Emmy for best supporting actor in a limited series or movie. This was the first Emmy nomination and win for Brown, who appeared shocked as he walked up to accept his award. "A lot of you may not have known who I was," he said. "But you checked the box anyway, and that makes me very, very happy."

Supporting Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie: Regina King

Regina King won the Emmy for best supporting actress in a limited series or a television movie for her performance in American Crime . "I'm so proud to be a part of this show, to have the opportunity to tell stories that provoke conversation, necessary conversation," the actress said in her acceptance speech.

Reality Competition Program: 'The Voice'

The Voice , from none other than the subject of Jimmy Kimmel's Trump joke at the start of the show, Mark Burnett, took home the Emmy for best reality competition program. Burnett replied to Kimmel's joke by telling the audience that he had just received a call from Hillary Clinton thanking Kimmel for another five minutes of free publicity for Donald Trump.

Variety Talk Series: 'Last Week Tonight With John Oliver'

HBO's Last Week Tonight With John Oliver won the Emmy for best variety talk series. "We flew our entire staff," Oliver explained regarding the eruption of cheering. The series has received six nominations this year, and 10 to date. Andy Samberg and Game of Thrones' Kit Harington presented the award.

Variety Sketch Series: 'Key & Peele'

Comedy Central's Key & Peele won the Emmy for best variety sketch series. The show received seven nominations this year, bringing the show's overall total nominations to 18. "We have to thank Comedy Central for putting this show on the air. There's a lot of people to name," said Jordan Peele .

Writing for a Comedy Series: Aziz Ansari And Alan Yang

Master of None's Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang won the Emmy for best writing for a comedy series for the episode "Parents." Yang thanked the crowd and urged Asian parents to buy "cameras instead of violins" for their kids while Ansari , who co-created the series with Yang, was played offstage before he could express his gratitude.

Writing for a Variety Special: Patton Oswalt, 'Talking for Clapping'

Patton Oswalt accepted the award for best writing for a variety special from comedian Aziz Ansari . Oswalt , whose wife, Michelle McNamara, died earlier this year, wanted to "share the award with two people: his daughter waiting at home and another person waiting somewhere else, I hope."

Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special: 'The People v. O.J. Simpson's' D.V. DeVincentis

The People v O.J. Simpson 's D.V. DeVincentis took home the Emmy for best writing for a limited series, movie or dramatic special for the episode "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia." DeVincentis thanked the people he bowed down to, too, "Scott, Larry, Joe, I share this with you guys but I'm going to keep it at my house but I share it with you guys."

Writing for a Drama Series: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for 'Game of Thrones'

Game of Thrones writers and co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss took home the Emmy for best writing for a drama series for the episode "Battle of the Bastards." This show broke the record for most Emmys won by a series with a total of 38 (beating Frasier ). Benioff thanked "Miguel Sapochnik directing their episode, our brilliant actors reading their lines and the best producing team on the planet lead by Bernie Caulfield producing their episode."

Directing for a Comdey Series: 'Transparent's' Jill Soloway

Jill Soloway  of Transparent accepted her second Emmy win, thanking Jeff  Bezos for changing the world. She went on by saying "you invited me to do this thing that these people call television, but I call a revolution."

Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Special: 'The Night Manager'

Susanne Bier accepted the award for directing for a limited series, movie or special on behalf of The Night Manager . On top of thanking the crew, Bier also thanked her "wonderful, outrageously, interesting cast."

Directing for a Drama Series: Miguel Sapochnik for 'Game of Thrones'

Game of Thrones Director Miguel Sapochnik took home the award for best directing for a drama series for the episode "Battle of the Bastards." Before thanking the Academy, HBO and many others, Sapochnik announced that he was hungry.

Directing for a Variety Special: 'Grease: Live's' Thomas Kail and Alex Rudzinski

Thomas Kail and Alex Rudzinksi of Grease: Live  won the Emmy for best directing for a variety special. In his speech, Kail thanks Paramount as well as "Dana [Walden] and Gary [Newman] at Fox for giving [them] this opportunity and for letting [them] take an opportunity to put the campfire back in American homes."

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Emmys 2021 recap: Memorable speeches, tributes and more

These are the top moments from this year's Emmy Awards.

Each year the Emmy Awards are conversation starters for television lovers, and the 2021 show was no different.

MORE: Emmys 2021: Full winners list

During the awards show's three-hour-plus runtime, there were plenty of memorable speeches, tributes to those we lost -- be they colleagues in the entertainment industry or family members -- and more to keep viewers glued to their screens.

Editor’s Picks

Couples make the 2021 Emmys a glamorous date night

Elizabeth Olsen wears design by sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley to Emmys

Colorful tuxedos take over the Emmys 2021 red carpet

In addition to kicking things off with a musical number and honoring the legendary Debbie Allen with the Governors Award, there were plenty of trophies handed out as well.

MORE: Emmys 2021: See the most memorable red carpet looks of the night

Scroll down to see some of the biggest moments from the 2021 Emmys.

A singalong to start the show

Cedric the Entertainer kicked off the show with a tribute to Biz Markie, who died in July at 57, with a performance of the late rapper's hit 1989 song "Just a Friend."

The comedian was joined by LL Cool J, Lil Dicky and Rita Wilson, who performed the hip-hop classic with him, and got the audience out of their seats and on their feet to sing and dance along.

Instead of the traditional lyrics, Biz Markie's famous tune included lines like "TV, you’ve got what I need," as Cedric the Entertainer and crew sang about the love of television.

Memorable speeches galore

Hannah Waddingham won the Emmy for supporting actress in a comedy series and shouted out her fellow "Ted Lasso" stars Jason Sudeikis and Juno Temple, before thanking her parents for their support and saying she nearly lost them during the filming of the show's latest season.

"I am so glad that you are here to see this moment," she said.

Waddingham ended her speech by saying other West End performers, like herself, should be given more opportunities like the one she was given because they "won't let you down."

Jean Smart, who won the Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series, started her acceptance speech with a tribute to her late husband, Richard Gilliland, who recently died.

"Before I say anything else, I have to acknowledge my late husband who passed away six months yesterday," she began. "I would not be here without him and without his kind of putting his career on the backburner so that I could take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities that I have had."

Michaela Coel, while accepting the Emmy for writing for a limited or anthology series or movie, dedicated the story told on her show, "I May Destroy You," to "every single survivor of sexual assault." Coel's own experience inspired the show.

The Brit also shared "a little something" she wrote for her fellow writers encouraging them to be fearless in their storytelling.

"Write the tale that scares you, that makes you feel uncertain, that is uncomfortable. I dare you," she said. "In a world that entices us to browse through the lives of others to help us determine how we feel about ourselves, and see in turn still the need to be constantly visible, for visibility these days seems to show equate to success. Do not be afraid to disappear, from it, from us, for awhile and see what comes to you in the silence."

Debbie Allen is honored with the Governors Award

The endlessly talented Debbie Allen was presented with the 2021 Governors Award and, while giving a moving speech, told the Emmys producers to "turn that clock off" because she was "paying no attention to it."

Before Allen took to the stage, a video recapping her life and career was played. When it ended, Jada Pinkett Smith, Ellen Pompeo, Ava DuVernay and Michael Douglas were shown, all holding canes in tribute to her iconic "Fame" character and tapping them on the stage while she came out to a standing ovation.

"I am trembling with gratitude and grace, I'm trying not to cry and be equal to the situation, because it's been many years in the making, taking a lot of courage to be the only woman in the room most of the time, a lot of courage and creativity and faith to believe that I could keep going. And I have," Allen, 71, said in her speech.

The "Grey's Anatomy" star continued, adding, "And I brought a whole lot of people with me, so I want to say thank you for this glorious moment in the sun."

Allen -- known for being a choreographer, director, producer and actress -- concluded her speech with a poignant and timely message to women and the younger generation.

"Let this moment resonate with women across the world, across this country and across the world, from Texas to Afghanistan," she said. "Let them know. And also with young people who have no vote and who can't even get a vaccine, they're inheriting the world that we live that we leave them. It is time for you to claim your power, claim your voice, say your song, tell your stories. It will make us a better place. Your turn."

RuPaul makes history

As the hit VH1 show "RuPaul’s Drag Race" picked up the trophy for outstanding competition program, RuPaul notched his 11th win, making him the most honored Black artist in Emmy history.

Although Ru did not call out the historic moment, he thanked the Academy and said, "For you kids out there watching, you have a tribe that is waiting for you."

Remembering those we lost

The in memoriam segment began with "Orange Is the New Black" alum Uzo Aduba, who introduced a musical tribute by Leon Bridges and Jon Batiste performing an original song from Bridges titled "River."

Just a few of the names featured in the montage included Larry King, Christopher Plummer, Dawn Wells, George Segal, Ned Beatty, Alex Trebek, Dustin Diamond, Olympia Dukakis, Jessica Walter, Cicely Tyson, Ed Asner, Cloris Leachman, Biz Markie, Norm Macdonald and Michael K. Williams.

Some of the stars we lost in the past year were also shown love throughout the show by presenters and those accepting their awards.

First up came Kerry Washington who, while presenting the Emmy for best supporting actor in a drama series, paid tribute to Williams, "The Wire" and "Lovecraft Country" star, who died unexpectedly earlier this month at the age of 54.

"Michael was -- crazy to say was -- a brilliantly talented actor and a generous human being who has left us far too soon," she said. "Your excellence, your artistry, will endure."

Williams, who was nominated in the category, did not win the Emmy, his fifth nomination from his incredible career.

Lorne Michaels took a moment to pay tribute to former "SNL" cast member Macdonald when accepting the Emmy for best variety sketch series. Macdonald died last week at the age of 61.

"And lastly, 'Weekend Update' has been part of 'SNL' for 46 seasons," Michaels said. "And here I'd like to pay tribute to one of the best we ever had, Norm Macdonald."

The big wins

Last but not least, let's talk about the trophies themselves: the big winners .

Saving the major categories until the end of the night, it was "The Crown" that took home outstanding drama series, "Ted Lasso" that won outstanding comedy series and "The Queen's Gambit" that took home outstanding limited series.

When counting up the Emmys from this year -- including those from the Creative Arts Emmys and the televised awards show -- "The Queen's Gambit" and "The Crown" tied for the top honors at the Emmys this year, winning 11 trophies apiece.

Additionally, "Saturday Night Live" snagged eight while "Ted Lasso" tied with "The Mandalorian" with seven each.

For more Emmys coverage from "Good Morning America," click here .

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The 2021 Emmy Awards ceremony on September 19, 2021, will mark the 73rd time that the best shows are being honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. While each of the past 72 ceremonies has been celebrated in the best way possible, only a few have impressed fans in the same manner as the productions they recognized.

RELATED:  10 Biggest Surprises In The 2021 Emmys Nominations List

The most highly rated Emmy ceremonies of all time can be identified via IMDb. These ceremonies were mostly great because of outstanding work by the hosts, humor by those that stepped on stage, milestones by specific shows, and random, shocking moments. Hopefully, this year's ceremony will be good enough to squeeze itself into the list.

The 53rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2001) - 7.4

The 2001 Emmys were hosted by Ellen Degeneres. The ceremony had been delayed a couple of times because of the 9/11 attacks.  The Sopranos —one of the best Emmy-winning drama shows of all time —had been the show with the most nominations (15) but The West Wing  grabbed more accolades (4).

The ceremony was widely praised because of the host's humor. Ellen received standing ovations a couple of times as she employed jokes that fit with the political climate at the time. There was also much talk about the host's costumes, specifically her swan costume, something audiences, and critics found interesting.

The 45th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1993) - 7.5

The colorful ceremony was hosted by the earliest surviving Academy Award nominee, the Hollywood Golden Age actress Angela Lansbury. Seinfield 's  3 awards made it the most decorated series of the night.

The 45th Emmys stood out because of the records set by some of the shows. The biggest shocker was  Northern Exposure  which became the most nominated show to not win. It had been nominated for 11 awards.  Cheers also became the first show older than 10 years to be nominated for every season it was on the air.

The 37th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1985) - 7.9

NBC bulldozed its way through the 37th Emmys, winning 12 awards out of 66 nominations. Cagney & Lacey 's 4 trophies made it the most awarded show on the night. The ceremony was hosted by John Forsythe.

RELATED:  The 10 Most Nominated Series At The 2021 Emmys

The 1985 installment remains a classic particularly because of one unscripted but entertaining moment. During the ceremony, an impersonator named Barry Bremen attempted to accept the award for "Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series" on behalf of Betty Thomas. The real Betty showed up minutes later.

The 47th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1995) - 8.0

The Emmys have been hosted by a duo a few times and the same happened in 1995. Cybill Shepherd and Jason Alexander did their best to make the Hollywood elite in the audience laugh and they mostly succeeded. Fraiser had the most wins with 5 awards.

Memorable things about the show included Candice Bergen's win for Mercy Brown , which made her the third actor to win 5 Emmys for playing the same character. Even classier was that she refused to be nominated for any more awards. Marvin Hamlisch also became the sixth ever EGOT (winner of Emmy, Oscar, Grammy, and Tony).

The 30th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1978) - 8.0

Alan Aida is mostly known for his supporting roles in numerous movies and TV shows but back in the day, he could get a hosting gig or two, inclining the 30th Emmys. The NBC miniseries  Holocaust 's 6 wins made it the most awarded show.

There was a string of good jokes by presenters but the highlight of the ceremony wasn't even award-related. It involved the televised 30-minute interruption by President Jimmy Carter, joined by Israeli premier Menachem Begin and Egyptian president Anwar Sadat to announce the decision to sign the Camp David Accords.

The 32nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1980) - 8.4

Steve Allen—the creator and first-ever host of The Tonight Show — was in charge of proceedings at the 32nd Emmys. CBS drama Lou Grant scooped was the titan of the ceremony, thanks to its 5 awards.

RELATED:  10 Actors Who Won An Emmy For Multiple Shows

The 1980 installment is still one of the most-talked bout installments since the Pasadena Civic Auditorium was a ghost town. The Emmys were shrouded in controversy as 51 out of 52 nominees failed to show up in support of performers' rights. Members of the Screen Actors Guild were on strike at the time. Powers Boothe was the only actor to show up, describing his appearance as both the most courageous and stupidest thing he had ever done.

The 31st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1979) - 8.5

No show towered above the rest at the 31st Emmys. The maximum number of awards given to any series was 2, and this was the case for 6 shows. Cheryl Ladd and Henry Winkler were hosts.

The categories were shaken up a bit at the 1979 Emmys. This was the first year in which the miniseries and TV movie categories were merged. Several other categories such as comedy and variety were also merged but this was undone in later years. Lots of major names like Danny DeVito, Kurt Russel, and Robin Williams were also up for nominations.

The 33rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1981) - 8.6

Former Screen Actors Guild head Edward Asner was the host of what would be one of the most impressive Emmy ceremonies of all time.  Hill Street Blues  is among the many  '80s crime dramas that definitely deserve a reboot and it got the most love on this particular night with 6 wins.

Members of The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences had a major headache on their hands as several stars were up for awards this year. There were shocking wins across all categories but none of the winners could be labeled as non-deserving. Overall, it was a ceremony where everything ran smoothly.

The 52nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2000) - 8.8

Recent Emmy ceremonies haven't been as well-received as the ones in the '90s and '80s. However, the 2000 ceremony remains one of the most superb ones. The late stand-up comedian Garry Shandling was in fine form as host. The West Wing 's 5 wins also fit well the election climate of the time.

RELATED:  10 Recent Television Stars Snubbed At The Emmy Awards

There were a couple of firsts at the 52nd Emmys. HBO has recently established itself as the home for great drama shows and part of that started with James Gandolfini becoming the first male actor from the network to win in the lead category. This was also the only year in which CW (formerly WB) was recognized.

The 35th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1983) - 9.5

It's easy to see why this is the best Emmy ceremony of all time. Two of the most hilarious comedic actors of all time —Eddie Murphy and Joan Rivers—were commandeering things. Cheers was the most decorated show with 4 awards.

There was a lot of love for the Emmys in the early '80s and this was proved once again in the 35th installment. Rivers' inability to filter her speech led to difficulties in censoring, something that kinda added to the rogue nature of the ceremony. Rivers also proved why emphasis should be placed on fashion, changing dresses more than a dozen times. This was unusual at the time.

NEXT:  10 Best Emmys 2021 Actors, Ranked By Number Of Previous Nominations

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Sheryl Lee Ralph Gave the Best Acceptance Speech of All Time

We can all go home now, because the Emmys made me cry. Well, specifically Sheryl Lee Ralph , who won her first Emmy tonight for her role as Barbara Howard in Abbott Elementary . The legendary actress and singer was so emotional upon hearing her name for the award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category that she had to be helped up and escorted to the stage. Thank God she made it up there, because she proceeded to deliver an acceptance speech — an acceptance song, more accurately — that we will watch for years to come.

Approaching the microphone in tears, Ralph suddenly broke out into song, belting out a few lines of Dianne Reeves’s “Endangered Species” and reminding us all that she should have won a Tony several decades ago:

Then she delivered a moving speech with the flair and enunciation of the Broadway icon that she is:

To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t come true, I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like. This is what striving looks like. And don’t you ever, ever give up on you. Because if you get a Quinta Brunson in your corner, if you get a husband like mine in your corner, if you get children like mine in your corner, and if you’ve got friends like everybody who voted for me, cheered for me, loved me —

She left the stage fist-pumping with her Emmy in hand.

Ralph is the second-ever Black woman to win this award, following Jackée Harry, who won for her role in the NBC sitcom 227 in 1987 and tweeted her congratulations . And it doesn’t hurt that Ralph did it with gems in her hair.

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Jason Sudeikis's potty humor, more highlights from 2021 Emmy winners' acceptance speeches

Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at the best moments from the big winners' acceptance speeches during the 2021 Emmys , starting with one of the sweetest speeches of the evening… "This show is about family. This show is about mentors and teachers. This show is about teammates. And I wouldn't be here without those three things in my life. First off, I wanted to thank my folks, Dan and Kathy. I want to thank my sisters, Kristin and Lindsay. I want to thank my sisters that have been chosen through outside biology, Rachel. I want to thank my children, Otis and Daisy. … I want to thank folks at 'SNL.' I want to thank ['Saturday Night Live' creator] Lorne [Michaels], who went to go take a dump now. Perfect. He's gonna get home, he's gonna watch it — he loves watching the Emmys at home. It's fine, it's fine. Which home is the big question?" — Jason Sudeikis , Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, "Ted Lasso"

Now keep reading for more of the best acceptance speech moments from the 2021 Emmys…

RELATED: All the craziest moments from the 2021 Emmys

"Jason [Sudeikis], you changed my life with this, and more importantly, my baby girl's. I'm honestly so privileged to work with you. I really am. Oh my God, I'm giving a speech at the Emmys!" gushed "Ted Lasso" star Hannah Waddingham as she accepted the award for best supporting actress in a comedy series. "Juno Temple, I swear to God if I could break off one of [this Emmy statue's] arms and give it to you because that's what you are to me. There's no Rebecca without Keeley, and if you ever leave my life, I'm going to stalk you," she continued. "To my parents, who I nearly lost during the filming of this season, I'm so glad that you're here to see this moment. And to my friends … I wouldn't be up here without them — the normal people that help you run your life … you are the loves of my life and this single mum wouldn't be standing here without you."

RELATED: Stars on the red carpet at the 2021 Emmys

"Before I say anything else, I have to acknowledge my late husband, Richard Gilliland, who passed away six months yesterday, and I would not be here without him, without his putting his career on the back burner so that I could take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities that I've had — and my two incredible, unselfish children, Connor and Forrest, who are both very courageous individuals in their own right — they put up with mommy commuting to Philadelphia and back." –Jean Smart, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, "Hacks"

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"I just want to acknowledge my fellow nominees in this decade that has to be about women having each other's backs: I support you, I salute you, I'm proud of all of you. 'Mare of Easttown,' it was this culture moment and it brought people together and gave them something to talk about other than a global pandemic, and I want to thank everyone for watching our show. … [Thank you to] my children — Mia, Joe and Bear — the greatest people in the world, and my husband Ned [Edward Abel Smith], who I get to hold hands with for the rest of my life. Yes! I am the winner!" — Kate Winslet , Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, "Mare of Easttown"

RELATED: The cutest celeb couples of the 2021 Emmy Awards

"I was very, very specifically told I'm not allowed to swear. … This cast makes me sick they're so good. … Thank you for creating this show and for inviting me to be part of it. It has been one of the greatest honors, privileges and privileges. I just said that twice! But it's a double privilege. It's the most privileged privilege and pleasure of my life." –Brett Goldstein, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, "Ted Lasso"

"Mary [Elizabeth Winstead], I love you so much. I love you so much. We'll take this home and show it to our new little boy , Laurie. And to my beautiful girls who I know are watching — Clara, Esther, Jamyan and Anouk — I said I would say hello to you too. So thank you so much everybody." –Ewan McGregor, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, "Halston"

"Thank you very much. I'd have put money on that not happening! … I'm gonna be very quick because I'm very teary as I wish my dad was here to see this. I lost my daddy during COVID and he would've loved all of this." –Olivia Colman, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, "The Crown"

"I just wrote a little something for writers, really: Write the tale that scares you, that make you feel uncertain, that isn't comfortable, I dare you. In a world that entices us to browse through the lives of others to help us better determine how we feel about ourselves and to in turn feel the need to be constantly visible — for visibility these days seems to somehow equate to success — do not be afraid to disappear from it [and] from us for a while and see what comes to you in the silence. … I dedicate this story to every single survivor of sexual assault." –Michaela Coel, Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, "I May Destroy You"

" Kate Winslet , man you're good at acting. But turns out that you're good at caring for a whole production. You led all of us every step of the way with such care and intelligence and love. If you hadn't called and asked if I wanted to join you in Philly, I'd have probably read the first two episodes, thought, 'Nah, the priest did it,' and stayed home. So I owe this to you and all the ladies out there in Philadelphia, in Kabul, in Texas or anywhere who are struggling sometimes, finding it hard to be happy sometimes, understanding that life can be a lot sometimes but never stopping, never losing hope, never giving up. To my husband and children, Iggy and Phoebe, none of this would mean anything without you cheering me on. I love you so much!" –Julianne Nicholson, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, "Mare of Easttown"

"I gotta thank my mom and my dad for getting me out to L.A. [when I was a kid]. You guys were crazy for doing that, but we're gonna drink tonight." –Evan Peters, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, "Mare of Easttown"

"I really want to dedicate this award to a woman who was my manager for 20 years … who believed in me when no one else would and believed I had talent when I didn't even think that I had talent, who always advised me to take the high road, who was one of the best friends that I've ever had in my life and who wore the same dress five years running to every award show three times a year that we went to — slow fashion before anybody knew that it was cool. Connie, I love you — this is for you." –Gillian Anderson, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, "The Crown"

"Thank you to my mum, my dad, my brothers [and] my beautiful girlfriend for putting up with the chaos of this career that I feel incredibly privileged to be a part of. And finally to my grandparents, my grandmother who passed a few months ago and my grandfather, Peter O'Connor, who hopefully watches this in the morning, your kindness and loyalty have been the greatest gift. Thank you so much" –Josh O'Connor, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, "The Crown"

"To us, this award represents the synergy between the mediums of television and theater — what a gift we can be to each other. What a gift you gave us! Last year when we were dark and dispersed, television provided the platform for us to come together to put on a show. On behalf of Lin-Manuel Miranda and all of the companies off-Broadway and on, we say to you, 'Look around, look around!' The curtains are going back up and the lights are coming back on. Thank you!" –Renée Elise Goldsberry (on behalf of Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman, Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeffrey Seller), Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded), "Hamilton"

"I am trembling with gratitude and grace. I'm trying not to cry and [to] be equal to the situation because it's been many years in the making. It's taken a lot of courage to be the only woman in the room most of the time, a lot of courage and creativity and fight and faith to believe that I could keep going — and I have. And I brought a whole lot of people with me, so I want to say thank you for this glorious moment in the sun. … I have to share this honor with so many people, all the gypsies, the dancers, the choreographers, the prophets, the poets who are my inspiration, the crews who work behind the scenes invisibly but without whose craft there is no measure of real success, to everybody that's given me the opportunity to become the Debbie Allen that can get things done. … Let this moment resonate with women across the world, across this country and across the world — from Texas to Afghanistan. Let them know. And also with young people who have no vote, who can't even get a vaccine — they're inheriting the world that we leave them. It is time for you to claim your power, claim your voice, sing your song, tell your stories, it will make us a better place. Your turn." –Debbie Allen, Governor's Award recipient

"Thank you. Wow, I haven't met some of these people before. … These people behind me are absolutely — most of the people behind me — really deserve this Emmy right now. … I want to thank 'Ted Lasso' and 'Last Week Tonight' for not being in this category. … I also want to thank the greatest audience and the greatest partner I could ever have, my wife [Evelyn McGee-Colbert]." — Stephen Colbert (shared with Chris Licht, Tom Purcell, Jon Stewart, Tanya Michnevich, Barry Julien, Opus Moreschi, Denise C. Rehrig, Aaron Cohen, Paul Dinello, Emily Gertler, Jay Katsir, Matt Lappin, Bjoern C. Stejskal, Sara Vilkomerson, Ballard C. Boyd, Michael Brumm, Gabe Gronli, Paige Kendig, Jake Plunkett and Adam Wager), Outstanding Variety Special, " Stephen Colbert 's Election Night 2020: Democracy's Last Stand: Building Back America Great Again Better 2020"

"Thanks to all of our wonderful children on our show from around the world. They are so gracious to tell their stories of courage and how to navigate this difficult life — even more difficult today. This is for you and for you kids out there watching: You have a tribe that is waiting for you. We are waiting for you, baby. Come on to Mama Ru!" –RuPaul (shared with Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, Steven Corfe, Mandy Salangsang, Michele Mills, Tim Palazzola, Thairin Smothers, John Polly, Zoe Jackson, Lisa Steele, Camilo Valdes, Michelle Visage, Alicia Gargaro-Magaña and Jen Passovoy), Outstanding Competition Program, "RuPaul's Drag Race"

"What I'd really like to say is that not a lot of women have won this award, so I feel like I'm standing on the shoulders of some really extraordinary people, and I'm very grateful for the path that they've led. And I'd particularly like to pay tribute to my mum, who at 77 is still directing." –Jessica Hobbs, Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, "The Crown"

"I think like many of us in this room, I was kinda rooting for Conan, so this is bittersweet. Thank you so much, Conan, for 30 years of inspiring comedy writers. A ridiculous number. You're the best! [The camera pans to Conan O'Brien looking dejected.] He's fine, he's fine! … I just want to say this is an award for late-night comedy. No one was funnier in the last 20 years than Norm McDonald on late night comedy, so if you have any time in the next week, do what I did and just spend time YouTubing clips of Norm and Conan because it just doesn't get better than that." –John Oliver (shared with Tim Carvell, Liz Stanton, Jeremy Tchaban, Christopher Werner, Laura L. Griffin, Kate Mullaney, Catherine Owens, Matt Passet, Marian Wang and Charles Wilson), Outstanding Variety Talk Series, "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver"

"Thank you so much. I should start off by saying this is not everyone who writes on the show. We were only allowed a small number to come, so the show sent the hottest writers, which I understand is kind of an oxymoron. … We would like to dedicate this award to Adam Driver. He knows what he did. And we know what we'd like him to do. Thank you." –Chrissy Shackelford (shared with Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, John Oliver, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Ben Silva and Seena Vali), Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver"

"'Weekend Update' has been part of 'SNL' for 46 seasons, and here I'd like to pay tribute to one of the best we ever had: Norm McDonald. Thank you." –Lorne Michaels (shared with Steve Higgins, Ken Aymong, Lindsay Shookus, Erin Doyle, Tom Broecker, Caroline Maroney, Erik Kenward and NBC), Outstanding Variety Sketch Series, "Saturday Night Live"

"I'm very proud. I'm very grateful. We're gonna party. Goodnight!" –Peter Morgan, Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, "The Crown"

"Thank you to one or two people not here because we start shooting in a couple of hours. … We're gonna party now! I'm lost for words and I'm very, very grateful." –Peter Morgan (shared with Suzanne Mackie, Stephen Daldry, Andy Harries, Benjamin Caron, Matthew Byam Shaw, Robert Fox, Michael Casey, Andy Stebbing, Martin Harrison and Oona O'Beirn), Outstanding Drama Series, "The Crown"

"We wanted to make a show that honors anybody who struggled to tell their stories — especially women who never got to tell their story at all because the world wasn't listening. Wow, this is insane. … For those women aforementioned, this is for them." –Lucia Aniello (shared with Jen Statsky and Paul W. Downs), Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, "Hacks"

"Thank you to my parents, to my friends, to my co-creators Jen [Statsky] — I love you — to Paul [W. Downs], I'm in love with you, which is why I married you last weekend. I would love to just say my vows again." –Lucia Aniello, Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, "Hacks"

"As we all know, a film crew is a family born out of a shotgun wedding, and it was an honor to be included in this family. I wish I could stand up here and mention every single one of you, but I'd need a lot more time — and that's why God created IMDb. As for my other family, the people who at the end of the day actually have to live with me, thank you for always challenging me to be a better person — truly, it's a low bar." –Scott Frank, Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, "The Queen's Gambit"

"The biggest thank you from this group is to the people that watch. I really think I can speak for everybody here when I say we all know how lucky we are to do this for a living and we appreciate you." –Bill Lawrence (shared with Jason Sudeikis , Jeff Ingold, Bill Wrubel, Liza Katzer, Jane Becker, Jamie Lee, Kip Kroeger, Brendan Hunt, Tina Pawlik and Joe Kelly), Outstanding Comedy Series, "Ted Lasso"

"The one thing that no algorithm can predict and no billion-dollar budget can manufacture is word of mouth. This award is for the fans who told their friends who became fans who told their friends, 'Dude, you gotta watch the orphan girl chess drama.' … Anya Taylor-Joy, you brought the sexy back to chess and you inspired a whole generation of girls and young women to realize the patriarchy simply has no defense against our queens." –William Horberg (shared with Allan Scott, Scott Frank, Mick Aniceto and Marcus Loges), Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, "The Queen's Gambit"

See the best pictures of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in Nigeria

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5 Best Emmy Award Acceptance Speeches of All Time

July 18 2013, Published 6:09 p.m. ET

The competition is tough for this year's Emmy nominees , so we're not sure who we can expect to walk away with the awards. If there's something we do know, however, it's that the show is an exciting night of guaranteed tears, laughs, and plenty of awkward, speech-cutting music. While we count down the days until September 22, let's take a look back at some of the best Emmy speeches from the past.

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1. Sarah Jessica Parker . There's something endearing about seeing the usually poised SJP seem shaky and nervous while making her speech, just like the rest of us would be. Plus, how great is it to see Kristen Davis' lip quivering while she watches her friend on stage?

youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIP8ISA0mbo&w=420&h=315

2. Jane Lynch . Who else could give a shout out to Buddhists during her Emmy speech and get away with it? Only Jane Lynch!

youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lISD7ZqxFNU&w=420&h=315

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3. The Lonely Island . When you give the guys from TLI a chance to give a speech, it's pretty much guaranteed that it's going to be hilarious.  Andy Samberg is a sarcasm god and we appreciate him using it even at the Emmys.

youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXhz41R6vYY&w=420&h=315

4. Meryl Streep . Meryl can do no wrong, so while we would probably question anyone else's might-be-a-little-tispy delivery, we listened to her without a question.

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youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhEK3mEofPo&w=420&h=315

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5. Julia Louis-Dreyfus . Ah, the classic speech switcheroo. Ok, maybe it's not classic per say, but Julia's 'accidental' swap with  Amy Poehler   is perhaps one of the most memorable award show moments of all time.

youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL6Oh2qv9Mo&w=420&h=315

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Who do you think the big winners at this year's Emmys will be? What is your favorite Emmy speech of all time? Tweet us @OKMagazine and tell us your thoughts!

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Daytime Emmys Special: 20 of the Winningest Acceptance Speeches Ever

Charlie Mason

Wednesday, June 5th, 2024

• Share This Article

We laughed. We cried. And most of all, we applauded our butts off.

We can only imagine what goes through a soap star’s head when their name is called as the winner of a Daytime Emmy Award. “Hey, that sounded like my name. [ Beat ] Wait, was that my name? [ Beat ] Oh, crap, everybody’s looking at me. [ Beat ] Oh, double crap, what did I do with that list of thank-yous that I was so sure I wasn’t going to need?!?”

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What happens next is an acceptance speech on stage, with the actor’s mind going a million miles a minute, which is still slower than the speed at which their heart is beating. Pros that our stars are, they always manage to pull it together and make a coherent statement.

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Hey, when you can memorize 100 pages of dialogue in a day, you can pretty much do anything, right?

But not all acceptance speeches are created equal. Some stand out — for their humor, their heart, for the implied threat of hyperventilation. So, as this year’s Daytime Emmys roll around, Soaps.com has ranked 20 of the most unforgettable acceptance speeches ever, made by cast members from The Bold and the Beautiful , General Hospital , Days of Our Lives and The Young and the Restless (as well as at least a few shows that are sadly no longer with us).

Care to take a stroll down Memory Lane and see whose they are? All you have to do is click on the photo gallery below ; consider it your VIP ticket to Emmys past.

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<p>Upon being named the Oustanding Supporting Actor of 1997 for his work as <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> shrink James, soap-hopper Ian Buchanan took to the stage and began a love scene with his award. “Oh, baby,” he exclaimed, <a href="https://youtu.be/r881Eyi3C_A?t=775" target="_blank">planting a kiss on his golden girl</a>. “This is totally unexpected.” So was <em>that</em>! From there, he thanked the show’s creators for also making his boss, Bradley Bell.</p>

<p>“Oh, I have 25 seconds,” Chad Duell realized upon accepting the 2015 prize for Outstanding Supporting Actor. “Jeez.” Knowing that time was of the essence, the <em>General Hospital</em> star fast-forwarded through his thank-yous with the skill of an auctioneer, tipping his hat to God, then-girlfriend Kristen Alderson (ex-Kiki) and the soap’s executive producer and headwriter before wrapping up his speech like Michael might a board meeting. “Alright, bye.”</p>

<p>When <em>One Life to Live </em>vet Erika Slezak won <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uMMMDemwMI" target="_blank">her sixth and final statuette</a> for playing Viki in 2005, she first cheered her fellow nominees, with whom she’d had lunch the previous day. Calling them “the greatest dames on Earth,” the venerable veteran laughed that “I thought they were going to throw us out of the restaurant, we had such a good time.” She even gave a special shout-out to on-screen sparring partner Robin Strasser (Dorian).</p>

<p>Regaining her composure after being announced as 1989’s Outstanding Lead Actress, <em>Santa Barbara</em> MVP Marcy Walker (Eden) rewound to her days on <em>All My Children</em>, where she’d played Liza, to thank her former co-stars. “They taught me about respect for your fellow actor and integrity in the work,” she said, adding, “I never would have understood to admire the people I work with every day on <em>Santa Barbara</em>” without them. From there, she gave shout-outs to her on-screen parents and husband A Martinez (Cruz). “You are brilliant!” she exclaimed. Agreed!</p>

<p>Sigh. We’ll never stop missing the late <em>Young & Restless</em> star, who was named 1992’s Outstanding Younger Actor for his performance as Neil. Even relatively early on his career, he was the portrait of the poised professional, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LbK7roKMZM" target="_blank">calling the cast and crew “a family”</a> and sharing his love of “God, for without whom nothing is important and with whom everything is possible.”</p>

<p>Winning his first Daytime Emmy in 1998 — for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Jason on<em> General Hospital</em> — Steve Burton was so pumped, he didn’t so much give an acceptance speech as yell it. The magic of the moment in his voice, he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN6cgbciCYU" target="_blank">thanked God, Mom, Dad</a> and the fiancée who became his wife in 1999.</p>

<p>Upon scoring an Outstanding Supporting Actress Daytime Emmy in 1995 for her star turn as Lois on <em>General Hospital</em>, Rena Sofer <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uEkWeZl1Sk" target="_blank">delivered her acceptance speech</a> with the efficiency of an auctioneer. “You should be up here,” she told Jacklyn Zeman (Bobbie) before thanking on- and then-off-screen leading man Wally Kurth (Ned). “You’re an actor who just lets me go. You have brought love into my life, your child’s love into my life… ” With that, she deadpanned, “I’m not pregnant.” (The former marrieds did have a daughter together a couple of years later, but she was referring to Kurth’s firstborn.)</p>

<p>“I really didn’t think I was gonna win,” admitted then-rookie Cynthia Watros when she <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1adM8OfjVug" target="_blank">took home the Lead Actress Emmy</a> in 1998 after being nominated for the first time for the role she’d just left, that of <em>Guiding Light</em>’s Annie. In fact, the up-and-comer — now Nina on <em>General Hospital</em> — was so overcome with emotion that presenter Joseph Mascolo (Stefano, <em>Days of Our Lives</em>) passed her a handkerchief. “Thank you,” she gasped, “for putting up with me!”</p>

<p>“I <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCvZ1W1Vc1s" target="_blank">did not prepare a speech at all</a>,” admitted Amelia Heinle in 2014, when she was named Outstanding Supporting Actress for the first time for her portrayal of Victoria on <em>The Young and the Restless</em>. Winging it, she thanked “my bosses first,” then the duo that had kept her at her audition to replace Heather Tom. “I wanted to run out,” she confessed. “I was terrified of taking on this role [that she originated]. But it’s been the most fulfilling thing in my life.”</p>

<p>When Maurice Benard’s work as Sonny on <em>General Hospital</em> earned him his first Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in 2003, he put down his statuette on the stage, then thanked <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6Tes-CnP2M" target="_blank">the trailblazer who’d played Luke</a>. “Tony Geary, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you,” he said. #truth And when Benard’s speech went on for so long that the band was cued up to usher him off, he just went right on talking until he was good and done. Nobody puts Sonny in a corner!</p>

<p>“I gotta tell you that walk from my seat to this stage took a few seconds, but it was actually 37 years,” said <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ James Reynolds when at last he won the Outstanding Lead Actor Daytime Emmy in 2018. In accepting the prize for his portrayal of Abe, the class act acknowledged his predecessors, Al Freeman Jr. (Ed, <em>One Life to Live</em>), Darnell Williams (Jesse, <em>All My Children</em>) and A Martinez (Cruz, <em>Santa Barbara</em>), “the other actors of color in the last 45 years” that had scored in the same category.</p>

<p>Rocking some fantastically New Wave hair — eat your heart out, Flock of Seagulls! — Kim Zimmer exuberantly took off her shoes en route to the stage to tearfully accept her 1985 Outstanding Lead Actress Daytime Emmy. And after thanking all of the fellow nominees from whom she’d learned the tricks of the trade, she expressed her gratitude to <em>Guiding Light</em> headwriter Pam Long “for creating Reva Shayne Lewis, and long may she live!”</p>

<p>Back in 2000 — years before <em>The Young and the Restless</em>’ Mariah was even a gleam in a headwriter’s eye — 10-year-old Camryn Grimes became <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2Nc2i88AXg" target="_blank">the youngest-ever winner</a> of a Daytime Emmy. And technically, what Cassie’s portrayer said wasn’t so memorable as the way that she said it, emotionally and so close to hyperventilating that presenter Martha Byrne (Lily, <em>As the World Turns</em>) leaned down to remind her to take a breath.</p>

<p>When <em>Guiding Light</em> MVP Michael Zaslow earned his Outstanding Lead Actor Emmy in 1992 for his pot-stirring as Roger, he not only <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIRu1fV7Yj8" target="_blank">thanked his peers for sparing his daughters</a> from having to write him another consolation note, he shared how wonderful his wife was. “I tell you that not only because it’s true,” he added, “but because she told me to tell you, because she said that’s what David Canary (Adam/Stuart, <em>All My Children</em>) and Peter Bergman (Jack, <em>Young & Restless</em>) always say.”</p>

<p>“My day started with my baby spitting up on me right before I left to come here,” admitted <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> leading lady Jacqueline MacInnes Wood in accepting her first Outstanding Lead Actress Daytime Emmy in 2019, “then my heel broke right when I got on the red carpet.” But once she had that golden girl in her hand, fughadaboudit! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY8vsYlzTeU" target="_blank">“It was worth it!”</a> she exclaimed.</p>

<p>Upon claiming her first Outstanding Lead Actress Daytime Emmy in 2014, Eileen Davidson (then <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Kristen) gave a shout-out to her onetime <em>Young & Restless</em> stepdaughter, Heather Tom (who’d played Victoria to her Ashley). “First of all, I have to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCeXKE4VYF0" target="_blank">thank Heather for sharing</a>,” joked Davidson, “<em>this</em> year.” Tom had taken home the prize in 2012 and 2013 for her work as Katie on <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em>.</p>

<p>When soap vet David Canary won the first of his five Daytime Emmys for playing good-’n’-evil twins Adam and Stuart on <em>All My Children</em> in 1986, he confessed on stage that he’d recently had an unsettling dream. “I found myself in the wings of a theatre trying to go on for my final test at a conservatory of music. I had one little piece of sheet music. It was a pop song. I couldn’t find the sheet music, I couldn’t remember the name of the song, and I was in my underwear. I wondered why I had this nightmare of unpreparedness, and now I know.”</p>

<p>When <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Mishael Morgan became the first Black Outstanding Lead Actress winner in 2022, she marveled that “I am being honored regardless of the color of my skin, regardless of my passport, for being the best at what I do.” Amanda’s portrayer wasn’t just excited for herself, either. “Now there are little girls all around the world… [who know that] no matter what, they can strive to be the best at what they do. Not only can they achieve it, but they will be celebrated.”</p>

<p>After taking home a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, <em>Young & Restless</em> legend Jeanne Cooper won <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j06DKfBJveQ" target="_blank">her first Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress</a> four years later. “I bet you thought I had died,” she cracked. From there, Katherine’s late, great portrayer kept us in stitches. “Oh dear, high-definition or no high-definition… What can I tell ya? It’s a bitch, isn’t it?” Reason No. 21,459 why we never need a reminder that Cooper was one of a kind.</p>

<p>So declared presenter Shemar Moore (ex-Malcolm, <em>The Young and the Restless</em>). Because after what seemed like a cajillion nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress, <em>All My Children</em> icon Susan Lucci (Erica) finally won in 1999. “I truly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgWEDVIFGN0" target="_blank">never believed that this would happen</a>,” she sobbed as Oprah Winfrey applauded from the sidelines. “I want to thank each and every one of you in this room. This is a room full of such talented, hardworking people, and the fact that you have thought that my work was worthy of notice 19 times is something that I will treasure always.”</p>

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Niecy Nash-Betts Gives One of the Greatest Emmys Speeches of All Time

“I wanna thank me, for believing in me!”

Niecy Nash-Betts won her first Emmy—for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, for her role on Netflix’s Dahmer —and her acceptance speech was as compelling as her performance as the real-life woman who tried to stop the show’s titular killer.

After thanking her cast, God, and her wife, an emotional Nash-Betts said, “You know who I want to thank? I wanna thank me,” to thunderous laughter and applause from the crowd. “For believing in me, and doing what they said I could not do. And I want to say to myself in front of all you beautiful people, go on girl with you bad self, you did that.”

Nash-Betts then called attention to Black women who have been victims of police negligence and violence, saying, “I accept this award on behalf of every Black and Brown woman who has gone unheard, yet overpoliced, like Glenda Cleveland, like Sandra Bland, like Breonna Taylor. As an artist, my job is to speak truth to power. And, baby, I’mma do it ’til the day I die. Mama, I won!”

Cleveland is the woman Nash-Betts portrayed in Ryan Murphy’s Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Cleveland was a neighbor of the infamous serial killer (played by Nash’s fellow Emmy nominee Evan Peters); she tried to alert the police several times but was always rebuffed. While the gruesome series was the subject of some controversy, it did portray this aspect of police failure, not unrelated to the fact that Dahmer’s victims were mostly gay men and people of color.

While this marked Nash-Betts’s first Emmy win, she had already received four other nominations, including a nod for Best Actress in a Comedy for her role as Denise “Didi” Ortley in HBO’s Getting On. It was a historic night at the awards ceremony, where Black women won both Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Quinta Brunson for Abbott Elementary ) and Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy (Ayo Edebiri for The Bear )—a first in the Emmys’ 75-year history.

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‘Greatest Emmy speech of all time’: Sheryl Lee Ralph stuns viewers by singing ‘Endangered Species’

Ralph won the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for her role as barbara howard on ‘abbott elementary’, article bookmarked.

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Sheryl Lee Ralph delighted fans after winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at Microsoft Theater on Monday, 12 September.

Ralph won the award for her role as Barbara Howard, a veteran teacher on ABC ’s Abbott Elementary .

The actor, singer, author and activist looked stunned when the news of her win was announced and had to be helped to the stage.

When she arrived on the stage, Howard belted out the lyrics to “Endangered Species” by US jazz singer Dianne Reeves.

She then went on to say: “This is what not giving up on yourself looks like.” She also thanked Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson for being in her corner.

“Sheryl Lee Ralph just gave the most moving acceptance speech in # Emmys history,” Netflix social manager Jarett Wieselman wrote alongside a clip of Ralph’s rendition.

“Give Sheryl Lee Ralph a Tony for her Emmy acceptance speech, please and thank you,” writer R. Eric Thomas tweeted.

Meanwhile, communications consultant Zara Rahim called it “the greatest Emmy speech of all time”.

She beat competition from Alex Borstein for The Marvelous Mrs Maisel , Hannah Einbinder for Hacks , her Abbott Elementary co-star Janelle James, Kate McKinnon for Saturday Night Live , and Sarah Niles, Juno Temple, and Hannah Waddingham from Ted Lasso .

The ceremony drew strong reactions from fans, with some mocking its “atrocious” opening dance sequence to Friends and Law and Order: SVU theme songs .

And host Kenan Thompson wasted no time cracking a joke about Leonardo DiCaprio’s relationship history.

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Succession writer Jessie Armstrong’s speech, meanwhile, drew audible winces from the crowd over his King Charles comments.

Catch up with what happened at the Emmys here and find out about the biggest snubs and surprises here.

We have also compiled a list of the best-dressed stars on the red carpet and shared a look at what’s inside the Emmys gift bag.

Fans praised Elle Fanning after she revealed her Emmys dress was inspired by Old Hollywood and Hannah Waddingham was hailed as “iconic” after she unveiled sneakers under her gown.

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Let’s Talk Talk: Breaking Down the Merits of Emmy-Nominated Late-Night Shows

By Hunter Ingram

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 For seven years, if you weren’t named John Oliver, you were just happy to be nominated in the talk series category at the Emmys .

Between 2016 and 2022, HBO’s “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” dominated the category, a streak beaten only by Oliver’s former employer, “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” which won variety talk series the entire decade between 2003 and 2012. That remains the longest winning streak for any primetime series in Emmy history.

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At the belated 75th Emmys in January, Trevor Noah’s final season at the helm of “The Daily Show” won the first talk series Emmy. This September, it will have to fend off the same contenders again — “The Daily Show,” “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The only one missing this time is Apple TV+’s “The Problem With Jon Stewart,” which was canceled in October.

As late-night shows settle into a category all to themselves, here’s the case to be made for each nominee clinching the Emmy:

 The Daily Show

The Late Show With   Stephen Colbert 

Speaking of “The Daily Show,” the only reason its decade-long streak ended in 2013 was because one of its own former correspondents, Stephen Colbert, launched his series, “The Colbert Report.” That series gained momentum and eventually unseated “The Daily Show” for two years as the Emmy winner before Colbert replaced Letterman at “The Late Show.” Continuously the highest-rated late-night series, “Late Show” has been a nominee since 2017 but has never taken the award.

Late Night With Seth Meyers

Seth Meyers has risen to become one of the most cherished names in television, and his show has done what many simply can’t — it goes viral. For example, his “Day Drinking” segments with celebrities like Kristen Stewart and Dua Lipa raked in millions of views on YouTube just this season. It was a long journey for Meyers and his team to get the attention of the Academy, having not been nominated until 2022, but he has been a consistently celebrated contender ever since.

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The longest-running current late-night talk show host has spent more than 20 years as a constant presence on ABC. In addition to hosting the series, he has broadened its audience with stints hosting the Academy Awards four times and the Emmy Awards three times. But as Kimmel blazes past his 21st year as host, there’s never been a better time to award the man Hollywood calls up to award itself.

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The 10 Best British War Movies, Ranked

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Britain has been part of a lot of wars throughout history, most of which were in the name of expanding the kingdom to all regions of the world, which is not exactly a noble crusade by today's standards. Still, this wasn't always the case, and in the instances of the World Wars, the UK entered more as a response to rising tensions in Europe or direct declarations of war from other countries.

Regardless of the purposes of the story behind and the nature of these wars, there are lots of stories to tell when it comes to Britain's involvement in them. There are many centuries to explore and many heroic tales to tell, with cinema becoming a perfect medium to do it. The best British war films are often seen as some of the greatest of all time , not just in the war genre but in all of movie history, period. From seminal, game-changing classics like Lawrence of Arabia to newer hits like Dunkirk , these movies are crucial entries into the war genre.

10 'The Imitation Game' (2014)

Conflict: world war ii (1939-1945).

The Imitation Game follows Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing , an English mathematician and scientist known as the grandfather of modern computing technology. During World War II, the Germans sent encrypted messages to each other. Though intercepted, allied forces could not decrypt these messages unless they knew the cipher. Thus, Turing was commissioned by Parliament to help decrypt the messages, which he did by creating a large machine that proved instrumental to the war effort.

However, this biopic doesn't focus only on the war effort but also on Turing's life as a homosexual man at a time when homosexuality was a criminal offense. So, even though he should have been seen as a national hero, Turing found himself ostracized from society, ending his life as a martyr. The Imitation Game is more of a drama rather than an action flick, but it is every bit as motivational and eye-opening as other war movies out there .

The Imitation Game

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9 '1917' (2019)

Conflict: world war i (1914-1918).

1917 takes audiences to the Western Front of World War I , where two field runners are given orders from a high-ranking officer to deliver a message to another company somewhere else on the front. The orders are imperative, advising the company to halt their attack because the Germans are going to lure them into a trap. The film is uniquely presented in a one-shot format, with several cleverly disguised edits to make it seem like it has zero jump cuts, allowing audiences to not miss a single second of the protagonist's journey.

This choice makes his mission feel much more time-sensitive, as each obstacle the runners encounter feels like yet another thing holding them back from delivering the crucial message. 1917 comes as a real nail-biter in the war movie genre, and though it isn't the most visceral or graphic movie out there, it succeeds in putting audiences into the shoes of the average soldier , who has been thrust into a conflict unlike anything the world had seen before.

8 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' (1957)

Most World War II movies tend to explore the Western Front or the Pacific Theatre, so it's refreshing that The Bridge on the River Kwai decides to explore the war's influence in Indochina. Based on the 1952 novel of the same name by Pierre Boulle , the plot centers on a group of British and American prisoners of war who are forced by the Japanese occupiers to construct a bridge over the eponymous river between Bangkok, Thailand, and Yangon in present-day Myanmar.

Taking a deep dive into the cruelties inflicted by the Japanese Empire upon prisoners of war, The Bridge on the River Kwai won seven out of its eight Oscar nominations . This acclaimed picture is among the best from legendary director David Lean with expert storytelling about a lesser-known part of the war and a lesser-known problem. The Bridge on the River Kwai perfectly embodies the camaraderie that existed between Allied nations , despite their differences, as they teamed up against a common evil for the good of the entire world.

The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)

7 'dunkirk' (2017).

Dunkirk takes place during the early phases of World War II, after the French surrender to the Nazis, leaving hundreds of British soldiers stranded on the northern coast of the besieged nation. As backup prepares to evacuate them, they find themselves in a race against time, as the Third Reich is not far behind.

The expertly crafted soundtrack perfectly reflects the urgency and desperation, utilizing a ticking clock sound effect that really helps in showing the vise closing around the stranded troops. Though Dunkirk is a superb movie, it should really only be watched once , especially for those prone to anxiety, as it is so nerve-wracking that it can sometimes be difficult to stomach. Still, Dunkirk is a modern masterpiece of film , coming from renowned director Christopher Nolan , who effectively transports viewers back in time to Britain's darkest hours.

6 'The King's Speech' (2010)

The King's Speech is another biopic, this time about King George VI , played by Colin Firth . In 1939, the Crown officially declared war on the rising Third Reich, and the newly appointed King George had to prepare to address the people announcing this decision. The only problem was that King George had a stutter, which was embarrassing to him. Knowing the nation needed his firm and reassuring words, he hired an Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue ( Geoffrey Rush ), to help him overcome his stammer and make his address.

This speech became one of the most famous ever broadcast over the radio, and the King delivered it without stuttering even once. The movie brings the King to light in a whole new way, portraying him as more than just a royal but as a human being like anyone else. Both Rush and Firth bring electrifying performances to their roles , turning King George and Logue into inspirational and sympathetic figures. Though they may not have actually fought in the war, they were key figures in rallying the nation behind one common cause.

The King's Speech

5 'barry lyndon' (1975), conflict: seven years' war (1756-1763).

Barry Lyndon isn't the most popular film that the well-respected Stanley Kubrick made, but it is just as good as his other projects. The film is split into two parts, with the first following the titular character, played by Ryan O'Neal , as he fights in the Seven Years' War, one of the first global conflicts that raged across the world in the mid-18th Century. The second part is about Barry's struggle after the war, with personal traumas and vices severely affecting his relationships with his new wife and daughter.

Poignant and surprisingly deep, Barry Lyndon paints an honest picture of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the havoc it can wreak on an individual's mind. The disorder is not something new or fabricated but something present since the inception of war itself, even if it was not yet called by that name. The film was nominated for seven Oscars, four of which it won , and is still fondly remembered as one of the greatest and most visually striking war movies of the decade.

Barry Lyndon

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4 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp' (1943)

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is interesting in that it is a World War II movie that came out as the war was still going on . An unconventional biopic about a fictional character, it not only takes place during the Second World War but also the First and even flashes back to the Second Boer War of 1899. Coming out in 1943, the film boasted the use of Technicolor, which was extremely uncommon for its time.

There's a little bit of everything in this movie, from action to romance to comedy, as it is strangely satirical when it comes to depicting the British army's chain of command. At the time of release, it was not at all appreciated, especially since patriotism was widespread, not to mention necessary during wartime. Nowadays, however, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp has aged like a fine wine, offering both criticism and a commendation towards the British armed forces that is much easier to enjoy now.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

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3 'Zulu' (1964)

Conflict: anglo-zulu war (1879).

Zulu takes place in the 19th Century and explores a war that is not commonly explored in cinema: the Anglo-Zulu War. This conflict only lasted for a few months, though public opinion on it has rightfully changed. It is now clear that the British were the aggressors and are now no longer seen as the heroes. Still, the movie itself is very enjoyable and tells a true story that is admittedly impressive.

In the midst of the war came the Battle of Rorke's Drift, in which 150 British troops, many of whom were wounded or sick, fought off thousands of Zulu warriors and successfully defended their position. Another interesting thing about the movie is that the Zulu King, King Cetshwayo kaMpande , is played by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi , who is kaMpande's actual great-grandson in real life. Despite the changing perceptions regarding the conflict, Zulu is considered to be among the greatest British films and a crowning achievement of the war genre .

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2 'The Dam Busters' (1955)

The Dam Busters is about Operation Chastise, in which British planes laden with specially-crafted bombs swooped down and destroyed important Nazi dams: one on the Eder River, one on the Sorpe, and another on the Möhne, with the objective of crippling Germany's booming industry. These three dams oversaw the Ruhr valley, in which a vast amount of military production was taking place.

The Dam Busters is not only a tale of a heroic mission behind enemy lines but a harrowing tale of sacrifice.

While two out of the three dams were successfully destroyed, many planes and the airmen on board were lost. The Dam Busters is not only a tale of a heroic mission behind enemy lines but a harrowing tale of sacrifice and how the war machine breeds innovation, especially when it comes to engineering weapons. Considered among the greatest war movies of all time, The Dam Busters is one for the books , and though it isn't as talked about as it should be in the modern day, it definitely earns its reputation .

1 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962)

Lawrence of Arabia is, by and large, considered one of the most influential and culturally important films of all time, as well as one of the all-time greats. The story takes place in the Middle East during World War I, during a time when the Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz fought against the Ottoman Empire occupying their lands. The Hejazi find themselves supported by the British Empire, which sends archaeologist, diplomat, and military officer T. E. Lawrence on their behalf.

Lawrence is played by Peter O'Toole , who expertly portrays one of the most important figures in the Sinai Campaign of the War with spot-on accuracy and style. As one of the war movies with the best acting and overall production values, Lawrence of Arabia scored ten Oscar nominations, seven of which it won , and received countless other nominations and awards. Today, it is considered to be one of the greatest war movies ever made , and even though it's over 60 years old, it hasn't aged a bit.

Lawrence of Arabia

NEXT: 10 Best Epic War Movies, Ranked

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• AVQ&A: What's your favorite TV pilot of all time?

No matter how these TV shows ended, they all hooked us at the start

Back before we had TV shows running all year long, fall used to mark the beginning of a brand new TV season (it still does for some networks). So, with September on the horizon, this week’s staff Q&A is a nod to that special time of year when new shows start cropping up like pumpkin patches: What’s your favorite TV pilot of all time?

Picking the pilot for Veronica Mars is almost too easy. It’s a pilot masterclass, expertly balancing everything you need to know from the past (the death of Lily Kane and Veronica’s subsequent ostracization) with everything you can expect from the show in the future: a high school case of the week paired with the ongoing investigation into Lily’s death, all wrapped up in the simmering class tensions of Neptune, California. The exposition never feels tedious, because Veronica’s narration and flashback to past traumas are woven into the structure of the series. The episode expertly establishes all the characters who will be most relevant (Percy Daggs III as Wallace, Jason Dohring as Logan, Francis Capra as Weevil, Enrico Colantoni as Keith Mars, etc.), and most importantly introduces Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars, the sharp, angry, hurt teenager willing to make her own justice, secretly hiding a heart of gold: “You’re a marshmallow, Veronica Mars. A twinkie.” TV history was made! [Mary Kate Carr]

It’s undeniable that Twin Peaks has a damn fine pilot. David Lynch and Mark Frost focus on curating the ABC show’s subliminal setting beat by beat, with Angelo Badalamenti’s score aiding the mission. Twin Peaks is immediately disorienting, setting the expectation for the horrors to come after Laura Palmer’s body is discovered “wrapped in plastic.” The show takes risks—the lead character isn’t introduced until 30 minutes in, blabbering about the weather, trees, and the price of his food. Thankfully, Dale Cooper (Kyle Maclachlan) is as charming as they come; a ray of sunshine compared to the dark pit he’s driving into. The pilot’s structure is a gateway to what Twin Peaks does best: It’s both a tribute to and subversion of the genre, an achievement for network TV in 1980. [Saloni Gajjar]

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If you’ve ever taken a screenwriting class, there’s a good chance you’ve read the pilot for Cheers , and for good reason: it’s a masterclass in inviting you into a place where audiences would end up spending 11 seasons. While Cheers is largely an ensemble show, the pilot episode, “Give Me A Ring Sometime,” carefully introduces us to Sam Malone (Ted Danson), a sober, good-natured bartender who will nonetheless refuse service to a visibly underage patron. While many of the show’s most beloved characters—Frasier Crane, Woody Boyd, Rebecca Howe—wouldn’t visit the bar for years, we’re introduced to more than enough personality to keep us around, and get the seeds of Sam’s romance with Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). But most crucially, Cheers’ pilot introduces us to its titular bar, recognizing that in this case, the place is just as vital as the people. Spending 26 minutes in this one, dimly lit location, you observe the characters scheme and stew, and by the time it’s over you feel cozy enough to want to come back, week after week. [Drew Gillis] 

It’s a testament to the sick, slick genius of Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal  that we don’t meet its titular cannibal until almost exactly the halfway point of its debut episode, “Apéritif.” After 20 minutes of watching Hugh Dancy’s Will Graham wobble in the midst of the most savage and grotesque evils of the murderous mind, the show cuts suddenly to the refined, beautiful home of the man who will eventually knock him completely off his axis. Mads Mikkelsen’s face, perfect and composed, would be an easy relief from Dancy’s tortured twitching—if we in the audience weren’t already primed to know that his sublimely satisfied expression comes from the human flesh he’s currently devouring. Beyond that best-in-show intro, though, “Apéritif” is also just a perfect introduction to Hannibal ‘s unique, occasionally tenuous blending of boilerplate police procedural and art-house extravagance, giving us room to feel real love and sympathy for Dancy’s Will that will only make the hell he’s about to be put through all the more exquisitely painful. [William Hughes]

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Has a series ever announced itself with as much confidence as Community ? While signaling everything that the show would come to be in a mere 20 minutes would have been as impossible as flying that KFC space simulator to the actual moon, Dan Harmon and co. got pretty damn close. It took the study group just one episode to find the sort of chemistry and comedic timing other casts often take years to discover, if they’re lucky enough to reach it at all. The pilot gives us our first Jeff speech, our first “Oh, that’s nice” from Shirley, our first (and second and third and fourth) Abed movie reference, and even a couple all-timer gags like Troy and Pierce giggling over “ass burgers” and “You know what makes humans different from other animals?” “Feet.” “No, come on, bears have feet,” from Jeff, Troy, and Pierce respectively. It’s a perfect 101 course in How To Introduce A Television Show, one that could only have been taught at a place like Greendale. Oh, and take your Community notification. You’re welcome! [Emma Keates]

I’m not going to sit here and tell you that 30 Rock ‘s first episode is a good sitcom pilot in general, or even a good introduction to this show specifically. In the pilot, 30 Rock is still very much operating in “sitcom about SNL writers” mode. There are few indicators of how truly weird 30 Rock would become, and it almost feels like watching a pilot for an entirely different show than the later seasons. But for all the salient advice dispensed throughout the show’s run—usually by Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), with lines like “Never go with a hippie to a second location,” though you shouldn’t sleep on Liz Lemon’s (Tina Fey) advice to put potato chips on a sandwich, either—there’s a little-remembered gem from Pete (Scott Adsit) in the pilot that is basically the mantra around which I’ve shaped my life. Early in the episode, Liz is waiting in line at a hot dog stand when some asshole cuts tried to cut in front of her. In response, she buys the whole cart’s worth of hot dogs, just to spite the would-be line cutter. Later, after Liz finds out Jack fired Pete, she calls him on the phone, swearing to quit in solidarity. Pete talks her down by saying, “Don’t buy all the hot dogs.” It’s a clever way to tie together the plot of the episode, but it’s also surprisingly versatile advice. Next time you’re trying to stop yourself from making a rash decision, just remember: Don’t buy all the hot dogs. [Jen Lennon]

Is there a bigger flex than gunning down a playing-himself Paul Rudd within your pilot’s first eight minutes? No. No, there very much is not. Rudd is just one of the many people who die throughout the course of Jon Glaser’s absurd Adult Swim show, which ran for three brilliantly funny seasons and ended with one brilliantly dark (and still funny) standalone series finale. The joke of the project—a dick of a dad in the Witness Protection Program (Glaser) puts his family on camera and risks their lives just to become famous on a shitty reality show—somehow doesn’t grow old, in this short debut or 20-plus episodes later. And come to think of it, the ski masks and voice modulators don’t either. [Tim Lowery]

The Prisoner ’s influential, puzzling, countercultural sci-fi spy show only ran for 17 episodes total (the blessing and curse of British TV), so its pilot needed to do even heavier lifting than some of the other first episodes on this list. And there are no wasted frames of The Prisoner . Before the credits even finish rolling, we’ve been treated to phenomenal stunt driving and a fully-fleshed premise: Patrick McGoohan, soon to be known as Number Six, is getting out of the spy game, but his heated retirement directly leads to his drugging, kidnapping, and transportation to the mysterious Village. The dystopia that quickly unfolds before the confused, now-numbered hero was cutting-edge when it first aired in 1967 and now, after shaping how J. J. Abrams and Mark Frost approached their own era-defining shows, it still stands as an elegant, efficient, artfully disorienting piece of allegory. The camerawork and cuts are cinematic, flourishing to confuse you and prevent any understanding of the Village’s layout. The details are hilarious, absurd, and disturbing; when you see the giant evil bubble, you’ll understand what I mean. It culminates in a perfectly hooky pitch for the series, and a defining example of its aesthetic and tone. You can’t trust a thing you see or hear, but you’re certainly going to stick around to see and hear more of it. [Jacob Oller]

The title of episode one should be the first clue that  Pushing Daisies is a show with its tongue firmly planted in its cheek. The second and third clues should be the names Bryan Fuller and Barry Sonnenfeld, who won an Emmy for directing the hell out of “Pie-lette.” Lee Pace stars as Ned, an isolated pie maker with a unique ability. He’s supported by a formidable cast that includes Kristin Chenoweth, Chi McBride, Anna Friel, Ellen Greene, and Swoosie Kurtz. It begins with narrator Jim Dale (an unseen and underrated MVP) introducing us to Ned and his childhood sweetheart Chuck (Friel) in a technicolor flashback that looks like a fairytale storybook come to life. Except it turns out to be more like one of those old, disturbingly dark folk tales dating back to the plague era, told through the stylistic lens of a vintage MGM musical. There’s a lot of death, is what I’m saying, but it’s also super cute (and revealing any more would spoil the fun). [Cindy White]

Directed by Clark Johnson, The Shield ‘s “ Pilot ” is ruthlessly efficient and just plain ruthless. In its first hour, Shawn Ryan’s FX drama tells a story from beginning to end while also unfurling tendrils that would reach across its seven seasons. Before Game Of Thrones swung the executioner’s axe, The Shield dispatched its presumed protagonist in summary fashion, thereby introducing a world dominated by bad guys and worse guys; where the most that the “decent” ones could hope for is to make it out alive. At the heart of this darkness is Michael Chiklis’ Vic Mackey, for whom stabbing people in the back had become so easy, he had to move on to shooting colleagues in the face. It was far from the first time Chiklis and his fellow cop show veterans Ryan and Johnson would subvert expectations—amid a sea of copaganda, The Shield took inspiration from the LAPD Rampart scandal —but “Pilot” remains the exemplar for captivating series openers. [Danette Chavez]

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When And How To Watch the 2024 Emmys

The 76th emmy awards will be broadcast live on abc from the peacock theater on september 15, and stream the next day on hulu..

TAGGED AS: 76th Emmy Awards , Awards , Awards Tour , emmy awards , Emmys

The 76th Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on ABC from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 15, at 5 p.m. PDT/8 p.m. EDT, and stream the next day on Hulu until January 22. This year’s ceremony will be hosted by Eugene and Dan Levy, marking the first time a father-son duo has taken on the hosting role. Notably, four years ago, they also made history as the first father and son to win Emmys in the same year for their hit series Schitt’s Creek .

“For two Canadians who won our Emmys in a literal quarantine tent, the idea of being asked to host this year in an actual theater was incentive enough,” the Levys said in a joint statement. “We’re thrilled to be able to raise a glass to this extraordinary season of television and can’t wait to spend the evening with you all.”

“We are thrilled to welcome two generations of comedy genius to the Emmys stage as hosts,” said Television Academy Chair Cris Abrego. “Eugene and Dan Levy are known for creating unforgettable laugh-out-loud moments on screen, and together, they are super-charged. I cannot wait for Emmy fans to see what they have in store for all of us.”

• Recommended:  The Full List of 2024 Emmy Nominations
• Recommended: 2024 Emmys Ballot
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Read on for more information and ways to watch the Emmys no matter where you are. And don’t miss the Emmys red carpet pre-show, starting with the E! Countdown to the Emmys Sunday, September 15 at 2 p.m. PDT/5 p.m. EDT. Red carpet coverage begins at 6:00 PM.

How To Watch The Emmys

Broadcast & Cable See it for free over-the-air on your local ABC station. ABC is also part of cable or satellite subscriptions.

Subscription streaming services like  Hulu Live TV ,  YouTube TV ,  DirecTV Stream ,  FuboTV ,  Sling TV , and  DirecTV Stream  will also provide access to the event through ABC on their platforms. Many of the streamers offer a free trial for their live TV options.

Watch on  ABC.com and the ABC app by authenticating with your provider.

You can also watch live events, past events, winner interviews, behind-the-scenes features, and more from The Emmy Awards free on watch.theemmys.tv . An account is required to access this content.

International Broadcasts The 76th Emmy Awards can be viewed in these countries and territories:

Exclusive Territory: Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Non-Exclusive Territory:

Rest of Africa including adjacent ocean islands, i.e. Algeria, Benin , Botswana, , Burkina Faso (Upper Volta), Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cote  d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Djibouti Republic, Equatorial  Guinea (including Malabo), Eritrea, Gabon,  Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Libya,  Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte,  Morocco, Niger, Republic of Congo, Democratic  Republic of the Congo Reunion, Rwanda, Saint  Helena , Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,  Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo,  Tanzania, Tunisia, Western Sahara and Zanzibar

M-Net Channel 101 Live: Tuesday, January 16 at 03:00 CAT Encore: Tuesday, January 20 at 21:30 CAT

American Forces Network(AFN)/Prime Atlantic Channel Live: Monday, January 15 at 8:00 PM ET Encore: VOD until Monday January 22

Australia ARENA Live: Tuesday, January 16 at 10:00 AM AEST Encore: Tuesday, January 16 at 7:30 PM AEST BINGE Live: Tuesday, January 16 a 10:00 AEST

Belgium Pickx+ Live: Tuesday, January 16 at 02:00 AM CET

Canada CTV Television Network Live: Monday, January 15 at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT Encore: Monday, January 15 at 8:00 PM PT Vancouver Only

Central Europe AMC Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia: Live: Tuesday, January 16 Preshow at 01:00 AM, Emmy Awards at 02:00 AM

Romania and Bulgaria Live: Tuesday, January 16 Preshow at 02:00 AM, Emmy Awards at 03:00 AM

Croatia HRT2 75th Emmy Awards Red Carpet Special Live: Monday, January 15 at 1:00 AM 75th Emmy Awards at 2:00 AM (local time)

HRT2 Encore: 90 min. Edit 75th Emmy Awards Wednesday, January 17 at 21:00 PM (local time)

France Canal+ Live: Tuesday, January 16 Red Carpet at 1:00 AM CET Emmy Awards at 2:00 AM CET

Greece Cosmote Cinema 1 HD Live: Emmy Awards Tuesday, January 16 at 3:00 AM CET+1 Encore: Tuesday, January 15 at 21.00 PM / Saturday, January 27 at 14:30 PM / Wednesday, January 31 at 7:05 AM

Indonesia HITS NOW LIVE: Tuesday, January 16; Preshow at 07:00 AM, Emmy Awards at 08:00 AM Local Time Lionsgate Play LIVE: Tuesday, January 16; Emmy Awards at 8:00 AM Local Time

India Lionsgate Play Live: Tuesday, January 16 at 6:30 AM IST

Israel YES TV Comedy Live: Tuesday, January 16 at 3:00 AM EDT

Italy Sky Italia Live: Preshow Monday, January 15 at 1:00 AM CET Live: Emmy Awards Monday, January 15 at 2:00 AM CET

Japan -U-NEXT Live: (Red Carpet ): Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at 9:00 AM JST Live: (Emmy Awards): Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 10:00 AM JST

Latin America TNT Live: Monday, January 15 at 19:00 (Mexico, Colombia, Panama) Live: Monday, January 15 at 20:00 (Venezuela) Live: Monday, January 15 at 21:00 (Argentina, Chile, Brazil)

TNT Series Live: Monday, January 15 at 19:00 (Mexico, Colombia, Panama) Live: Monday, January 15 at 20:00 (Venezuela) Live: Monday, January 15 at 21:00 (Argentina, Chile)

Malaysia HITS NOW Live: Tuesday, January 16 at 8:00 AM MST

Middle East MBC (Serving Middle East and North Africa) LIVE: Tuesday, January 16 at 01:00 GMT, 04:00 KSA on AlThaqafeya and Shahid Encore showing: Tuesday, January 16 at 19:30 GMT, 22:30 KSA on AlThaqafeya

Netherlands OUTtv Live: Monday, January 15 at 2:00 AM CET

Philippines HITS NOW LIVE: Tuesday, January 16 Preshow at 08:00 AM, Emmy Awards at 09:00 AM Local Time Lionsgate Play Live: Tuesday, January 16; Emmy Awards at 09:00 AM Local Time

Portugal SIC CARAS Live: Tuesday, January 16 at 1:00 AM WET Encore: Saturday, January 20 and Sunday January 28 at 14.30 PM WET.

Singapore HITS NOW LIVE: Tuesday, January 16 Preshow at 08:00 AM, Emmy Awards at 09:00 AM Local Time

Spain and Andorra Telefonica Audiovisual Digital (TAD), service: Movistarplus+ Live: January 15, 2024 (2:00-5:00 AM CET)

Sri Lanka HITS NOW LIVE: Tuesday, January 16 Preshow at 08:00 AM, Emmy Awards at 09:00 AM Local Time

Switzerland blue+ (blue News & blue Zoom) Live: January 15, 2024 (2:00-5:00 AM CEWT) Rerun: January 16, 2024 (8:00 – 11:00 PM CEWT)

United Kingdom Sky Max Sky Showcase Tuesday, January 16 at 21:00 GMT

The 76th Emmy Awards will air live on ABC Sunday, September 15 at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET.  Watch replays of the 76th Emmy Awards and Creative Arts Emmy Award on Hulu until January 22.

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‘Is She Talking About Me?’: Donald Trump’s Commentary on Kamala Harris’ DNC Speech

M illions of people across the U.S. and world listened keenly on Thursday to Vice President Kamala Harris , as she spoke on perhaps the biggest stage of her presidential campaign that began just a month ago. But perhaps no one was as glued to the speech capping the Democratic National Convention in Chicago as Harris’ Republican opponent, Donald Trump , who offered his blow-by-blow live commentary on social media and instant reaction on TV.

“IS SHE TALKING ABOUT ME?” the former President posted on his platform Truth Social, as Harris warned of the dangers of another Trump presidency, accusing him of election fraud and inciting the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump nitpicked at Harris’ script and delivery: “Too many ‘Thank yous,’ too rapidly said, what’s going on with her?” he posted as she took the stage. “A lot of talk about childhood, we’ve got to get to the Border, Inflation, and Crime!” he wrote in another post , one of more than 30 posted between the start and end of Harris’ 40-minute speech .

And immediately after Harris finished, Trump called in to conservative channels Fox News and Newsmax to offer his takes. “I personally thought it was a terrible speech. It was very nonspecific. It was also very short. She just wanted to get off the stage, because her ideas are bad,” he told Newsmax. (Trump’s own Republican National Convention speech last month , at over 90 minutes, was criticized by observers for running so long.)

He also rattled off a list of topics he said he was disappointed Harris didn’t mention (including some that she did)—interest rates, China, fracking, crime, poverty, housing, the trade deficit, trafficking, the border—before saying on Fox, with the only compliment he seemed able to muster, “other than that, it was a nice-looking room.”

Both in his simultaneous posts and his post-speech cable news debriefs, Trump offered a number of policy-related rebukes of Harris’ remarks—though he wasn’t always truthful in his assessments.

Here’s what to know about the things Trump said about what Harris said.

On the border

What Harris said: If elected President, Harris said she would bring back the bipartisan border security bill that didn’t pass earlier this year. “[President] Joe [Biden] and I brought together Democrats and conservative Republicans to write the strongest border bill in decades,” she said. “But Donald Trump believes a border deal would hurt his campaign, so he ordered his allies in Congress to kill the deal. Well, I refuse to play politics with our security.”

What Trump said: “The Border Bill is one of the worst ever written, would have allowed millions of people into our Country, and it’s only a political ploy by her! It legalizes Illegal Immigration, and is a TOTAL DISASTER, WEAK AND INEFFECTIVE! She doesn’t need a Bill. As President, Crooked Joe and her could have just said, ‘CLOSE THE BORDER!’ like I did – I didn’t have a Bill, I didn’t need a Bill. The Border Patrol respected me, they did their job. We had the Safest Border in Recorded History!” he posted . And in apparent reaction to Harris saying she would seek to revive the bill, he added : “She just called to give all Illegals CITIZENSHIP, SAY GOODBYE TO THE U.S.A.! SHE IS A RADICAL MARXIST!”

Trump offered similar remarks again on TV, saying that the bipartisan bill was “horrible” and that the Biden-Harris Administration “doesn’t need” legislation to “close the border,” which it could do “right now,” like he says he did during his administration. Trump also blamed Harris, whom he called “the border czar,” for letting in migrants who he said are being “put on Social Security and Medicare” and “killing and maiming lots of people.”

The reality and context: Migrant crime, as a point of fear mongering, has been statistically shown to be a “ myth .” And on the notion of migrants straining Social Security and Medicare, something Trump has repeated, the Washington Post ’s fact checker gave that “ four pinocchios ”—undocumented immigrants actually improve the status of those federal welfare programs by paying taxes without receiving benefits. Similarly, the Post’ s fact checker has said that the claim that the Biden-Harris Administration could “close the border” without legislation is dubious : Trump used executive orders to effectively close the border during the COVID-19 pandemic and to try to restrict immigration throughout his Administration, but courts repeatedly found that “he was overstepping the law—which suggests a new law might be necessary,” according to the Post . The bipartisan border security bill that Trump described as “ineffective” and “horrible” was endorsed by the border patrol officer union, the Chamber of Commerce, and the typically conservative Wall Street Journal editorial board, before it was killed by Senate Republicans at Trump’s urging . As for the moniker of “border czar” that Trump has applied to Harris, the reality of her role addressing root causes of migration flows was more complicated .

On reproductive rights

What Harris said: Harris called Trump and his Republican allies “out of their minds” for working against reproductive freedoms. “As a part of his agenda, he and his allies will limit access to birth control, ban medication abortion, and enact a nationwide abortion ban, with or without Congress. And … he plans to create a national anti-abortion coordinator and force states to report on women’s miscarriages and abortions,” she said.

What Trump said: “Everybody, Democrats, Republicans, Liberals, and Conservatives, wanted Roe v. Wade TERMINATED, and brought back to the States. Like Ronald Reagan and myself, most believe in EXCEPTIONS. Now the people are voting, which is the way it was supposed to be. I do not limit access to birth control or I.V.F. - THAT IS A LIE, these are all false stories that she’s making up, that I’ve never even heard of. It’s just words coming out of her mouth,” he posted .

In his interview on Newsmax, Trump said he had “never even heard” of plans to have an anti-abortion coordinator. As for the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade , Trump reiterated that his administration simply did what people “wanted us to do” and that “people are happy” that abortion rights are out of the federal domain and deferred to the states. 

The reality and context: While the Supreme Court’s 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade was broadly unpopular , Trump has not explicitly endorsed the policies Harris listed. He has declined to endorse a nationwide ban on abortion, saying that the decision must be left to the states. As for in-vitro fertilization (IVF), Trump said earlier this year, “The Republican Party should always be on the side of the miracle of life … IVF is an important part of that.” He has also said that he “will never advocate imposing restrictions on birth control, or other contraceptives,” despite some Republican allies pushing for such measures.

As for a “national anti-abortion coordinator,” it appears Harris is referring to Project 2025’s proposal (see ‘On Project 2025’ below) that the next conservative Administration rename the USAID Office of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment as the USAID ‘Office of Women, Children, and Families’ and redesignate the Senior Gender Coordinator “as an unapologetically pro-life politically appointed Senior Coordinator” of that office.

On foreign policy

What Harris said: Harris said that she “will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself” while also calling for an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. She recalled how she was tasked with warning Zelensky of a Russian invasion in 2022, and claimed that Trump “threatened to abandon NATO” and “encouraged Putin to invade our allies.” She also slammed Trump’s friendliness with controversial authoritarian leaders. “I will not cozy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong Un, who are rooting for Trump,” she said. “They know he is easy to manipulate with flattery and favors. They know Trump won’t hold autocrats accountable, because he wants to be an autocrat himself.”

What Trump said: “She stands for Incompetence and Weakness – Our Country is being laughed at all over the World!” Trump posted . “The Tyrants are laughing at her, she’s weak and ineffective, and for three and a half years she has done nothing except enabled them to get STRONG, RICH, and POWERFUL!” he said in another post . He also declared that Harris “ HATES ISRAEL ” and “wouldn’t even show up to Congress for Netanyahu’s session,” and that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “ would have never started if I were President .” 

The reality and context: On the issue of Gaza, Harris has tried to walk a fine line between supporting Israel and calling attention to the humanitarian costs of the war. While Harris did not show up for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address in Congress last month, amid growing division in Washington over Israel’s war in Gaza, she condemned the anti-Israel protests in the capital during Netanyahu’s visit and has maintained the Biden Administration’s position that Israel has a right to defend itself, while facing ongoing criticisms for not standing up more for Palestinians.

Harris’ claims that Trump has threatened to abandon NATO and encouraged Russia’s Vladimir Putin to invade allies are true. Trump has also expressed, as recently as last week , admiration for autocrats including North Korea’s Kim Jong Un , China’s Xi Jinping , and Putin , and the New York Times has reported that China and Russia are indeed hopeful of a Trump return to the White House. (Trump has also promised to be a “dictator” on “day one” of a second term, though he later said the comment was only meant to trigger the left .)

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Harris has continuously engaged with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on U.S. support; Trump, meanwhile, has blamed the Biden administration for not being able to deter the invasion in the first place and promised to end the war without specifying how—though he has been publicly critical of Zelensky and complained that the wartime leader’s requests for U.S. support “ never ends .”

On Project 2025

What Harris said: “We know what a second Trump term would look like,” Harris said, pointing to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 presidential transition playbook that many Democrats at the DNC have used to attack the former President. “Its sum total is to pull our country back to the past. But America, we are not going back.”

What Trump said: “LYING AGAIN ABOUT PROJECT 2025, WHICH SHE KNOWS, AND SO DO ALL DEMOCRATS, THAT I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH!” he posted .

“I have nothing to do with Project 2025,” Trump told Fox. “I have no idea what it is,” he told Newsmax.

The reality and context: Trump and his campaign have been trying to distance themselves from Project 2025 for months, while the Biden-turned-Harris campaign has tried to tie him to it. “I know nothing about Project 2025,” Trump said in early July . “Some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.” While the project is technically independent from the official platforms of the Trump campaign and the Republican Party , Project 2025 remains closely associated with what a Trump Administration would likely look like: Among the hundreds of conservatives who came up with its policy proposals are some of Trump’s closest advisors.

On the economy

What Harris said: Harris shared her experience of growing up in a middle-class household and talked about the importance of having a “strong middle class,” which she identified as a “defining goal” of her presidency. She outlined her vision of creating an “opportunity economy,” in which people from different backgrounds can have a “chance to succeed.” She also pledged to end the country’s housing shortage, protect Social Security and Medicare, and pass a middle-class tax cut. “Now compare that to Donald Trump,” Harris said. “He doesn’t actually fight for the middle class. Instead, he fights for himself and his billionaire friends. And he will give them another round of tax breaks that will add up to $5 trillion to the national debt. And all the while, he intends to enact what, in effect, is a national sales tax—call it, a Trump tax—that would raise prices on middle-class families by almost $4,000 a year.”

What Trump said: “She’s talking about the Middle Class, but she’s the one who broke the Middle Class, and made it UNSAFE AND UNAFFORDABLE!” Trump posted on Truth Social. He also claimed that houses were more affordable under his presidency and, in response to Harris’ “opportunity economy” pitch, said that he “created Opportunity Zones, the Most Successful Economic Development Policy in years.”

During his interview on Fox News, Trump claimed that Harris’ economic policies would send the country into a “depression,” because she was going to “give a tax increase of four to five times what people and companies are paying right now” and “people can’t go to the American Dream and buy a house because they can’t afford the interest rate.” He also accused Harris of not addressing the $35 trillion national debt , which he said was going to start paying off with “liquid gold that we have right under our feet”—a reference to his proposal to tackle economic woes by increasing oil and gas drilling .

The reality and context: While Trump has often pitched oil and gas drilling in opposition to Democrats’ push for renewable energy, U.S. crude oil production has actually soared to record levels under the Biden-Harris Administration. And the Opportunity Zones, often cited by Trump as one of his best economic policy achievements, have delivered uneven opportunities to residents of low-income areas, and the program’s effectiveness in alleviating poverty in these neighborhoods is unproven .

Trump is right that home affordability is currently at a low point, but economists say his constant harping about inflation under the Biden-Harris Administration is misleading and that his plans could actually worsen the situation. While Harris said his “national sales tax”—a label her campaign has given to his tariffs plan—would raise prices on middle-class families by almost $4,000 a year, an August estimate by the left-leaning think tank Center for American Progress placed the annual burden per household between $2,500 and $3,900, while the Peterson Institute for International Economics estimated the cost on middle-income households to be more than $2,600 per year.

As for the national debt, an extension of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, as Republicans have proposed, would add an estimated $4.6 trillion to the national debt, according to a report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Meanwhile, the Brookings Institution reported in May, when Biden was the Democratic candidate, that Biden’s alternative policies would raise about $5 trillion in revenue by 2034.

On the state of the race

What Harris said: Harris did not address the state of the presidential race during her speech. The most she said on the topic was: “To the delegates and everyone who has put your faith in our campaign—your support is humbling.”

What Trump said: In response to a question on Fox News about his strategy to win back the women and minority voters whom the Harris campaign has managed to sway, Trump said: “Now she’s not having success. I’m having success. I’m doing great with the Hispanic voters. I’m doing great with Black men. I’m doing great with women because women want safety.” 

“We’re doing very well in the polls, we’re leading in most of the polls,” he said. “And in the swing states, we’re leading in almost every one of them.”

And when asked if he was ready to debate Harris on Sept. 10, “given what you’ve heard tonight,” Trump said that he was “ready, willing, and able” to debate and that Harris was the one that had previously turned down an offer to do so.

The reality and context: Trump previously had a substantial lead in opinion polling before Biden dropped out of the race last month leading Harris to take over the top of the ticket. But since then, Harris has made significant headway and was leading in polling averages at the start of the convention this week—and is expected to receive even more of a bump after.

The question about debate participation has gone back and forth for weeks, with Trump initially reluctant to agree to a debate on ABC News due to feeling the network was biased against him but ultimately accepting its invitation to debate Harris on Sept. 10. Trump has said he is also willing to debate on Fox News and on NBC News, while the Harris campaign has said it will do one more debate other than the one on ABC but without specifying yet which.

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• How Project 2025 Would Jeopardize Americans’ Health
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Full Transcript of Kamala Harris’s Democratic Convention Speech

The vice president’s remarks lasted roughly 35 minutes on the final night of the convention in Chicago.

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By The New York Times

• Aug. 23, 2024

This is a transcript of Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech on Thursday night in which she formally accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for the presidency.

OK, let’s get to business. Let’s get to business. All right.

So, let me start by thanking my most incredible husband, Doug. For being an incredible partner to me, an incredible father to Cole and Ella, and happy anniversary, Dougie. I love you so very much.

To our president, Joe Biden. When I think about the path that we have traveled together, Joe, I am filled with gratitude. Your record is extraordinary, as history will show, and your character is inspiring. And Doug and I love you and Jill, and are forever thankful to you both.

And to Coach Tim Walz. You are going to be an incredible vice president. And to the delegates and everyone who has put your faith in our campaign, your support is humbling.

So, America, the path that led me here in recent weeks was, no doubt, unexpected. But I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys. So, my mother, our mother, Shyamala Harris, had one of her own. And I miss her every day, and especially right now. And I know she’s looking down smiling. I know that.

So, my mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California with an unshakable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer.

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