Don’t mention COVID

At the first large-scale awards show of the post-vaccination era all eyes were on the Emmys to see how they would deal with the subject of COVID-19 and in true Hollywood style, they largely got it. swept under the carpet.

The red carpet was overall a maskless affair (nothing ruins an outfit like a sturdy N95 mask). As guests gathered in the ballroom for the ceremony, COVID-19 smelled the contagious elephant in the room. Comedian Seth Rogen took it upon himself to express the awkwardness.

“Let me start by saying that there are far too many of us in this little room,” Rogen said as he announced the evening’s top prize. “What are we doing? They said it’s outside. It’s not.”

The event took place inside The Event Deck at LA Live in California. As host Cedric the Entertainer assured viewers that all attendees were fully vaccinated, COVID seemed like an awkward afterthought. A little odd considering that the United States is seeing an increase in the number of cases with over 160,000 new infections per day.

The television belongs to The crown and Ted lasso

“If you want an Emmy, book yourself on Ted lasso Where The crownDr. Phil said during one of the many (deeply not funny) Emmy sketches. While Dr. Phil’s advice is generally questionable at best, he’s absolutely perfect here.

It was as if we ping pong between the rewards for Ted lasso and The crown during much of the ceremony. Jason Sudeikis was recognized for his role as titular Ted, winning Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The Apple TV + series also won the award for Best Comedy, while Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham won the award for Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series.

Considering AFC Richmond’s few wins, it was nice to see the show rewarded.

Meanwhile, Netflix’s monster royal, The crown, had an impressive 11 wins out of 24 nominations. Olivia Colman, Josh O’Connor, Gillian Anderson and Tobias Menzies all received recognition for their on-screen work, while the series also won the award for Best Drama Series.

A Tale of two Emmys: Split broadcast

Everything is better in London, even the Emmys. Due to filming commitments and COVID protocols, the cast and producers of The crown held their own ceremony in London, and it looked a lot more fun than the real Emmys in Los Angeles.

You had Olivia Colman appearing with teary eyes and emotional as she accepted her award (to be fair, the jet lag meant it was the wee hours at Ol ‘Blighty).

There was Emma Corrin, fresh out of her starring role as Princess Diana, apparently preparing for an upcoming role as a synchronized swimmer.

And, of course, Gillian Anderson. The 53-year-old seemed to be having the best time of her life to win her first Emmy since 1997.

Cedric the Entertainer fails to entertain as laughter turns out to be hard to find

Look, we all understand that hosting the Emmys (or the Globes, or the Oscars) is the kind of poisoned chalice you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. But still, when your name is Cedric the Animator and you’re not entertaining, well, the criticism writes itself. Without doubt an important lesson in managing expectations for Cédric.

Cedric the Entertainer got the series off to a good start with his TV-inspired remix of Biz Markie Just a friend, but it was all downhill from there. His joke that WandaVision was really about Wanda Sykes playing an optometrist met a late career silence. Maybe next year they should try someone who is universally loved: Jason the Sudeikis.

Overall, the laughs turned out to be hard to come by, as not all of the filler sketches landed. As the dreaded synthetic music systematically cut winners off, the producers managed to find time for a two-minute skit involving Cedric the Entertainer speaking to The Fly, which landed on Mike Pence’s head in 2020. Topical.

There was a saving grace, and it was Jennifer Coolidge. The white lotus The star featured the Outstanding Lead Actor’s Emmy in a comedy series, stealing the show with his signature sarcasm.

“I want you all to know, candidates, that you have overcome the incredible handicap in this business of being men,” Coolidge remarked. “Well done, gentlemen, wherever you are. “

Overall, the Emmys were lacking in laughs, and while Cedric tried to entertain, ultimately all Jennifer had to do was play Coolidge.