The 2016 Emmy’s: Review and a Marymount Student’s Experience

Clare Cooper '17, Sports Section Editor

The Emmy’s this year were extremely exciting and fun spirited. To start off the show in a light-hearted and informal way, the cast of hit Neflix show Stranger Things sang Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.” Then, late night personality, Jimmy Kimmel, began his role as the award show’s host with a Game of Thrones skit and monologue. Later, Kimmel and the cast of Stranger Things hilariously passed out PB&J sandwiches to guests made by Kimmel’s mother.

Courtesy of Billboard
Courtesy of Billboard

Additionally, Matt Damon, Jimmy Kimmel’s notorious nemesis, made fun of the host after he lost to John Oliver for Best Variety Talk Series. While snacking on an apple, Damon teased Kimmel about having to continue to host the show in front of the audience even after his big defeat. Everyone in the audience and at home cracked a smile at the funny moment (if only all arch nemeses could be famous celebrities).

Not only was the Emmy’s an enjoyable and funny experience, but there was also an impressive lineup of nominated shows and actors. Some of the most victorious shows included The People v. O.J. Simpson, Game of Thrones, American Horror Story, and Veep. Furthermore, the 2016 Emmy’s certainly looked much more forward-thinking than the Oscars have in recent years. There was a diversity in the actors won Emmys, including stars like Courtney Vance, Sterling Brownpicked, Regina King, Rami Malek, Alan Yang, Aziz Ansari, and Tatiana Maslany. Also, for the first time ever, two women were nominated and won Best Director in their separate categories: Jill Soloway and Susanne Bier. In his speech for winning Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, Jeffrey Tambor went on to encourage Hollywood to “give transgender talent a chance.” He even stated that he would “not be unhappy” if he was the last cisgender man to play a female transgender on TV. This proclamation and the series of awards that didn’t just end up going to white men showed the immense progress the television industry has made over time; however, more progress can still be made in the future.

Courtesy of The Grumpy Fish
Courtesy of The Grumpy Fish

One of Marymount’s own students, Kenya Jamieson ‘18, actually attended the Emmy’s this year due to her mother’s show “Roots” (which follows the lineage of Kunta Kinte, an African taken from his home and sold into slavery, and his descendants) being nominated for the Limited Series category. Kenya said she had an amazing experience at the actual Emmy’s and even attended the after party, which she described as a “fantastic, decorated, massive room with tables for dinner, a dance floor, and a twirling stage in the middle.” Kenya and her brothers were lucky enough to meet Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things and Kenya said she had “never met anyone nicer: Millie gave me a big hug and asked to meet my family, and continued to insist on taking a picture.” When I asked Kenya how actually being at the Emmy’s compared to what is shown on TV, she stated, “What people don’t see on TV is the mayhem that overtakes the audience during commercial breaks, with people rushing in and out, seat fillers sprinting to the seats seconds before the show goes live again, or how each applause is strategically conducted before each return on air.” Overall, Kenya had a fantastic night and felt incredibly lucky to be able to experience the Emmy’s live!

Courtesy of Kenya Jamieson '18
Courtesy of Kenya Jamieson ’18

The 2016 Emmy’s were very successful due to the hilarious talent of Jimmy Kimmel, the fun performances, and the support of diversity that was displayed throughout the show. Hopefully, further award shows will be just as great and entertaining as the 2016 Emmy’s was as award season continues on this year.