The 2024 Emmy Awards aired on Monday night from Los Angeles.
And while the results themselves were not especially stunning (The Bear, Succession and Beef dominated all the main categories), a number of moments from the Anthony Anderson-hosted ceremony stood out.
Foremost among them perhaps?
Christina Applegate — who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021 — earned a standing ovation when she took the stage to present the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series.
She wrote a velvet gown and carried a cane and tried as hard as she could to maintain her composure.
“Thank you so much,” the Dead to Me star said at the podium, later adding:
“Oh my god, you’re totally shaming me with disability by standing up. It’s fine … Body not by Ozempic!”
Also, the program honored Grey’s Anatomy, whose reunited cast members on stage included Katherine Heigl.
Heigl and Justin Chambers — who left the medical drama in 2010 and 2020, respectively — joined former colleagues Ellen Pompeo, James Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson on stage in front of a hospital room set to present the award for outstanding supporting actor in a limited or anthology series or movie.
The series is headed into its 20th season.
Elsewhere on the Emmys, cast members from mega hits such as The Sopranos, Two and a Half Men, Martin, Cheers, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Ally McBeal all appeared in segments together.
Quinta Brunson became the first Black actress in 42 years to win the trophy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy for her role as Philadelphia school teacher Janine Teagues in Abbott Elementary.
The last Black woman to win the award was Isabel Sanford … way back in 1961 for The Jeffersons.
“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, and I say it every time and I just love comedy so much that I am so happy to be able to get this,” the crying star said.
“I didn’t prepare anything because I just didn’t think … Oh god. I love my mom, my dad. My sisters, my brothers. My entire family so much. I love my husband. I’m so happy. I love my cast. Oh, I love Abbott Elementary. Thank you so much.”
In painfully funny news, Pedro Pascal presented the award the best supporting actor in a drama series while wearing a sling over his right shoulder.
“A lot of people have been asking about my arm,” the Last of Us actor said.
“It’s actually my shoulder. And I think tonight is a perfect time to tell everyone that Kieran Culkin …”
The rest of his sentence was censored by the televised broadcast, although Pascal concluded by joking that Succession actor had “beat the sh-t out of me.”
And speaking of Kieran Culkin…
While accepting the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama for Succession, the star thanked his mom “for giving me life and my childhood, which was great. So thank you for that.”
He then thanked his wife, Jazz Charton, “for sharing your life with me and for giving me two amazing kids,” before adding:
“And Jazz, I want more. You said maybe, if I win!”
John Oliver also won (yes, again) and proved why on stage.
Joined by others response for the outstanding scripted variety series victory, the comedian told the audience:
“I’m not leaving without getting played off by Anthony Anderson’s mom. “So I am going to start reading off the names of the Liverpool football team.”
And that’s exactly what Oliver then did… before the host’s mother, Doris Bowman, who had been tasked with alerting the winners when their time was up on stage throughout the night, told Oliver to shut it down.
We’ll conclude with inspiration in the form of Niecy Nash-Betts.
The veteran star offered gratitude to folks such as Ryan Murphy and Evan Peters while she accepted the award for outstanding supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie.
Niecy Nash-Betts also took a minute to thank the person who has been there since the outset: herself!
“For believing in me and doing what they said I could not,” she said. “And I want to say to myself in front of all you beautiful people, ‘Go on girl with your bad self. You did that!'”
Niecy Nash-Betts concluded her speech with a meaningful message:
“Finally, I accept this award on behalf of every Black and brown woman who has gone unheard yet over policed. 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 till the day I die. Mama, I won!”
Emmy Awards: 7 Memorable, Moving, OMG-Worthy Moments was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.