The 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards aired on Monday Sept. 12, with host and long-time Saturday Night Live cast member Kenan Thompson hosting. Thompson is a change in pace from three-time host Jimmy Kimmel, who still managed to have his name attached to the show’s airing. 

One thing many people are taking away from this year’s awards is Kimmel’s  commitment to his and co-presenter Will Arnett’s bit during winner Quinta Brunson’s speech. Usually, the presenters say a couple funny lines, However Arnett and Kimmel’s joke seemed to take the spotlight from Brunson’s historic win for best writing for a comedy series for her work on hit show “Abbott Elementary.”

The late night host pretended to be passed out on the ground during the duration of Bruson’s speech, coming from the bit where Arnett jokes that this was the “13th time in a row that he’s lost and he just got into the skinny margaritas back there.” Poking fun of Kimmel’s consecutive losses at the Emmys for his own show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”  Many people think that Kimmel’s commitment to the joke and unamusing presence took away from giving Bruson; a talented and worthy young Black woman, her well deserved moment to shine. 

Sheryl Lee Ralph, who won for best supporting actress in a comedy series for her role as Barabar Howard in “Abbott Elementary,” though the stunt Kimmel pulled during Brunson’s speech was disrespectful:“I was absolutely confused,” she said to reporters. “I didn’t know what was going on. I wish that man would just get up off the ground. Then I realized it was Jimmy Kimmel. Ooh, the disrespect, Jimmy! But that’s just me. I told him, too, to his face. He understood.”  

Lizzo, who is now half way to becoming an EGOT winner, won her first Emmy for her show “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls,” which won for  outstanding competition program, a change of pace for that category considering shows like “The Amazing Race”, “Rupaul’s Drag Race” and “The Voice”  have all won the award multiple times within the past years. 

The Netflix original series  “Squid Game” rose to fame after its release in September of 2021, making it one of the most popular series to come from the streaming service. The star of the series Lee Jung-jae won for his role as Seong Gi-hun. Lee became the first person from a foreign-language show to win best actor in a drama. The show was also in the running for best drama, but HBO’s “Succession” took home the award. 

Zendaya once again made history at this year’s award as she took home the award for best lead actress in a drama for her role as Rue in HBO’s highschool drama “Euphoria.” In 2020 she made history when she won the same award, which made her the youngest lead actress to win in that category. On Monday she made history once again for becoming the first youngest actress to win two Emmys, and the first Black woman to win the Emmy for lead actress in a drama series twice. 

The 74th Emmys was a night of  life changing events and historical wins. Many walked away with well deserved awards and some walked away the embarrassment of being the butt of a dead joke.