ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s drunk skit during the 74th Emmy Awards earned him accusations of white privilege as he lay on the stage while Quinta Brunson accepted her first award for “Writing for a Comedy Series.”
(Video Credit: Television Academy)
Kimmel and actor Will Arnett were tasked with presenting the award. Arnett dragged Kimmel onstage and then joked that the comedian had lost for the 13th time for an award earlier in the ceremony and proceeded to drink too many “skinny margaritas.”
Panting, Arnett stood over a prone Kimmel and announced that Quinta Brunson had won the award for writing the pilot episode of her hit show, “Abbott Elementary.” Arnett had to help her step around him so she could get to the microphone. She elegantly took the stage, stepping around Kimmel and, joining in the joke told him, “Jimmy, wake up. I won!”
Kimmel gave her a thumbs-up and remained flat on the stage.
Kimmel didn’t move. Instead, he lay there as she gave her entire acceptance speech, making it impossible for photos to be taken that didn’t include him pretending to be passed out at her feet.
Kimmel was dragged off the stage by Arnett after Brunson gave her speech. The show then went to a commercial break.
Following the ceremony, there was a press conference where Brunson spoke. She was asked about the stunt and noted that although it was weird, she had a good professional relationship with Kimmel.
(Video Credit: E! News)
“I know Jimmy Kimmel and I don’t know — I felt like the bit didn’t bother me that much. I don’t know what the Internet thinks, but I don’t know,” she commented.
“Jimmy gave me my first like big, late-night spot and was one of the first people to see Abbott. And one of the first people — he Instagram messaged me that he saw this comedy and thought it was one of the greatest comedies of all time. And he was so excited it was gonna be on ABC. So, I think in that moment, I was just really happy that it was Jimmy up there,” Brunson continued.
“I kind of consider him one of the comedy godfathers. I’m a huge fan of Will Arnett, so I was wrapped up in the moment. I don’t know. Tomorrow, maybe I’ll be mad at him. I’m gonna be on his show on Wednesday. So I might punch him in the face. I don’t know. We’ll see what happens,” she jokingly threatened.
Kimmel had nothing but praise for Brunson afterward, calling her “unbelievably talented” as he spoke to Entertainment Tonight at a Walt Disney Company afterparty Monday night.
“She is so unbelievably talented. And I saw her pilot before it came out on ABC, and I wrote to her, and I was like, ‘I don’t know how we got this, but congratulations. You made a pilot that any network would be ecstatic to get,’ ” Kimmel commented.
“She’s a lovely person as well,” he added.
While Brunson was forgiving of the whole tasteless affair, Twitter users were not. Kimmel began trending immediately after the ceremony and not in a good way. Some accused him of white privilege, although that seems a bit of a stretch. He seems to be guilty of bad comedy and upstaging a first-time Emmy winner which is narcissistic and rude.
Many on Twitter were not amused:
White male privilege at its worst and clearest. On his BEST DAY, Jimmy Kimmel cannot write a joke worthy of Quinta to even say on her IG. On Quinta’s worst day, her yawn is funnier than Jimmy. Yet he made her moment about him.
The Braddery. The Chaddery. The Brockery. 😤
— Luvvie is the #ProfessionalTroublemaker (@Luvvie) September 13, 2022
yall dragging jimmy kimmel and it's what he deserves
— king crissle (@crissles) September 13, 2022
If #QuintaBrunson stepping over #JimmyKimmel who literally laid in her spotlight on the day she won an Emmy isn’t a metaphor for what it means to be a WOC in a white mans world I don’t know what is.
— Heba Gowayed هبة جويد (@hebagowayed) September 13, 2022
Jimmy Kimmel should have left the stage during Quinta’s speech. Highly disrespectful #Emmys
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 13, 2022
The choice to make Quinta Brunson step over Jimmy Kimmel to get to the mic and then play her off early was atrocious. #Emmys
— Hunter Ingram (@hunter_wesley) September 13, 2022
You can't convince me that Jimmy Kimmel refusing to get up while Quinta Brunson did her acceptance speech wasn't pure jealousy and entitlement.
— Taylor Goethe ❄️OPEN 4 WORK❄️ (@InspectorNerd) September 13, 2022
To me, what Jimmy Kimmel did is worst than Will Smith. https://t.co/ZfwHFzn4Cl
— Anthony D. Bryant, MPA (He,Him,His) (@AnthonyBryant38) September 13, 2022
BREAKING: White bro literally won’t move out of the damn way to let the black woman have her moment alone. #Emmys
— Glen Weldon (@ghweldon) September 13, 2022
I honestly didn’t pay attention to him because I was so focused on her.
But seeing it frozen in time, Jimmy Kimmel owes Quinta a very public apology. Especially now that I know he did this after he lost.
It’s giving sore loser.
It’s not a moment she can get back. https://t.co/omSyrxqPXE
— alex. (@Alex_Washington) September 13, 2022
Good morning to everyone just realizing Jimmy Kimmel sucks.
— Bridget Phetasy (@BridgetPhetasy) September 13, 2022
Jimmy Kimmel is an obnoxious asshole. https://t.co/myDg13d9au
— Darling Worrier #1 (@yosoymichael) September 13, 2022
jimmy kimmel laying on the floor while quinta has her moment is extremely irritating
— Connor Perrett (@connorperrett) September 13, 2022
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