Tonight's Emmys: How to watch, what to know, who’s the host
Awards season is set to roll on tonight with the much-delayed 75th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.
The ceremony, which celebrates the best in TV and streaming each year, was initially scheduled to take place in September. But organizers were forced to push the date back due to strikes by writers and actors in Hollywood.
The switchup has nestled the Emmys in the heart of awards season, just eight days after a Golden Globes Awards ceremony that drew headlines when its host, Jo Koy, bombed with a low-laugh, high-cringe monologue.
The man hoping to dodge a repeat and find the humor as Emmys host? Anthony Anderson, the 53-year-old funnyman known for films including “Kangaroo Jack” and TV shows like “Black-ish” and “Law & Order: SVU.”
Here’s what you should know before viewing the ceremony.
What time are the Emmys?
The Emmys are set to begin today at 8 p.m. ET. The three-hour ceremony will be broadcast live from the Peacock Theater, a modern 7,100-seat venue in downtown Los Angeles.
Those looking to scope out the fashions and catch off-the-cuff comments can tune in for red carpet coverage from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
What channel will air the Emmys?
Fox is broadcasting the ceremony, which will land on Hulu on the following day. The “Countdown to the Emmys” red carpet coverage airs on E!, which will also feature an “Emmys After Party” special at 11 p.m.
Why is it so late?
With thousands of screenwriters and actors on strike last summer, the organizers of the Emmys decided to push the ceremony into the new year.
The strike by the Writers Guild of America, a screenwriters’ union, lasted until September, while a separate stoppage by the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union dragged into November.
It’s the first time the Emmys had a significant rescheduling since 2001, when the 9/11 terrorist attacks caused the ceremony to be moved to November.
In 2020, the Emmys went on as scheduled despite the COVID pandemic — in a mostly virtual format. A mannequin dressed in a hazmat suit stood guard over the trophies that year.
What has host Anthony Anderson said?
Hosting an awards show is a tricky gig, something Koy learned quickly at the Golden Globes. At one point in his monologue, the comedian erupted at the audience.
“Yo, I got the gig 10 days ago,” Koy said. “You want a perfect monologue? Yo, shut up. You’re kidding me, right? Slow down.”
After Koy’s struggles, the bar may be a bit lower than usual for Anderson, who got his gig a month ago and told "Entertainment Tonight" that hosting the Emmys is a job he has “always wanted to do.”
“I wanted it to happen years ago, but everything happens when it’s supposed to happen,” Anderson told the outlet. “So, I’m really excited.”
Anderson plans to employ an “unconventional plan for keeping things moving,” using his mother as an enforcer to usher off award recipients giving long-winded speeches, an Emmys statement said.
Before he hits the stage, though, Anderson’s selection has already stirred a bit of controversy: Some have noted he has faced sexual assault allegations in the past, which he denies.
What to watch for
The series predicted to take home trophies tonight include “Succession,” the Brian Cox-led show loosely based on Fox News and the Murdoch family; “The Last of Us,” a gloomy zombie drama set after a pandemic far more devastating than COVID; and “The White Lotus,” a booze-infused anthology that traveled to an Italian resort this season.
“Succession,” which wrapped its series run last year, leads the way with a total of 27 nominations. “The Last of Us” picked up 24, while “The White Lotus” nabbed 23.
“Ted Lasso,” the Jason Sudeikis comedy about an American football coach who moves to England to coach soccer, could find some redemption after failing to score hardware at the Golden Globes. It received 21 nominations.
In a statement, Frank Scherma, chairman of the Television Academy, which puts on the Emmys, hailed “another year of extraordinary content.”
“We are honored to recognize those who have elevated the world’s favorite global medium,” he added.
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