The 70th Emmy Awards were broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on NBC. Hosted by Colin Jost and Michael Che “SNL” head writers Michael Che and Colin Jost brought their late-night sketch comedy chops Monday to the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards, spending their opening stint as hosts of the award show dunking on Roseanne Barr and making jokes about #MeToo. Che and Jost are best known as the co-hosts of Weekend Update on “Saturday Night Live,” a job they’ve held for the past four seasons.
The Emmys actually started with another pair of “SNL” actors, Kenan Thompson and Kate McKinnon, who kicked things off a song about the Emmys this year are the most diverse ever. “We solved it,” McKinnon and Thompson sang, referring to Hollywood’s problem with diversity, in a number that featured Sterling K. Brown, Kristen Bell, Titus Burgess, Ricky Martin, Andy Samberg, RuPaul and John Legend.
The 70th Annual Emmy Awards were light on laughs and Black winners, but one of the night’s most entertaining moments came from event’s co-host Michael Che. The Saturday Night Live star took matters of representation into his own hands by awarding several of our favorite actors who have been overlooked by the academy with “Reparations Emmys” in a pre-taped skit. The “Reparations Emmys” saw Che find famous Black actors to give them the Emmys that they never received, or were even nominated for, in their heyday. Among the honorees were: Tichina Arnold for being the best sitcom actress thanks to her roles in Martin and Everybody Hates Chris. John Witherspoon was acknowledged for being a funny father figure in The Wayans Bros. Jaleel White was the quintessential man who can do both when he switched from Steve Urkel to Stefan Urquelle in Family Matters. Marla Gibbs’ impact as the Black maid on The Jeffersons was finally noticed.
The lovely energetic Jennifer Lewis looking stunning wearing #Nike on the Gold Carpet. Listen to hear why. @tanyahollywood@AURNOnline#Emmys #Emmys70@NBC @televisionAcad @HwoodPost pic.twitter.com/b6FxH5TlHu
— Tanya Hart (@TanyaHollywood) September 18, 2018
Nominee Trevor Noah from The Daily Show gives his perspective of what Racism means in America. @tanyahollywood@AURNOnline#Emmys #Emmys70@NBC @televisionAcad @HwoodPost @TheDailyShow @Trevornoah pic.twitter.com/WWuvSdILQR
— Tanya Hart (@TanyaHollywood) September 18, 2018
Deon Cole from Black-ish on its 5 nominations. @tanyahollywood@AURNOnline#Emmys #Emmys70@NBC @televisionAcad @HwoodPost pic.twitter.com/tezugxEeVu
— Tanya Hart (@TanyaHollywood) September 18, 2018
Ted Sarandos changed the paradigm of television & ended up with 112 #Emmy nominations for @netflix. He seldom walks the red carpet but he stopped by to say hello to us. @tanyahollywood@AURNOnline#Emmys #Emmys70@NBC @televisionAcad @HwoodPost #Netflix pic.twitter.com/Drf81Zgzjg
— Tanya Hart (@TanyaHollywood) September 18, 2018
You might also know Brandon Victor Dixon from @Power_STARZ. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/Q3dUImXNSS
— Tanya Hart (@TanyaHollywood) September 18, 2018