The 72nd Annual Emmy Awards took place on Sunday, Sept 20, 2020. While in the middle of a global pandemic, the show must go on. Although this year may have looked different than the previous 71 years, it made history.
Rather than the formal red carpet and gathering of hundreds of the best actors and actresses, this production was completely virtual and socially distant.
Cardboard cutouts filled the Los Angeles Staples Center as all guests were watching through their screens. With television magic, clips were used from previous years of winners reacting to awards, bringing a feeling of normalcy to the room.
Anna Schmader, junior communication student, said, “The production team made it as normal as possible given the circumstances,” adding “It’s not the same having hand sanitizer bottles instead of champagne bottles.”
“Hello and welcome to the pand-Emmys!” and “Thank you all for risking your lives to be here… You know what they say: You can’t have a virus without a host,” were some of the opening lines host Jimmy Kimmel began this year’s show with. Schmader said, “He was the comedic relief that we all needed.”
Empress Cliett, sophomore Digital Communications student, said, “After all we’ve been through in 2020, Kimmel kept the good mood going throughout the show and that is what we all needed.”
In previous years, the host would have an opening monologue and appear only a few times throughout the night, but this year, Kimmel was present from beginning to end. In addition to him announcing some winners, the Emmys shined a light on essential workers, giving several the opportunity to present some of the awards to the night’s biggest winners.
Jennifer Anniston was one of the few actresses present, participating in one of Jimmy Kimmel’s skits of sanitizing the award envelope and catching it on fire.
Although there was no red carpet, celebrities found their own ways to enjoy one of the biggest nights of their year. Many still dressed up in “Emmy attire,” and celebrated the night surrounded by family and friends. The difference of course was that they were not sitting in a large ballroom but rather all on zoom – a reminder that no matter if you are a celebrity or not, everyone is living in a pandemic.
Schmader stated “Seeing all of the celebrities’ screens on the stage was really relatable as that’s what we as college students are doing. It shows that we are all just regular people living in a pandemic”.
History was not only made by having the first ever Emmy Awards take place during a pandemic, but was also made by some of the winners.
Zendaya won Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Rue in hit show “Euphoria.” At 24 years old, she became the youngest woman to ever be awarded this honor, and only the second black woman in history. Cliett stated,“I watched her grow up on The Disney Channel, and as a mixed black woman, that’s very inspiring for younger girls to look up to and think, ‘oh maybe I can do that one day.'” In Zendaya’s acceptance speech she gave a message of hope to her audience, stating “there is hope in the young people out there…I just want to say to all my peers out there doing work in the streets, I see you, I admire you, I thank you.”
The hit show “Schitt’s Creek,” a Netflix original series, also left people talking. It was nominated for 15 awards and won seven including best comedy series, best writing and best lead actor and actress. Schmader finished watching Schitt’s Creek in four days and stated “this show deals with several topics in society including LGBTQ, age, race and wealth, and it is important to shine light on these issues we all deal with.”
Aside from awards, the nominees made sure to let the viewers know that they stand with them on major topics of our time including the Black Lives Matter movement and the upcoming 2020 presidential election.
Actress Regina King showed her support for the young African American woman Breonna Taylor who was tragically killed several months ago, by wearing a picture of her on her shirt. Several speeches centered around the need for change and the need to get out and vote.
Although the 2020 Emmy Awards occurred during a global pandemic, viewers are stating that it will also be remembered for its ingenuity, humor, as well as its serious tone bringing awareness to important issues of our time.
