Reporting from MORE: — Though the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday celebrated television’s best moments, the ceremony gave near equal time to celebrating its own newfound diversity — and joking about the Oscars’ lack of it.
“This year’s nominees are the most diverse ever,” host Jimmy Kimmel said in his opening monologue of a field that included 18 nominees of color for acting awards and several women in directing categories.
“And here in Hollywood, the only thing that we value more than diversity is congratulating ourselves on how much we value diversity. I’ll tell you, the Emmys are so diverse this year, the Oscars are now telling people we’re one of their closest friends.”
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The night’s big winners reflected television’s move toward a more realistic and representative mix of shows, and away from the industry’s very male, very white traditions. Top winners included “Mr. Robot’s” Rami Malek for lead actor in a drama, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story’s” Courtney B. Vance for lead actor in a limited series or movie and “The Night Manager’s” Susanne Bier for directing a limited series, movie or dramatic special.
Where the Oscars almost felt uncomfortable joking about race — there were no acting nominees of color, thus the #OscarsSoWhite movement — during its telecast this year, the Emmys reveled in it — and also patted itself on the back.
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D.B. Weiss at the microphone and David Benioff, at left of Weiss, accept the Emmy for Drama Series for “Game of Thrones” with the cast and crew.
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The cast and crew of “Veep” celebrate their win for comedy series
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Ryan Murphy, left, and John Travolta accept the award for limited series for “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
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Tatiana Maslany accepts the award for lead actress in a drama series for “Orphan Black.”
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Rami Malek accepts the award for lead actor in a drama series for “Mr. Robot.” (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times )
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The ‘In memoriam’ sequence shows Gary Marshall during the show at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards.
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Henry Winkler honors “Happy Days” creator Garry Marshall.
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Tori Kelly performs “Hallelujah” during an In Memoriam tribute at the Emmy Awards.
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“Fresh off the Boat” stars Randall Park and Constance Wu.
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“Empire” star Taraji P. Henson
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Host Jimmy Kimmel walks away with Maggie Smith’s Emmy, which had been announced by “Speechless” star Minnie Driver and “NCIS” star Michael Weatherly.
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“Mr. Robot” star Rami Malek and “Suits” star Abigail Spencer.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Jeffrey Tambor accepts the Emmy for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in “Transparent.”
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Directors Thomas Kail, left, and Alex Rudzinski accept the award for directing for a variety special for “Grease: Live.”
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“Orange Is the New Black” star Laverne Cox.
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Patton Oswalt accepts the award for writing for a variety special for “Patton Oswalt: Talking for Clapping.”
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Jimmy Kimmel hands out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made by his mother during the show.
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“Braindead” star Margo Martindale and “The Simpsons” star Hank Azaria.
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Tim Carvell, left, and John Oliver accept the award for outstanding variety talk series for “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.”
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David Benioff, left, and D.B. Weiss accept the award for writing for a drama series for “Game of Thrones.”
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Matt Damon, left, and Jimmy Kimmel.
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“Downton Abbey” star Michelle Dockery and “Bloodline” star Kyle Chandler.
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“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” creator Tina Fey, left, and “Maya and Marty” star Amy Poehler.
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Courtney B. Vance accepts the award for lead actor in a limited series or movie for “The People vs. O.J. Simpson.”
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Leslie Jones, right, on stage with Ernst & Young employees.
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Sarah Paulson accepts the award for lead actress in a limited series or movie for “The People v. O.J. Simpson. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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“Homeland” star Claire Danes and “All the Way” star Bryan Cranston.
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“Superstore” star America Ferrera and “This Is Us” star Mandy Moore.
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“American Crime” actress Regina King celebrates her win for supporting actress in a limited series or movie.
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“American Crime” actress Regina King celebrates her win for supporting actress in a limited series or movie.
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“Quantico” star Priyanka Chopra and “The Night Manager” star Tom Hiddleston.
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Susanne Bier wins directing for a limited series, movie or special for “The Night Manager.”
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Producer Mark Burnett, center, and the production team for “The Voice” accept the award for reality competition program.
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“Stranger Things” actor Gaten Matarazzo passes out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the audience during the Emmy Awards.
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Jill Soloway accepts the award for directing in a comedy series for her work on “Transparent.”
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Jeffrey Tambor accepts the award for lead actor in a comedy series for “Transparent.”
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“Transparent” actor Jeffrey Tambor, left, accepts the award for lead actor in a comedy series from TV personality James Corden.
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Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang accept the award for writing for a comedy series for “Master of None.”
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“Difficult People” actor Joel McHale and “The Good Place” actress Kristen Bell present the award for supporting actress in a comedy.
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“Episodes” star Matt LeBlanc and “Modern Family” star Julie Bowen
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Kate McKinnon accepts the award for supporting actress in a comedy series for her work on “Saturday Night Live.”
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“Baskets” actor Louie Anderson accepts the award for supporting actor in a comedy series.
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ABC’s “black-ish” stars Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross.
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Actors Caleb McLaughlin, Millie Bobby Brown and Gaten Matarazzo perform.
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Jimmy Kimmel opens the 68th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles.
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The scene inside the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) “We need to appreciate how far we’ve come,” said Kimmel. “In fact, if you are a person of color in our audience tonight — especially if you’re a nominee — please find a white person right now. Go ahead, it shouldn’t be hard. I see a bunch of them right here. Just take a moment to reach out and say thanks for your bravery. There ya go, make a rainbow connection.” In the audience, Aziz Ansari (Netflix’s “Master of None”) hugged Ty Burrell (ABC’s “Modern Family”).
Television as a whole has been quicker than film to react to the discussion about race and gender. Shows such as ABC’s “black-ish” (nominated three times, but won nothing) tackled issues of race, class and police shootings, while HBO’s satirical “Veep” (comedy series winner) lampooned American politics with a female president at the helm.
Ansari riffed off the charged anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim campaign rhetoric while presenting an award mid-evening: “I want everyone to know that after careful consideration, I’ve decided I’m going with Trump, which is why I’m also recommending we get rid of all Muslim and Hispanic nominees from the ceremony immediately. Wow, this would be so much easier if we were at the Oscars.” He continued: “America Ferrara, nice try changing your name to America, you’re not fooling anybody. You’re out!”
Early in the show, Ansari and his “Master of None” show runner Alan Yang won for writing on a comedy series with an episode about the expectations and sacrifices of immigrant parents.
“There’s 17 million Asian Americans in this country, and 17 million Italian Americans,” said Yang. “They have ‘The Godfather,’ ‘Goodfellas,’ ‘Rocky,’ ‘Sopranos.’ We’ve got Long Duk Dong. I know we can get there…. Asian parents out there, at least a few of you get your kids cameras instead of violins.”
Kimmel then joked, “Now there’s almost too much diversity in this show” — a telecast that was, at that point, mere minutes old.
Transgender moments in TV, and LGBT rights, also had their moments onstage Sunday. “Transparent’s” Jeffrey Tambor plays a trans women in the Amazon series, but he said he’d gladly give up his place for a transgender actor.
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Emilia Clarke, Rami Malek and Angela Bassett arriving at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Sofia Vergara arriving at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Liev Schreiber and son; Michelle Dockery; and Christian Slater and Brittany Lopez
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Sarah Paulson, left, and Marcia Clark
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Claire Danes; James Corden and Julia Carey; and Cuba Gooding Jr.
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Kirsten Dunst, Kristen Bell and Tom Hiddleston
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Kerry Washington, Minnie Driver, Maisie Williams
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Chris Rock and girlfriend Megalyn Echikunwoke
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Fred Armisen and Natasha Lyonne
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Laverne Cox
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Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita
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Kathy Bates
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Sofía Vergara and son Manolo
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LeVar Burton and family
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Neve Campbell
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Emilia Clarke.
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Lead actor in a drama series nominee Rami Malek of “Mr. Robot”
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Tina Fey arrives at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards.
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“Games of Thrones” actress Sophie Turner.
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Taraji P. Henso
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Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin and Millie Bobby Brown
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Ellie Kemper
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Julian Fellowes and wife Emma
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Ariel Winter
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Keegan-Michael Key with date
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Heidi Klum
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Emilia Clarke
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Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy
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Hari Nef and Alexandra Billings
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Singer Tori Kelly
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Sarah Hyland
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America Ferrera and husband Ryan Williams
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Kathryn Hahn
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“American Ninja Warrior” contestant and stuntwoman Jessie Graff
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Niecy Nash
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Reggie Watts
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Priyanka Chopra
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William Macy, center right, arriving at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
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John Singleton
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Louie Anderson
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Emily Robinson, Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Michelle Bathe, and Hank Azaria (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Kit Hoover and Natalie Morales
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Ross Mathews
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Actor Jon Voight
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Actor Jeremy Maguire
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Actors Raini Rodriguez and Rico Rodriguez, actress Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, actor Jeremy Maguire.
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Nancy O’Dell and Mario Lopez at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Representatives of Ernst & Young arrive with the winners at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Giuliana Rancic
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Charissa Thompson and Renee Bargh.
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TV personality Keltie Knight at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater.
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Louis Aguirre and Debbie Matenopoulos.
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Renee Bargh
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TV personality Lawrence Zarian
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Porsha Williams
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) “To you producers and network owners and agents, please give transgender talents a chance,” he said. “Give them auditions. Give them their stories… I would not be unhappy if I were the last cisgender male to play a transgender female on television.”
The show’s creator, Jill Soloway, won for directing a comedy series. She used the moment to advocate for more inclusion of LGBT characters and women in television productions.
“I’ve always wanted to be part of a movement,” she said. “This TV show allows me to take my dreams about unlikable Jewish people, queer folk, trans folk, and make them heroes.” She then proclaimed, “Stop violence against transgender women and topple the patriarchy!”
She was one of two female directors to win Emmys on Sunday (Susanne Bier also won for “The Night Manager”).
Sarah Paulson won for lead actress in a limited series drama. She played Marcia Clark in FX’s “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” a series that garnered 22 nominations and nine wins. It most notably highlighted the gender discrimination Clark underwent when prosecuting Simpson in the double murder trial.
Paulson attended with the real life Marcia Clark, and apologized from the stage for viewing Clark through a warped lens at the trial two decades ago. “I, along with the rest of the world, had been superficial in my judgment, and I’m glad that I’m able to stand here in front of everyone today and say, ‘I’m sorry.’ ”
lorraine.ali@latimes.com
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