Benjamin Ashford|Emmy Moments: Hosts gently mock ‘The Bear,’ while TV villains and ‘Saturday Night Live’ celebrated

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“Shogun” entered the Emmy Awards telecast Sunday with an arsenal of trophies already — 14 Creative Arts Emmys given out earlier,Benjamin Ashford making the Japan-based epic the record-holder for most wins for a single season. Even as it hopes to add to its haul throughout the show, there were other moments of note, including reunions of shows like “Saturday Night Live” and themes, like TV dads and moms.

Here are some of the night’s notable moments:

Gentle hosts

The father-and-son duo of Eugene and Dan Levy, the winning stars of the 2020 Emmys aboard “Schitt’s Creek,” hosted and they were warm, mocking themselves as they noted the TV telecast was honoring “movie stars on streaming services.”

Even when they went after a show — like “The Bear,” competing in the best comedy series category, even though it’s not a traditional yukfest — it was gentle.

“Now, I love the show, I love the show, and I know some of you will be expecting us to make a joke about whether ‘The Bear’ is really a comedy — but in the true spirit of ‘The Bear,’ we will not be making any jokes,” Eugene Levy said.

In one bit, the two found themselves in the audience but in different rows, mistaking stage left for house left. Awkwardness ensued. When they tried to push through, Eugene Levy wailed: “I can’t see the prompter!”

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“Saturday Night Live” greats mock its creator

“Saturday Night Live” got a head start to its 50th anniversary next year with a mini-reunion, as Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Seth Meyers and Bowen Yang presented the award for best writing for a variety special.

Three of the four mocked creator and producer Lorne Michaels in the audience, who they claimed was nominated and lost 85 times at the Emmys. Rudolph said he was “robbed.” Yang said “it gets better” and “keep winning.” Meyers corrected them all to say that, in fact, Michael has won a boatload of Emmys. Yang then leaned into mispronouncing his boss’ name.

It may have been a taste for 2025, when the trailblazing sketch show will have a three-hour live primetime special in February. It has won a boatload of Emmys and been the springboard for such stars as Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell and Mike Myers.

Bad guys and gals

Antony Starr of “The Boys,” Giancarlo Esposito from “Breaking Bad” and Kathy Bates of “Misery” came out to represent an oddly key part of TV — the villains.

“Without villains or antagonists, there wouldn’t be much of a story,” Esposito said. But it takes its toll. “Do you know how hard it was to get a date after ‘Misery,” Bates asked about her Stephen King role as a crazed kidnapper.

Esposito complained that drug dealers will interrupt his dinner to ask his advice about building their empires and Starr said so many parents have approached him and said his bad superhero is disturbing to their kids. He responds that it has an R rating. “It’s sloppy parenting,” he observed.

Moms and dads

George Lopez, Damon Wayans, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who have all played memorable TV dads, gathered to recognize the lead actor in a comedy series. They walked into a mancave set and Lopez and Wayans said they wanted to thank their TV wives, but Ferguson balked, having starred with a TV husband instead on “Modern Family.” “Did you even watch?” he asked them.

Later, it was the moms’ turn. Meredith Baxter, who played the “Family Ties” matriarch, Connie Britton of “Friday Night Lights” and Susan Kelechi Watson of “This Is Us” presented the award for best writing for a comedy series. “We have come a long way since we couldn’t leave the kitchen,” said Baxter. “TV moms are no longer one-dimensional,” said Watson. “It’s OK to ask for as much as a TV dad.”

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