The opening monologue for any award show typically touches on current events and the 2020 Emmys were set up for a doozy of a year. Returning host Jimmy Kimmel walked on stage at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday night to a thunderous round of applause from the biggest names in television. Kimmel delivered his thoughts on the current state of affairs to an audience that was definitely not in masks or physically distanced. Or did he?The first five minutes of Kimmel’s monologue appeared to be delivered into front of Hollywood A-listers, with many viewers at home likely having a panic attack over the sight of so many people in such close proximity without a mask in sight. What is this, February? In reality, Kimmel’s previous Emmys hosting gigs made for easy stock footage on Sunday night. That and the fact that the same people get nominated every year. Rachel Brosnahan in the front row? Maybe it’s 2017, maybe it’s 2020, who can tell?“The big question is why would have you an award show in the middle of a pandemic,” asked Kimmel, who also referenced the Oscars going host-less but the Emmys continuing with a host even in the middle of a global quarantine. “No seriously, I’m asking why are we having an awards show in the middle of a pandemic,” said Kimmel.“This has been a miserable year, a year of division, disaster and death,” said Kimmel, who added that it the Staples Center was empty because this was the Emmys, not a MAGA rally. “I’m up here all alone. Just like prom night.”Honouring TV pioneer Norman Lear, who earlier this week won an Emmy and cemented his spot as the oldest person to ever receive the award, Kimmel also included a few lighter moments during his monologue. Noting that TV wasn’t even around when 98-year-old Lear was born, Kimmel joked “Norman didn't grow up dreaming of winning Emmys. In fact, television wasn't something people had until he was a teenager. When Norman Lear was a boy, his dream was to not get kicked to death by a horse. Norman you are a miracle. The only thing I will be producing when I'm 98 is phlegm."Also taking on the new streaming platform Quibi, Kimmel congratulated the new company while also joking about its startup costs. “Quibi has 10 Emmy nominations this year, including Outstanding Short Form Comedy Series and Dumbest Thing to Ever Cost a Billion Dollars."Celebrating the shows with the most nominations, Kimmel touched on the breakout HBO limited series
Watchman while also getting in a small dig at anti-maskers. "The most-nominated show of the year is
Watchmen, with 26 nominations,” said Kimmel. “
Watchmen is a superhero show but it also feels really real, it is a very realistic show, except the part where anyone in Oklahoma is wearing a mask."Kimmel celebrated Dan and Eugene Levy’s
Schitt’s Creek, which went into Sunday’s broadcast with an impressive 15 nominations for its sixth and final season. When talking about the Canadian series, Kimmel addressed the fact that the show’s logo kept appearing on screen below him. “By the way, you will see that logo a lot. In order to meet broadcast standards, the network sensors say every time I say the words
Schitt's Creek, we are required to put the word
Schitt's Creek on the screen,” said Kimmel. “Just in case you were wondering why network television is almost dead. HBO can show us a big blue penis, no problem. I can't say the word
Schitt's with a 'c.'"DJ D-Nice was also at the Staples Center on Sunday night to provide music for this year’s Emmys. Instead of the typical orchestra in the pit, D-Nice, who has been giving people a reason to dance since quarantine began, helped Kimmel with the arduous task of smoothly transitioning from awards to commercials. The DJ is fresh off his virtual
In Conversation With… event from TIFF, where he discussed how his career has transitioned from playing for the biggest celebs in the world IRL to virtual dance parties. Now he can add virtual award shows to his list of gigs. How weird is 2020?Kimmel ended his monologue by showing off the massive wall of screens that are showcasing over 100 feeds of presenters and nominees. “I feel like I’m in a Best Buy,” joked Kimmel. “What could possibly go right?”[video_embed id='-1']BEFORE YOU GO: Jimmy Kimmel’s hilarious attempts at a family photo are super relatable[/video_embed]
