Anthony Anderson pulls off his Emmys 2024 hosting gig
that was a nice surprise.Anthony Anderson eschewed the traditional awkward monologue on Monday night’s 75th Emmy Awards — delivering a clever salute to several classic TV shows accompanied by a piano and a “small, inclusive choir from Compton.”(“Kevin Costner is from Compton!” he joked.)That, in itself, meant the show was off to a good start — and miles away from Jo Koy’s disastrous opening monologue on last week’s Golden Globes.For a second, I thought the opening shtick, “Mister Anderson’s Neighborhood,” would rip off Eddie Murphy’s classic “SNL” sketch (“Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood“), but it didn’t — as, instead, Anderson sang theme songs from “Good Times,” “The Facts of Life” and “Miami Vice” (with Travis Barker on drums … and Anderson was sockless, just like Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in that landmark ’80s series).And he got the walkoff music bugaboo out of the way, joking that whoever didn’t follow the acceptance-speech timing rules would have to deal with his mother and “We Are Family” co-host, Doris Bowman (“Thank Jesus and your family and wrap it up,” he implored nominees).“The Bear” star Ayo Edebiri won Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy series — repeating her Golden Globe victory — and gave a nice speech thanking her parents.Ditto for her co-star Jeremy Allen White (Best Lead Actor, Comedy), who included one-too-many “I love yous” in his.It was great to see 90-year-old Carol Burnett on stage to present the Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, won by “Abbott Elementary” star Quinta Brunson, who gave a teary acceptance speech.