Awards
12:22 PM PDT 7/28/2020
by
Abbey White
Television Academy CEO Frank Scherma spoke on the responsibility to “amplify the voices that must be heard and tell the stories that must be told” at a ceremony led by socially distant presenter Leslie Jones, with the revelation of this year’s contenders. by video.
The Television Academy recognized the pressures and power of television production during a pandemic and amid a wave of racial justice protests during a socially estranged 2020 Emmy nomination ceremony.
Television Academy CEO Frank Scherma opened the 72 Emmy nominations in a room with cinder block windows surrounded by Emmy statues. He spoke about “a year like no other in recent memory,” and the responsibility to “amplify the voices that must be heard and tell the stories that must be told.”
“As we persevere in the midst of a pandemic, the scale of which we have not seen in a century, television is there with us, informing us, educating us, and still managing to entertain us while we are in the midst of so much unknown,” Scherma said. “But 2020 is not just about the global health crisis. This year, we are also witnessing one of the greatest struggles for social justice in history, and it is our duty to use this medium. [for] change.”
Like last year’s award ceremony, the announcement of nominations was available to air on the Emmys website and on Facebook and YouTube accounts. However, the 2020 nominations were delivered through a totally distanced ceremony socially led by actress, comedian and Supermarket sweep host Leslie Jones. Not shy away from the discussion about the socially distanced change from this year’s nominations, Jones started joking about being “tricked” into coming to an event without anyone else. “You told me there would be other people here, Frank,” said Jones. “You’re not even here, Frank!”
The rest of her opening monologue recounted her “journey” to the Emmys’ ad room, which involved an “empty” private plane, an empty dressing room, and was eventually taken to a room with a closed door where only she and a cameraman were present. named Shane. . Soon after, on the screen behind her, Jones was joined by presenters Laverne Cox, Josh Gad, and Tatiana Maslany via video conference. Cox acknowledged that everyone was “safe at home” before everyone read nominees from various categories.
While the high-profile shows produced by a pandemic like One world: together at home, some good news and Saturday Night Seder They weren’t nominated, several of the late-night shows that earned nominations in the variety talk series category produced episodes remotely in recent months.
