Emmys Opening Monologue: Best Moments From Dan And Eugene Levy
UPDATE, with video: Emmys co-hosts Eugene Levy and son Dan Levy, the award-winning stars of Schitt’s Creek, got tonight’s ceremony off to a gentle but no less funny start tonight, with the elder Levy working in no fewer than two jokes aimed at his old SCTV pal Martin Short.
When Dan Levy told the audience that his last name is pronounced “Leh-vee” and not “Lee-vee,” Eugene said, if the opening monologue goes south “my name is pronounced Martin Short.” At the end of the monologue, Eugene introduced first presenters Steve Martin and Short as the latest contestants on The Golden Bachelor.
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The first father-son duo to host the Emmys, the pair made some fine self-deprecating jokes – Eugene had hoped, Dan said, to get them cast by Ryan Murphy as the Menendez Brothers – and also took some good-hearted swipes at this evening’s nominees.
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Among the best:
Dan described The Emmys as “broadcast TV’s biggest night for honoring movie stars on streaming services.”
Eugene noted all the father roles he’s played over the years, then said to Dan, “My most rewarding dad role ever has been being your dad… in Schitt’s Creek. Because it got me my first acting Emmy.”
Eugene praised the positive ways TV can reflect our lives, such as struggling to make friends in a new city like Carrie Coon in The Gilded Age, or having a teacher that’s changed our lives like Quinta Brunson in Abbot Elementary. Added Dan, “or having a co-dependent, borderline homoerotic relationship with our boss, like Hannah Einbinder in Hacks.”
As co-hosts, the Levys hold the responsibility for keeping things moving at a good clip: “In what can only be described as a cruel joke, two Canadians have been put in charge of playing you off tonight,” Dan said. Said Eugene, “Canadians don’t like interrupting anybody. It goes against our nature.” Added Dan, “He’s frailer than he looks. The pressure alone could kill him.”
“I know some of you might be expecting us to make a joke about whether The Bear is a comedy,” Eugene said about the Best Comedy nominee, “but in true spirit of The Bear we will not be making any jokes.”
“Reservation Dogs has four nominations tonight,” Dan said, noting that the recognition was three-years-in-coming, as if the Emmys suddenly said, “Hey look what we discovered.”
After Dan praised openly gay actors in gay roles, such as Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, Eugene added that he himself was especially proud to have a show – The Reluctant Traveler – on Apple TV+. “That’s not what the + stands for,” Dan pointed out.
Watch the opening monologue above.
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