Leave it to the Canadians to kick off an awards show with witty and personable one-liners.
Father-son team and first-time hosts Eugene Levy and Dan Levy took the stage Sunday at the Peacock Theatre to kick off the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards with lighthearted one-liners and gentle banter. During their monologue, the “Schitt’s Creek” co-creators and stars made sure to point out that while they were both excited about the opportunity, neither of them is a stand-up comedian.
“I wouldn’t even call us hosts,” said Dan Levy. “We’re more like actors who are hosting, which is a big gamble for us. But if it goes well tonight, my name will be pronounced Levy.” [leh-vee]not Levy [Lee-vee].”
“And if things go wrong, my name will be called Martin Short,” Eugene Levy added.
The pair, of course, were the ones who poked fun at each other the most: Eugene joked that his Emmy for “Schitt's Creek” was the most rewarding aspect of being Dan's dad, while Dan criticized his father's lack of texting skills.
But the Levys also criticized the nominated shows, the Television Academy and Hollywood in general.
In praising “The Bear’s” numerous nominations, Eugene Levy addressed the acclaimed show’s status as a comedy.
“I love the show and I know some of you might be expecting us to make a joke about whether ‘The Bear’ is actually a comedy,” Levy said. “But in the true spirit of ‘The Bear,’ we won’t be making any jokes.”
Dan Levy, on the other hand, criticized Hollywood's history of hiring straight actors to play LGBTQ+ characters in prestige projects.
“Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer [are] “They were both recognized tonight for playing lovers in 'Fellow Travelers,'” said Dan Levy. “Which goes to show that you can be nominated for playing a gay person even if you're not straight.”
Before the broadcast, the Levys told The Times that their goal for the show was for it to “have a festive feel” with “a bit of humor.”
“People… are excited that we’re not going to be hard-boiled comedians, that there’s going to be a kind of warmth to the atmosphere,” Dan Levy said. Eugene Levy added: “We want it to be funny, but maybe it’s a kinder, gentler approach.”
The 2024 Emmy Awards ceremony will air live on ABC. Watch the full monologue below.
