HBO’s “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” bested NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” by winning scripted variety series in a clash between two titans accustomed to dominating the Emmys from opposite sides of the variety fence.
Since the Emmys fractured the outstanding variety sketch categories into two in 2015, John Oliver’s political satire scored seven Emmys for variety talk and “Saturday Night Live” had claimed six for variety sketch.
The shows were dumped into the same category this awards under scripted variety series, described by the Television Academy as shows that “are primarily scripted or feature loosely scripted improv and consist of discrete scenes, musical numbers, monologues, comedy stand-ups, sketches, etc.”
The award for talk series will now honor traditional late-night shows like “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The Television Academy deemed Oliver unfit because much of his show is scripted, while other late night hosts engage in lengthy, unscripted conversations.
It’s a different category, but still another win for Oliver. “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” scored four total Emmy nominations.
Oliver’s show also beat HBO’s final season of “A Black Lady Sketch Show” for the award.
During his speech, Oliver thanked his staff, HBO and “our lawyers who are angry with us all the time.”
Before being rushed off the stage by Doris Hancox, Anthony Anderson’s mother, Oliver mentioned that he had promised to get his children Pokémon cards while in California. “And I don’t know where to get Pokémon cards in L.A.,” he said. “So, if anyone knows where to get Pokémon cards between here and L.A.X., it’s a significant problem that I’ve worked myself into.”
Source: Television - nytimes.com
