The Farr Side: The rarity of 'EGOT'
What do Audrey Hepburn, Mel Brooks and Whoopi Goldberg have in common? Yes, they’re all famous. But there is something more that makes them unique and bonded.
What if I threw in the mix of names Rita Moreno, Alan Menkin and Marvin Hamlisch? Any guesses yet?
How about Jonathan Tunick, Robert Lopez, Tim Rice and Helen Hayes. John Legend? John Gielgud? No guesses?
All of these stars have achieved EGOT status. It’s a very small elite group of artists who’ve earned at least one Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award. To us common folk it probably doesn’t sound like a big deal, but to those on this list it’s actually a pretty awesome achievement. Just consider this – Emmys have been given out since 1949, Grammys have been given since 1959, Oscars have been given out since 1929 and Tonys since 1947.
Only 17 people have received an award in all four categories. That’s impressive. What's remarkable is this elite group does not include the likes of Steven Spielberg, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, John Williams or Elton John.
The remaining EGOT alums include Richard Rodgers, Mike Nichols, Scott Rudin and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
This list does grow by five if you take into account honorary (non-competitive award winners). Those EGOT’s include Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, James Earl Jones, Harry Belafonte and Quincy Jones. Some critics argue these shouldn’t count but I don’t see it that way. If you’re given a Lifetime Achievement Award from any of these four award shows, then that just means you’ve given a complete body of credible work that was worth honoring.
Late last week, Jennifer Hudson became part of the EGOT club when she recieved a Tony Award for “A Strange Loop, which won for Best Musical at the 2022 Tony Awards. She is only the second Black woman and youngest female to join EGOT status. Hudson is the second-youngest person to reach this status. The youngest is Robert Lopez, at age 39.
I’ve always liked Jennifer Hudson. There's something special about her when she auditioned for the third season of TV’s “American Idol.” I can remember feeling so upset when she only placed seventh on the show.
That very same year I was able meet the top 10 when the “American Idol” tour came to Grand Rapids. I’ll never forget Hudson when I told her she was the favorite of everyone that season. She stood up and said, “I’m going to give this guy a hug.” She hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
Little did I know that day that I was kissed on the cheek by a future Academy Award winner (2007 Best Supporting Actress, "Dreamgirls"), multi-Grammy winner (2009 Best R&B Album “Jennifer Hudson” and 2017 Best Musical Theater Album, “The Color Purple”), Emmy-winning (2021 Outstanding Interactive Media for “Baby Yaga”) and Tony-winning (2022 Best Musical, “A Strange Loop”).
Hudson has become a staple in the entertainment industry, and it doesn’t take winning awards to prove that. She gives her all into everything she does. And, with all of her successes she still is humbled by moments like her Tony win. That’s a true idol, an icon.
It didn’t take having to win a show like Idol to become a star. But, having not won fueled an inner fire that has been burning ever since.
David T. Farr is a Journal correspondent. Email him at farrboy@hotmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Entertainment
