HBO to Donate $1 Million to COVID-19 Relief in Lieu of Emmy Party and FYC Events

Michael Schneider
·2 min read

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With the Emmy ceremony likely shifting to a remote ceremony this year, HBO is taking some of the money it normally spends on its annual Emmy afterparty and other For Your Consideration events and donating it to COVID-19 pandemic relief.

In an announcement Friday, HBO said it would donate $1 million to the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles Emergency COVID-19 Crisis Fund.

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“On behalf of Bob Greenblatt and myself, we are proud to make this contribution from HBO instead of using it for our traditional Emmy party and FYC events,” said Casey Bloys, president, HBO Programming. “I am tremendously proud of all of our shows in Emmy contention this year, and I am hopeful they will receive the recognition I believe is richly deserved for all of our talented collaborators, in front of and behind the camera. We look forward to being able to get back to the work we love.”

Per HBO, “The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles Emergency COVID-19 Crisis Fund is providing essential support to emergent, critical needs identified with the City as it responds to the pandemic, including support for families and small businesses, relief for healthcare workers, critical healthcare equipment, victims of domestic violence, and services for the city’s homeless population. For more information, please visit https://mayorsfundla.org/.”

Earlier this year, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Television Academy canceled all sanctioned For Your Consideration events. Since then, networks and studios have found other ways to campaign — and many of those alternatives have included a COVID-19 relief component.

As for the Emmys themselves, the ceremony is still scheduled for September 20 on ABC — but beyond that, there’s no word on what form it might take. Most award shows that have moved forward, including next month’s Daytime Emmys, have shifted to a remote/at-home format, one that the Primetime Emmys is expected to take as well.

HBO’s post-Emmys party is considered one of the hottest spots to go after the ceremony, and is normally held in a tremendous tent erected outside of the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The jam-packed event is known for its size and scope — and expense. Whether there will be any post-Emmy events this year, should the city and county of Los Angeles be more open at that point, also remains to be seen.

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