Christina Applegate Jokes in Response to Emmys Standing Ovation: 'You’re Totally Shaming Me'

While it was announced last week that Christina Applegate was expected to present at the 75th Annual Primetime Emmys, her early appearance during the awards show surprised everyone. She looked stunning in a burgundy velvet gown with a cane in one hand and the assistance of host Anthony Anderson on the other. As she stepped onto the stage to present Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, the audience at Peacock Theater jumped to their feet with thunderous applause.

Her 2021 multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis rocked the 52-year-old actress to her core because her career was thriving with the Netflix series, Dead to Me. After completing the show, Applegate chose to stay under the Hollywood radar until now. The appreciative response from the audience brought tears to her eyes as she quipped, “Thank you so much. Oh my god, you’re totally shaming me with disability by standing up. It’s fine…Body not by Ozempic. Okay, let’s go.”

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But she wasn’t done with the humor because everyone in that theater was with her in that moment as she continued to speak. “We don’t have to applaud every time I do something,” she wittily chimed in. Many of Applegate’s peers are aware of what a struggle it was for her to complete the final season of the Netflix series. She explained to Variety that her normally active lifestyle changed dramatically, and she dealt with weight gain due to “inactivity and medications.” It also took toll on her mental health because she didn’t like to see herself “struggling.” Applegate added, “I didn’t look like myself, and I didn’t feel like myself.” Even though it took her months to watch a different physical version of herself on-screen, she learned to embrace her new normal.

“At some point I was able to distance myself from my own ego and realize what a beautiful piece of television it was. All the scenes I wasn’t in were so much fun to see and experience for the very first time,” she said. Her brave performance also inspired others and caught the attention of social media users. One X account, formerly Twitter, noted: “By the way, it was thoughtful of the director and/or producers for having Christina Applegate present the first award of the night. I’d like to see more actors with disabilities centered in TV & film.” Another fan wrote, “So inspiring to see Christina Applegate receive such well-deserved recognition despite her battle with MS. Her strength and talent are truly admirable.”

Applegate’s moment at the Emmys will be remembered for years to come because her inner strength was a bright shining star up on that stage. She told the Los Angeles Times her body can’t handle long days on set anymore, but she’s ready to book “a s**t ton of voiceovers to make some cash.” Applegate proved to Hollywood in a few short minutes that her wit is quick, and after that standing ovation, the phone better be ringing off the hook.

Before you go, click here to see the most shocking Emmy awards moments in primetime history.

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