The Emmys Started the Show By Claiming to Have Solved Diversity
Welcome to the 2018 Emmys, and we start with a blessing: Tonight's opening musical number was a funny, pared-down version of the throw-everything-at-the-wall cameofest we've come to expect from the show. Not only that, but for a couple of glorious minutes, hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che were nowhere to be seen.
SNL's Kenan Thompson and Kate McKinnon took to the stage and quickly congratulated Killing Eve's Sandra Oh for being the first Asian woman to be nominated for a Best Lead Actress Emmy. Tight! But also, bad job, previous 69 years of Emmy Awards! (Ed. note: Nice.)
From there, Thompson and McKinnon were joined by Titus Burgess, Kristen Bell, Sterling K. Brown, Ricky Martin, and for one beautiful, fleeting moment, RuPaul to celebrate having "solved it." Andy Samberg dropped in on a "terrifying" giant moon to fill the straight white guy quotient, and was quickly sent away.
Of course, diversity and representation is a complex issue in the most basic of fields, let alone fucking television. But this is the Emmys, and, let's be honest, the closest we're going to get to genuine reflection right now is a light tongue-in-cheek ribbing. At least Jost didn't show up until the dancing was over!
