Los Angeles, Sep 18 (IANS) The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards here saw "Saturday Night Live" - a platform for political satire - and two women-oriented dramas win big, even as US President Donald Trump remained a favourite subject during the ceremony where people of colour stood out.
"Saturday Night Live", which features Alec Baldwin doing an impression of Trump, won nine awards, while "Big Little Lies" and "The Handmaid's Tale" -- both of which tell engrossing tales on women -- won eight honours each at the gala on Sunday night at the Microsoft Theatre, which saw Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra as one of the presenters.
Politics remained at the forefront of the event, where former White House press secretary Sean Spicer made a surprise appearance. American comedian-actor Stephen Colbert, debuting as the Emmy Awards host, laced his opening monologue with swipes at Trump.
Sean Spicer attends the Governors Ball during the 2017 Primetime Emmys Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
When he said it was difficult to tell how many people would be watching the show, Spicer wheeled a podium onto the stage, and said: "This will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys -- period, both in person and around the world."
It was a clear reference was to Trump's January 20 Inauguration Day claims, contradicted by photos, about how big the audience was for his oath-taking ceremony.
Colbert later blamed the Emmys for Trump's election as President.
He suggested that if Trump had won an award for "The Apprentice" in 2009 he might not have run for President.
To support this, he even showed a clip of a presidential debate where Trump said he should have won an Emmy. However, the digs didn't stop there.
When Baldwin won the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series trophy for "Saturday Night Live" for impersonating Trump, he quipped: "I suppose I should say, at long last, Mr President, here is your Emmy."
Lily Tomlin (L), Dolly Parton (C) and Jane Fonda speak during the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. / AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. Brown
Three acting veterans -- Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin -- the stars of the movie "Nine to Five" -- commented on Trump without mentioning his name. "Back in 1980 in that movie, we refused to be controlled by a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot," Fonda said.
"And in 2017... We still refuse to be controlled by a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot," Tomlin added.
Donald Glover, who won two Emmys for his work on "Atlanta", said in his acceptance speech: "I want to thank Trump for making black people No. 1 on the most oppressed list. He's the reason I'm probably up."
Glover won for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series -- becoming the first African-American to win an Emmy in the category -- and one for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series.