There’s a new trend in Hollywood that’s cooler than avocado toast: awards shows with no hosts. The Oscars started it all in 2019 when they said “thanks but no thanks” to the likes of Kevin Hart, Jimmy Kimmel and Ellen DeGeneres. Their little sister Emmy hopped on the bandwagon months later by denying a ringleader for the first time in 16 years. Then followed the SAG Awards, who this year nixed an emcee after finally hiring ones in 2018 (Kristen Bell) and 2019 (Megan Mullally). With the Oscar ratings down this year — way, way down — for its second consecutive host-less ceremony, should the Emmys rethink this trend and announce a host for ABC’s awards show on September 20, 2020? Vote in our poll below.
Hosts for the annual Emmy Awards ceremonies throughout the 21st Century have almost always been comedians. For the most part, they bring just the right tone of roasting the nominees and celebrating the previous TV season. With a four-way rotation of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, the host selection also typically comes from that network’s stable of talent. Tour our photos above for a closer look at all of the Emmy hosts for the past two decades.
The last Emmy hosts were “Saturday Night Live” stars and “Weekend Update” anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che for NBC in 2018. It marked the first time a duo presided over the ceremony since Jenna Elfman and David Hyde Pierce in 1999. Before Jost and Che, Stephen Colbert of “The Late Show” oversaw CBS’s 2017 ceremony, Kimmel hosted for ABC in 2016 and 2012 and Andy Samberg was the last Fox emcee in 2015.
We know what you’re thinking: that’s a lot of men! Indeed, only two women served as solo Emmy hosts in the past two decades: Jane Lynch for Fox in 2011 and Ellen DeGeneres for CBS in both 2005 and 2001. Another female, Heidi Klum, was tasked with hosting one-fifth of ABC’s 2008 ceremony along with the other Emmy-nominated reality TV hosts, Tom Bergeron, Howie Mandel, Jeff Probst and Ryan Seacrest.
As of this writing, the Golden Globes have decided to ignore the recent trend and hire an annual emcee. Ricky Gervais presented in 2010-12, 2016 and 2020, Tina Fey & Amy Poehler took over in 2013-15 (and will oversee next year’s 2021 kudos), and then there was Jimmy Fallon in 2017, Seth Meyers in 2018 and Andy Samberg & Sandra Oh in 2019. Other televised awards shows like the Grammys and Tonys also have hosts.
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