Subtext became text when issues of race, gender and national politics, long a part of Hollywood awards shows, took center stage at the 69th Emmy Awards telecast Sunday night.
“You can’t deny that every show was influenced by Donald Trump in some way,” said host Stephen Colbert in his opening monologue. “All the late night shows, obviously. ‘House of Cards.’ The new season of ‘American Horror Story.’” Pause. “And of course next year’s Latin Grammys, hosted by Sheriff Joe Arpaio.”
FULL COVERAGE: Emmy Awards 2017 >>
By tapping Colbert as host, the television academy all but guaranteed that the first Emmy broadcast of the Trump presidency would send a clear message — Colbert’s late-night career was resuscitated by his return to political satire. But it really wasn’t necessary. Sheriff quip aside, Colbert was barely joking.
The winner in the drama category was “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a Hulu series based on Margaret Atwood’s dystopian tale in which America becomes an theocracy in which dissidents are executed and all women become property.
“The Handmaid’s Tale,” which made history when it became the first streaming series to win top drama, swept all the big categories in which it was nominated — writer, director, supporting actress and actress. And every one of those winners was played onto the stage at the Microsoft Theater by the 1960s Lesley Gore hit “You Don’t Own Me,” which meant the orchestra played that song a lot.
Most of the evening’s other big winners were from shows with strong, or fresh, viewpoints on other topics being argued across Fox, MSNBC, Twitter and at any extended family gathering.
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Laura Dern with her Emmy for supporting actress in a limited series or movie for “Big Little Lies.”
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Ann Dowd of “The Handmaid’s Tale” with her Emmy for supporting actress in a drama.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus with her Emmy for actress in a comedy series, for “Veep.”
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“Master Of None’s” Aziz Ansari and Lena Waithe with their Emmys for writing for a comedy series.
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“This Is Us” star Sterling K. Brown with his Emmy for lead actor in a drama series.
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Elisabeth Moss of “The Handmaid’s Tale” with her Emmys for drama series and actress in a drama series.
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“Saturday Night Live’s” Kate McKinnon hoists her Emmy for supporting actress in a comedy series.
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Donald Glover poses with the Emmys he won for lead actor in a comedy series and director of a comedy series, for “Atlanta.”
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Nicole Kidman hoists her awards for lead actress in a limited series or a movie and limited series for “Big Little Lies.”
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Alexander Skarsgard in the press room with his award for supporting actor in a limited series or movie for “Big Little Lies.”
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Alec Baldwin with his Emmy for supporting actor in a comedy series for “Saturday Night Live.”
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Riz Ahmed of “The Night Of” with his Emmy for lead actor in a limited series or movie.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus, fourth from left, and the cast of “Veep” with their Emmy for comedy series.
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The cast and crew of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” winner of outstanding drama series.
(Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images) Donald Glover became the first black director to win in the comedy category, for “Atlanta,” the FX show in which he plays Earn, a rap music manager and young father. When he won his second Emmy of the night, in the acting category, he was just as direct as Colbert.
“I want to thank Trump for making black people No. 1 on the most oppressed list,” he said. “He’s probably the only reason I’m up here.”
Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon, who spent the last year playing Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, respectively, on “Saturday Night Live,” won supporting actor and actress in a comedy series. “SNL,” which had its best season in years, won four Emmys on Sunday.
With the Creative Arts Emmy tally, it was the top winning show of the night and the excitement over “SNL’s” renaissance was palpable from the telecast’s opening minutes, during which Melissa McCarthy rode onstage atop a rolling podium dressed as former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, a role she won an Emmy for this year as well.
Except, in the most striking collision of entertainment and politics since the former host of “The Apprentice” took office, it wasn’t McCarthy, it was actually Spicer.
Colbert asked him how big he estimated the Emmy crowd to be: “This is the largest audience to witness the Emmys, period. Both in person and around the world!” said Spicer, referring to his now infamous news conference defending Trump’s exaggerations about his inauguration crowd.
“Melissa McCarthy,” joked Colbert. “Everybody give it up!”
Howls erupted from the audience, which included McCarthy, who did not seem amused.
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Presenter Oprah Winfrey and Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss of “The Handmaid’s Tale” after the show won the Emmy for drama series.
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Elizabeth Moss receives her Emmy for lead actress in a drama series (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) from Tatiana Maslany and Jeffrey D. Morgan.
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Elisabeth Moss hugs co-star Joseph Fiennes along with the cast of “The Handmaid’s Tale” after they won the drama series award during the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Bruce Miller and the cast congratulates Elisabeth Moss of “The Handmaid’s Tale” after they won drama series.
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Cast and crew of “Veep” accept the comedy series award onstage.
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Nicole Kidman reacts to “Big Little Lies” winning the limited series Emmy.
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Nicole Kidman accepts the award for lead actress in a limited series or a movie for “Big Little Lies.”
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Reese Witherspoon, center, accepts for “Big Little Lies” afer winning the Emmy fpr limited series.
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Nicole Kidman with the Emmy for lead actress in a limited series or movie for “Big Little Lies.”
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Sterling K. Brown accepting his Emmy for lead actor in a drama series for “This Is Us.”
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Alec Baldwin accepts his Emmy for supporting actor in a comedy series.
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Host Stephen Colbert being carried offstage in a scripted performance.
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A tender moment on stage is shared between actors Anna Faris and Allison Janney, the stars of TV comedy series “Mom.”
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Anika Noni Rose and Cecily Tyson present the Emmy for limited series or movie.
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Charlie Brooker accepts the award for outstanding television movie for “Black Mirror: San Junipero.”
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Charlie Brooker and “Black Mirror: San Junipero” win for television movie.
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Riz Ahmed wins for lead actor in a limited series or movie for “The Night Of.”
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Norman Lear and Carol Burnett present comedy series.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns to the stage with Norman Lear and Carol Burnett after her show “Veep” wins for comedy series.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus wins lead actress in a comedy series for “Veep.”
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus wins lead actress in a comedy series.
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Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer appears onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater.
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Chris Hardwick presents Julia Louis-Dreyfus her Emmy as she wins lead actress in a comedy series.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus and her husband Brad Hall react in the audience.
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LOS ANGELES, CA., ††September 17, 2017: Sterling K. Brown accepting his Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series†during the show at the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater†in Los Angeles, CA., Sunday, September 17, 2017. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Oprah Winfrey speaks onstage before presenting the award for drama series.
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A tender moment between actors Anna Faris and Allison Janney, the stars of TV comedy series “Mom.”
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Actresses Anika Noni Rose, left, and Cicely Tyson present the award for limited series.
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John Oliver of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” accept the award for variety talk series.
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Actors Jessica Biel and Joseph Fiennes onstage.
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Executive producer David Mandel and the cast and crew of “Veep” accept the award for comedy series for “Veep.”
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Reed Morano accepts her award after winning the Emmy for directing for a drama series.
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Jean-Marc Vallée accepts his Emmy for directing in a limited series or movie (“Big Little Lies”).
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“Ghosted” actors Craig Robinson, left, and Adam Scott present the award for directing for a variety series.
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Christopher Jackson sings as a picture of Adam West appears on-screen during an in memoriam tribute at the 69th Emmy Awards.
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“Big Bang Theory” actor Jim Parsons and “Young Sheldon” actor Iain Armitage during the show.
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“Star Trek: Discovery’s” Sonequa Martin-Green and “Entourage” actor Jeremy Piven during the show.
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Writers Aziz Ansari and Lena Waithe accept the writing in a comedy series award for “Master of None.”
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Seth MacFarlane and Emmy Rossum onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Actress Viola Davis
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Kaitlin Olsen and Tracee Ellis Ross onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Kate McKinnon accepts her Emmy for supporting actress in a comedy series Sunday during the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Actor Christopher Jackson performs during the in-memoriam section of the 2017 Emmys.
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The cast and crew of “The Voice” wins the Emmy for reality competition program.
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Laura Dern accepts her Emmy for supporting actress in a limited series or movie during the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards.
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Television Academy President Hayma Washington onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Donald Glover accepts the award for directing a comedy series for the “Atlanta” episode “B.A.N.” at the 69th Emmy Awards.
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LOS ANGELES, CA., September 17, 2017: Ann Dowd accepts the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for ‘The Handmaids Tale’ during the show at the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA., Sunday, September 17, 2017. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Seth Meyers, left, and James Corden speak onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Singer Jon Batiste performs onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater.
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Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman in the audience at the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Rachel Bloom performs onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards, introducing the accountants.
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Ernst & Young representatives appear onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Actor Alexander Skarsgard accepts for supporting actor in a limited series or movie for “Big Little Lies” with Dolly Parton, left, and Lily Tomlin during the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Director Jean-Marc Vallée accepts the directing for a limited series, movie or dramatic special award for “Big Little Lies” onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater.
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Lorne Michaels and the cast of “SNL” accept the award for outstanding variety sketch series for “Saturday Night Live” at the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Dave Chappelle and Melissa McCarthy speak onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
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The band Stay Human performs during the show at the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Host Stephen Colbert doing his monologue during the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Host Stephen Colbert is led offstage by costumed individuals recalling characters from HBO’s “Westworld.”
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Actors Issa Rae of “Insecure” and Riz Ahmed of “The Night Of” speak onstage.
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Actors Gina Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin”) and Shemar Moore (“Criminal Minds”) speak onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Host Stephen Colbert speaks at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
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Actor Laura Dern, left, reacts when her name is read as the winner of the Emmy for supporting actress in a limited series or movie for “Big Little Lies.”
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Actor Laura Dern accepts supporting actress in a limited series or movie for “Big Little Lies.”
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Host Stephen Colbert dances onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
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Actors Shailene Woodley, left, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern and Zoe Kravitz of “Big Litle Lies” speak onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
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John Lithgow accepts his Emmy for supporting actor in a drama series for “The Crown.”
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Host Stephen Colbert performs onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) It was impossible to divorce politics from the awards on stage — even a reunion of the stars of “9 to 5” turned into a brief red state-blue state situation when Dolly Parton, clearly uncomfortable with the loosely-veiled criticism of Trump by Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin — by quoting a famous line from that film — quickly pivoted by making a vibrator joke.
But it makes perfect sense after a year in which breaking news from Washington seemed to arrive as fast and furious as new shows. What to watch? The James B. Comey trials or “Veep?” Trump’s contentious news conference speech or the warm fuzzy embrace of “This Is Us”?
Last year alone, there were 455 original scripted television shows to choose from, compared with 182 in 2002. From 2011 to 2016, the number of scripted television shows — on broadcast, cable and digital platforms — increased by 71%. A skit between late-night talk show hosts Seth Meyers and James Corden poked fun at people who said they had watched all the hot shows when it was physically impossible for them to have done so.
Colbert addressed the programming onslaught as well: “Of course, there is no way anyone could possibly watch that much TV — other than the president, who seems to have a lot of time for that sort of thing. Hello, sir, thank you for joining us. Looking forward to the tweet.”
Undoubtedly, the absence of “Game of Thrones” which was not eligible this year, made room for first year shows, those made during the Trump era, to be honored. “Big Little Lies,” “The Crown,” “Stranger Things,” “Westworld” all took on topics of politics and power, betrayal and the ethics of an increasingly modern age.
We may not have our first female president, but female-driven narratives dominated nominations across top categories. In addition to “The Handmaid Tale” sweep, HBO’s “Big Little Lies,” the story of an unlikely bond between four women starring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, won five Emmys on Sunday night, including for limited series; Kidman ended her acceptance speech for lead actress by expressing gratitude that the series shed light on the problem of domestic violence.
Lena Waithe won for writing in a comedy series for her work on Netflix’s “Master of None,” specifically for an episode about a black woman coming out as lesbian. She became the first black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing.
The prize in the male category went to Sterling K. Brown for “This Is Us,” NBC’s touching drama about a modern family that is not the same “Modern Family” we’ve seen win Emmys over the last decade. “You are the best white TV family that a brother has ever had,” Brown said to those castmates who play his adoptive family.
It wasn’t Brown’s first Emmy — he won last year for his portrayal of Christopher Darden in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” — but it was a big night for people of color. Riz Ahmed and Aziz Ansari, both Muslim and South Asian, also won in top categories.
Colbert couldn’t help but snub at least one past loser: “We all know the Emmys mean a lot to Donald Trump. Because he was nominated multiple times for ‘Celebrity Apprentice,’ but he never won. Why didn’t you give him an Emmy? I tell you this, if he had won an Emmy, I bet he wouldn’t have run for president. So in a way this is all your fault.”
When Baldwin won, however, he said: “At long last, here, Mr. President, is your Emmy”
lorraine.ali@latimes.com
@lorraineali
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