Emmy producers Dionne Harmon, Jesse Collins, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay open up about the decision to play off John Oliver during his tribute to Norm Macdonald, address the issue of empty seats, and discuss the surprise win by "Hacks."
Emmy producers Dionne Harmon, Jesse Collins, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay have addressed the backlash over the decision to cut off John Oliver's tribute to late comedian Norm Macdonald during the In Memoriam segment of Sunday's ceremony.
Oliver, who was a close friend of Macdonald, was visibly upset when his microphone was cut off while he was delivering a heartfelt speech honoring the late "Saturday Night Live" star. The move drew immediate criticism from viewers and industry insiders.
Emmy Producers Reflect on Controversial John Oliver Cut Off, Address Empty Seats and In Memoriam
"We regret playing off John Oliver," the producers said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. "We felt that we had lost control of the show at that point and needed to get back on schedule. We are sorry that it appeared as if we were trying to silence John, as that was not our intention at all."
The producers went on to explain that Oliver's speech was not timed prior to the show, and they were running behind schedule. They also said that Oliver had exceeded his allotted time.
"We understand that John's tribute was important to many people, and we apologize for the way it was handled," the producers said. "We will take this into account as we plan future shows."
The producers also addressed the issue of empty seats during the ceremony, which some viewers criticized as disrespectful to the nominees.
"We are aware that there were empty seats at the ceremony, and we understand that this may have been frustrating to some viewers," the producers said. "However, we would like to point out that the theater is very large, and it is not always easy to fill every seat."
The producers said that they had reached out to the nominees prior to the show to let them know that there might be some empty seats, and they had offered to move people around if necessary.
"We understand that the Emmys are a special night for our nominees, and we appreciate their understanding," the producers said.
Finally, the producers discussed the surprise win by "Hacks" for Outstanding Comedy Series. The show, which stars Jean Smart as a legendary comedian trying to revive her career, was not considered a frontrunner in the category.
"We were all surprised by the win for 'Hacks,'" the producers said. "But we are absolutely thrilled for the show and its cast and crew."
The producers said that "Hacks" is a "brilliant" show that deserves to be recognized. They also said that they are looking forward to seeing what the show does next season.
"We are honored to have 'Hacks' on our platform, and we are excited to see what the future holds for the show," the producers said.
