During the second evening of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, notable achievements were recognized, including Barack Obama winning his second Emmy, John Mulaney securing his third, and Carol Burnett celebrating her seventh. Obama was awarded best narrator for his Netflix documentary series “Working: What We Do All Day,” adding to his previous Emmy win for another Netflix series narration and two Grammys for his memoir audiobooks.
Although Obama was not present at the Los Angeles Peacock Theater ceremony, he triumphed in a highly competitive category, outshining fellow nominees like Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, Mahershala Ali, and Pedro Pascal. The Creative Arts Emmys, spanning two nights, primarily honor television’s behind-the-scenes talent and less-celebrated artists.
John Mulaney clinched an Emmy for his writing on the Netflix standup special “Baby J,” a show that delved into his struggles with drug addiction and recovery. Mulaney expressed excitement about sharing the award with his young son, albeit acknowledging the special’s inappropriateness for his viewing.
Burnett, a comedy icon at 90 years old, received her seventh Emmy for NBC’s “Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love,” her first Emmy win dating back to 1961. Her most recent Emmy was in 1997.
The Creative Arts Emmys, which began on Saturday and concluded on Sunday, act as a lead-up to the main Emmy ceremony scheduled for January 15 on Fox, hosted by “black-ish” star Anthony Anderson. The event experienced a delay due to strikes in Hollywood’s writing and acting circles.
Sunday’s proceedings, focusing on reality and unscripted TV, coincided with the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, somewhat overshadowing the Emmy festivities.
Other winners included Keke Palmer, who received the best game show host for “Password,” and “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson,” awarded the best short-form comedy, drama, or variety series. “Queer Eye” was named the best structured reality show, while “Welcome to Wrexham” took the prize for the best unstructured reality show.
Saturday’s highlights included Ed Sheeran’s first Emmy win for his songwriting in “Ted Lasso,” and TV veterans Judith Light and Nick Offerman each securing their first Emmy for guest appearances. Offerman’s win was for “The Last of Us,” a show that garnered eight Creative Arts Emmys and is anticipated to win more at the main ceremony.
The two-night Creative Arts Emmy ceremony will be broadcast in an edited format on January 13 on the FXX cable channel.
