The most ironically funny part of the Emmys, and in fact of any awards show, is the credits reels produced by the nominees for the Comedy and Variety Writing category. Ironic because the hilarious reels generally come in the middle of a laugh-challenged program that makes you think, if stars from throughout the business can be pressed into service as hosts, there must not be a single decent comedy writer working in Hollywood. This year’s featured, among others, the writers of “Da Ali G Show” posing as porn actors and a shot of Conan O’Brien looking like the cover of a romance novel. The award went to the writers of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” who probably did deserve it. (Though they had the least funny credits reel. Sorry, guys.)
The award also reminds you, unfortunately, that the business of TV comedy writing is still mostly white and male, which fact the “Real Time with Bill Maher” staff spoofed by posing as Native Americans, women in burkas, etc. Stewart, accepting, mock-praised himself for putting together a staff that was “only 80% Ivy League-educated Jews.”