Donald Trump a popular target at Emmy Awards
Dystopian series based on Margaret Atwood novel wins award for best drama
LOS ANGELES — The dystopian series The Handmaid’s Tale was crowned best TV drama on Sunday at the Emmy Awards, and the show also won best drama writing and directing while earning Elisabeth Moss a best actress statuette and Ann Dowd a best drama supporting actress award.
The series is based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel, and the celebrated Canadian author received a standing ovation when she joined the cast and producers onstage as they accepted the Emmy.
Veep and Saturday Night Live were also big winners.
Donald Glover won the best comedy actor for Atlanta, which he created and which carries his distinctive voice, while Julia Louis-Dreyfus was honoured for a sixth time for her role as a self-absorbed politician in the comedy Veep, named best comedy for the third time.
“I want to thank Trump for making black people No. 1 on the most oppressed list. He’s the reason I’m probably up here,” Glover said, acknowledging the entertainment industry’s and the Emmys’ tilt toward the non-stop political under President Donald Trump.
Combined with Emmys that LouisDreyfus has won for Seinfeld and New Adventures of Old Christine, her latest trophy tied her with Cloris Leachman as the most-winning Emmy performer ever.
Saturday Night Live triumphed early for a season of skewering President Donald Trump, while the ceremony and host Stephen Colbert did likewise.
“I remember the first time we won this award,” creator Lorne Michaels said in accepting the show’s trophy for best variety sketch series. “It was after the first season in 1976. I remember thinking . . . this was the high point,” and there would never be “another season as crazy, as unpredictable, as frightening, as exhausting or as exhilarating. Turns out I was wrong.”
The trophies for best supporting comedy acting went to Kate McKinnon, who played Hillary Clinton on SNL, and Alec Baldwin for his Trump portrayal on the NBC show.
Colbert’s song-and-dance opening — with help from Chance the Rapper — included the song Everything Is Better on TV, which repeatedly slammed Trump.