By Lisa Richwine and Danielle Broadway
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -“The Bear,” the story of a fine-dining chef trying to turn around his family’s Chicago sandwich shop, took several honors on Monday at Hollywood’s Emmy Awards celebrating the best of television.
Star Jeremy Allen White was named best actor in a comedy, and his co-stars Ayo Ededbiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach won supporting actress and actor, for the first season of the FX network show.
The series also won directing and writing honors and was in the running for best comedy series.
“I am so proud, so full of gratitude, to be standing in front of you all,” said White, who plays chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto. “I love the show so much.”
The top TV honors were broadcast live on the Fox broadcast network. The show was postponed from September because of labor disputes last year.
Jennifer Coolidge, who won her second supporting actress honor for playing a loopy vacationer on limited series “The White Lotus,” took the opportunity to thank “all of the evil gays,” referring to characters on the show involved in a murder plot against her character.
Several Black actors won awards at the show, which coincided with the U.S. holiday commemorating civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Edebiri of “The Bear” thanked her family for “letting me feel beautiful and Black and proud of all of that.”
A jubilant Niecy Nash, a supporting actress winner for limited series “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” hoisted her Emmy trophy in the air and proclaimed “I’m a winner, baby.”
“I want to thank me, for believing in me and for doing what they said I could not do!” Nash said.
Quinta Brunson was named best actress in a comedy for playing an optimistic teacher on “Abbott Elementary,” a show she created. She shed tears as she took the stage and was handed the honor by comedy legend Carol Burnett.
“I don’t know why I’m so emotional. I think it’s the Carol Burnett of it all,” Brunson said. “I’m so happy to be able to live my dream.”
Organizers were using this year’s milestone – the 75th Emmys – to honor classic television shows with cast reunions and other moments.
Host Anthony Anderson opened the show with a choir singing theme songs from shows such as “Good Times” and “The Facts of Life.” Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker joined to play the drum solo from “In the Air Tonight,” a song that aired during a pivotal moment in 1980s hit “Miami Vice.”
Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Rhea Perlman and other stars of “Cheers” gathered around a recreation of the iconic bar set, and “Grey’s Anatomy” actors Katherine Heigl and Ellen Pompeo spoke from a hospital room set up on stage.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Mark Porter and Jonathan Oatis)
