TV’s biggest night has been hosted by many notable Hollywood names over the years.
Stephen Colbert is a 45-time Emmy nominee and a 10-time winner, but he also has experience hosting the event. He was tapped to host the 69th annual ceremony in 2017.
The Colbert Report alum opened the show with a big musical number. He recruited stars including Anthony Anderson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chance the Rapper and Allison Janney to participate.
Comedians like Colbert have been successful in hosting the show over the years. In the past, cast members and alum from Saturday Night Live have stepped up to the plate. Eddie Murphy hosted in 1983 alongside fellow comedian Joan Rivers, while Jimmy Fallon hosted the event in 2010. Seth Meyers also hosted the Emmys in 2014.
In 2018, the Emmys continued the tradition of SNL hosts — but this time not without controversy. Michael Che and Colin Jost were asked to host for the 2018 ceremony. A month before the main event, Jost stirred up controversy for slamming awards shows.
“I think most of the time they’re way too self-serious and focused on things that 99 percent of the country doesn’t care about,” the A Very Punchable Face author told the Los Angeles Times in August 2018. “At the end of the day, it’s adults getting trophies. Why should that be taken seriously?”
Jost then made a dig at titles that have won at past ceremonies, adding, “And remember when movies like Gladiator won best picture? Why can’t good, fun things win and not just good artsy things? They’re both good, and the fun ones are sometimes a lot harder to make.”
Though the 2019 ceremony went hostless, Jimmy Kimmel was asked to take on the role for the 2020 event despite the COVID-19 crisis still being underway. “I don’t know where we will do this or how we will do this or even why we are doing this,” Kimmel said in June 2020, per Variety. “But we are doing it and I am hosting it.”
Prior to 2020, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! star hosted the Emmys in 2012 and in 2016. In previous years, Kimmel hosted the Academy Awards in 2017 and 2018.
As the coronavirus pandemic ebbed and flowed, the Emmys attempted to return to normalcy. Following Cedric the Entertainer in 2021, Kenan Thompson was announced as the host for the 74th annual awards show in 2022.
“I’m going to be pretty straightforward — a good monologue and keeping the energy up will be my approach. I enjoy honoring artistry and creativity,” the SNL great told the Los Angeles Times before the September 2022 ceremony. “There’s a great team that’s involved. I definitely don’t feel like I’m floating out there by myself. I’m really excited about it. There’s some great pieces coming together. For me, [the biggest challenge is] waiting. Waiting on the day, waiting on the moment, waiting on that first laugh. Getting into it and getting it done.”
Scroll down to see which stars have hosted the Emmys through the years.
