John Oliver made for one of the most memorable moments on Sunday at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards when he paid memorial to his late dog, persisting with his tribute as organizers tried to play him off the stage.
The Last Week Tonight with John Oliver star, 47, was accepting the honors for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series in Los Angeles at the Peacock Theater when he referenced his late pet.
‘We had the most fantastic dog,’ the U.K.-born HBO host said. ‘She was at my wedding. She got us through a pandemic. She was with us through two pregnancies.’
Producers ordered the playing of music to cue Oliver to wrap up his emotional speech, but he didn’t cease with the moving memorial.
‘Perfect choice of music! We had to say goodbye to her,’ Oliver said, adding ‘F**k you!’ to the musical director for the interruption.
John Oliver, 47, made for one of the most memorable moments on Sunday at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards when he paid memorial to his late dog, persisting with his tribute as organizers tried to play him off the stage
Oliver added, ‘I feel like Sarah McLachlan right now.’
He said of his late pet: ‘She was an amazing dog, and this isn’t just for her. It’s for all dogs! All dogs. You’re very good girls, very good boys. You all deserve a treat.’
At that point, Oliver – a 30-time Emmy winner – was finished and said, ‘Play me off now!’
Oliver was commended by viewers on social media for paying tribute to his late four-legged friend, with one user saying, ‘Nothing will ever stop the playing-off music colder than John Oliver’s dead dog.’
One fan said that Oliver’s ‘speech about his dog’ was ‘hilarious and so sad,’ noting that they were sorry for Oliver’s loss.
‘I don’t know what’s more iconic – John Oliver thanking his late dog during his acceptance speech or being able to reverse the Emmy’s playoff music by talking about his dog,’ one user said.
Another added, ‘I’m crying. John Oliver dedicated his Emmy to his dog who just passed away, and all the girl and boy dogs out there – says give them a treat!’
Said one user, ‘So this was something. John Oliver wins an Emmy. He starts to thank his dog, who recently died, and they start playing him off stage, which he did not appreciate.’
The Last Week Tonight with John Oliver star was accepting the honors for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series in Los Angeles at the Peacock Theater when he referenced his late pet
Producers ordered the playing of music to cue Oliver to wrap up his emotional speech, but he didn’t cease with the moving memorial
The U.K.-born HBO host said, ‘We had the most fantastic dog. She was at my wedding. She got us through a pandemic. She was with us through two pregnancies’
Another user said that ‘anyone who ever lost a dog gets John Oliver,’ while one said that his ‘speech was already perfect but the tribute to his dog makes it top 10.’
A user said, ‘John Oliver’s acceptance speech was a touching reminder that dogs are the true definition of unconditional love and the best friends we could ever have.’
Said another user, ‘John Oliver thanking his late dog in his Emmy acceptance speech is everything.’
The 76th annual Primetime Emmy Awards was set to honor the best of television at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, September 15.
The ceremony was hosted by Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, who are making history as the first father-son duo to emcee the program.
In 2020, the actors took home their own respective Emmy Awards for their work on their hit series, Schitt’s Creek, which they created and starred in for six seasons.
‘For two Canadians who won our Emmys in a literal quarantine tent, the idea of being asked to host this year in an actual theater was incentive enough,’ they said in a statement to Vanity Fair, last month, while confirming their hosting gig.
The pair continued: ‘We’re thrilled to be able to raise a glass to this extraordinary season of television and can’t wait to spend the evening with you all.’
The Bear set a new record for nominations in a single year in the Comedy category with 23 (previously held by 30 Rock with 22 nominations in 2009), and Shōgun leads this year’s Drama category with 25 nominations.
Oliver was commended by viewers on social media for paying tribute to his late four-legged friend
The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez, Jon Hamm and Quinta Brunson are among the nominees that are vying for some the evening’s top prizes.
This marks Gomez’s first nomination in the lead actress category for her role as Mabel Mora in Only Murders in the Building.
Following the news, she told her followers that she felt ‘honored and insanely grateful’ for the recognition.
Kristen Wiig is nominated for best actress in a comedy series for Apple TV+’s Palm Royale and best guest actress for a comedy series for hosting Saturday Night Live.
‘What the,’ Wiig said in a statement, obtained by E! News. ‘Still in shock over here! I’m so happy for everyone that worked so hard on Palm Royale and SNL! And for all my fellow nominees!! Everyone at Apple, Lorne Michaels and the casts, writers, and crews!!! I can’t believe this.’
Nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series went to Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hacks, Only Murders In The Building, Palm Royale, Reservation Dogs, and What We Do In The Shadows.
The Bear, left, and Shogun, right, received the most Emmy Awards nominations this year
Abbott Elementary costars Sheryl Lee Ralph, left, and Quinta Brunson, right, both received nods
Jennifer Aniston, pictured, and Reese Witherspoon are nominated in the same category for The Morning Show
Aniston’s Morning Show costar Jon Hamm was nominated for his work on Fargo in the category Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
From left, Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin in Only Murders in the Building. They were all Emmy nominated
Sofia Vergara, left, was nominated for her role as a drug lord in Griselda and Jean Smart, right, was recognized for her work on Hacks
Baby Reindeer, Fargo, Lessons In Chemistry, Ripley, True Detective were nominated for Outstanding Limited Anthology Series or Movie.
For Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Anthology Series or Movie the nominations were: Jodie Foster for True Detective, Brie Larson in Lessons in Chemistry, Juno Temple in Fargo, Sofia Vergara for Griselda and Naomi Watts for Feud.
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie nominations went to Matt Bomer for Fellow Travelers, Richard Gadd for Baby Reindeer, Jon Hamm for Fargo, Tom Hollander for Feud, and Andrew Scott for Ripley.
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series nominations went to Jennifer Aniston for The Morning Show, Carrie Coon for The Gilded Age, Maya Erskine for Mr and Mrs Smith, Ana Sawai for Shogun, Imelda Stanton The Crown, and Reese Witherspoon for The Morning Show.
Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series were Quinta Brunson for Abbott Elementary, Ayo Edebiri for The Bear, Selena Gomez for Only Murders In The Building, Maya Rudolph for Loot, Jean Smart for Hacks and Kristen Wiig for Palm Royale.
The nominations for Outstanding Reality Competition Program went to Amazing Race, RuPaul Drag Race, Top Chef, The Traitors and The Voice.
This year’s ceremony will take place less than a year after the 75th edition of the show.
It took place this past January after being moved back from its intended September 2023 date due to the writers and actors strikes.
Eugene Levy and Dan Levy are making history as the first father-son duo to co-host the show; seen in 2020
This year’s ceremony will take be held less than a year after the 75th edition of the show
Emmy Award winners Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon along with Emmy-nominated Jeannae Rouzan-Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment are set to return as executive producers of the 76th Emmy Awards.
This marks their second consecutive year as producers of television’s biggest night.
The 2024 Emmys ceremony airs live on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
It will also be available to stream the next day on Hulu.