Quinta Brunson Responds to Jimmy Kimmel Lying on Stage During Emmy Win
While accepting her first Emmy, Abbott Elementary star Quinta Brunson had to step over Jimmy Kimmel, who pretended to be unconscious.
Jimmy Kimmel is facing backlash for laying on the floor while Quinta Brunson received her first Emmy. On Monday night (September 12), Brunson won in the Outstanding Writing For a Comedy Series category, making her the second Black woman to win in the category after Lena Waithe in 2017. Brunson also received nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Comedy Series as the executive producer of Abbott Elementary.
As Brunson took the stage, comedian and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel laid flat on the stage, to which Brunson attempted to poke him “awake.” “Jimmy, wake up, I won,” Brunson joked. “Jimmy? Okay, hold my phone.”
Quinta Brunson accepts the #Emmy for writing for a comedy series for #AbbottElementary. https://t.co/h3GrtHDmKy pic.twitter.com/ZmqM1P82XJ
— Variety (@Variety) September 13, 2022
Brunson went on to thank ABC, Disney, Fox and Warner Bros along with showrunners Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker before crediting the mentorship of Larry Wilmore, “for teaching me to write television as well as he did.”
Quinta Brunson addressed Jimmy Kimmel laying on stage during her #Emmys acceptance speech: "I felt like the bit didn’t bother me that much…Tomorrow maybe I’ll be mad at him. I’m going to be on his show on Wednesday, so I might punch him in the face." https://t.co/Bm8Bfhyi0k pic.twitter.com/cMDuZbq0AQ
— Variety (@Variety) September 13, 2022
While Brunson may have taken Kimmel’s stunt in jest, her fans weren’t as humored, going to social media to speak out on the comedian’s “white privilege.”
stealing someone else’s moment is so weird. white people really hate seeing Black people win and they often pass it off as jokes or incompetence. fuck your, jimmy kimmel. you owe quinta an apology and $5m for reparations!
— 5hahem aka Dr. Durag (@shaTIRED) September 13, 2022
yall dragging jimmy kimmel and it's what he deserves
— king crissle (@crissles) September 13, 2022
Just a reminder of how Jimmy Kimmel doesn’t seem to be able to let Black folks shine in really important moments. #Emmys https://t.co/WMkqz6uESY
— April is in NYC (@ReignOfApril) September 13, 2022
If #QuintaBrunson stepping over #JimmyKimmel who literally laid in her spotlight on the day she won an Emmy isn’t a metaphor for what it means to be a WOC in a white mans world I don’t know what is.
— Heba Gowayed هبة جويد (@hebagowayed) September 13, 2022
Thank you @jontaoht for taking Jimmy Kimmel out the shot 💗. Go awf Quinta pic.twitter.com/pvI4qSnX0y
— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) September 13, 2022
Backstage, Brunson joked about the onstage incident, also referring to her upcoming appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
“I don’t know…I know Jimmy Kimmel. The bit didn’t bother me,” she said. “Honestly, Jimmy gave me my first big late-night spot, he was one of the first people to see Abbott Elementary. He was the first person to message me on Instagram. He was so excited it was going to be on ABC. I was happy it was Jimmy. He’s one of the comedy godfathers. Tomorrow maybe I’ll be mad at him.”
The second season of Abbott Elementary premieres on September 21.
