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.”

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.”

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.”

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.