Is Now the Right Time for S.N.L.s Colin Jost and Michael Che to Host the Emmys?
And the Emmy-hosting gig goes to . . . Michael Che and Colin Jost.Saturday Night Lives current “Week..
And the Emmy-hosting gig goes to . . . Michael Che and Colin Jost.Saturday Night Lives current “Weekend Update” co-hosts have been tapped to emcee the annual ceremony this year, with S.N.L. executive producer Lorne Michaels on board to executive produce the event for the first time since 1988. The choice is logical: S.N.L. alumni have hosted the Emmys three times in the past eight years, with Andy Samberg, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon all taking turns. And as their fellow Studio 8H veterans Amy Poehler and Tina Fey proved multiple times at the Golden Globes, “Weekend Update” co-anchors can definitely liven up an awards show. Plus, as NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert GreenblatttoldVariety, this years telecast will include “surprise” appearances from other S.N.L. cast members—meaning that the event will not rest solely upon Jost and Ches shoulders. (That also means an Alec Baldwin appearance seems almost inevitable.)
Still, the announcement raises a question: are Che and Jost really the right fit for this moment? Greenblatt predicted to Variety that they will lead “one of the funniest awards shows in a long time,” while Paul Telegdy, president, alternative and reality group, NBC Entertainment, was similarly jazzed, boasting that Che, Jost, and Michaels “will make this the must-see comedy event of the year.” Even so, the Emmys this fall will mark the fourth major awards show to announce a host in the wake of the #MeToo and Times Up movements—and the fourth such gala to be hosted by men.
Theres no question Emmy voters love Saturday Night Live: the venerated sketch show took home nine gold statuettes last year alone, including awards for Baldwin and Kate McKinnon for best-supporting actor and actress in a comedy series. But as women fight to end exploitation and promote equal opportunities in the entertainment industry, choosing a woman from the S.N.L. family would have sent a strong message—especially for an awards show that likes to praise the TV industry for supposedly being more progressive than the film world. McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Cecily Strong, or Aidy Bryant would have made excellent Emmys hosts, either together or separately. (This also might have been NBCs last chance to tap one of them, as all four seem likely to make their exits from S.N.L. before the network hosts the Emmys again in four years.) Even beyond the halls of Studio 8H, there are plenty more talented women with TV shows on the current NBC roster, including Debra Messing, Megan Mullally, Kristen Bell, America Ferrera, and Retta. (Bell even has one hosting gig under her belt already this year; she hosted the SAG Awards in January.) Were none of these women available?
Che and Jost have drawn criticism for the way theyve handled political material on S.N.L.—and Che also has a history of dealing questionably with women who criticize him, and of dismissing womens concerns regarding issues like street harassment.
The men who have hosted awards shows this year, especially Seth Meyers—who helmed the Golden Globes, the first show to air after #MeToo blew up—have done a thoughtful job handling the elephant in the room. Che and Jost could very well do the same thing—but even so, its worth critiquing a system that repeatedly puts men on stage at a time when women are fighting harder than ever to combat exclusion in an industry that often exploits them until they reach their last fuckable day.
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Laura BradleyLaura Bradley is a Hollywood writer for VanityFair.com.