“Abbott Elementary” creator and star Quinta Brunson isn’t taking Jimmy Kimmel’s bad Emmys bit lying down.
In some well-deserved payback for Kimmel lying onstage while she accepted her Emmy Monday, Brunson interrupted the “Live!” talk show host’s opening monologue Wednesday night, Emmy in hand.
“You know, you’re a little bit early for your interview. It’s after the commercial,” Kimmel said.
“I know, but I have a little favor to ask, actually,” Brunson replied. “So you know how you win an Emmy, you only have 45 seconds to do an acceptance speech, which is, like, not that much time? And then you get less time because someone does a dumb comedy bit that goes on a bit too long?”
The 32-year-old Philadelphia native’s requested favor was to finish her Emmys acceptance speech for outstanding writing in a comedy series, which was marred Monday by Kimmel laying on the stage next to her in an overextended sketch with Will Arnett.
Brunson’s finished speech thanked her fans and “the internet for raising me,” as well as the show’s writers.
Kimmel offered Brunson a proper apology for upstaging her during her first Emmy win for the ABC sitcom about an inner-city Philadelphia elementary school.
“That was a dumb comedy bit that we thought it would be funny,” he said.
“Then people got upset, they said I stole your moment. And maybe I did. I’m very sorry if I did do that. I did do that, actually. The last thing I would ever want to do is upset you, because I think so much of you. I think you know that. I hope you know that.”
Brunson graciously brushed off his apology, saying she was so “wrapped up in the moment” that she barely noticed.
Co-star Sheryl Lee Ralph was less forgiving earlier Wednesday during a panel with the Television Critics Association.
“I was absolutely confused,” said the Emmy-winning actress who plays the strict Ms. Howard. “I didn’t know what was going on. I wish that man would just get up off the ground. Then I realized it was Jimmy Kimmel. Ooh, the disrespect, Jimmy! But that’s just me. I told him, too, to his face. He understood.”
Before announcing Brunson’s win, Arnett dragged Kimmel out with him on stage, explaining that the late show host was passed-out drunk after having lost once again to John Oliver for outstanding variety talk series.
“Thirteenth time in a row that he’s lost and he just got into the skinny margaritas back there,” Arnett joked.
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