Jimmy Kimmel Apologizes to Quinta Brunson for His Controversial Emmys Bit

After Jimmy Kimmel carried out a bit during Quinta Brunson's 2022 Emmys acceptance speech, the late-night host apologized to the Abbott Elementary star.

By Elyse Dupre Sep 15, 2022 12:41 PMTags
Watch: Jimmy Kimmel Apologizes to Emmy Winner Quinta Brunson

Jimmy Kimmel is clearing the air with Quinta Brunson.

After the late-night host made headlines earlier this week for literally getting in the middle of the star's 2022 Emmys win, the two sat down together to address the incident.

"Congratulations on your Emmy," he told Quinta on the Sept. 14 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. "I missed it. How did it go?"

If you also missed it, here's what happened: Jimmy presented the award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series with Will Arnett at the Sept. 12 award show. The presentation came after Jimmy Kimmel Live! lost to Last Week Tonight With John Oliver in the Outstanding Variety Talk Series category. And as Jimmy explained on his show, he thought it would be fun to do a "dumb comedy bit" where it seemed like he "drank too much" after losing and had to be dragged onstage by Will. 

But after Quinta won the award for her writing of Abbott Elementary's pilot episode—making history as the second Black female writer to take home this trophy—Jimmy continued to carry out the bit and lie on the floor throughout her acceptance speech.

photos
Emmys 2022 Red Carpet Fashion

He received backlash on social media. And while apologizing to Quinta on his show, Jimmy told her he never wanted to take away from her win.

"People got upset. They said I stole your moment. And maybe I did," he said. "And I'm very sorry if I did do that. I'm sorry I did do that actually. And also, the last thing I would ever want to do is upset you because I think so much of you. And I think you know that. I hope you know that."

Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Quinta said she did and thanked him for his apology. "Well Jimmy let me just say thank you," she said. "It is very kind of you to say that. I honestly was in such a moment of just having a good time, like, I won my first Emmy. I was up there, you know, happy. And I was wrapped up in the moment and just having a good time. I don't know. I didn't see any of that. I saw you, and I saw Will Arnett, and my Emmy and I was just like, 'Oh my god I'm having so much fun!' But thank you, that's kind. But honestly, I had a good night."

She got another chance to make her speech too by playfully interrupting Jimmy's opening monologue with her Emmy in tow.

 "You know how when you win an Emmy you only have 45 seconds to do an acceptance speech, which is, like, not that much time?" she said. "And then you get less time because someone does a dumb comedy bit that goes on a bit too long?"

Watch Quinta's speech and Jimmy's apology in the videos above.

Latest News