2019 Emmys crowd laugh mockingly through Kim Kardashian's award presentation. Video / FOX8
The 71st annual Primetime Emmy Awards are taking place at the Microsoft Theatre in Hollywood today, with Game of Thrones leading the charge with a massive 14 nominations.
The ceremony will air live and exclusively on FOX8 today from 10am.
Netflix series When They See Us has scored 11 nominations, while HBO comedy Barry has nine. Others well represented this year include The Marvellous Mrs Maisel (seven noms), and Chernobyl, Fleabag and Killing Eve with six apiece.
As is the trend now for Hollywood award shows, the ceremony will be host-free, instead relying on a revolving door of presenters to keep the show moving along.
Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner present the award for Best Reality Series — which RuPaul's Drag Race wins. But the reality siblings suffer an embarrassing moment during their intro, when one hard-to-swallow sentence draws an unexpected laugh.
"Our family knows first-hand how truly compelling television comes from just being themselves," announces Kim Kardashian — and a roar of mocking laughter quickly erupts throughout the audience:
The #Emmys audience laughed at Kim and Kendall when they were talking about how reality shows are all about REAL people living their lives pic.twitter.com/C1OicoGVtK
Alex Borstein accepts the Supporting Actress, Comedy award for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel onstage during the 71st Emmy Awards. Photo / Getty Images
"I know a lot of people were upset last year because I wasn't wearing a bra — well this year I'm not wearing any underwear. So you're gonna wanna throw that seat out or clean it... a lot of sweaty, nervous women in here. It's like a bikram yoga class."
Brit Phoebe Waller-Bridge wins Most Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Fleabag. "It's reassuring to know that a dirty, pervy, messed-up woman can make it to the Emmys!" she says, joking that while writing is difficult, she does it all for the awards.
Harry Bradbeer picks up the award for Directing for a Comedy Series — also for Fleabag, thanking the show's creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge for coming into his life "like some glorious grenade."
Maya Rudolph and Ike Barinholtz really should've picked a different day for their Lasik. Photo / AP
Stars Maya Rudolph and Ike Barinholtz present the award for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series with a hilarious bit — they announce they both had laser eye surgery earlier today ("It was the only time they had available" sighs Rudolph) and wince as they try and fail to read the teleprompter. The award goes to Maya's fellow SNL alumni Bill Hader for Barry.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge reacts in the audience before appearing on stage to accept the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for Fleabag. Photo / AP
It's fair to say Best Lead Actress in a Comedy is a major upset — most assumed Julia Louis-Drefyuss had it in the bag for the final season of Veep, but instead it goes to a shocked Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag. "Nooooo! I can't believe it... no," she says as she takes the stage.
A GAME OF THRONES REUNION
The cast of Game of Thrones present the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series to Patricia Arquette for her role in The Act. Arquette uses her speech to pay tribute to her transgender sister Alexis, who died in 2016 aged 47.
It's a GoT reunion!
"I'm happy that at 50 I'm getting the best roles of my life... But I'm so sad, I lost my sister Alexis and that trans people are still being persecuted. I'm in mourning every day of my life... Trans people are human beings. Let's get rid of this bias that we have everywhere. Give them jobs."
Ben Whishaw wins Best Supporting Actor for his work in A Very English Scandal, admitting at the start of his speech: "I'm hungover. My agent took me out for drinks and I'm hungover."
A YAWN OF AN OPENER
Homer Simpson makes a surprise appearance 'live on stage' at the top of the show, a cartoon piano dropping on his head and leading to a skit with actor Anthony Anderson frantically looking for a replacement presenter.
Bryan Cranston walks onstage during the 71st Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater. Photo / Getty Images
Eventually, Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston takes to the stage for a largely earnest monologue about the power of television. It's definitely not going to go down as one of the Emmys' most memorable openers.
