Jimmy Kimmel may have come under fire for his controversial prank during Quinta Brunson’s 2022 Emmys speech — but the “Abbott Elementary” star won’t let his antics “burden” her.
The actress, 32, poked fun at the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” the host’s decision to lie down next to the microphone as she took home her award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series on Monday.
“Tomorrow I might be mad at him,” she says joked to members of the press behind the scenes. “I’m going to his show on Wednesday, so maybe I’ll punch him in the face. I don’t know what’s happening.”
Brunson called Kimmel, 54, “one of the comic godfathers”, adding that she was “very happy” that he presented her award.
“Jimmy gave me my first big night spot and was one of the first people to see ‘Abbott,'” she explained. “He messaged me on Instagram that he saw this comedy and thought it was one of the best comedies of all time.”
Kimmel also spoke out, sticking to the story that he passed out drunk after losing an Emmy Award to John Oliver and having to be dragged onto the stage by Will Arnett.
“I had my eyes closed, I had no idea where I was,” the host jokingly told Entertainment Tonight. “It was one of the weirdest things that ever happened to me.”
While some social media users saw the humor in Kimmel’s piece, many found the “disrespectful” move.
“I know of no better example of invasive white male privilege than Jimmy Kimmel who was in the middle of Quinta Brunson’s #Emmys2022 speech. He had no business/right to take up space like he did,” one Twitter user wrote.
Another commented: “I’m tired of black women having to exercise graces, maneuver around roadblocks and share their spotlight for no reason.”
Others were upset that Brunson had to cut her speech short between playoff music.
“We can let Will Arnett drag Jimmy Kimmel on stage for 10 minutes, but Quinta Brunson can’t thank her husband?” a fan tweeted.
Brunson was nominated for two other Emmys and made history as the first black woman to be nominated three times in the comedy category.
The “A Black Lady Sketch Show” alum did not win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Comedy Series trophies.