Documentary icon Sheila Nevins — who holds the all-time record for most Emmy wins by an individual (31), thanks to her long run as president of HBO Documentary Films — had to skip Thursday night’s Television Academy Hall of Fame event, after being diagnosed with COVID and pneumonia.
Instead, Nevins sent her acceptance speech via video, and kicked off her thank-yous with a special shoutout: Dr. Anthony Fauci. “I’d like to thank a bunch of important people,” she said. “First and foremost, Dr. Fauci. Finally, I got tested, and lo and behold, they said — and they were right — ‘you’re lucky you got the vaccine because you’re going to be over this in five to eight days.’ And it’s true. This is the eighth day, and I’m testing negative. Thank you again, Dr. Fauci.”
Nevins was one of six honorees at the Hall of Fame this year, which also included late “60 Minutes” correspondent Ed Bradley, actor Ted Danson; “South Park” co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and “Hacks” star Jean Smart. The event took place at the JW Marriott L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles — where the TV Academy is set to kick off its annual Televerse conference on Friday.
After her Fauci reference, Nevins wasn’t done. She also had pointed things to say about several of her co-honorees: In the case of Smart, “it’s really quite astounding. Smart, funny, respect for age, beautiful, and most importantly, after so many seasons, able to earn the same amount of money that the men earn.”
In the case of Bradley: “I remember those days at ’60 Minutes’ when people could say what they want to say and do what they wanted to do,” she said. “So thank you, man. You were a great newsman, a great reporter.” She thanked “South Park” creators Parker and Stone “for allowing the oligarchy to be punched through animated characters who don’t seem to matter, when, in fact, they can really say Americans are getting fucked.”
In the case of late “60 Minutes” anchor Bradley, who died in 2006, his widow, Patricia Blanchet, accepted the award on his behalf. And toward the end of her speech, she acknowledged the troubling times at CBS News, where Bradley was based all those years on the newsmagazine.
“In these most troubling of times, when debates abound about what the very nature of the free press is — and when the viability of this most necessary of public services, such a fundamental pillar of our democracy, is at risk — I miss the special skills that Ed brought to the work,” Blanchet said. “The fierce dedication to uncompromising ethics and journalistic standards, the profound compassion and empathy for the voiceless, the deep humanity peppered with great intellect and curiosity, the decency and civility, the wit and grit.
“We could all benefit from his mastery now to come to grips with the daunting challenges we currently face as a nation, and indeed as a world,” she added. “Let us learn from and truly uphold Ed’s exceptional legacy. Let us heed Scott Pelley’s warning that CBS News is on fire, and indeed, so are so many of the institutions upon which we rely to uphold our democracy. Let us pick up Ed’s baton and speak truth to power. Let us walk his walk and better safeguard all that is at risk, that we hold so dear in our sacred democracy.”
As CBS News’ Leslie Stahl said in her opening tribute to Bradley, “Ed was that the man you saw on television was exactly the man I knew off camera, and he covered a story with compassion. It was because Ed cared so deeply about the powerless. If he covered a story that filled you with joy, it was because Ed himself was so funny and loved to laugh.”
For Parker and Stone, Thursday’s ceremony had a bit of serendipity: It was 29 years to the day that “South Park” premiered on Comedy Central — Aug. 13, 1997. Stone started by thanking his family, “because I’ve missed a few birthdays. And also we got the occasional fatwa and security situations.”
Stone noted that it’s really deadlines that drive “South Park.” He said: “Trey and I would never have gotten a single episode of television or episode of ‘South Park’ on television without a deadline. And that for me is what television is about. Something going on the air.”
Emmy winner Bill Hader, who had briefly worked on “South Park” (and received an Emmy for that time), gave the award to Parker and Stone — and began by telling the story of how the pitch for a “fish dick” storyline on the show came to be. (That anecdote is probably better to hear in person; see it here.) But Hader also wanted to set the record straight about his time on “South Park”: ‘People say ‘you wrote on the show!’ But, I didn’t. I got paid to laugh and watch all these writers and learn from them and how to tell a story. I would not have been able truly to run my own show without watching these guys. That’s where I learned everything.”
Accepting her honor, “Hacks” star Jean Smart pointed out that some of her favorite TV moments growing up were when special broadcasts would return for special annual events — like “Peter Pan” with Mary Martin, “The Wizard of Oz” and Charlie Brown specials.
“If you missed it, you missed it,” she said. “You had to wait until next year. But now, children can watch whatever they want, whenever they want, as many times as they want. I often wonder what that’s doing to us as a species, not having to ever wait for things, not having to wait for what we want. But that’s a discussion for another day!”
Smart was introduced by “Hacks” creators Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky. “Jean has proven time and time again that she can be funny, dramatic, sexy, vulnerable and strong,” Downs said. “And on ‘Hacks,’ she showed us she can do all of those things, oftentimes in one scene, and sometimes in a single moment.”
When it was Ted Danson’s return, he admitted he was a little shy about accepting the honor. “I have a little trouble with acknowledgment,” Danson said. “My mother, during the height of ‘Cheers,’ was asked what she thought of her son’s success, and she said, ‘Well, of course I’m happy for him, but I’ve always believed in the nobility of quiet failure.’ Seriously! So wish me luck.”
Danson also paid his respects to the late Jimmy Burrows, who was one of the creators of “Cheers” with Glen and Les Charles. “He was like my dad in show business,” Danson said. “He guided me, taught me what was funny. When he wasn’t around, the few times he wouldn’t direct and someone else was directing, I literally did not know how to play Sam Malone. Because it was all about making Jimmy laugh.”
Danson was presented the award by his wife, Mary Steenburgen, who added, “It’s a funny thing to be asked to introduce someone you’re married to. So many temptations. On the one hand, I know Ted Danson, as all of you do, as the charismatic actor whose career has spanned more than four decades. As the man who can make us laugh one minute and break our hearts with something so earnest the next. But I also know the man who has made me coffee every single morning for 31 years.”
For Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos, he noted that he appreciated the honor since he’ll probably never be in line for a regular Emmy: “I have never created, written, or directed a show, so I’m not going to win an Emmy for that. You saw me [as a guest star] on ‘The Studio.’ Clearly, I’m not going to win an Emmy for acting!”
Sarandos then made an impassioned support of television: “It is pretty remarkable that with every step of new technology, people still spend a remarkable amount of time watching television,” he said. “It’s incredibly stable, how much time people spend in front of that screen — whatever that screen they choose — and they are looking for those stories that are professionally made by creators with a capital ‘C.’ Because it taps into something deeply human, which is the desire to be told a great story. And television is the best way to tell great stories.”
Sarandos gave a shoutout to the producers who have worked on Netflix shows through the years, particularly the early ones like “Arrested Development” creator Mitch Hurwitz. After “Arrested,” Hurwitz was also behind what Sarandos called his favorite Netflix series of all time, “Lady Dynamite.”
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld presented the honor to Sarandos. “It’s so wonderful to be at the Academy of Television to induct Ted Sarandos of Netflix into the Hall of Fame. Even though at the same time, it’s hard for me to believe that I am not the one receiving this first,” he quipped.