Sure, it was her third win for Hacks, and her sixth Emmy overall, but Jean Smart is so beloved in Hollywood the full Peacock Theater stood for her as she walked to the stage anyway. And, of course, she didn't disappoint, riffing, "I'm so humbled, and I appreciate this, because I just don't get enough attention" to laughter from the crowd. After mixing up HBO and Max, she muttered, "Just what we need, another network." One of the best lines of the night from one of the best of all time.

In an election season that has seen house pets take on bizarre significance, the 2024 Emmys had its share of them too. Early on, Selena Gomez joked that her Only Murders in the Building co-stars Martin Short and Steve Martin were practically "childless cat ladies," nodding to GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance's generalizations about the Democratic party's base. Later, accepting the award for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series for Last Week Tonight, host John Oliver hilariously botched his son Hudson's name as "Husband" ("That's going to come back to haunt me," he noted) before choking up while thanking his "silly" and recently deceased family dog as orchestral music swelled to play him and his team off the stage. "Perfect choice of music," Oliver quipped, adding, "I feel like Sarah McLachlan right now." He then shouted "Fuck you! There you go," and soldiered on regardless of the cue: "She was an amazing dog, and this isn't just for her. It's for all dogs! All dogs. You're very good girls, very good boys. You all deserve a treat." Finally, he told the producers, "Play me off now!" The room audibly appreciated his passion for the pooch.