The Emmys opening with a video filled with cameos is as dependable as a politics-heavy award acceptance speech. Last year, we saw Jimmy Kimmel on the “road to the Emmys” while running into dozens of television personalities, and this year, Stephen Colbert did his best to one-up his late-night competition by getting meta with his role as the host of the 2017 Emmys.
After speaking to the star and non-star of ABC’s Black-ish, Colbert burst out into a rousing number that addressed the dark undertones of the world that are easily forgotten by binging television. The song brought up war, politics, muscles atrophying after sitting on the couch for too long and brought the house down with a chorus line of handmaids. Even Chance the Rapper showed up for a verse. Its implications were pretty grim for an opening song and dance number, but collection of TV’s best seemed to enjoy it, though.
It was a performance worthy of Colbert’s talents, and it’s a good example of why he’s taken over in ratings while Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show has been bleeding viewers. Colbert is willing to meet the tough questions head-on, he just coats the bitter pill in a sugary smile and some jazz hands.
