The Emmys had to do things a bit differently last year. The pandemic was in full swing, vaccines were still a ways away, and everyone had to stay home, accepting awards in their basements while wearing jammies (or kimonos). The show was back to in-person this year, and right away things seemed….weird. Few could have expected, for instance, to ever see Rita Wilson rapping.
The show kicked off with a group musical number, in which they effectively reflected on how much television everyone watched in lockdown. Led by host Cedric the Entertainer and a dancer wearing a TV for a head, members of the crowd stood up to rap about loving their television sets over the beat to “Just a Friend,” the classic song by the late rapper Biz Markie. LL Cool J did a verse. So did Dave’s Lil Dicky. As did, improbably, for some reason, Rita Wilson.
I am not drunk enough for Rita Wilson rapping over Just A Friend !!! pic.twitter.com/Li7c5KRHao
— Carrie Courogen (@carriecourogen) September 20, 2021
It was an absurdly Mad Libs-y moment, and to some, it seemed like a bad omen.
Rita Wilson rapping . . . . . . . . the sun will swallow us tomorrow
— Carrie Wittmer 👻 (@carriesnotscary) September 20, 2021
In the Latin, “Jehovah” begins with a Rita Wilson rapping at the Emmys during a plague
— Richard Lawson (@rilaws) September 20, 2021
It left others scratching their heads.
RITA WILSON IS RAPPING AT THE EMMY AWARDS pic.twitter.com/WNkdWMBC1i
— Jorge Molina (@colormejorge) September 20, 2021
Some were worried that rap might not survive it.
https://twitter.com/BenjaminJS/status/1439742421475082243
A lot of people made jokes about Chet Hanks, her son, and an actual (well, kind of) rapper.
Rita Wilson just eclipsed son Chet Hanks' entire rap career in 10 earnestly awkward seconds.
— Mikey O'Connell (@mikeyoconnell) September 20, 2021
The mother (Rita Wilson) of Chet Hanks is a better rapper than him! 💀#Emmys pic.twitter.com/92lErosFCk
— Afua S. Owusu (@afuasowusu) September 20, 2021
https://twitter.com/laire/status/1439746514918772737
Rita Wilson's mixtape would still be better than Chet's.
— Hugh McIntyre (@PopBangHugh) September 20, 2021
There were assorted jokes.
Rita Wilson is my favorite hip hop artist.
— Guy Branum (@guybranum) September 20, 2021
https://twitter.com/giselleb1234/status/1439743053086998541
Now that is how you rock out to M.C. Rita Wilson. pic.twitter.com/605pjFvkf1
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) September 20, 2021
But Wilson actually rapped earlier, on the red carpet.
Rita Wilson rapping 👏 on 👏 the 👏 red 👏 carpet 👏. That's all. #Emmys pic.twitter.com/8zeRUYAT5o
— E! News (@enews) September 19, 2021
Alas, Rita Wilson rapping to Biz Markie wasn’t the only surreal at the Emmys.
https://twitter.com/carriesnotscary/status/1439748870792155142