Sunday's virtual Emmy Awards set bar high with live telecast

glitch at virtual creative arts Emmy telecast was mir, but it may have provoked flashbacks for host of Sunday's more ambitious main TV awards ceremony.

Jimmy Kimmel, who will preside over 72nd prime-time Emmy Awards on ABC (8 p.m. EDT), was emcee of 2017 Oscars when Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway mistakenly anunced “La La Land” as best picture inste of winner “Moonlight.”

gaffe at Saturday's Emmys for technical and or hors caused less drama, given lack of on-st presenters and ater audience for FXX telecast hosted by Nicole Byer. Jason Bateman's name was anunced for an award won by Ron Cephas Jones of “This Is Us,” with correction me after a commercial break.

Jones was good-natured about issue when he fielded questions virtually afterward, focused inste on his second Emmy for NBC drama and more so on his offspring, actor-singer Jasmine Cephas Jones.

He expressed delight when learning that pair me Emmy history as first far and daughter to win in same year. Her short-form series acting trophy came earlier this week for Quibi’s “#FreeRayshawn.”

“My heart just explodes when I think about her and watch her and success that she’s h,” he said.

Bateman, who lost for a guest role on “ Outsider,” is competing Sunday for his role on “Ozark.”

HBO’s limited series “Watchmen” is leing minee, with its star and three-time Emmy winner Regina King up for hors. “Schitt’s Creek” and “ Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” are among comedy series contenders, with “Succession,” “Ozark” and “ Mandalorian” vying for drama series crown.

Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell (“ Morning Show”), and Carine O’Hara and Eugene Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”) are among those minated for acting trophies. “Euphoria” star Zendaya could become youngest winner in drama actress category at 24 (topping Jodie Comer, who was 26 when she won last year for “Killing Eve”).

producers of Sunday's brocast have said gaffes could occur. Kimmel will be on st at downtown LA's Staples Center, central command for camera feeds relayed from 130 minees socially distanced at home or elsewhere in 10 countries and 20 cities.

“Things aren’t going to work perfectly all time,” said Ian Stewart, producing ceremony with Reginald Hudlin. “ good thing about that is we’ve got Jimmy Kimmel, who loves live TV and loves chaos. I think he’s actually hoping things do go wrong, to tell you truth.”

Morgan Freeman, Lin-Manuel Miranda, D-Nice, Patrick Stewart and Oprah Winfrey are among those taking part in show, which also promises oddity of a live appearance by an alpaca named Isabella.

Or recent awards shows, including BET Awards and Acemy of Country Music Awards, bowed to coronavirus with a mix of pre-taped and live segments. How Emmys fare may influence Hollywood's awards season.

It’s difficult to imagine Emmy Awards more representative of ir time.

ceremony is live because of devastating COVID-19 pandemic. minees include a record number of Black actors and or artists at a moment of racial reckoning. And a dizzying array of TV platforms are jockeying for hors, including streaming services that weren’t around to compete in last Emmys.

creative Emmys that were handed over five days, culminating Saturday, underscore point: awards have been collected by 29 outlets representing cable channels, streaming services and brocast networks. So far, longtime leer HBO and rising Netflix are tied with 19 awards each, followed by Disney+ and NBC with eight hors apiece.

“ Mandalorian,” home of character dubbed “baby Yoda” by fans, earned bulk of Disney service's hors, seven to date. “Watchmen” has a matching number, with “ Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” leing among comedies with four awards.

(Im Credit: AP)