From left: “Master of None’s” Aziz Ansari with his Emmy, which he shared with Lena Waithe, for writing for a comedy series; “The Night Of’s” Riz Ahmed, with his Emmy for lead actor in a limited series or movie.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times; Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images)
Two Muslim men, on prime-time television, clutching shiny metal objects close to their black garments amid an unsuspecting crowd.
No, this wasn’t an episode of “Homeland” or a dozen other television dramas in which any metal object held by men of similar description would invariably be a weapon.
It was the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, where actor Riz Ahmed and actor-writer Aziz Ansari won two top categories for shows that exploded stereotypes and made history in front of an audience too dazzled by all the other history-breaking moments that evening to notice.
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There were so many firsts in L.A.’s Microsoft Theater on Sunday night that the oversight was understandable. The evening’s swag bags should have included tally sheets to keep track of the multiple barriers being broken.
Donald Glover, creator of FX’s “Atlanta,” became the first African American comedy director to be so honored; “Master of None’s” Lena Waithe the first black woman to win the prize for writing on a comedy series. Streaming service Hulu broke network and cable TV’s monopoly on the top Emmy, outstanding drama series, when it won for “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
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Presenter Oprah Winfrey and Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss of “The Handmaid’s Tale” after the show won the Emmy for drama series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Elizabeth Moss receives her Emmy for lead actress in a drama series (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) from Tatiana Maslany and Jeffrey D. Morgan.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Elisabeth Moss hugs co-star Joseph Fiennes along with the cast of “The Handmaid’s Tale” after they won the drama series award during the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Bruce Miller and the cast congratulates Elisabeth Moss of “The Handmaid’s Tale” after they won drama series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Cast and crew of “Veep” accept the comedy series award onstage.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Nicole Kidman reacts to “Big Little Lies” winning the limited series Emmy.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Nicole Kidman accepts the award for lead actress in a limited series or a movie for “Big Little Lies.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Reese Witherspoon, center, accepts for “Big Little Lies” afer winning the Emmy fpr limited series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Nicole Kidman with the Emmy for lead actress in a limited series or movie for “Big Little Lies.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Sterling K. Brown accepting his Emmy for lead actor in a drama series for “This Is Us.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Alec Baldwin accepts his Emmy for supporting actor in a comedy series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Host Stephen Colbert being carried offstage in a scripted performance.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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A tender moment on stage is shared between actors Anna Faris and Allison Janney, the stars of TV comedy series “Mom.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Anika Noni Rose and Cecily Tyson present the Emmy for limited series or movie.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Charlie Brooker accepts the award for outstanding television movie for “Black Mirror: San Junipero.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Charlie Brooker and “Black Mirror: San Junipero” win for television movie.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Riz Ahmed wins for lead actor in a limited series or movie for “The Night Of.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Norman Lear and Carol Burnett present comedy series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns to the stage with Norman Lear and Carol Burnett after her show “Veep” wins for comedy series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus wins lead actress in a comedy series for “Veep.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus wins lead actress in a comedy series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer appears onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Chris Hardwick presents Julia Louis-Dreyfus her Emmy as she wins lead actress in a comedy series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus and her husband Brad Hall react in the audience.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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LOS ANGELES, CA., ††September 17, 2017: Sterling K. Brown accepting his Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series†during the show at the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater†in Los Angeles, CA., Sunday, September 17, 2017. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Oprah Winfrey speaks onstage before presenting the award for drama series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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A tender moment between actors Anna Faris and Allison Janney, the stars of TV comedy series “Mom.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Actresses Anika Noni Rose, left, and Cicely Tyson present the award for limited series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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John Oliver of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” accept the award for variety talk series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Actors Jessica Biel and Joseph Fiennes onstage.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Executive producer David Mandel and the cast and crew of “Veep” accept the award for comedy series for “Veep.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Reed Morano accepts her award after winning the Emmy for directing for a drama series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Jean-Marc Vallée accepts his Emmy for directing in a limited series or movie (“Big Little Lies”).
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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“Ghosted” actors Craig Robinson, left, and Adam Scott present the award for directing for a variety series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Christopher Jackson sings as a picture of Adam West appears on-screen during an in memoriam tribute at the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press)
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“Big Bang Theory” actor Jim Parsons and “Young Sheldon” actor Iain Armitage during the show.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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“Star Trek: Discovery’s” Sonequa Martin-Green and “Entourage” actor Jeremy Piven during the show.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Writers Aziz Ansari and Lena Waithe accept the writing in a comedy series award for “Master of None.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Seth MacFarlane and Emmy Rossum onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Actress Viola Davis
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Kaitlin Olsen and Tracee Ellis Ross onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)
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Kate McKinnon accepts her Emmy for supporting actress in a comedy series Sunday during the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Christopher Jackson performs during the in-memoriam section of the 2017 Emmys.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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The cast and crew of “The Voice” wins the Emmy for reality competition program.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Laura Dern accepts her Emmy for supporting actress in a limited series or movie during the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Television Academy President Hayma Washington onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Donald Glover accepts the award for directing a comedy series for the “Atlanta” episode “B.A.N.” at the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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LOS ANGELES, CA., September 17, 2017: Ann Dowd accepts the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for ‘The Handmaids Tale’ during the show at the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA., Sunday, September 17, 2017. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Seth Meyers, left, and James Corden speak onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)
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Singer Jon Batiste performs onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman in the audience at the 69th Emmy Awards.
(John Salangsang / Invision for the Television Acad)
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Rachel Bloom performs onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards, introducing the accountants.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Ernst & Young representatives appear onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Alexander Skarsgard accepts for supporting actor in a limited series or movie for “Big Little Lies” with Dolly Parton, left, and Lily Tomlin during the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Director Jean-Marc Vallée accepts the directing for a limited series, movie or dramatic special award for “Big Little Lies” onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Lorne Michaels and the cast of “SNL” accept the award for outstanding variety sketch series for “Saturday Night Live” at the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press)
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Dave Chappelle and Melissa McCarthy speak onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
(Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)
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The band Stay Human performs during the show at the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Host Stephen Colbert doing his monologue during the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Host Stephen Colbert is led offstage by costumed individuals recalling characters from HBO’s “Westworld.”
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Actors Issa Rae of “Insecure” and Riz Ahmed of “The Night Of” speak onstage.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Actors Gina Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin”) and Shemar Moore (“Criminal Minds”) speak onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Host Stephen Colbert speaks at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
(Chris Pizzello / Invision/Associated Press)
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Actor Laura Dern, left, reacts when her name is read as the winner of the Emmy for supporting actress in a limited series or movie for “Big Little Lies.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Laura Dern accepts supporting actress in a limited series or movie for “Big Little Lies.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Host Stephen Colbert dances onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Actors Shailene Woodley, left, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern and Zoe Kravitz of “Big Litle Lies” speak onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
(Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)
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John Lithgow accepts his Emmy for supporting actor in a drama series for “The Crown.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Host Stephen Colbert performs onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards.
And it was certainly the first time a former White House press secretary appeared onstage riding a motorized lectern. Sean Spicer: trailblazer.
Indeed,the ceremony and list of nominees was the most diverse in history, said host Stephen Colbert, congratulating the Television Academy and the Emmys. The crowd applauded. “That’s impressive,” he added. “I did not know you could applaud while patting yourself on the back at the same time.”
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The applause, however, wasn’t all in the service of self-congratulations. There was plenty of genuine excitement over the nominations as quantifiable proof that the industry and the academy were finally stepping into the 21st century. Perhaps the success of new shows like “Insecure” and “This Is Us” had sent a message: Viewers wanted to see more people like themselves on TV, and not all of America looks like Ryan Seacrest.
Many of this year’s nominees, and winners, could be seen as progressive Hollywood pushing back against the new president and his policies, which many in the entertainment industry consider hostile toward women, minorities, immigrants and the LGBTQ community.
If the Emmy wins were meant to send a message, then perhaps the most pointed, and poignant, was the sight of Ahmed and Ansari winning awards for shows that demystified the scary “Islamist” talked about so often on the Trump campaign trail.
Riz Ahmed in a scene from HBO’s “The Night Of.”
(Craig Blankenhorn / Associated Press)
Ahmed won lead actor in a limited series for his role as Nasir Khan on HBO’s “The Night Of,” making him the first Muslim, and the first Asian, to win a lead acting Emmy (before Ahmed, the only other person of Asian descent to win an acting Emmy was Archie Panjabi in 2010 for her supporting role in “The Good Wife”)
The eight-part cable drama followed Muslim college student Nasir through the legal system, and later prison, after he was accused of brutally murdering a well-to-do white woman on Manhattan’s tony Upper West side.
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Nasir, the son of Pakistani immigrants who settled in Queens, was an immediate suspect. But was he really guilty? Written by Steven Zaillian, “The Night Of” made viewers question their own preconceptions about race, religion and the justice system while trying to get to the bottom of the case.
That Nasir and his family were presented as multi-dimensional people living in an equally complex community was a breakthrough in the portrayal of Muslims on series television, arriving before Donald Trump took office and announced his first major presidential action: the travel ban. Targeting citizens of eight Muslim-majority countries, it was eventually halted.
Ansari shared top honors with Waithe for writing on “Master of None,” the Netflix series in which he also stars. When they took the stage, he ceded the mike (for the second time in two years) to his writing partner, and Hollywood celebrated the breaking of a race barrier in the category.
But Ansari, who also won last year, was also a first in the category, and he’s responsible for offering up what no other TV series ever has: the casual Muslim.
“Master of None” chronicles the not-so-remarkable life of Dev (played by Ansari), a thirtysomething, low-level actor fumbling his way into adulthood. That means devoting entire episodes to his use of dating apps, his obsession with Italian food and the dashed expectations his immigrant parents had for their son (if only he’d been a doctor).
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Dev Shah is Muslim, but he is not angry, obsessive, regretful or oppressed. And he’s not armed with an Uzi. He’s a mostly nice, occasionally irritating guy armed with a cellphone he checks obsessively. He drinks at bars with his friends, has the occasional one-night stand and attends masjid only on holidays. He has been known to eat pork.
How can he be a Muslim, then? Simple. The same way others who choose to follow some practices of their faith and not others (much to the chagrin of their devout parents) still identify as Christians or Jews or Hindus.
And some Muslims also identify as actors, and wind up at the Emmys. “It’s always strange reaping the rewards of a story that’s based on real-world suffering,” the British Ahmed said as he accepted his award. “But if this show has shone a light on some of the prejudice in our society, [such as] Islamophobia, some of the injustice in our justice system, maybe that’s something.”
And even among all the history-making bombshells of the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, it really was.
Lorraine Ali is news and culture critic of the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she was television critic for The Times covering media, breaking news and the onslaught of content across streaming, cable and network TV. Ali is an award-winning journalist and Los Angeles native who has written in publications ranging from the New York Times to Rolling Stone and GQ. She was formerly senior writer for The Times’ Calendar section where she covered entertainment, culture, and American Arab and Muslim issues. Ali started at The Times in 2011 as music editor after leaving her post as a senior writer and music critic at Newsweek Magazine.
