Jimmy Kimmel interrupting Quinta Brunson’s moment following her Emmys win by continuing to lay on the floor as she gave her speech has not sat well with people on Twitter, who are calling the stunt a clear example of “white privilege.” Presenter Will Arnett had dragged the talk show host onto the stage as part of a skit during the televised ceremony before the winner for Best Writing in a Comedy Series was announced, which ended up going to Brunson.
But as the 32-year-old geared up to make her speech, Kimmel continued to comfortably lay on the floor, which somewhat diverted people’s attention from Brunson’s words because they were being distracted by Kimmel, who didn’t even react when the “Abbott Elementary” star said, “Jimmy, wake up, I won.”
Twitter made sure to let their opinions heard as “Jimmy Kimmel” began trending, with some people calling the awkward stunt a moment in which a host had epitomized “white male privilege.” One user took to the social media platform, writing, “If #QuintaBrunson stepping over #JimmyKimmel who literally laid in her spotlight on the day she won an Emmy isn’t a metaphor for what it means to be a WOC in a white mans world I don’t know what is,” while another added, “Me watching black twitter give Jimmy Kimmel the dragging he deserves. I love it.”
This led a third person to continue, “Jimmy Kimmel owes Quinta an apology but the messed up part is every image of her accepting her award has his ass in it. White men really are insufferable.”
But it didn’t end there — another Twitter user continued the conversation, expressing, “CAN SOMEONE TELL THE HUMAN PERSONIFICATION OF WHITE MALE PRIVILEGE THAT IS @jimmykimmel THAT HE IS NOT ENTITLED TO TAKE UP *ALL* THE SPACE—ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT SPACE BELONGS TO @quintabrunson WHO HAD TO LITERALLY NAVIGATE AROUND HIM TO ACCEPT HER HISTORIC #EMMY.”
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Brunson was later asked about being interrupted during her speech by Kimmel, though she says she wasn’t bothered by it because she considered the TV host to be a comedian himself. She addressed his antics by saying, “I know Jimmy Kimmel. The bit didn’t bother me. Honestly, Jimmy gave me my first big late-night spot. He was one of the first people to see ‘Abbott Elementary.’ He was the first person to message me on Instagram.”
“He was so excited it was going to be on ABC. I was happy it was Jimmy. He’s one of the comedy godfathers.”