Did Thomas Lennon’s Commentary Make up for a Hostless 2019 Emmys? (POLL)

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The 2019 Emmys went hostless — if you asked Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, it was a mistake (“hosting is the only thing we know how to do”) — but the awards did include something new: off-camera commentary from actor and comedian Thomas Lennon.

As each Emmy winner walked up, rather than hear about the number of past wins and nominations, Lennon provided the audience at home with jokes, commentary, and fun anecdotes.

Here, we’ve collected some of Lennon’s best one-liners of the night, so check them out then vote in the poll below.

After Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) won Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series:

“Stack Tony Shalhoub’s Emmy statues, and you get 62 inches, the height of the incomparable Ms. Rita Moreno.”

After Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) won for Writing for a Comedy Series:

“Can I take you to the Phoebe Waller-Bridge? With this win she replaces the Albert Bridge as England’s most popular bridge.”

After Bill Hader (Barry) won for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:

“Third win, 20th nomination for Bill Hader. If he won all of his Emmy statues would be 25 feet long, the length of Roy Scheider’s monster in Jaws.”

After Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) won for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:

“Big win for Phoebe Waller-Bridge, but to compete with Julia’s numbers, Phoebe Waller-Bridge will have to live until the 171st Emmys, which will be held on our terraform sister planet of Mars and shown here on Fox.”

(Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

After RuPaul’s Drag Race won for Competition Program:

“Twenty-nine nominations for RuPaul’s Drag Race. I can see a day when these shows aren’t competing, but partners, taking fierce drag ninjas and making them walk across the desert and sing for food, precious, precious human food.”

Taking a dig at Emmy winner Felicity Huffman:

“The producers have asked me to give a shout-out to any of our previous lead actress winners who are watching tonight from prison. Hopefully those two weeks are going to fly right by.”

After Patricia Arquette (The Act) won for Supporting Actress in a Limited Series:

“With this win, it is official. Patricia Arquette goes to the Emmy stage more than she goes to Trader Joe’s.”

After Johan Renck (Chernobyl) won for Directing in Limited Series or Movie:

Chernobyl was filmed in Studio City, Calif in front of a live audience. A win for Johann is a win for Sweden, so spicy licorice for everyone.”

After Ben Whishaw (A Very English Scandal) won for Supporting Actor in a Limited Series:

“Ben Whishaw’s name is onomatopoeia for when a handsome British person passes you on a bicycle.”

After Last Week Tonight won for Writing for a Variety Series:

“Fourth Emmy win, fifth nomination for John Oliver, finally bringing some prestige to the underdog network, Home Box Office.”

After Saturday Night Live won for Variety Sketch Series:
“With 260 nominations, SNL has more than any other program in Emmy history. This is the show’s third consecutive win in this category. There’s going to be a ton of people coming up on stage, of which you’ll recognize four or six.”

After Jesse Armstrong (Succession) won for Writing for a Drama Series:

“Succession is loosely based on the Murdoch family, the same Murdoch family that has ordered me to sit here at this microphone and tell jokes. It’s a real pleasure, an absolute pleasure, and I want to think them every day of my life and I hope my family’s okay.”

After Billy Porter (Pose) won for Lead Actor in a Drama Series:

“Apologies to whoever is sitting right behind him to the left.”

After Jason Bateman (Ozark) won for Directing for a Drama Series:

“First win, seventh nomination for Jason Bateman, who still wears the size slacks as when he appeared on Little House on the Prairie. A fourth degree yoga master, he can sleep folded up in a carry-on suitcase.” ”