Emmy nominee profile: Jerrod Carmichael (‘Saturday Night Live’) could be first openly gay Black comedy acting champ
In the seven-decade history of the Primetime Emmys, the only openly gay Black man to win an acting award has been “Pose” star Billy Porter (Best Drama Actor, 2019). Until this year, the only such comedic nominee was four-time supporting contender Tituss Burgess (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), but he has now been joined by Best Comedy Guest Actor hopeful Jerrod Carmichael. Carmichael earned this recognition for hosting “Saturday Night Live” just one day after the release of “Rothaniel,” the stand-up special in which he officially came out. Since he is also nominated for penning the special, he is in the momentous position of possibly becoming the first openly gay Black male Emmy winner for writing or comedic acting, or both.
Carmichael’s first “Saturday Night Live” hosting gig took place on April 2, 2022, toward the end of the sketch show’s 47th season. During his six-minute opening monologue, he focused on such topics as being a gay New Yorker and the Will Smith–Chris Rock encounter at the 94th Oscars (which he helped lampoon later in the episode). The sketch characters he then played included a foggy-brained game show contestant, a tactless mortician and an imperceptive toy inventor.
SEE 2022 Emmy nominations: Complete list of contenders for 74th Primetime Emmys
Over the last decade, Carmichael has released three HBO comedy specials (the first two being “Love at the Store” and “8”), directed his first feature film (“On the Count of Three”), and created and starred on the semi-autobiographical NBC sitcom “The Carmichael Show.” If he triumphs in this guest category, the 35-year-old will be the third youngest man to do so after Justin Timberlake (age 28 and 30, “Saturday Night Live,” 2009 and 2011) and Bobby Cannavale (age 35, “Will & Grace,” 2005). He would also be the fifth “SNL” host to take the prize, following Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon (2012 and 2014), Dave Chappelle (2017 and 2021) and Eddie Murphy (2020).
Triumphing immediately after Murphy and Chappelle would make Carmichael this category’s third consecutive Black victor as well as the second youngest Black man to ever win an Emmy for comedic acting, after 33-year-old “Atlanta” lead Donald Glover (2017). Rounding out the current list of Black male comedy champs are supporting-to-lead category jumper Robert Guillaume (“Soap,” 1979 and “Benson,” 1985) and guests Roscoe Lee Browne (“The Cosby Show,” 1986), Cleavon Little (“Dear John,” 1989) and Katt Williams (“Atlanta,” 2018).
Carmichael’s acting challengers are fellow Emmy newcomers James Lance (“Ted Lasso”), Christopher McDonald (“Hacks”) and Sam Richardson (“Ted Lasso”), plus past nominees Bill Hader (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and Nathan Lane (“Only Murders in the Building”). Lane’s five previous bids in this category came for his appearances on “Frasier” (1995), “Mad About You” (1998) and “Modern Family” (2011, 2013, 2014). Hader, a former “SNL” cast member, was recognized here in 2015 and 2018 for serving as the show’s emcee. He is also contending in four other races this year as a director, writer, producer and star of “Barry,” the series that brought him Best Comedy Actor wins in 2018 and 2019.
This article is a part of Gold Derby’s “Emmy nominee profile” series spotlighting the 2022 acting contenders.
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