37 Emmy Awards Jokes: The 2018 “Mrs. Maisel’s Stand-up, The Throne’s Return & The Proposal” Edition

In 2018, the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards felt like a mix of a comedy club and a royal homecoming. It was the year The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel made history by sweeping the comedy categories in its first season, Game of Thrones returned to reclaim its crown after a year off, and a surprise marriage proposal on stage made every other acceptance speech look lazy.

The 2018 Emmy Red Carpet Top 10: “Pink Dresses, Dragon Fire & A Diamond Ring”

1. The Mrs. Maisel Sweep: Why did it win Best Comedy? For proving that a 1950s housewife telling jokes is more revolutionary than anything happening in 2018 politics.
2. The Game of Thrones Comeback: Why did it win Best Drama again? Because even after a year-long break, the Academy still loves a show where the primary solution to any problem is a dragon.
3. The Surprise Proposal: Why was Glenn Weiss the talk of the night? Because he won an Emmy for directing the Oscars and used his speech to propose to his girlfriend, officially setting the bar for “anniversary expectations” impossibly high for every man in the room.
4. The Netflix vs. HBO Tie: Why was it a draw? For the first time in 17 years, HBO shared the nomination lead with Netflix, proving that “The Crown” and “The Throne” can actually live in the same neighborhood.
5. The Bill Hader Breakthrough: Why did he win for Barry? For proving that a hitman trying to become an actor is the most accurate depiction of a career change ever put on screen.
6. The Rachel Brosnahan Coronation: Why did she win Best Actress? For delivering 500 words per minute and making every other nominee feel like they were stuck in slow motion.
7. The Henry Winkler Moment: Why did he win his first-ever Emmy 42 years after “The Fonz”? To prove that being “cool” is a long-term investment that finally pays off in gold.
8. The RuPaul Streak: Why did he win for the third time? Because in 2018, the only thing more certain than death and taxes was RuPaul telling someone to “Sashay Away.”
9. The Colin Jost & Michael Che Hosting: Why the mixed reviews? Because they brought Weekend Update energy to a three-hour show, making everyone wonder if the Emmys were just an SNL sketch that wouldn’t end.
10. The Sandra Oh History: Why the buzz? For being the first woman of Asian descent nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Drama, proving that “Killing Eve” was just the beginning of her dominance.

The Full 2018 Emmy Jokes Archive

11. Worst Dressed (The 2018 “Cloud” Trend): Why so much tulle? Because half the actresses looked like they were being swallowed by very expensive, very pink cotton candy.
12. Outstanding Comedy: Why The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel? Because Amazon finally found a way to make us pay for Prime and feel sophisticated while doing it.
13. Outstanding Drama: Why Game of Thrones? Because you don’t bet against the show that has a higher body count than the entire history of network TV.
14. Outstanding Lead Actor (Comedy): Why Bill Hader? Because Barry Berkman is the only person in LA who is more stressed about an acting class than a contract killing.
15. Outstanding Lead Actress (Comedy): Why Rachel Brosnahan? For proving that Midge Maisel’s “brisk” pace is the only way to survive the 1950s.
16. Outstanding Lead Actor (Drama): Why Matthew Rhys? For the final season of The Americans, proving that being a Russian spy in the suburbs is the ultimate long game.
17. Outstanding Lead Actress (Drama): Why Claire Foy? For The Crown, proving that playing the Queen is the fastest way to get a trophy before you’re replaced by an older version of yourself.
18. The Alex Borstein Win: Why did “Susie” win? For a speech where she told women to “stop peeing in the bushes,” which was the most practical advice given at the Emmys in decades.
19. The Peter Dinklage Record: Why his third win? For proving that Tyrion Lannister can survive a bad script, a war, and a giant dragon while still being the smartest man in the room.
20. The Thandie Newton Victory: Why for Westworld? For playing a robot who became more human than the people who built her—and for looking better in a robot lab than most people do at a gala.
21. The Jeff Daniels Repeat: Why for Godless? For proving that if you put him in a Western with a horse and a gun, he’s still the most dangerous man on the ballot.
22. The Merritt Wever “Actually” Speech: Why did she win again? For Godless, and for actually finishing her speech this time instead of running away like she did in 2013.
23. The Assassination of Gianni Versace: Why the sweep? Because Darren Criss played a sociopath so well that everyone in the room checked their locks when he won.
24. The John Oliver Dominance: Why did Last Week Tonight win again? Because he’s the only person who can make a 20-minute segment on “pensions” actually funny.
25. The SNL Diversity Joke: Why the mockery? For a year where the show made fun of its own lack of diversity while simultaneously winning every award available.
26. The Black Mirror “USS Callister”: Why did it win? For making us all terrified of our coworkers’ secret digital simulations of us.
27. The Queer Eye Reboot Buzz: Why the love? For proving that five guys and a French tuck can fix anything, including our emotional trauma.
28. The Atlanta “Teddy Perkins” Moment: Why was the room confused? Because Lakeith Stanfield showed up in full prosthetic makeup as a creepy shut-in, making everyone forget there was an awards ceremony happening.
29. The Handmaid’s Tale Snub: Why did it lose the big ones? Because the Academy decided that 2018 was depressing enough without giving more awards to a show about Gileadean misery.
30. The Betty White Standing Ovation: Why the tears? Because at 96, she was still the funniest, sharpest, and most beloved person in the building.
31. The Rick and Morty Win: Why Best Animated Program? For proving that a drunk scientist and his grandson are the most intellectual thing on television.
32. The 30-Second Rule: Why the loud music? Because Michael Che and Colin Jost had several more “political” jokes that the producers were desperate to stop.
33. The This Is Us Crying Game: Why no big acting wins? Because the voters finally ran out of tissues and decided to vote for comedies instead.
34. The Glow Snub: Why no trophies for the wrestlers? Because the Academy still doesn’t realize that 80s spandex and hairspray are the peak of dramatic art.
35. The Silicon Valley Finale Prep: Why the jokes? For a show that proved that “Pied Piper” would fail more times than a budget hearing.
36. The Roseanne Cancellation Joke: Why? For the show that was the biggest hit of the year for exactly three weeks before a tweet ended the entire franchise.
37. The 2018 Final Emmy Vibe: Why the “Celebration of Longevity”? Because between Betty White, Henry Winkler, and the return of the Iron Throne, it was a night for the legends to show the newcomers how it’s done.