The best and worst moments at the 2024 Emmys

Before introducing Television Academy chair Chris Abrego, John Leguizamo did as John Leguizamo does, speaking candidly about representation in Hollywood and his own experience growing up watching white actors play Latin roles. Seeing him shout out the evening's Latinx nominees was particularly poignant.

"For years, I didn't complain about the limited roles my people were offered. The spicy sexpot, the Latin lover, the maid, the gangbanger. Turns out not complaining doesn't change anything," he said, prompting applause.

"So for the past few years, I've been complaining," Leguizamo said, before displaying his open letter to the Television Academy, which asked members to consider nominating talent of color, on the big screen.

Neither Zakhar Perez nor Moss-Bachrach seemed all too keen on the awkward skit they had to do before presenting the award for outstanding writing for a limited or anthology series or movie award to Richard Gadd of "Baby Reindeer."

Watching the two actors awkwardly banter with a conspicuously placed bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label in the background was painful. But it was made better by the two seemingly joking about it on stage.

"That was fun," Moss-Bachrach said.

"We should do it again sometime," Zakhar Perez replied.

Candice Bergen made a jab at JD Vance while presenting the award for best lead actress in a comedy series.

She reflected on an incident in which Dan Quayle — who was at the time the vice president of the US — criticized a plotline on her series "Murphy Brown," in which Bergen's character became a single mother.

"Oh, how far we've come," Bergen said. "Today, a Republican candidate for vice president would never attack a woman for having kids. So as they say, my work here is done. Meow."

"The Daily Show" won the award for outstanding talk series, and returned host Jon Stewart made sure to give his executive producer Jennifer Flanz recognition for her work.

"Miss Jen Flanz is our executive producer. Miss Jen Flanz has been there since 1998. Started out as a PA, has been executive producer for 15 years," Stewart said before pulling Flanz up to the microphone.

"You promised me I wouldn't have to," Flanz said, before stepping up to the mic. "I love our show, and I love the people we work with, and I love working in TV, so thanks. And I love Jon."

Shelley Duvall was left out of the in-memoriam segment at this year's Emmys.

Best known for her roles in films like "The Shining" and "Popeye," Duvall also had a television career. She was nominated for the Emmy award for outstanding animated program in 1992 for her series "Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories."

Duvall died in July at the age of 75.

Jean Smart of the show "Hacks" had a very funny gaffe while accepting the award for lead actress in a comedy series.

"And Casey, and Sarah, and everyone at HBO — Ma — no, HB — I'm sorry," Smart said, before dramatically sighing. "Just what we need, another network."

Point of clarity: "Hacks" is a Max original series, not an HBO original series. When the show premiered in 2021, the platform was called HBO Max. But HBO Max became Max in May 2023 under Warner Bros. Discovery, which added a whole lot of Discovery content to the platform.

All love to Smart, whose mistake — or intentional, very funny joke — was a great jab at one of the silly machinations of the streaming landscape.