Stephen Colbert got a big standing ovation at Sunday’s Emmy Awards after his Late Show—which CBS canceled earlier this year—won the prize for Outstanding Talk Series. The ceremony itself had very little political talk.

Key Points

  • Colbert first got a standing ovation when he came on stage to present the award for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. He joked about losing his show, asking the crowd, “While I have your attention, is anyone hiring?”

  • He also shared an old headshot with actor Harrison Ford and jokingly asked him to pass it on to Steven Spielberg.

  • Later, when The Late Show with Stephen Colbert won its first Emmy in the talk series category, Colbert and his whole team got another standing ovation. This was also the first time a network show won in this category since it started in 2015.

  • In his acceptance speech, Colbert thanked CBS and the “200 amazing professionals” who worked on the show. He said he hoped the late-night tradition would continue long after his show ends.

  • Colbert reflected that when he started the show in 2015, it was meant to be about “love,” but later became about “loss.”

  • He closed by saying: “I have never loved my country more desperately. God bless America. Stay strong, be brave.”

Were There Any Big Political Moments at the Emmys?

The show mostly stayed away from politics, but not completely. Hannah Einbinder, who won Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Hacks, ended her speech by saying: “F** ICE and free Palestine!”* Bryan Cranston, while presenting the talk show award, joked about “destructive woke degenerates like Tom Hanks,” making fun of former President Donald Trump’s recent comments about the actor.

On the red carpet, some stars showed political messages. Einbinder’s co-star Megan Stalter carried a handbag with a “Cease Fire!” sticker and wore an Artists4Ceasefire pin, supporting an end to the Gaza war. Actor Javier Bardem also wore the pin and told USA Today: “How many hundreds of thousands of dead children need to suffer for people to wake up?”

Neither the show nor the red carpet mentioned the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Who Were the Big 2025 Emmy Winners?

Netflix’s Adolescence and Apple TV’s The Studio were the top winners, taking home six and four awards. The Studio, starring Seth Rogen, won Best Comedy Series, Best Actor, Best Directing, and Best Writing.

The Pitt won Best Drama Series, and its star Noah Wyle won Best Actor in a Drama. Adolescence won Best Limited Series, and its 15-year-old British star Owen Cooper made history as the youngest-ever male Emmy acting winner when he won Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series.

Published: 15th September 2025

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