Even with restrictions, not to mention playing to an empty room, Jimmy Kimmel proved to be as consistently engaging a host on the big stage as he is on the set of his late-night talk show (or during his annual appearances at Disney/ABC's Upfront presentation.) The Emmys famously went without a host during last year’s telecast, which I recall being tedious throughout, prompting Kimmel to quip, “This is the year they decide to have a host?” He played with equal ease and impact off a wall of screens featuring more than 100 feeds, mostly showing nominated talent at various locations looking relaxed and happy not to have gotten all dressed up to simply sit down; a cavernous Staples Center full of empty seats (except for a few that held cardboard celebrities and, briefly, one with the real Jason Bateman), and the occasional socially distanced star on stage.
So that was all good, but, it has to be said, it was beyond thoughtless for a live show emanating from Los Angeles to feature an extended (and not at all funny) bit about a fire (that actually flared a bit out of control, or so it seemed) while so much of the West Coast is burning and tens of thousands of people are coping with the horror of that, from loss of homes to loss of life. I can’t believe that Kimmel went along with it, nor his bit partner Jennifer Aniston. Further, the inclusion of silly pandemic jokes throughout -- on the very weekend when the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 surpassed 200,000 -- were insensitive and inexplicable.