ABC/Todd Wawrychuk(LOS ANGELES) — The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards air Sunday night on ABC — the first major awards show during the pandemic — and even though it’s being held virtually it’s not exactly making things easier for Executive Producers Reginald Hudlin and Ian Stewart. In fact, they say the biggest hurdle they face will be having so many live feeds coming in Sunday night.
“… we’re going to have 130 cameras all over the world,” Hudlin explains.
“It’s sort of like trying to watch a hundred and thirty sports matches at the same time,” Stewart adds.
Additionally, one of the tricky things they have to navigate is tone, given that so many people are facing tough challenges — whether it be the pandemic, the wild fires, or the fight for justice.
“The challenge and the opportunity to talk about those things, not in a preachy way, but honestly and hopefully not only just entertaining, but enlightening and inspiring, I think that’s what people want,” Hudlin says.
Despite the challenges, there is one person they believe has no qualms about Sunday and that’s the host of the Emmys, Jimmy Kimmel.
“The good thing about that is that we’ve got Jimmy Kimmel, who loves live TV and loves chaos. See, I think I think he’s actually hoping things do go wrong, to tell you the truth,” Stewart jokes.
All things aside, the duo believe that the Emmys could be fun for those participating, and watching, from home.
“I think it’s going to be great for the nominees and also great for the viewers, because every week or however you binge your shows, these folks come into our houses. And now we get to go to their house. We get to see what they’re doing,” Hudlin says.
The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards air Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. on ABC.
By Danielle Long and Jason Nathanson
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