Why Did Jimmy Kimmel Play Dead For Quinta Brunson’s Speech?

The 2022 Emmys weren’t anywhere near as chaotic as the 2022 Academy Awards, apart from some awkward moments where the DJ tried to play off winners mid-speech. And then there was this: Jimmy Kimmel did a comedy bit that backfired spectacularly. The late night host pretended to be dead while Quinta Brunson accepted an award for Abbott Elementary. But why on earth would he do that?

Earlier in the ceremony, Kimmel’s show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, lost for Best Variety Talk Series to Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. No biggie. But Kimmel decided to pretend he was more upset than he was, as a joke. He claimed he had been knocking back skinny margaritas, so by the time he and Will Arnett were presenting the award that would go to Brunson, he was pass-out drunk.

Problem is, he kept the bit going while Brunson stood over him, accepting the award. Arnett even had to drag Kimmel off the stage.

The whole thing did not go over well, with Kimmel roasted on social media and even scolded by Abbott Elementary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph. As it happened, Brunson was scheduled to be on Kimmel a mere two days later, during which he apologized.

“I’m sorry I did do that, actually,” Kimmel told Brunson on-air. “And also, the last thing I would ever want to do was upset you because I think so much of you. And I think you know that — I hope you know that.”

Brunson accepted Kimmel’s apology, saying, “It is very kind of you to say that.” Then Kimmel jokingly blamed it on Arnett, to which Brunson said, “Screw Bojack Horseman.”