As promised, host Nate Bargatze had a largely apolitical performance at the 2025 Emmy Awards on Sunday night.
That’s no small accomplishment in these stressful times, and there were occasions when the show touched on current affairs, such when Hannah Einbinder, star of Hacks, yelled at ICE in her acceptance speech.
However, several viewers were angered and perplexed by the show’s complete avoidance of the week’s top news item.

Emmys make no mention of Charlie Kirk assassination
Political analyst Charlie Kirk was shot and died last week while giving a speech at Utah Valley University, as you have undoubtedly heard by now.
The shooting has generated a great deal of discussion on social media and has grown to be one of the most significant and contentious events of the previous year.
While some viewers were incensed that they had expected nothing less, others were shocked that Kirk’s name had not been mentioned during the ceremony that evening.
“The Emmys made ZERO reference to Charlie Kirk who was assassinated,” one X user wrote, adding:
“Instead #Hacks actress Hannah Einbinder after her win: F**k ICE and Free Palestine. This is the Hollywood left.”
“Charlie Kirk was not mentioned once at the Emmy awards. George Floyd was mentioned numerous times in previous Emmy awards shows. Absolutely disgusting,” another tweeted.
“That #CharlieKirk tribute at the #Emmys was very touching. Very well done. What? You say I got that wrong? Couldn’t be! I mean, these bastions of tolerance, peace, love, and wokeness will do it at some point in the show, right? RIGHT?!?” a third quipped.
Conservative pundit Bethenny Mandel claimed that “more Americans watched or attended vigils for Charlie Kirk than watched the Emmys. By orders of magnitude,” but she did not offer any evidence to support that claim.
Although the 2024 Emmys were watched by about seven million people, ratings for yesterday night’s broadcast are not yet available.
According to TMZ, President Donald Trump shocked fans by choosing not to attend Kirk’s funeral service yesterday night at the Kennedy Center. Instead, he returned to the White House following a day of golfing in Bedminster, New Jersey.
After purportedly confessing to his crime to his father, Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah resident, was taken into custody and charged with Kirk’s murder.
According to insiders, Robinson is not assisting the authorities, and his family has not discussed his potential motivations with the public.