Anthony Anderson may be hosting the Emmy Awards, but all eyes were on Christina Applegate and a few other big names—like Travis Barker and Mr. Rogers, to name a couple—instead.
The black-ish star took to the Emmys stage on Monday night, which had been transformed into Mister Anderson’s Neighborhood. In honor of it being the 75th Emmys, Anderson walked his audience down memory lane, singing the theme songs from Good Times and The Facts of Life.
“We’re going to commemorate the greatest shows of today while also paying tribute to the iconic series that mean so much to us,” Anderson began. “Now, I have learned a great deal about life from my mother. She taught me everything I know. But I also learned a lot afrom the TV shows I watched growing up,” the host continued, gabbing about his crush, Mrs. Garrett, from The Facts of Life.
Up next in TV history was Miami Vice. Anderson sunk a dig at star Philip Michael Thomas, who coined the term EGOT but “ain’t got one!” Following his roast, Anderson welcomed Barker to the stage to perform a smashing rendition of “In the Air Tonight.”
Anderson referenced his mom early on in his speech—which was an imperative detail, seeing she was seated in the live audience! Per Anderson, though, his mom wasn’t just there to watch. She was being put to work.
“Normally on awards shows, we do what’s called play off music, which everyone tends to ignore,” Anderson said. “This year, I’ve got something nobody can ignore: My mama. Tonight, my mama is going to be the Emmys play-off mama. When you see my mama coming, thank Jesus and your family—and wrap it up.”
With that, Anderson’s mom got to work. “Shut up!” she shouted up at her son on stage. “That’s enough. I want to go to the afterparty. Wrap it up.”
She’s perfect for the gig.
Anderson heeded his mother’s warning and called the first presenter to the stage. “Our first presenter made her television debut at the age of one,” Anderson said. “Think about it: While I grew up watching TV, she grew up on TV.”
As the Married With Children theme song played in the background, star Christina Applegate walked to the front of the stage, winning an applause and a standing ovation from the crowd.
“Some of you may know me as Kelly Bundy from Married With Children or Samantha from Samantha Who? or, probably my last job, as Jen Harding from Dead to Me,” Applegate began. A year and a half ago, the actress announced that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. “I’m going to cry more than I’ve already been crying,” Applegate continued, touched by the warmth from her TV peers.
Applegate showed off a photo of her in her very first role, Baby Burt Grizzell on Days of Our Lives. What a cutie! Although Applegate has already stolen the whole show, the 75th Emmys are still off to the races.
