The second night of the Creative Emmys this Sunday coincides with the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, which led to one of the most surreal Primetime Emmy Awards. Hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, the ceremony, originally scheduled for Sept. 16, was canceled twice — once in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy and once because of the start of the Afghanistan war. It finally took place on November 4. Given the somber the mood of the country, it was a thankless hosting gig for DeGeneres, but she earned praise for the deft job, receiving several standing ovations during her understated opening that featured a couple of great zingers, including this inside-Hollywood one-liner that went viral,”What would upset the Taliban more than a gay woman wearing a suit in front of a room full of Jews?”
Above is a look back at DeGeneres’ opening monologue at the 2001 Emmys with an intro by Walter Cronkite (starts 20 seconds in).
