On September 18th, the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards took place in Los Angeles. Among the nominees was Dame Maggie Smith, who played the Dowager Countess on Downton Abbey for six seasons.
At the start of the show, host Jimmy Kimmel made up a new rule for any winner who wasn’t present to receive his or her Emmy.
“If you don’t know, Maggie Smith, she’s been nominated for the Emmy nine times. She’s won the Emmy three times,” Kimmel told the audience.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
“How many times do you think she’s shown up here to get the Emmy? That’s right, no times.
“This year, she had a Sunday ceramics class that she couldn’t get out of.
“When Maggie Smith hears she’s nominated for an Emmy, she has the same reaction the rest of us have when we get those 20 percent off Bed Bath & Beyond coupons in the mail. Right in the garbage,” Kimmel joked.
“I have a message for you, Lame Maggie Smith, if you’re even bothering to watch. If you want an Emmy, you better hop on a plane right now and get over here.”
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How dare he.
Michael Weatherley and Minnie Driver announced Smith’s name as winner of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama, but Kimmel interrupted their “Maggie Smith couldn’t be here tonight…” explanation.
“No, no, no. We’re not mailing this to her,” Kimmel said as marched onstage.
“Maggie, if you want this, it will be in the lost and found.”
Smith wrote up a response to Kimmel’s demands, which Masterpiece Theater posted to their Twitter Account.
“I was very astonished and pleased to win the award. I feel the Emmys have been overly generous to me,” Smith wrote.
“If Mr. Kimmel could please direct me to the lost and found office I will try and be on the next flight.
“Love, Old Maggie.”
Dame #MaggieSmith graciously accepts her #Emmy award — @jimmykimmel, please advise on the location of the lost and found! #DowntonPBS pic.twitter.com/veQ6shRmxA
— Masterpiece PBS (@masterpiecepbs) September 19, 2016
Translation: “Give me that statue, you American tw*t.”
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