On Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 6-7), the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences held their 75th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards after a monthslong delay due to the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes. In the midst of the weekend’s big winners was JAY-Z, who, alongside Hamish Hamilton, scored an Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special trophy for his role in Rihanna’s Super Bowl LVII halftime show. The win marks the billionaire Hip Hop mogul’s third Emmy overall — he previously scored the Outstanding Music Composition/Direction/Lyrics and Outstanding Variety Special (Live) awards in 2011 and 2022, respectively.
Another winner from the event was former President Barack Obama, who scored an Outstanding Narrator award for the four-part Netflix documentary series “Working: What We Do All Day.” In addition to serving as a producer via his and wife Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, the 44th U.S. head of state nabbed his victory thanks to the show’s second episode, “The Middle.” In related news, Michelle and Oprah Winfrey’s The Light We Carry special was nominated for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special.
In the Outstanding Host for a Game Show category, Keke Palmer won a Creative Arts Emmy for “Password,” a long-running series that was revived in 2022. The achievement marks the first time that a woman has won said award since Meredith Vieira did for “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” Palmer is also the first Black woman to be nominated or win the category, beating out hosts for “Jeopardy!,” “Family Feud” and “Wheel of Fortune.”
“Couldn’t do it without you, [Jimmy Fallon]!” Palmer wrote to the show’s executive producer and “The Tonight Show” frontman in an Instagram post. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a classic game show such as ‘Password.’ It’s a true honor, I won! I’m excited, BOOTS!”