The 76th Emmy Awards ceremonies have officially come to a close, and as is tradition, the wrangling has begun over the TV stars left out of the “In Memoriam” tribute.
Technically the second Emmy this year was In Memoriam 2024. Due to the writers and actors strike, the Emmys 2023 didn’t air until January 2024. That meant the eligibility pool for the In Memoriam 2024 Emmys included all of the “notable” people in the TV world who died in the last nine months, including Shannen Doherty, James Earl Jones, Richard Simmons, Richard Lewis, Chance Perdomo, Carl Weathers, Gena Rowlands and Donald Sutherland.
There were some major omissions, though: “General Hospital” star Johnny Wactor, who was shot and killed in May at age 37; “The Shining” actress Shelley Duvall, who died in July at age 75 due to complications from diabetes; and Broadway legend Chita Rivera, who died in January at age 91.
Many people on social media became angry over his not being included in the tribute ceremony.
“well, @TelevisionAcad Shelley Duvall was omitted from their In Memoriam section. She may not have been known as a TV actress, but she was a prolific producer of children's programs and a pioneer in cable TV. Her contributions should be honored,” one The angry fan said on X, Formerly Twitter.
Another fan Condemned the boycott of Duvall as “incredibly outrageous and weird”.
Another critic wrote, “I fell asleep during the Emmy Awards ceremony last night but what the hell, I heard Chita Rivera and Shelley Duvall are not at In Memoriam, I'll be writing a strongly worded letter.”
Matthew Perry was also not included. The “Friends” actor was included in January's “In Memoriam” segment and, therefore, was not mentioned in tonight's ceremony. Still, fans were upset.
“Did I miss it or did the Emmys not show Matthew Perry????” the fan wroteWhereas Said another“How come the Emmys didn’t include Matthew Perry?!?!”
Another fan sarcastically said commented“I can't wait for all the angry tweets about how they forgot Matthew Perry, who was honored at In Memoriam last year #Emmys ceremony, back in January.”
“I believe music is therapeutic. I believe music brings peace of mind.”
“If you’re feeling lost or alone tonight I want to let you know that it’s okay to not always be okay.”
There were also several other individuals who dissenters on social media believed were ignored.
Treat Williams, who died in a motorcycle accident in June 2023 at age 71, was also one of the other most-discussed names — but, like Perry, Williams was also honored at the last Emmys in January.
“Did they really leave Treat Williams out of In Memoriam? He was literally nominated tonight!” The angry fan said, referring to how Williams earned a posthumous award for “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie” for his role in “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans.”
Jelly Roll took a break from touring to perform the song “I'm Not Okay” for “In Memoriam” – a decision made very thoughtfully by the TV Academy.
Executive producer Dion Harmon said, “He's literally taking a break from touring for a day and when his tour is over he'll go back on tour.” told Variety In an interview before the show he said, “So, we're very grateful to him. Jesse begged so much to get it!”
Music director Rickey Minor said: “I think his decision of which song to sing will affect everyone. I cry every time I hear it. Everybody at home make sure you have lots of tissues.”
However, the late actors mentioned in the tributes make up a long list of memorable and beloved television talents.
In January, the Emmys 2023 faced criticism for excluding Ryan O’Neal, Raquel Welch, Jerry Springer, Ray Stevenson (“Black Sails”), Lisa Loring (the original Wednesday Addams actress), “The Wire” star Al Brown and Julian Sands.
