Emmys In Memoriam Bookended By O'Hara And Reiner Tributes — SkimNews
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- Catherine O'Hara and Rob Reiner were honored at the bookends of the Emmys' 10-minute In Memoriam segment; O'Hara died in January at 71, while Reiner was killed alongside his wife Michelle in December by their son Nick.
- Macaulay Culkin, joined by Schitt's Creek co-stars Annie Murphy and Dan Levy, opened the O'Hara tribute, saying "By extension, she's all of our moms" and that they were "showing up for her."
- Jamie Lee Curtis delivered an emotional tribute to Reiner, noting he had just won an Emmy for Guest Actor in a Comedy Series on The Bear, setting a record of 48 years between acting Emmys — surpassing his father Carl Reiner's previous record of 37 years.
- Curtis also paid tribute to James Burrows, who directed more than 1,000 episodes of TV comedy, calling him a legend who "set a standard of comedy directing that will be cherished and studied for generations."
- The annual reel included other figures including Louise Lasser, Vincent Pastore, Anthony Geary, and fashion designer Bob Mackie, who died just hours before the broadcast aired.
- Notable omissions from the broadcast sparked online debate, including Chuck Norris (Walker, Texas Ranger) and Nicholas Brendon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer); the Television Academy maintains a longer list on its website.
- Dan Levy shared the greatest lesson he learned from O'Hara as both co-star and creator of Schitt's Creek: "Say yes. … It will amaze you on a daily basis and it will change your life."
Why it matters: The segment's emotional weight centered on two industry figures with deep multi-generational television legacies, highlighted by Curtis's revelation that Reiner's posthumous Emmy broke a 48-year gap record previously held by his father Carl — a poignant coda to a family entertainment dynasty. The omissions debate underscores the impossible curation challenge the Television Academy faces each year in honoring TV figures versus broader cultural ones.
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