The LGBTQIA+, black, and female communities are raving about actress and screenwriter, Lena Waithe’s Emmy acceptance speech for writing in a comedy series on Sunday night.
And while Waithe making history as the first black woman to win this award deserves all of the attention it is getting and more, there was another Emmy recipient on stage who deserves some attention as well.
This year’s award marked Aziz Ansari’s second consecutive win for writing in his hit Netflix show "Master of None". This is also the second year in a row Ansari has been snubbed from giving an acceptance speech at the podium due to time constraints.
Aziz Ansari deserved those thirty seconds in front of a microphone to be honored for his accomplishments and to be given a platform to speak. So I am going to give him a few words of recognition as a conciliation prize.
Thank you, Aziz Ansari, for encouraging an open dialogue about diversity in the television industry in almost everything you do.
From the creative standpoint, you have given both of your co-winners, Waithe and screenwriter Alan Yang, the opportunity to use the Emmy Awards’ podium to speak on diversity and Asian, black, and LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the industry, respectively.
You have also not been shy about discussing Indian representation. You even said of the “Thanksgiving” episode after this year’s Emmys, “it was pretty ambitious — even finding two young Indian kids to play me was hard.”
"Master of None" directly addresses the struggle Indian-American actors to be cast in respectable, substantial roles. The show has tackled other diverse topics such as Islam, having foreign parents, and more in a witty and honest way.
Speaking of "Master of None", thank you, Aziz Ansari, for creating a show that every generation can learn from.
The show makes subtle comments in many episodes about millennials’ reliance on technology. It compares and contrasts the way parents in their 40s and 50s see the world as compared to their children. It even has an entire episode dedicated to “old people” and how younger generations should respect their wisdom and experience.
Your show artfully demonstrates common human experiences that leave the viewer feeling connected to those in the world around them, regardless of different religions, genders, races or ages.
This leads me to my last note of gratitude. Thank you, Aziz Ansari, for intelligent, purposeful comedy.
Your show, hosting monologue on "Saturday Night Live", stand up, and book are all composed with a message in mind. Your comedy challenges us to think, instills a desire in us to improve society and most importantly, continues to make us laugh.
Aziz, after this year’s Emmys you are also quoted as hoping, “that people see the different kinds of stories out there and that people are responding to them.”
I am saying, on behalf of the many people in that audience who didn’t get to clap for you on Sunday night, that your work is doing just that. Congratulations on your award, and I look forward to finally hearing your acceptance speech after you win your next award.
