During her Wednesday night appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Abbott Elementary” star Quinta Brunson interrupted the host’s monologue to complete her Emmy’s acceptance speech. Kimmel was accused of distracting from Brunson’s first Emmy win on Monday when he laid on the floor next to her for the duration of her speech.
“So you know how when you win an Emmy, you only have 45 seconds to do an acceptance speech, which is like not that much time,” Brunson asked Kimmel on his show Wednesday night. “And then…you get less time because someone does a dumb comedy bit that goes on a bit too long?”
“You know I have heard of that happening in previous years,” Kimmel responded.
“Well I was wondering, or more demanding, if I could have a couple of extra minutes to thank, you know, a couple of extra people that I didn’t get to on Monday night,” the actor said.
Kimmel stepped aside, and Brunson thanked several people, fans of “Abbott Elementary,” the show’s writers, and the internet “for raising” her.
Kimmel faced criticism, including from Brunson’s co-star Sheryl Lee Ralph, for laying flat on the ground, supposedly “passed out” from too many skinny margaritas, instead of leaving the stage after Will Arnett announced her win.
He apologized to the actor Wednesday night when the pair sat down to have a more formal conversation on his show.
“That was a dumb comedy bit that we thought would be funny,” Kimmel said. “And then, people got upset. They said I stole your moment and maybe I did, and I’m very sorry if I did do that. I’m sorry I did do that, actually.”
He added that he did not mean to offend Brunson.
“The last thing I would ever want to do is upset you because I think so much of you,” he said. “I think you know that. I hope you know that.”
Brunson thanked Kimmel for the apology, explaining that she did not think too much of the joke at the time.
“I honestly was in such a moment of just having a good time, like I won my first Emmy,” she said. “I was wrapped up in the moment and just having a good time.”
Monday was Brunson’s first appearance at the Emmys, as well as her first win. She received the award for outstanding writing for a comedy series.
“Abbott Elementary” tells the story of an underfunded school in Philadelphia and the teachers who work there. The show’s first season won a total of three Emmys.
Kimmel said the Emmy was well-deserved and that he was glad both the show and Brunson were recognized Monday.
“I was so happy to see you win that Emmy, or not see you win that Emmy, either way,” Kimmel said, poking fun at his stunt. “I’ve been a fan of the show since before it came out.”