RuPaul’s Drag Race makes history at the Emmys

RuPaul’s Drag Race received a major honour at the 70th Annual Emmy Awards on Monday night. Making history, the show won the Outstanding Reality Competition Program award, following the host’s earlier win for Best Reality Host.

It’s the first time that a single show has won both categories in one year. RuPaul received his best host award last week at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Taking to the stage on Monday night with the Drag Race team, RuPaul, who is also a producer of the show, said: “This is so lovely. We are so happy to present this show. I would like to thank [the other producers], on behalf of the 140 drag queens we have released into the wild…”

He concluded with his catchphrase to cheers from the audience: “Listen, if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an amen up in here? Now let the music play!”

RuPaul’s Drag Race beat out American Ninja Warrior, Project Runway, The Amazing Race, The Voice, and Top Chef to take the award. It was the fifth Emmy for Drag Race this year.

The mini-series Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, which strongly dealt with LGBTQ themes and characters, was also a major winner on Monday.

It scored awards for Outstanding Limited Series or Movie; Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special (for creator Ryan Murphy); and Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Darren Criss).

In his acceptance speech, the openly gay Murphy dedicated the Limited Series award to LGBTQ people. He said that Assassination of Gianni Versace was “about homophobia, internalised and externalised… It’s about a country that allows hatred to grow unfettered and unchecked.”

Murphy added: “One out of every four LGBTQ people in this country will be a victim of a hate crime. We dedicate this award to them.”

Last week, reality makeover show Queer Eye won awards for Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured or Competition Reality Program; Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program; and Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured or Competition Reality Program.

Here all of Monday night’s Emmy winners

Drama Series: “Game of Thrones”

Comedy Series: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”

Actor, Drama Series: Matthew Rhys, “The Americans”

Actress, Drama Series: Claire Foy, “The Crown”

Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”

Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Thandie Newton, “Westworld”

Writing, Drama Series: Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg, “The Americans”

Directing, Drama Series: Stephen Daldry, “The Crown”

Actor, Comedy Series: Bill Hader, “Barry”

Actress, Comedy Series: Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”

Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Henry Winkler, “Barry.”

Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”

Writing, Comedy Series: Amy Sherman-Palladino, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”

Directing Comedy Series: Amy Sherman-Palladino, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”

Limited Series: “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”

Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Darren Criss, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”

Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Regina King, “Seven Seconds”

Supporting Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Jeff Daniels, “Godless”

Supporting Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Merritt Wever, “Godless”

Writing, Limited Series: William Bridges and Charlie Brooker, “USS Callister (Black Mirror)”

Directing, Limited Series: Ryan Murphy, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”

Writing, Variety Special: John Mulaney, “John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City”

Directing, Variety Special: Glenn Weiss, “The Oscars”

Variety Sketch Series: “Saturday Night Live”

Variety Talk Series: “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”

Reality-Competition Program: “RuPaul’s Drag Race”