2021 Emmys: Cedric the Entertainer roasts the British royal family, 'Jeopardy!' and more in opening monologue
Cedric the Entertainer is emceeing the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Cedric the Entertainer is emceeing the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards and opened the show with a rap about TV inspired by the late Biz Markie’s song "Just a Friend."
He was joined by fellow actors LL Cool J, Mandy Moore, Brendan Hunt, Tracee Ellis Ross, Billy Porter, Rita Wilson, and more who all contributed a verse.
Later he returned to the stage to deliver his monologue and poked fun at tonight's nominees and a few current event headlines.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
"Lock the doors, we’re not leaving until we find a new host for ‘Jeopardy!’" Cedric joked about the quiz show's firing of Mike Richards.
"We had to vaxxed to come here," he said about the show's safety protocols. "I got vaxxed. I did not have a reaction like Nicki Minaj’s cousin’s friend. I got Pfizer because I’m bougie. Pfizer, that’s the Neiman Marcus of vaccines, Moderna, that’s Macy’s. Johnson & Johnson, that’s TJ Maxx."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Cedric noted how many Black actors were nominated for their work this year. "It’s a big job. It comes with a lot of pressure being Black. Black people are like, ‘Yo Ced, you gotta give Martin Lawrence an Emmy man,'" he said.
(L-R) Lil Dicky, Cedric The Entertainer, Rita Wilson, and LL Cool J appear onstage at the 73rd Emmy Awards. (Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images)
"The good news, there’s a lot of Black people nominated tonight like my dawg Anthony Anderson. It’s his 11th nomination," he added before noting he was up against Jason Sudeikis for "Ted Lasso" and Michael Douglas for "Kominsky Method." "Good luck partner. Look like it’s still hard out here for a pimp."
"The Bridgertons are another one. Very spicy," he said of the smash-hit Netflix drama series. "But ain’t no way a Black man gonna have that much sex with a White woman in the 1800s. Jamie Foxx couldn’t pull that off as Django — and he was unchained."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
EMMYS 2021: RED CARPET ARRIVALS
Cedric also roasted the British royal family. "‘The Crown,’ another great show," he said, "It’s embarrassing to the real monarchy."
"[Prince Harry] renounced his thrown quicker than Eddie Murphy did in ‘Coming to America,'" Cedric joked.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Then, the producer mentioned Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey during which they revealed concern was raised over the skin tone of their son, Archie.
EMMYS 2021: PARTIAL WINNERS LIST
"Little Archie they need little Archie. I mean Charles can’t dance who else gonna teach them how to TikTok?"