Candice Bergen opened her appearance at the Emmys, to present the comedy actress category, with a comparison of JD Vance’s attack on “childless cat ladies” to then-Vice President Dan Quayle’s election year fight with Murphy Brown .
Emmy Awards: ‘Hacks’ Wins Comedy Series Prize As ‘The Bear’, ‘Shōgun’ & ‘Baby Reindeer’ Lead Field – Full List
Bergen opened, “For 11 years, I had the tremendous privilege of playing the lead in a comedy series called Murphy Brown . I was surrounded by brilliant and funny actors. Had the best scripts to work with. And in one classic moment, my character was attacked by Vice President Dan Quayle when Murphy became pregnant and decided to raise the baby as a single mother.
“Oh, how far we’ve come,” she deadpanned.
RELATED: Elizabeth Debicki Says Playing Princess Diana In ‘The Crown’ Has Been A “Gift” As She Becomes First Australian To Win In Emmy Category
Bergen added, “Today, a Republican candidate for vice president would never attack a woman for having kids. So as they say, My work here is done. Meow.”
Back in 1992, Quayle delivered a speech in which he said that it “doesn’t help matters when primetime TV has Murphy Brown, a character who supposedly epitomizes today’s intelligent, highly paid professional woman, mocking the importance of fathers by bearing a child alone and calling it just another lifestyle choice.”
Emmys TV Review: Smoothly Executed Reunion-Rich Ceremony Lacks Spark With Few Surprises
Quayle’s comments became an election year issue, and a topic for the Emmys that year. Bergen won the Emmy in the lead comedy actress category, and thanked the vice president while mocking his misspelling of the word “potato.”
RELATED: Jeremy Allen White Says ‘The Bear’ “Instills A Faith That Change Is Possible”; Wins Second Emmy For Lead Actor Comedy
Brown’s mocking of Vance was just one reference to the Republican vice presidential nominee’s “childless cat lady” comment. Selena Gomez made a quip earlier in the telecast. One of the winners, Liza Colón-Zayas of The Bear , said, “For all the Latinas who are looking at me, keep believing and vote. Vote for your rights.”
Vance made the comment about “childless cat ladies” in 2021, in an appearance on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight . The clip resurfaced after he became the VP nominee, and he has defended the remark. He has said that he was being critical of Democrats, claiming that they were “anti-family. “
Kathy Bates Will "Never" Retire Thanks To 'Matlock' - Emmys Red Carpet
Local News
