‘Category fraud’: Emmy viewers divided after the ‘The Bear’ sweeps early wins in Comedy category

‘A lot of comedy people are going to be robbed tonight.’

Photo byEmmys/Hulu William A. Morgan/Adobe Stock (Licensed)

Viewers are once again divided after “The Bear” picked up more comedy wins at the 2024 Emmy Awards.

This conversation isn’t new. In February, X users revolted when “The Bear,” a psychological thriller about a man running his family restaurant while in the throes of grief, won several comedy categories at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

A few months later, the show was nominated for a record number of Emmy Awards, and again viewers and critics alike asked if the show truly qualifies as a comedy. Some argued that the dramedy is taking away awards from shows that more neatly fit into the comedy genre.

Even the evening’s hosts, actors and father-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, got in on the fun. During the opening monologue on Sunday night, Eugene quipped, “I know some of you might be expecting us to make a joke about whether ‘The Bear’ is really a comedy, but in the true spirit of ‘The Bear’ we will not be making any jokes.”

Viewers are upset

The conversation returned to X on Sunday evening as the show raked in Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (won by Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (won by Jeremy Allen White), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (won by Liza Colon-Zayas), and Best directing for a Comedy Series (won by Christopher Storer.)

User @jessicafix wrote, “‘The Bear’ already winning awards in the comedy category over talented people who were actually in comedic roles.”

In the replies, someone wrote, “Does ‘The Bear’ deserve awards? Yes. For DRAMA. So frustrating.”

@jessicafix replied, “It’s not right! Is The Bear worried they won’t win in a drama category? Is it because it’s not a traditional hour long drama? Because they still would win in drama. I don’t get it.”

Some users indicated they anticipated “The Bear” would meet expectations and sweep its nominations, and they were prepared to spend the evening pointing it out. While the show did pick up several wins, it did not win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. That award went to Jean Smart of Max’s “Hacks.”

Other users flat-out disagree that “The Bear” doesn’t qualify as comedy. @ohhhhhherewegoo posted a clip of the show they find funny along with the following caption: “’The Bear’ is not comedy—”

In the replies, one user wrote, “The new season ‘Dystopian Butter’ did it for me. Oliver Platt had so many zingers. I hope he wins best actor next year.”

However, some users are convinced that this is tantamount to “category fraud.”