Friends Indeed

The host of The 73rd Emmys, Cedric the Entertainer, had promised a show like no other — and he kept his word.

Saving the traditional opening monologue for Act Two, he began the evening instead with a musical number, "Just a Friend," by the late rapper Biz Markie.

The reworked lyrics celebrated the medium (" TV... you've got what I need!") and the relief of being together again with friends at the first in-person Emmys telecast since the start of the pandemic. Cedric, LL Cool J, Rita Wilson and Lil Dicky got the entire Emmy audience on their feet, singing, clapping and letting loose. Here, enjoy some images from the September 19 show and red carpet, as well as from the Creative Arts Emmys, staged in three separate shows on September 11 and 12.

For more photos from all the shows, pick up a copy of the current emmy magazine HERE

This article originally appeared in its entirety in emmy magazine, Issue No. 11, 2021