2022 Emmys: Why This Year’s In Memoriam Caused Controversy With Viewers

The Emmys In Memoriam is always a segment up for debate as the annual collection honors the stars and creatives we’ve lost over the past year.

The 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards caused some mixed reactions as this year’s tribute rolled with The Voice coach John Legend serenading audiences alongside the accompanying visuals. The emotional presentation recognized some true television legends from a year jam-packed with tragic industry losses, from Golden Girls‘ Betty White, Bosom Buddies‘ Peter Scolari, and Full House‘s Bob Saget to The Sopranos‘ Tony Sirico, The Godfather‘s James Caan, and Ray Liotta.

Emmys In Memoriam Vin sculley ⚾️🎙
pic.twitter.com/UAXGDaMwFR

— ᘻïɾïᵴ ᘻαɾαɣïȴȴα⚾️ (@helenamaravilla) September 13, 2022

While there are always some faces that fans notice as missing from the lineup, one seemingly glaring omission spurred viewers to sound off on social media: Where was Norm Macdonald‘s recognition? The former Saturday Night Live star was noticeably absent from the montage, but there was a reason for it.

As some of the star’s fans may have forgotten, Macdonald died just days before last year’s ceremony, and by proxy, was included in the 2021 ceremony’s In Memoriam segment. But that didn’t stop viewers from expressing their feelings about his loss. And that’s just one of the issues viewers had with the segment.

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Many also noted that the cameras panning in and out from the stage and the screen may not have given some recently deceased celebrities their due recognition. See some fan reactions, below, and let us know what you thought of the In Memoriam segment in the comments section.

Why isn’t this in memoriam the whole screen? It’s making me so dizzy #Emmys

— Linda Maleh (@lindastvpicks) September 13, 2022

did I miss it or was norm macdonald not listed in the emmy’s in memoriam? he was literally nominated for an award

— ryan (@hellsitewarrior) September 13, 2022

Did the Emmy’s really just leave out Norm Macdonald out of the in memoriam section after just nominating him for an award?

— Vinny (@v8b8) September 13, 2022

Uh…no Norm MacDonald in the #Emmys2022 #InMemoriam right after he was nominated for his comedy special?

What?

— Ben Tweets (@Ben_7_Ben) September 13, 2022

Am I hallucinating or did norm Macdonald get snubbed from the #Emmys2022 in memoriam?

— Nicole Vanderlinde (@nikolila) September 13, 2022

The Emmys In Memoriam segment should have played Gilbert Gottfried’s “Aristocrats” bit in its entirety.

— R. Eric Thomas (@oureric) September 13, 2022

I know there’s obviously constraints to who they can put in the In Memoriam, but the Emmys should’ve included Gaspard Ulliel.

— Maggie Lovitt (@maggieofthetown) September 13, 2022

DID THEY REALLY JUST NOT PUT OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN ON THE EMMYS IN MEMORIAM????/!:&:!;!/&:!/!!:!/!:!/’

— echo/finn🍒uni era (@ohraditsecho) September 13, 2022

Every year the producers seem to forget the in memoriam is about the dearly departed and not the artist singing #Emmys

— Lydia (@LydWalkerR5) September 13, 2022

Hey Emmys, that was a beautiful In Memoriam tribute, but you left out Olivia Newton-John. #Emmys2022

— Emily The Strange || ENFP || 38 || She/Her (@StrangerEmmie) September 13, 2022

@nbc Me trying to watch the “In Memoriam” segment of the #emmys because you were…more interested in the crowd size…? Seriously. I almost admire your decision to not go to a graphics overlay. pic.twitter.com/VMy56WTqyY

— Peto Evens (@Tron_Paul) September 13, 2022