Why Jerrod Carmichael Had Mixed Emotions Accepting Emmy Award

Variety interviewed Jerrod Carmichael about winning and what it meant for him, and his comments displayed very mixed emotions. “It’s funny because I was thinking to myself about what this solves or contributes to,” Carmichael told Variety. “It feels really good, it feels really nice, but I don’t know if it cures the internal angst. I’m happy because it was really personal, and I feel like me and [director] Bo [Burnham] gave everything we had. … I went from trying to disassociate from awards or anything because I felt like I didn’t necessarily make things that got that type of attention, to really wanting this and being excited by the idea of it. So it’s been a long, personal journey for me.”

Carmichael showed up to the ceremony shirtless and wearing a white fur coat, which certainly turned heads, but he also explained that his outfit was a reflection of his feelings about the ceremony. “It just feels good that this whole thing feels big and absurd and so, like, I think I match the occasion,” Carmichael told ET in an interview before the ceremony. “It’s big and absurd, so what are we doing? Want me to wear a black tux, like all right?”

Whatever mixed feelings Carmichael may have had about the award, his fans were pretty excited on his behalf. Twitter user @corysparks tweeted, “I’m glad Jerrod Carmichael won an Emmy for ‘Rothaniel.’ What a masterclass in storytelling.” User @carmencitaloves tweeted, “I cannot emphasize this enough, but if you’re going to watch one thing that [you] maybe missed from this years Emmys. It should be Jerrod Carmichael’s ‘Rothaniel.’” So, while Carmichael’s award may not calm his internal angst, it was certainly a well-deserved win that a lot of people are celebrating.