Jimmy Kimmel denies Quinta Brunson’s Emmy speech was ‘racist’

Jimmy Kimmel has addressed his faux pas at this year’s Emmys and denied there was any “racist” intent behind it.

During the September 12 awards ceremony, actor Will Arnett dragged the late-night host onto the stage to present the Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.

During this, after Kimmel pretended to have passed out from drinking too many margaritas after losing in his own category, Kimmel remained prostrate on stage Abbott Elementary School‘s Quina Brunson gave her first Emmy acceptance speech.

Read our recent interview with Brunson here.

Following his actions, Kimmel received a significant amount of backlash online, with many Twitter users calling his behavior “highly disrespectful.”

Talking about a recent episode of The Howard Stern Show, The host gave an insight into the planned part: “The way I imagined it is, [Arnett] pulls me out, we read the winner, and then I’m basically just off the hook, and it’s not really a factor.

“But the stage was very different. The stage was like a catwalk. So I was kind of in the way,” he explained.

“Some people interpret racist things into it, and everyone has their own perspective,” Kimmel acknowledged. “But the fact of the matter is… that was a plan I had, no matter who [would win].”

He went on to admit: “It took a toll – especially afterwards – because then she had to answer questions about it [my prank] instead of just celebrating her Emmy.”

The following night, Brunson appeared as a guest Jimmy Kimmel Live!where Kimmel apologized for saying his “stupid comedy” skit “stole” her moment.