Cory's Emmys Tribute Was Sincere & Honest

Believe it or not, some TV fans didn't think Glee star Cory Monteith deserved to be remembered at the 2013 Emmys. The actor was 31 when he was found dead this July in a Vancouver hotel room after overdosing on heroin, and some argued that he hadn't contributed enough to the TV landscape to get a proper tribute during their esteemed Emmys. We completely disagreed and thankfully, so did CBS. Monteith's Glee co-star Jane Lynch delivered a touching memorial that spoke about his talent, generosity, sense of humor, and yes, his addiction, too.

Lynch started her tribute by talking about how much Cory felt like family to fans, and to the cast. She spoke about his warmth and charm, as well, but she wasn't afraid to get into the real, and much darker side of the situation:

Cory was a beautiful soul. He was not perfect, which many of us here tonight can relate to, his death is a tragic reminder of the rapacious and senseless destruction that is brought on by addiction.

By acknowledging the truth, she made Cory's death as important as his life. She wrapped up her memorial with this, the most touching quote we've heard since his untimely passing, by speaking directly, and honestly, to his young fans:

To a generation that loved Cory so, please know: This gifted and wonderful young man was worthy of your love, and if you were lucky enough to know Cory as we did, and witnessed first hand Cory's goofy, breezy sense of humor, his natural instinct for inclusiveness and his unbridled sense of generosity, day in and day out, I promise you would have loved him even more.

There was no sappy music, no Lea Michele, no song and dance. It was a sincere and heartfelt memorial, and it was something fans of his had been wanting for a long, long time.