The 2017 Emmys announcer is so full of energy he's almost putting host Stephen Colbert to shame. With his enthusiastic introductions and spot-on music choices, the mystery announcer quickly took Twitter by storm. So, who is he? Well, the 2017 Emmys announcer is none other than Jermaine Fowler, comedian and soon-to-be Twitter phenomenon.
Fowler first came into show business with success on CollegeHumor Originals. As a writer, producer, and actor, Fowler has worked on many television projects including Friends of the People and an appearance on BoJack Horsemen. Most recently, Fowler booked a major gig starring in Superior Donuts, a CBS comedy on which he also acts as executive producer. It looks like CBS decided to give Fowler another gig before the show's Season 2 premiere on October 30: backing up The Late Show host Colbert at the Emmys (no big deal, of course). Hiring the comedian as the 2017 Emmys announcer certainly changes the tone of the awards shows. While normally awards show announcers can be counted on to recount a winner's past accolades or previous wins with a certain direct clarity, Fowler is decidedly going in another direction. Throughout the night, he shouted out excitedly for presenters like Issa Rae and celebrated Donald Glover's Emmy win for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series with very loud enthusiasm, probably like many of you at home.
Some Emmy watchers on Twitter were excited by Fowler's extreme fangirling, tweeting their love for the comedian's style. They felt it was just the way to add some much-needed levity into a stuffy award show, you know, the ones that go on for three hours but they feel like six? Anything to add a little bit more fun into the mix.
Other people watching at home felt that Fowler's unconventional announcing was a bit much, especially for a show like the Emmys. It seems like some people would rather the Emmys be announced by a more traditional (and far more monotonous) presence. One Twitter user even went so far as to suggest former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer would make a better Emmys announcer (that was way harsh, Tai).
Fowler's animated take on the role of Emmy announcer not only marks a significant shift in tone but also a shift in look for the awards show. Traditionally, announcers at awards shows are off-camera and kept behind the scenes, but this year, CBS decided to mix things up a bit up by hiring Fowler. By giving the comedian permission to ad-lib throughout the show and by incorporating him into the show as a very visible on-screen presence, the network hopes to add a twist on the usual announcer duties. "What we will do is have Jermaine be an active part of the show. He will be connected with what's happened on the telecast and what happens next," said CBS Entertainment EVP Jack Sussman in an interview with Deadline before the show. "What we want to do is get a peek behind the curtain in a fun, engaging way."
The television landscape is rapidly changing, so it's only natural that the format in which awards are presented can change alongside them. Today's tv shows are more diverse than ever before; they tell more inclusive stories; and they have a variety of voices sharing their own personal experiences. It shows that the Emmys can have a man that looks like Stephen Colbert at the helm of a show and a man that looks like Jermaine Fowler alongside — they have two different styles and means of comedy, but they work together in harmony. And that's the goal, isn't it? To make television more diverse and ultimately more interesting? Love him or leave him, Jermaine Fowler's announcing style at the 2017 Emmys got everyone talking, and that's a good thing.
