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The Tribe at the Emmys: Big Wins for ‘Mrs. Maisel,’ Henry Winkler — and a Surprise Proposal

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September 17, 2018
70th ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS — Pictured: Daniel Palladino with the cast and crew of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Outstanding Comedy Series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” during the 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC)

It was a triumphant night for Members of the Tribe at the 70th Emmy Awards, with Jewish talent taking home gold statuettes for their work on camera and   behind the scenes.

The first four awards of the night were won by MOTs, starting with veteran actor Henry Winkler, who finally got his first Emmy after three previous nominations decades ago: He’d been nominated twice for playing Fonzie on “Happy Days” in the 1970s and again in 2000 for a guest role on “The Practice.”

70th ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS — Pictured: Henry Winkler, “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series” during the 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Microsoft Theater on September 17th, 2018 — (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC)

Accepting his award for supporting actor in a comedy for “Barry,” Winkler said, “If you stay at the table long enough the chips come to you. Tonight I got to clean the table.” He mentioned his three kids in his thanks. “You can go to bed now. Daddy won!”

70th ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS — Pictured: Alex Borstein, “Supporting Actress – Comedy Series for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”during the 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Microsoft Theater on September 17th, 2018 — (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC)

Alex Borstein, who took home an Emmy for her voiceover work in “Family Guy” at the Creative Arts Emmys last week, won in the supporting actress category for playing Susie in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” She thanked her children in her speech. “Thank you for giving me a life,” she said. “I’m going to try to be there for more of it.”

70th ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS — Pictured: Amy Sherman-Palladino “Directing – Comedy Series for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”during the 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Microsoft Theater on September 17th, 2018 — (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC)

“Mrs. Maisel” creator Amy Sherman-Palladino picked up a pair of Emmys in quick succession for writing and directing the show. Besides giving props to her husband and writing/producing partner Daniel Palladino, the cast and the crew, she gave a shout out to her comedian father. “I had to turn a 6-foot-2 Jew into Rachel Brosnahan,” she said. Holding up her trophies after the second win, she declared, “My panic room is going to be so pretty!”

70th ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS — Pictured: Rachel Brosnahan, “Lead Actress – Comedy Series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” during the 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Microsoft Theater on September 17th, 2018 — (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC)

The favorite to win for best actress in a comedy, Mrs. Maisel herself, Jew-by-association Rachel Brosnahan, proved prognosticators right. She used part of her acceptance speech time to remind people to vote in the midterm elections. “[The show] is about a woman who finding her voice anew, and it’s happening all over the country right now. We can use our voices to vote. If you aren’t already registered, do it now,” she said. “Vote, show up, and bring a friend to the polls.”

Towards the end of the third hour ‘Mrs. Maisel” was named best comedy series, and an army of cast and creative team members joined Daniel Palladino at the mic as he thanked the usual array of individuals associated with the production and others, including his and his wife’s single mothers. “Guys, they’re available,” he said.

The writing team of Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg won in the writing for a drama series category for “The Americans,” while “Game of Thrones” won the final award of the night, best drama series. Creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff accepted, surrounded by members of the cast and creative team.

70th ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS — Pictured: Glenn Weiss “Directing – Variety Special for The Oscars” proposes to his girlfriend during the 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Microsoft Theater on September 17th, 2018 — (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC)

But awards excitement aside, the surprise highlight of the night was the onstage marriage proposal Emmy winner Glenn Weiss made to his girlfriend Jan Friedlander Svendsen after accepting his award for directing the Academy Awards telecast.

Weiss called the win “bittersweet,” as his mother, who died two weeks ago, wasn’t alive to witness it. “Mom always believed in finding the sunshine in things, and she adored my girlfriend Jan. Jan, you are the sunshine in my life, and mom was right, don’t ever let go of your sunshine,” he said before kneeling and presenting the stunned woman with the ring his father gave his mother more than 65 years ago.

Of course, she said yes! Mazel Tov!

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