The Eugene Levy-Hosted Emmys Somehow Excluded His ‘SCTV’ Co-Star From the In Memoriam Segment

The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards may be over, but complaining about the Emmy Awards is only just beginning. 

It’s not uncommon for awards ceremonies’ In Memoriam segments, which honor deceased members of the industry, to tick off viewers. Such as how this year’s Oscars ceremony controversially lumped together a bunch of illegible names in the final moments of the In Memoriam, and also featured a “distracting” interpretive dance number.

Last night’s Emmys’ In Memoriam paid homage to late TV stars like Bob Newhart, Richard Simmons and Shannen Doherty, but it also omitted some major names. Some were confused as to why Matthew Perry didn’t appear, forgetting that this was actually the second Emmy ceremony of the year. Perry was honored during the delayed 74th Emmys, which aired back in January.

But the Emmys are now taking heat for leaving out some notable figures, including Erica Ash, Johnny Wactor, Tyler Christopher, Chita Rivera and Shelley Duvall, who famously contributed to the world of television with Faerie Tale Theatre, which entertained countless children, and remains the only show in the history of the medium to give us Billy Crystal in a pig costume.

Perhaps the most shocking omission, however, was SCTV’s Joe Flaherty, who passed away in April following a brief illness, at the age of 82. In addition to starring in the iconic sketch comedy series, Flaherty also appeared as Sam’s dad Harold Weir on Freaks and Geeks, and similarly played the patriarch in the bizarro Canadian sitcom Maniac Mansion. 

Leaving Flaherty out of the In Memoriam was especially glaring because the ceremony was packed full of his former SCTV cast members. Catherine O’Hara presented the final award, Martin Short was a nominee and the ceremony was co-hosted by Eugene Levy. “He was the only guy who could really get me laughing on stage in a very unprofessional way,” Levy said of Flaherty following the news of his death.

Obviously none of the actors are responsible for proofreading the In Memoriam segment, but you’d think the preponderance of Canadian comedians hanging around the set might have at least jogged someone’s memory. And it’s not like the Television Academy is unaware of SCTV. Flaherty even accepted SCTV’s 1982 award for Best Writing in a Variety or Music Program (they won again in 1983).

Flaherty’s absence from the broadcast didn’t go unnoticed by SCTV fans either, who are publicly calling out the omission, especially since “Eugene was hosting.”

It seems as though this wasn’t accidental, since all of the perceived sleights were reportedly “acknowledged in a more comprehensive In Memoriam segment available on the Emmys website.” 

Sure enough, Flaherty’s name does appear on the Emmy’s online database, which makes his exclusion all the more baffling. If producers were aware that Flaherty was among the potential In Memoriam honorees, why not include the two-time Emmy winner, considering that he also happened to win those Emmys alongside the guy hosting the show?

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