【2012 Archives】

NEW YORK -- 012 ArchivesEmmys were a time to celebrate diversity on television -- but many celebrities also utilized the awards show as a forum to bash Donald Trump.

After winning an Emmy for best director for Amazon's Transparent, showrunner Jill Soloway called the Republican presidential nominee a "monster."

"Any moment that I have to call Trump out for being an heir to Hitler, I will," she told reporters backstage during the awards.

She said Trump is "other-izing people."

"He calls women pigs if they don't look like beauty pageant contestants, he blames Muslims and Mexicans for our problems, he makes fun of disabled people," Soloway added. "He needs to be called out at every chance he gets for being one of the most dangerous monsters to ever approach our lifetimes. He's a complete dangerous monster."

Host Jimmy Kimmel on Sunday also used part of his monologue to blame television — specifically Celebrity Apprenticeproducer Mark Burnett — for Trump scoring the presidential nomination.

"Television can also tear us apart. I mean, if it wasn't for television would Donald Trump be running for president?" Kimmel said. "No, he would be at home rubbing up against his wife Malaria."

"Thanks to Mark Burnett, we don’t have to watch reality shows anymore, we are living in one," Kimmel added. "If Donald Trump gets elected and builds that wall, the first person we are throwing over it is Mark Burnett."

Jimmy Kimmel blames The Apprentice producer Mark Burnett for rise of Trump pic.twitter.com/Zj8YbYc9Oi

— Mashable (@mashable) September 19, 2016

While Kimmel's jokes were planned, many of the comments made by Emmy winners were not.

Some people brought up Trump on stage, ahead of presenting or after winning awards.

"It's an election year and I want everyone to know that after careful consideration I decided I'm going with Trump," joked Aziz Ansari before presenting. "Which is why I'm also recommending we get rid of all Muslim and Hispanic nominees from the ceremony immediately. Wow this would be so much easier if we were at the Oscars."

Earlier this year, the Master of None creator and star penned an op-ed in the New York Times titled "Aziz Ansari: Why Trump Makes Me Scared for My Family."

Many other winners were asked about their views on Trump backstage by reporters.

Entertainment journalists suffering from same flu as political journalists/TV media. They are asking all Emmy winners about Trump.

— Lucas Shaw (@Lucas_Shaw) September 19, 2016

Burnett, who won an Emmy for The Voice,told reporters that Kimmel's Trump jokes only gave the candidate more publicity.

"I'm sure Donald is thrilled with Jimmy," he said backstage. "I'm sure he's emailing Jimmy right now: 'Thanks so much for the free publicity. How much free media can one person get?"

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