It's always a memorable moment when Jennifer Coolidge steps onto an awards show stage, and we have Mike White to thank for bringing the national treasure back to our screens. The actress has taken home several major awards for her role as Tanya McQuoid in the hit show White Lotus, including a Golden Globe, two SAG awards, and two Critics' Choice Television Awards.
At the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards on January 15, 2024, the actress was awarded her second Emmy for the character (she took home her first in September 2022) and, as always, Coolidge gave a hilarious acceptance speech. When she first approached the mic, she referenced her iconic speech from the year before (when the music played to usher her off the stage, the actress started dancing in a now-viral moment), promising to keep it short.
"I got the hook last year," she joked. "I talked too long, this giant hook comes out and takes you away."
The longtime actress went on to thank her friend and show creator Mike White for giving her the opportunity, even though (spoiler alert) he killed off her character at the end of season 2. "Mike White, thank you for giving me this opportunity to play this incredible character," she gushed before teasing, "And he says I’m definitely dead, so I’m going along with it."
Coolidge also thanked another unlikely group of people: the entourage of gay men who befriended Tanya as a part of their scheme to kill her for her finances. "It’s running out, so I just want to thank all the evil gays, seriously," she said to the laughing crowd.
She closed out the speech on a wholesome note by giving a shoutout to her younger self, who had always dreamt of this moment: "One more thing, I had a little dream in my little town, and everyone said it was impractical, but it happened," she said. "So, don't give up on your dream."
Coolidge was nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category alongside several of her co-stars including Aubrey Plaza, Meghann Fahy, Sabrina Impacciatore, and Simona Tabasco.