FX’s popular series ‘The Bear’ made history at this year’s Emmys, but not without sparking controversy.
‘The Bear’ follows the struggles of a chef trying to turn around his family’s sandwich shop. It was nominated and won awards in the comedy category recently at the Emmys. This decision has led to strong reactions as many believe the show doesn’t fit the comedy label.
Laraine Newman voiced her concerns before the Emmys began. The former ‘Saturday Night Live’ cast member posted on social media that she felt uneasy about ‘The Bear’ being categorized as a comedy. She wrote the following in a now-deleted tweet: “Every time I think about ‘The Bear’ being in the comedy category for the Emmys I can feel an ulcer developing.”
Later that night, she wrote, “I think ‘The Bear ‘is a great show but [in my honest opinion] it’s not a comedy – not even a dark comedy.”
‘The Bear’ set a new record by winning 11 awards for its second season in the comedy category. Some of the key wins for the show included Jeremy Allen White, who took home the Emmy for lead actor, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who won for supporting actor. Jamie Lee Curtis also earned an Emmy for her guest appearance in a particularly dramatic episode.
The debate over ‘The Bear’s genre is not new. Even the Emmy hosts, Dan and Eugene Levy, made a joke about the confusion. They didn’t directly address the debate, though. “Now, I love the show, and I know some of you will be expecting us to make a joke about whether ‘The Bear’ is really a comedy — but in the true spirit of ‘The Bear,’ we will not be making any jokes,” they said.
