It’s fair to say Jermaine Fowler stole the Emmys show on Sunday night.
In between award presentations and host Stephen Colbert’s segments, Fowler injected humor and energy into a three-hour-long show at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater.
The Emmy announcer dazzled the audience with trivia about Kate McKinnon and Laura Dern and gave shout-outs to “Insecure” star Issa Rae and “Master of None’s” Lena Waithe. Even Winston Churchill got a nod from the energetic Fowler when actor John Lithgow won the best supporting actor Emmy for his role as the former British prime minister on “The Crown.”
Pretty much Fowler got his entire life with the moments he was allowed during the ceremony.
So who is Jermaine Fowler and where did he come from? Turns out, he’s been in the acting scene for awhile. Here’s what you need to know about the Emmy’s breakout star:
He does have a day job
His credits include voiceover work on “Family Guy” and “Robot Chicken.”
But the comic also plays Franco Wicks in the “Superior Donuts” series, which returns for its second season next month on CBS.
CBS wanted him on camera
Viewers got to see Fowler Sunday night and that was by design.
Prior to the show, Jack Sussman, CBS Entertainment EVP for music and live events, told Deadline that the network had decided to buck the trend of other awards shows that “have the announcer locked in a closet reading from a script on cue.”
“What we will do is have Jermaine be an active part of the show,” Sussman said. “He will be connected with what’s happened on the telecast and what happens next. What we want to do is get a peek behind the curtain in a fun, engaging way.”
He’s a new dad
In July, Fowler and makeup artist Meagan Hester welcomed a daughter they named Thebe Orion Fowler.
He’s shared a few photos of his princess on social media.
Reaction to his Emmy performance was mixed
Fowler may have been “doing it for the culture” but not everyone loved his style, his exuberance and his ad libs.
While Netflix dubbed him “The Emmys hero we didn’t know we needed,” some thought he was a bit over the top.
In addition to his series, Fowler will also next be seen in the sports mockumentary series “The 5th Quarter.”