Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesJimmy Kimmel chose wisely.
"Who did the Emmy go to? I know it was a man…although maybe it's time a woman won this," the late-night host joked, having gobbled up the presenter's envelope and winner's card instead of merely opening it. "You know a woman has never been nominated for best lead actor? It's so hard to decide, hmm. OK. The Emmy goes to, let's say, Jeffrey Tambor.
Kimmel's "pick" for the long-deserving Tambor as the winner for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his pioneering role in the Amazon series Transparent at the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards tonight was pretty spot-on.
"I am so, so honored...Well, this entirely ruins the nomination room, let me clear about that," the 71-year-old actor (and, unbelievably, first-time winner after seven nominations) began his touching speech, which follows his Golden Globe win in January.
"I had a teacher who used to say, 'When you act you have to act like your life depends on it.' And now I have been given an opportunity to act because people's lives depend on it."
He thanked series creator Jill Soloway, a winner for directing for a comedy series tonight, as well as those who helped guide him to the "privilege and responsibility" of assuming the role of transgender woman Maura Pfefferman.
"I would like to thank this gorgeous cast, every time and everywhere you rest your eye there's genius...Thank you to my lovely wife, Kasia, the reason..." Tambor choked up with emotion. "I wouldn't even be standing here."
He concluded, "I'm going to wrap up by saying, not to repeat myself, but to specifically repeat myself—I'd like to dedicate my performance and this award to the transgender community. Thank you for your patience, thank you for your courage, thank you for your stories, thank you for your inspiration, thank you for letting us be part of the change. God bless you."
Don't miss the Fashion Police 2015 Emmys special Monday at 8 p.m., only on E!