Why Emmy Winner Seth Rogen Thinks Awards Shows Have Secretly Benched Him

Seth Rogen went on Jimmy Kimmel Live and basically said: yeah, I think the Emmys benched me as a presenter. And honestly, after what happened last time, I get it.

Quick refresher: the 2021 Emmys and the tent situation

Rogen presented at the Emmys during peak COVID caution, back when the plan was to keep things outdoors. He walked in, saw a giant tent with walls and a roof, and decided he could not pretend everything was as advertised. Instead of doing the scripted bit, he called it out on stage, which did not thrill the people putting on the show.

"Let me start by saying there are way too many of us in this little room... What are we doing? They said this was outdoors. It's not. They lied to us. We're in a hermetically sealed tent right now. I would not have come to this. Why is there a roof?"

On Kimmel, Rogen stuck by it. He said the event was billed as an 'outdoor event,' and he had every intention of doing the 'dumb schtick' they wrote for him, but once he saw the enclosed tent, he felt like he had to address it. He even joked that if they kept packing people in, 'We're gonna kill Eugene Levy,' which, fair point, maybe do not risk Eugene Levy.

So is he actually banned?

Rogen told Kimmel he has a theory: he presented about four years ago and has not been asked back since. Kimmel then quoted Rogen's 2021 remarks right back at him and, with a grin, said he had indeed banned Rogen from presenting. Rogen volleyed it back, basically teasing Kimmel about who gets banned from what, but the message was clear: producers were mad, and Rogen does not expect another invite to hand out trophies any time soon.

It's the kind of odd awards-show lore that will live forever online, and judging by the audience reaction, the story still kills — even if Rogen's Emmys presenter gig probably does not.