Mariska Hargitay’s debut as host for the 2026 Emmy Awards has hit a sore spot with some viewers who slammed her opening skit as “cringe”.
The Law & Order: SVU star stepped into the spotlight at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theatre as the first female host in 15 years with a star-studded musical opening and string of jokes.
Hargitay kicked off the ceremony with a pre-recorded musical sequence built around a parody of Joan Jett’s I Love Rock n’ Roll that was transformed into I Love TV Screens.
The elaborate number featured cameo appearances from New York Knicks player Jalen Brunson, Jean Smart, Jennifer Coolidge, Guy Fieri and Jeff Hiller before Harigtay took the stage for the live portion the ceremony.
But the opener did not land universally, with fans taking to social media to criticise Hargitay’s musical number as “cringe”.
“I listened to the Emmys opening while I finished dinner and it was genuinely agonizing holy s..t,” one person said in a post on X.
Another fan questioned Hargitay’s skills as host: “I love her so much but how did Mariska Hargitay get this job?”
“The opening by Mariska, so cringe what,” a third added.
But Hargitay quickly bounced back when she attempted to recreate Nicole Kidman’s infamous AMC Theatres commercial
Kidman, sitting in the audience, interrupted the bit with a playful protest, “That’s my bit.”
Hargitay fired back by responding: “Zip it, movie lady. It’s TV’s time tonight,” turning the awkward gag into one of the night’s more memorable moments.
The host also leaned heavily into her nearly three-decade long run on Law & Order: SVU, joking about the show’s extraordinary longevity and poking fun at director Dick Wolf.
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