After the nominations for the 52nd Primetime Emmy Awards were announced, the biggest controversy arose from Jennifer Aniston, who had consistently been nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy Series, being bumped into the Supporting Actress category.
It was clear to the discerning eye that a power struggle was at play behind the scenes.
In recent years, NBC had been a dominant force, with hit shows like *Law & Order*, *Frasier*, *Friends*, *The West Wing*, and *Will & Grace*. Even HBO, which was known for its quality and reputation, had fallen slightly behind, allowing NBC to become increasingly aggressive.
The move by the *Friends* cast to change their billing order in protest of how the Emmy nominations were handled couldn't have happened without NBC's backing.
As a result, the Emmys responded by dismissing the notion that all six cast members of *Friends* were leads. What nonsense! If all six actors are leads, that implies that they are all supporting roles as well. Maybe *Friends* is a special show with no lead actors, no director, and no writers—a groundbreaking experiment?
Look at the nomination list: *Friends* was nominated for Best Comedy Series, yet all the lead actor, director, and writer nominations were absent.
It was a battle of back-and-forth maneuvers, overt and covert attacks.
On the red carpet of tonight's awards ceremony, Jennifer, who had just signed a huge contract with NBC and was basking in the buzz of her recent marriage, delivered another blow to the Emmys—
After all, ABC, NBC's rival network, was responsible for broadcasting the Emmys. If the ratings plummeted, the *Friends* crew might even pop some champagne in celebration.
Then, the award for Best Supporting Actress went to *Will & Grace*, another NBC show, completely ignoring the *Friends* "double insurance" strategy.
What was this supposed to mean?
Appease NBC but suppress *Friends*?
So, what happens next?
If the Emmys were going to fully support NBC's *Will & Grace*, were they implying that NBC should abandon *Friends*—or at the very least, stop fueling its momentum?
But what could the *Friends* crew do?
Tonight was the Emmys' show. The crew had no means of fighting back, and any rash action could put them at a disadvantage. All they could do was wait patiently.
No one expected, however, that a surprise player would emerge in an unexpected situation—
Anson.
"Everyone is a lead."
Not just the main actors or supporting actors, and not just the guest stars either, but every member of the crew was worthy of recognition and encouragement. It takes a team to create a classic show!
No one could argue against that. No one!
And those words came from the mouth of a "guest star," someone who had only temporarily joined the show but had brought about a magical chemistry. The significance was even greater.
The *Friends* crew went wild.
This was the response they needed, the voice they were waiting for. From a higher perspective, it was a powerful counterattack against the Emmys.
Even Jennifer momentarily set aside her personal grudges and calculations, applauding Anson.
The entire room went wild.
It wasn't just the *Friends* crew—every professional in the television industry felt it, including Helen, who had just presented Anson with his award.
When people often praise the leads in the spotlight, they forget that the success of a show depends on the collaboration of an entire team. Every aspect is crucial, and the behind-the-scenes heroes who don't stand in the spotlight shouldn't be forgotten. They certainly shouldn't be reduced to bargaining chips in a battle over power and profits.
Coming from a guest star, those words carried a different weight and meaning altogether.
All eyes were now on Anson.
That tall, elegant figure, exuding cool aloofness, dressed in pure black with perfect proportions and an ethereal, mysterious aura, his handsome face now infused with the gravitas of his words, commanding the entire room's attention.
All eyes on him!
Eve's eyes sparkled with admiration—
From his humorous and witty responses to Jennifer and Brad on the red carpet, to his warm and sincere demeanor with Jane Kaczmarek, from his unexpected win for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy to the profound weight of his acceptance speech, tonight, Anson was undeniably the star of the show.
Just like his performance on "Friends," tonight Anson also delivered a flawless and charismatic performance, winning the Best Guest Actor award at the 52nd Primetime Emmy Awards.
Beautiful!
Everything was perfect.
There was no need for Eve to deliberately arrange anything; everything was already in place. She only needed to give a slight push, and the momentum would carry it through.
Undoubtedly, Anson was the star of the night, shining from the red carpet all the way to the awards ceremony. It was an unforgettable journey, and perhaps they should thank Brad and Jennifer for their surprise appearance.
Eve wasn't sure how the casting for "Spider-Man" would turn out—that was Edgar's job. But Eve was confident that after tonight, Anson would be in high demand in Hollywood.
She, along with their team at West 42nd, should secure Anson as a client.
Eve stood up and joined the audience in applause.
Clap, clap, clap.
The applause grew louder and more prolonged.
Who could have imagined that the first highlight of tonight's awards ceremony would come from Anson?
Anson?
David Klein looked at Anson with a gaze full of satisfaction and excitement. Now he finally understood why Darren Star was so protective of Anson.
On stage, Anson took two steps back and turned to see Helen standing quietly behind him, clapping with a big smile on her face.
He hadn't felt it before, but now, seeing Helen's expression, Anson felt a bit uneasy.
Helen flashed a big smile and laughed cheerfully. She stepped forward again to give Anson a hug. "Thank you, thank you for saying those words."
She whispered into Anson's ear, then patted his shoulder and let go, signaling for him to follow the emcee off the stage.
Anson was slightly taken aback and looked at Helen: You're not coming?
At that moment, Anson showed a hint of nervousness, reminding everyone that this was only his first awards ceremony.
Helen mouthed, "My work isn't done yet."
There were four awards in the guest actor category. One had been announced, but three more were still waiting.
Anson suddenly understood, quickly made an inviting gesture, then turned and followed the emcee off the stage.
The audience in the Shrine Auditorium let out a good-natured laugh.
Helen stepped forward again, deftly adjusting the microphone to her height, then gestured in the direction Anson had exited. "Ladies and gentlemen, Anson Wood."
This not only reinforced the audience's impression of him but also prompted another round of applause from the entire audience.
The audience was very cooperative.
The applause sounded again.
Who would have thought that Anson, an unknown newcomer, would receive three rounds of applause tonight at the Shrine Auditorium—absolutely top-tier treatment.
Amidst the noise and cheers, Anson left the stage and returned backstage. However, he didn't have time to take in his surroundings. Instead, he looked down at the trophy in his hand.
It was a golden statue of a winged woman holding an atom.
Originally, this trophy, designed by television engineer Louis McManus based on his wife, wasn't favored—it was the least noticeable among the 48 candidates. But unexpectedly, it became a symbol of a new era in the television industry.
The wings symbolize artistic inspiration.
The atom symbolizes electronic science.
The trophy felt heavy in his hand, heavier than expected—not just physically, but also emotionally, weighing down on his heart—
He had won.
He had won!