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Christina Applegate kicked off the Emmys with an emotional standing ovation

<a href="">AP Photo/Chris Pizzello</a>

By: Taylor Kuether

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Christina Applegate took to the stage at last night’s Emmy awards to present the first award of the night — and received a standing ovation, herself.

The actress, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, was visibly moved by the long applause and made a few self-deprecating jokes before moving on. “Thank you so much. Oh my god, you’re totally shaming me [and my] disability by standing up,” she said. “It’s fine. OK. Body not by Ozempic. OK let’s go.”

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While at the podium, Applegate reflected on her long career — a career that began at age one with her very first acting credit as Baby Burt Grizzell on “Days of Our Lives” in 1972. Her role as Kelly Bundy on “Married With Children” is what really put her on the map, and she’s portrayed several characters since then — Samantha on “Samantha Who,” Jen on “Dead to Me” — who she called “funny, flawed and complex.”

Watch Applegate’s full standing ovation and speech in the video below:

Applegate was tasked with announcing the first award of the night: Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy. In a category stacked with talent, it was Ayo Edebiri who came away with the award for her work in “The Bear,” a hit comedy/drama about family and found family at a restaurant in Chicago.

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Indeed the 2024 Emmys — the 75th year of the awards — was a night for “funny, flawed and complex” women like the ones Applegate has portrayed. After Edebiri’s supporting actress win kicked off the night, Quinta Brunson took the award for Best Actress in a Comedy for her work on “Abbott Elementary,” Jennifer Coolidge nabbed Best Supporting Actress in a Drama for her endlessly meme-able turn as Tanya in “The White Lotus,” Ali Wong won Best Actress in a Limited Series for “Beef,” Sarah Snook took home the Best Actress in a Drama award for her performance as Shiv in “Succession,” and Niecy Nash-Betts brought the house down during her rousing acceptance speech for the Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series.

“And you know who I want to thank? I want to thank me for believing in me and doing what they said I could not,” said Nash-Betts. “And I want to say to myself in front of all you beautiful people, ‘Go on girl with your bad self. You did that!'”