It’s been 15 years since a woman won an Emmy for Outstanding Game Show Host, but Keke Palmer has helped end the hiatus, becoming the first Black woman to earn the honor.
The 2024 Emmy Awards took place on Jan. 7, and Palmer won for Outstanding Host for a Game Show for NBC’s Password, Deadline reports. It was the first time the category was included in the Primetime Emmys.
The actress/television personality beat out Jeopardy! hosts Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik, Family Feud host Steve Harvey, and Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak. She the first woman to win since 2009, when Meredith Vieira won for the syndicated Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
“Wow. That is so exciting thank you so much. I’m really just so thankful, I’m almost speechless,” Palmer said during her acceptance speech. “I want to thank the people who allowed this to happen, thank you to Jimmy Fallon, thank to NBC.”
After thanking Fallon, who executive produces the show, Palmer thanked Carol Burnett, a fixture on the game show decades ago, who was in the audience. It’s the first time in 50 years that Password has been nominated or won the host category.
“Sharp, charming and quick-witted all while looking like a superstar. There’s no one like Keke Palmer,” said Fallon.
Steve Harvey received the award in 2023, and the late Alex Trebek won three years prior.
Palmer also won an Emmy in 2021 for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for the Facebook Watch series Turnt Up With the Taylors.
“In a historic year for game shows at the Emmy Awards, we couldn’t be prouder of Keke Palmer’s outstanding host win. She and Jimmy Fallon are a winning duo and have made the latest iteration of Password an undeniable hit,” Corie Henson, executive vice president, NBCUniversal Entertainment Unscripted Programming, said.