Plans to Honor Cory Monteith at Emmy Awards Create an Unexpected Backlash

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by Jill Baughman 1 hour ago

It's been over two months since Cory Monteith's untimely, tragic passing, yet his name is still making headlines, this time because of a controversy brewing in regards to the Emmy Awards. It seems that in addition to the "In Memoriam" segment, on Sunday, the Emmys will separately honor Cory, James Gandolfini, Gary David Goldberg, Jean Stapleton, and Jonathan Winters.

And apparently this has some people very, very angry.

Many commenters are saying Cory didn't have enough of a career to be honored with the other four on this list. They're pissed that Andy Griffith was passed over. And they're saying that the Emmys are glamorizing his OD by making such a huge deal in honoring the death of a druggie.

Suffice to say: Wow, people on the Internet sure can be a bunch of insensitive jerks.

Look, I don't agree with the decision to single out actors who have passed away as somehow being more "honor-worthy" than the others, but their decision to include Cory makes sense. Cory and the cast of Glee spoke to a younger demographic. The ratings game is all about harnessing this young demographic, and the producers behind the Emmys probably thought this tribute would be a good way to lure them in and get them to watch the show (it may sound insensitive, but that's how our sick, sad world works).

Many 18-year-olds know who Cory is and that he passed away a couple months ago. Sad to say, but ask them who Jonathan Winters (a comedic genius and pioneer) was, and they'd probably shrug and continue playing Candy Crush on their iPhone.

Anyway, each of these tributes will be delivered by costars and close friends. For example, Edie Falco will be remembering Gandolfini, with whom she worked on The Sopranos, while Jane Lynch will be talking about Cory. Of course fans of Glee will tune in to see what Jane has to say about her fallen costar.

Not only does it feel weird debating who is and isn't worthy of being on this list since these actors are no longer with us, the things people have been saying about Cory have been cold, cruel, and completely unnecessary. He was one of the lead actors on an extremely popular television show, and many fans, young and old, were touched by and are still trying to process his death. There's no doubt that he had talent and legions of fans, and he was very open and honest about his struggles with addiction. Instead of "sensationalizing" his drug use, we can only hope that Lynch will talk about her friend in a way that shows how drugs can easily cut off a life and career that had so much promise. And, come on, no one's giving him an Emmy here.

So let's stop dissecting Cory's career and saying that he's a "minor" actor and that how he died makes him any more or less worthy to be on this list. We should be placing blame on the Emmys who are saying that one star's death is more important to honor than another's. Regardless, it's a shame that Cory's passing has led to this kind of exploitative controversy.

What do you think about Cory Monteith's inclusion on the "special" Emmys "In Memoriam" segment?

Image via Dondfan998/Wikimedia Commons

Click the "Like" button below if you're a Gleek! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jill Baughman

is the copy chief of The Stir and geeks out over all the nuances and weirdness of the English language.

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