Leave it to Mother Monster to casually do something that most people didn't even realize was possible. Lady Gaga's Super Bowl halftime show was nominated for six Emmy Awards. Six!
Anyone who tuned in to the spectacle knew it was really something, but to see it nominated alongside events like the 2017 Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the Tony Awards really puts things in perspective. And don't count the performance out, either, even against those heavy-hitters. The pop star was onstage giving it her all for less than 15 minutes total, which averages out to about one Emmy for every two minutes of performance time. Let's see you try to pull those numbers, Oscars.
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To be clear, it's not only Gaga who's being honored in the nominations. The halftime show was nominated for Outstanding Production Design for Variety, Nonfiction, Event, or Award Special, Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special, Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special, Outstanding Music Direction, and Outstanding Special Class Program. In that last category, Gaga is involved in the nominations, since she's the performer — but the other categories are about the behind-the-scenes work that went into the massive production.
Lady Gaga has been nominated for Emmys in similar categories in previous years, too. She was an executive producer on Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek LIVE! and HBO’s Lady Gaga Presents The Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden, which received noms in 2015 and 2011, respectively.
Gaga also won a Golden Globe just last year, and she's holding her own in the Emmy department. While 11 other Super Bowl halftime shows have been nominated for Emmys, including 2016's show headlined by Beyoncé, none has garnered as many nominations as the Super Bowl LI Halftime Show Starring Lady Gaga. The only other one that even came close was Bruce Springsteen's halftime show in 2009, which received four. So, Lady Gaga and her team are leading the pack, whether they win their categories or not. Our condolences to Queen Bey and Left Shark.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that Lady Gaga wouldn't earn an Emmy for any of the nominations, which is incorrect. Gaga is nominated as a "performer" in the Super Bowl LI Halftime Show Starring Lady Gaga, according to a rep for the show's producer. That could earn her an Emmy win if the halftime show wins in the Outstanding Special Class Program category. Refinery29 regrets the error.
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