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At the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards, Candice Bergen recalled the controversy over her Murphy Brown character raising a child as a single mother, then ended with: “So, as they say, my work here is done. Meow.” Contemporary coverage read the punchline as an apparent dig at J.D. Vance’s “childless cat ladies” remark, though Bergen did not name Vance in the transcript of her speech.
What did Candice Bergen say at the 2024 Emmys?
Bergen made the remarks while presenting the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series award at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 15, 2024. She recalled that her character, Murphy Brown, became pregnant and chose to raise the baby as a single mother. Bergen then invoked Vice President Dan Quayle, who had criticized the storyline, before delivering the punchline.
“And in one classic moment, my character was attacked by Vice President Dan Quayle when Murphy became pregnant and decided to raise the baby as a single mother. Oh how far we’ve come. Today, a Republican candidate for Vice President would never attack a woman for having kids. So, as they say, my work here is done. Meow.”
— Candice Bergen, as transcribed by CNN
Why did she say “Meow”?
The closing word appears to turn the phrase “childless cat ladies” into a pointed punchline. Contemporary coverage interpreted Bergen’s joke as a reference to J.D. Vance, who had used that phrase in criticizing Democrats. The interpretation fits the setup: Bergen contrasted Quayle’s past criticism of a woman raising a child alone with the idea that a Republican vice-presidential candidate today would not attack a woman for having children.
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That connection is an interpretation of the joke, not an explanation Bergen gave in the quoted passage. The CNN transcript records her words but does not mention Vance; outlets including TV Insider, The Hollywood Reporter and Us Weekly made that connection in contemporaneous coverage.
What was the Murphy Brown controversy?
In the television storyline Bergen recalled, Murphy Brown became pregnant and decided to raise her child as a single mother. Dan Quayle criticized the storyline during his vice presidency, and Bergen’s Emmy remarks explicitly placed that dispute alongside her joke about present-day Republican politics. Her setup depended on the contrast between the two moments: a prominent political criticism of a fictional single mother then, and the presumed irony of a Republican vice-presidential candidate attacking women for having children now.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which award did Bergen present?
Bergen presented the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series award. Jean Smart, star of Hacks, won. The ceremony took place on September 15, 2024, as reported by TV Insider.
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