78th Primetime Emmy Awards - Show
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As Mariska Harigtay began her first time hosting the Emmy awards, she was joined by a special guest: New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson. In a pre-taped segment, he steamed his jersey and she steamed her clothes, she rushed off to begin the show.
It’s unclear when they filmed the segment; just yesterday, Brunson and his wife Ali attended the U.S. Open men’s finals.
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The Brunsons at the U.S. Open.
Harigtay and Brunson are close friends. Brunson has long called Hargitay his favorite Knicks fan, saying of the actress she is “my number one, love her to death, she knows it.” And, Hargitay revealed earlier this year that Brunson was the inspiration for her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing. “My friend, my inspiration,” she said of Brunson. “I love him. I was so terrified to do my show—I just thought about him, and his inspiration, and his humility, and his work ethic, that I [reminded myself]: You can do hard things. He is so singular, and magnificent. He’s a magnificent human.”
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Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin//Getty Images Jalen Brunson and Mariska Hargitay during the New York Knicks championship ticker-tape parade
After Brunson and the Knicks won the NBA Championships, Brunson was asked what’s next for him. His reply: “Try to get on SVU,” referring to the long-running Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Hargitay recently confirmed it would be happening, telling Variety, “He’s kind of magnificent that way. He is just open and ready. I don’t think there is much Jalen can’t do.”
Next week, Brunson will host the season premiere of Saturday Night Live with musical guest Katseye.
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Emily Burack (she/her) is the Deputy Digital Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms.