Best Emmys 2021 memes: Rita Wilson raps, Apple's Tim Cook is now 'T-Dog'

The annual Primetime Emmy Awards was back in person this year, after a virtual show last year due to the pandemic. And with the ceremony came the memes and jokes, of course -- about everything from Rita Wilson, uh, rapping, to a new nickname for Apple CEO Tim Cook. Let's dive in to the best memes of the night. 

Rita Wilson shouldn't rap

The memes began even before the evening's first award got handed out, when Rita Wilson rapped along with the late Biz Markie's Just A Friend. Markie died in July at just 57. 

While some people were thankful the awards show honored Markie, some said Wilson should probably keep her day job. "I am not drunk enough for Rita Wilson rapping over Just A Friend !!!" tweeted writer Carrie Courogen.

"Rita Wilson saw Glenn Close doing da butt at the Oscars and said, 'Hold my beer,'" wrote NPR's Aisha Harris.

And some people compared Wilson with her son, rapper Chet Hanks. Said writer Hugh McIntyre, "Rita Wilson's mixtape would still be better than Chet's."

Seth Rogen blasts Emmy organizers

Actor Seth Rogen pointed out that the show was held in a crowded indoor tent despite the coronavirus pandemic. (All Emmy attendees were required to show proof of vaccination and a negative lab-based PCR test result.)

"Why is there a roof?" Rogen asked. "It's more important that we have three chandeliers than that we make sure we don't kill Eugene Levy tonight. That is what has been decided."

Rogen may be a comedian, but he had a point and fans picked up on that.

"I appreciate Seth Rogen calling out the crowded indoor setting of the Emmys, both because I was thinking it and because it's now funny to watch the show scramble to course correct the narrative," tweeted writer Caroline Siede.

Cedric the Entertainer addressed the coronavirus protocols in his opening monologue, saying, "It actually feels amazing in here unlike what Seth (Rogen) was talking about. It feels good. We're all vaxxed. We had to get vaxxed to come here. I got vaxxed. I did not have a reaction like Nicki Minaj's cousin's friend."

ROY KENT!

Once the awards began to roll, Apple TV Plus show Ted Lasso scored two goals right away. Hannah Waddingham, who plays team owner Rebecca Welton, and Brett Goldstein, who plays retired player-turned-coach Roy Kent, won supporting actress and supporting actor Emmys.

Ted Lasso fans rejoiced and they also had a little fun with Goldstein's role as the brusque and often profane Kent. The twitter account for AFC Richmond, the show's fictional team, tweeted out the Roy Kent chant from the show.

"He's here! He's there! He's every-f-ing-where! Roy Kent! Roy Kent!" the tweet read.

One tweet smartly twisted the chant to read, "He's here, he's there, he's picking up hardware, Roy Kent, Roy Kent."

Said another person, "Roy makes me feel better about swearing in front of my kids everyday. Thanks, Roy."

Conan's salute

Conan O'Brien decided to stand and salute Television Academy President Frank Scherma when Scherma gave his speech and the image turned into a meme.

O'Brien was edited into images showing him saluting everything from a giant lawn skeleton to Simpsons' characters perched on a giant toilet.

"Need a cam on Conan all night please," wrote one Twitter user.

"Legend has it that Conan O'Brien is still standing and saluting in that #Emmys room," said another.

Tim Cook gets a shoutout

When Ted Lasso won the Emmy for best comedy series, show co-creator Bill Lawrence thanked Apple CEO Tim Cook, since the show plays on Apple TV Plus. But he gave Cook a nickname -- "T-Dog," which caught some viewers' attention.

"T-Dog is kinda brilliant when you remember his middle name is Donald," tweeted one observant viewer. "Please no one ever actually call him that."

Another tweet referenced when then-president Donald Trump called Cook "Tim Apple," writing, "I very much appreciate this man giving Tim Apple a new nickname. here's to t-dog."

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