Here’s What Celebrities Ate During Emmy’s Commercial Breaks
The gowns were couture, the snacks… not so much.
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Photo by Rocky Luten
The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Nate Bargatze, took place last night in downtown Los Angeles. While the night celebrated the best of television, there was another show happening off-camera: the snack scene.
Unlike the Oscars or other major award shows with their champagne towers and five-star spreads, the Emmys are famous for something a little more… cinematic. Guests actually have to buy their own food in the lobby, and it’s not caviar bumps or oysters on ice. Nope—it’s straight-up concession stand fare. Think hot dogs, nachos, chips, and canned beer. Even Vanity Fair has joked that “the cheesiest thing about the Emmys” are the nachos in the lobby (and not the awards themselves).
Jenny Hagel, a late-night writer, revealed last year that foil-wrapped hot dogs are the big hit. She shared a photo of her discovery here.
Apparently, they once again sold out quickly, along with the pretzels. By the time a lot of guests make it through the line, they’re often left with just tubs of popcorn and chips. This year also saw vending machines stocked with beer, water, and chips, giving the whole lobby a “convenience store chic” vibe. Entertainment Weekly went behind the scenes and showed the full spread here.
Celebs leaned into the chaos. Kristen Bell personally “pregamed” with a burger and fries before stepping onto the carpet. Her husband, Dax Shepard, was later caught on camera by Sarah Paulson mid–commercial break juggling a hot dog, chips, and a fistful of what appeared to be hot Cheetos (Bell reposted with the caption: “Can’t take him anywhere. And still, I always will.”).
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Meanwhile, Keith Coogan (grandson of child star Jackie Coogan) kept things classic with a bag of Tostitos. He also reported that “this year’s Emmy’s hot dog” cost $7.75, an increase from past years.
So while the gowns were couture and the speeches emotional, behind the scenes it was very much beer-in-a-can and concession-stand hot dogs. Honestly? That feels like TV’s most relatable moment yet.
Want to snack like a celeb (but better)? Try these Food52 recipes for your own red-carpet-worthy spread: