# Mariska Hargitay roasts the room at the Emmys

> The SVU star hosted her first Emmys and spent the monologue gently torching Nicole Kidman, Dick Wolf and half the front row.
- Title: Mariska Hargitay roasts the room at the Emmys · Newsweek
- Summary: The SVU star hosted her first Emmys and spent the monologue gently torching Nicole Kidman, Dick Wolf and half the front row. Hargitay turned a milestone…
- Keywords: emmys, mariska hargitay, television, awards, comedy, Mariska, Hargitay, roasts, room, Newsweek
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/entertainment/emmys-opening-monologue-every-celebrity-mariska-hargitay-mocked-12442345
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: emmys, mariska hargitay, television, awards, comedy
## First woman in 15 years
Mariska Hargitay hosted the 78th Primetime Emmys at the Peacock Theater on Monday, the first woman to take the job since Jane Lynch in 2011.
## A Knicks star deflates her
A prerecorded opener showed Hargitay asking Jalen Brunson if he knew what it felt like when millions are watching and it all rides on one night. He just said "Seriously?"

> Seriously?
## Taylor Swift plays rookie cop
The same package featured Swift as a rookie detective in a spoof SVU sketch, investigating whether she would actually turn up at the Emmys.
## I love rock and nominees
Hargitay then sang a rewritten version of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" with lyrics built around the night's nominees before going live.
## Amy and Tina said no
On being the first woman to host since 2011, she landed an early shot at two comedy veterans who have hosted the Golden Globes four times between them.

> For 15 straight years, Amy and Tina said no.
## Martin Short, arrested
Decades as Olivia Benson meant the room was full of faces she recognized, mostly because she had arrested them on SVU. Short got singled out.

> You should be ashamed of yourself, my friend.
## Kidman's bit, stolen
Hargitay launched into a TV version of Nicole Kidman's AMC Theatres ad, dramatic music and all. Kidman shouted back from her seat.

> That's my bit. You can't do that!
## Dick Wolf gets the worst one
She thanked the SVU creator for his 40-plus shows, 13 of them currently airing, then claimed the jokes about his name were unfair because it is not even real.

> His real name is Richard Penis.
## Two wins of her own
Her documentary My Mom Jayne, about her mother Jayne Mansfield, won Outstanding Documentary, and Hargitay took Outstanding Directing for a Documentary.
## Key takeaway

Hargitay turned a milestone hosting gig into a warm roast of her own industry, then won two Emmys of her own the same night.