Hannah Einbinder during her Emmy speech stated: "F--- ICE, Free Palestine."

      Hacks star Hannah Einbinder eliminated any possibility of an apolitical Emmys as she accepted her award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series by declaring, “F— ICE, free Palestine.”

      This year's Emmys were conducted under heightened security due to the recent fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Many celebrities opted to choose their words carefully in light of public reactions to Kirk’s death that were viewed as inappropriate.

      However, Einbinder did not hold back on two particularly contentious topics, although the CBS broadcast did censor her remarks.

      “I just want to say, finally, Go Birds, f— ICE and free Palestine,” she stated from the stage, prompting a loud cheer from the audience.

      Backstage, she expanded on her comments, explaining that she has friends working as frontline medical personnel in Gaza. She expressed that “as a Jewish person, it is my duty to separate Jews from the state of Israel, as our religion and culture is a significant and longstanding institution that is distinct from this ethnonationalist state.”

      Before Einbinder’s declaration, the Emmys had largely remained neutral. Host Nate Bargatze is known for his clean, politics-free approach, and this year's show followed suit.

      He opened with a humorous sketch about Philo T. Farnsworth, the inventor of television, and used the time usually designated for a monologue to share that he would be donating $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, adjusting the amount based on whether winners exceeded or fell below a 45-second limit for their speeches, creating a recurring joke throughout the evening.

      Einbinder exceeded her time but committed to cover the additional cost for the Boys & Girls Clubs.

      (For those curious about her "Go Birds" reference: Einbinder is a devoted fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, thanks to her father's roots in the Philadelphia area.)

      Hannah Einbinder, The Emmys, and Politics

      Another noteworthy political moment at the Emmys was expressed without words: Stephen Colbert took the stage to present the evening's first major award, jokingly asking the audience, “Is anyone hiring?”

      While it served as a quip about his show's recent cancellation, it also carried a message of defiance given the circumstances.

      This year’s Emmys were broadcast on CBS, a Paramount property. In July, Paramount agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit involving Trump. This payment occurred as Paramount was attempting to finalize a $1.5 billion sale and was hoping to sidestep federal scrutiny from the Trump Administration, leading Colbert to refer to it as “a big fat bribe.”

      Shortly after, his show, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, was cancelled.

      Trump later remarked on Truth Social that he was not responsible for Colbert’s cancellation.

      “People are saying that I was solely responsible for the firing of Stephen Colbert from CBS, Late Night,” Trump stated. “That is not true! He was let go due to a pure lack of TALENT, which was costing CBS $50 Million a year in losses — And it was only going to get WORSE!”

      Another political moment arose later in the ceremony when Television Academy chair Cris Abrego urged the industry not to backtrack, but to continue striving for inclusion and social progress. He referenced a long history of groundbreaking television shows, from All in the Family to South Park.

      The latter series has spent much of its current 27th season ridiculing Trump Administration policies and has also mocked Paramount for settling the Trump lawsuit.

      Main image: Hannah Einbinder backstage at the Emmys with fellow Hacks star and Emmy winner Jean Smart. CBS.

      Editor’s Note: Corrects spelling of Hannah Einbinder.