Hacks star Jean Smart pulls off an Emmys feat only Betty White has before

No joke: Hacks star Jean Smart is taking home yet another Emmy, placing her alongside a Hollywood legend in the awards history books.

Smart, who plays a stand-up comedian on the acclaimed HBO Max comedy Hacks, won the Emmy on Sunday for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She received a standing ovation from the in-person Emmys audience upon taking the stage, and she paid tribute to her late husband, who died earlier this year.

"I would not be here without him," she said.

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This was the fourth Emmy of Smart's career. The first two were back-to-back wins for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Frasier, and she won a third for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Samantha Who?. Now Smart, Gold Derby reports, has joined Betty White as the only actresses who have won Emmys for guest actress in a comedy, supporting actress in a comedy, and lead actress in a comedy. Smart joked to Entertainment Weekly before the Emmys that if she pulled off this feat, it would be like having a "tiara to go with the earrings and the broach."

Outside of her comedy work, Smart was also nominated at the 2020 Emmys for her supporting role on Watchmen, as well as in 2016 for her supporting performance in Fargo. And the lead comedy actress category wasn't even her only nomination this year, as Smart was also up for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for HBO's Mare of Easttown.