The Emmy Awards 2013 paid tribute to actors who passed away this year including Cory Monteith, Jonathan Winters and James Gandolfini.
Every year the Emmy Awards has a Memoriam segment where they pay tribute to the deceased. This year, the organization added a small change to this segment and instead of paying a general tribute, singled out actors like Cory Monteith, Jonathan Winters and James Gandolfini and had their co-stars pay tribute to each of them personally.
Cory Monteith, better known as Finn is the popular TV show "Glee" was remembered by fans and colleagues. Co-star Jane Lynch paid tribute to the former actor calling him "a beautiful soul."
"He was not perfect, which many of us here tonight can relate to. His death is a tragic reminder of the rapacious, senseless destruction that is brought on by addiction," Lynch added.
His tribute, however, was surrounded by controversy. Actor Jack Klugman's son Adam criticized the TV academy for not paying tribute to his father and instead choosing to pay tribute to Monteith.
"They're celebrating this self-inflicted tragedy instead of celebrating the life of my father, who won three Emmys.... Cory Monteith never won an Emmy," he said, according to an L.A. Times report.
Adam clarified that he had nothing personal against Monteith but was disappointed that his father, who died last December, was not honoured at the event.
Emmys executive producer Ken Ehrlich responded to the comment in a statement saying, "Every generation of television viewers has its favourites, and when we decided to expand the 'In Memoriam' segment to remember certain individuals, we wanted these pieces to be representative as well. To a younger generation, Cory Monteith's portrayal of Finn Hudson was highly admired, and the producers felt that he should be included along with the four other individuals we have singled out."
"The Sopranos" star James Gandolfini was paid respect by co-star Edie Falco, referring to him a man who was fiercely loyal to his friends, family and his work. Falco said he was lucky enough to know Gandolfini not just as a fellow actor but also as a great human being.
