{"id":2163,"date":"2025-07-18T14:38:01","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T14:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/?p=2163"},"modified":"2025-07-20T08:26:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T08:26:21","slug":"is-the-bear-committing-category-fraud-either-way-ayo-edebiri-deserves-her-historic-emmy-noms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/18\/is-the-bear-committing-category-fraud-either-way-ayo-edebiri-deserves-her-historic-emmy-noms\/","title":{"rendered":"Is The Bear Committing \u201cCategory Fraud\u201d? Either Way, Ayo Edebiri Deserves Her Historic Emmy Noms"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For many TV watchers The Bear<\/em><\/a> and controversial Emmy nominations<\/a> go hand in hand. For the last few years, every time the show scores Emmys nominations<\/a> \u2014\u00a0like this year\u2019s 13 nods \u2014 the same statement inevitably gets cranked out of the discourse machine: \u201cThe Bear <\/a><\/em>is not a comedy.<\/a>\u201d The show has consistently earned nominations and won in comedic Emmy categories, sparking outcry from viewers and critics who ask, \u201cHow can a show about anxiety, trauma, and family breakdowns be a comedy?\u201d But this leads to another question: In an era where genres are constantly being blurred and reimagined, do categories even matter? And further, does this whole debate overshadow artists\u2019 achievements?\u00a0<\/p>\n

This year, one of The Bear\u2019s<\/em> breakout stars Ayo Edebiri<\/a> has made Emmys history. She\u2019s the first woman ever to be nominated for both acting and directing in a comedy series and<\/em> she\u2019s the youngest Black woman to have earned three acting nominations. She\u2019s up for \u2018Outstanding Leading Actress in a Comedy Series\u2019 and \u2018Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series\u2019 for her directing work on the episode \u201cNapkins\u201d<\/a>. While calling The Bear <\/em>a \u201ccomedy\u201d might be questionable, there\u2019s no doubt that Edebiri\u2019s phenomenal work, both in front of and behind the camera, deserves recognition \u2014 and award wins.<\/p>\n

That tension between the category and the content has made The Bear <\/em>a lightning rod for awards discourse and, to be fair, the \u201cEmmys fraud\u201d debate isn\u2019t entirely without merit. There\u2019s a long history of shows making strategic decisions to improve their chances of success. At the Emmys, shows can submit themselves to any category they choose, so they tend to pick the one they believe they are more likely to win. Lead actors submit themselves to the supporting actor category or more dramatic shows submit themselves to the comedy categories, bending the rules to secure an award. For example, in 2014, Joe Morton<\/a> \u2014 who played protagonist Oliva\u2019s father in Scandal \u2014\u00a0was submitted for the \u201cOutstanding Guest Star\u201d award category despite appearing in most episodes that season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It also doesn\u2019t help that the Television Academy (who runs the Emmys) used to state for years that\u00a0comedies were defined as having a run time of 30 minutes. Therefore, a show like The Bear<\/em>, exploring panic attacks, grief spirals, and high-stakes emotional reckoning alongside lighter comedic moments ended up being classified as a comedy\u00a0by default because most of the episodes\u2019 runtimes fit the comedic categories by definition. They changed these rules in 2021<\/a>. Comedic acting has historically been undervalued, so when a show like The Bear dominates the comedy category, it raises valid concerns about whether dramas-in-disguise are crowding out more traditional, and equally deserving comedic work. The reality is TV genres straddle a medley of storytelling styles, which is great for viewers who appreciate innovation \u2014 award shows need to keep up.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Bearing all this in mind, it\u2019s difficult not to feel happy for Edebiri \u2014 what matters most is her work being recognized. Her work in front of and behind the camera has been exceptional. Season 3 of The Bear<\/em> often felt sluggish and struggled to find its feet, but flashback episode \u201cNapkins\u201d (Edebiri\u2019s directorial debut and written by Catherine Schetina) stood out as a beautiful, tender insight into chef Tina (played by Liza Col\u00f3n-Zayas<\/a>) and how she became who is in the kitchen. We see the working-class woman of color, mother, and wife struggle after being suddenly thrust back into the modern LinkedIn-ified world of work, pitted against graduates and younger workers vying for the same jobs, facing endless faux-polite rejections and the immense pressure to continue providing for her family in a job market that doesn\u2019t value her. A coincidental but deeply meaningful encounter with Mikey at The Beef helps Tina reinvent herself in the workplace. <\/p>\n

The Bear <\/em>tends to veer between unbearably hectic and tranquil; Edebiri shows her directorial chops by directing an episode imbued with that quiet stillness. We see the camera focus on aspects of Tina\u2019s everyday routine, and watch as the stability of her life begins crumbling. Whilst this part of Tina\u2019s story is sad, she\u2019s not a pitiful figure. Edebiri gives the character a sense of fight, determination and dignity despite the anguish.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Edebiri has continued to build on her skills in 2025\u2019s Season 4, directing and starring in the episode \u201cWorms\u201d<\/a> \u2014 a tender portrait of Blackness, family, and community whilst also a highly introspective character study. Sydney (Edebiri) is facing a long stretched out dilemma: should she stay at The Bear or leave to join Chef Adam Shapiro\u2019s new venture? As Shapiro begins to feel like an awkward mismatch rather than a viable new business partner, it\u2019s also the first time we see the show delve more explicitly into racial themes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the episode, Shapiro doesn\u2019t understand that Sydney\u2019s hair appointment is likely to take all day, he over-explains why he\u2019s blasting an East Coast rap song, and is then surprised when she chooses to put Beethoven on instead. He expects her to \u201cbring in Afro Caribbean influences\u201d to the restaurant, despite the fact we\u2019ve never really seen her cook that style of cuisine (Sydney is also Nigerian). Later, he asks her if she\u2019s seen the Chris Rock documentary <\/a>Good Hair<\/a><\/em>. He has the air of a 2020 self-described \u201cwhite ally\u201d who reduces Sydney to her racial identity, putting her in a box and diminishing her humanity. (Predictably, his good nature quickly disappears when he doesn\u2019t get what he wants from her later in the series.)\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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While calling The Bear <\/em>a \u201ccomedy\u201d might be questionable, there\u2019s no doubt that Edebiri\u2019s phenomenal work, both in front of and behind the camera, deserves recognition.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

\u201cWorms\u201d also reflects the deeply familiar shared experience of Black women getting their hair done: Sydney gossiping hairstylist\/cousin Chantel (played by Danielle Deadwyler<\/a> who is hilarious in the episode), getting her hair braided at home rather than in a salon, the stylist code-switching on the phone then back to her authentic self with Sydney, Chantel scolding her young daughter TJ for talking back. It\u2019s a very believable portrayal of a near-universal experience for Black women.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The exploration of Sydney\u2019s dilemma through her conversation with the much younger TJ is an interesting twist. There\u2019s hardly any food in the house, so they go on an impromptu shopping trip, and leisurely make a home-cooked meal; the timer on the oven is stuck at 12:00. Unlike the demands of the professional kitchen, time is suspended and Sydney has the time to contemplate\u00a0 her\u00a0 choices through the simplicity of a child-like metaphor: choosing which house to go to for a sleepover. Getting a glimpse into Sydney\u2019s familial relationships creates a contrast with Carmy (Jeremy Allen White<\/a>), who can\u2019t even remember he\u2019s now an uncle.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWorms\u201d demonstrates deftly the tension of choosing between someone who seems\u00a0 \u201cright\u201d on paper (Shapiro) and people who \u2014\u00a0despite their flaws \u2014 feel like home (Syd\u2019s coworkers at The Bear<\/em>). Edebiri\u2019s ability to convey that tension in her meandering dialogue, wide eyes, pauses, and sometimes unconvincing justifications for why she\u2019s still at The Bear is outstanding.<\/p>\n

Comedy or drama, The Bear\u2019s<\/em> writing, storytelling and directing is warm, grounded, realistic and brings us back to the heart of the show: food. The Bear <\/em>is often far more interested in the personal and the micro, than the political and macro, but to me it has always quietly reflected a truth about multi-racial America, particularly for working-class people. People from different backgrounds work, socialize and care about each other. The Bear restaurant is often referred to as a family\u2014 albeit a chaotic one\u2014 and that extends to something very true about people in America more broadly, contrary to the story that more Conservative power holders want to tell. In a wider landscape of ICE raids<\/a> and other racially hostile policies, the quiet politics Edibiri skillfully and convincingly teases out feels important.<\/p>\n

The Emmys will likely continue to cause controversy but Edebiri\u2019s work in The Bear <\/em>has been extraordinary, whether she\u2019s stealing scenes on\u00a0 camera, or shaping the emotional storytelling behind it. The show may be blurring the lines of comedy and drama \u2014 but that is actually a key ingredient in making The Bear <\/em>unmissable TV. <\/p>\n

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ayo Edebiri Is The Moment<\/a><\/p>\n

Black Women Winning Major Emmys Shouldn't Be Rare<\/a><\/p>\n

Beyonc\u00e9 & Viola Davis Made History\u2014It's Not Enough<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For many TV watchers The Bear and controversial Emmy nominations go hand in hand. For the last few years, every time the show scores Emmys nominations \u2014\u00a0like this year\u2019s 13 nods \u2014 the same statement inevitably gets cranked out of the discourse machine: \u201cThe Bear is not a comedy.\u201d The show has consistently earned nominations Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fashion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2163"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2169,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2163\/revisions\/2169"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}