Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series


The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series was a category in the Primetime Emmy Awards. It was awarded annually to the best variety show or similarly formatted program of the year. The award was sometimes known by other names, such as “Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Program” and “Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series.”

History

From 1979 to 1989 and in 1991, variety series and specials competed together. Single programs dominated as winners during this time until the Outstanding Variety Special category was formed. Since 1994, all of the winners in this category have been late-night talk shows.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart won the award for ten years consecutively, the longest winning streak for a television show in Primetime Emmy Award history. In 2015, this category was separated into two categories – Outstanding Variety Sketch Series and Outstanding Variety Talk Series.

Winners and nominations

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

Programs with multiple awards

;11 awards
;6 awards
;4 awards
;3 awards
;2 awards
;19 nominations
;15 nominations
;14 nominations
;11 nominations
;10 nominations
;9 nominations
;8 nominations
;7 nominations
;5 nominations
;4 nominations
;3 nominations
;2 nominations