Courtesy of Sarah Thompson
Dan Powell with his Emmy for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series for his work on Comedy Central's Inside Amy Schumer.
Jon Hamm winning a long-deserved Emmy for his starring role in AMC’s Mad Men after 16 nominations was the big headline from this year’s award ceremony, especially here in Hamm’s hometown of St. Louis.
But Hamm isn’t the only St. Louisan who took home the gold that night. Dan Powell, executive producer of Inside Amy Schumer, won his first Emmy for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series for his work on the Comedy Central show. He was also nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series for the show in 2015 and 2014.
Powell tells SLM that winning an Emmy was a dream come true.
“They rip open the envelope, say your show's name, you hug your wife, bound down the aisle and up the stairs to the stage, and it ends with you holding an Emmy in front of a phalanx of photographers,” Powell says. “The one thing that's different from the daydream is that in reality, you spend your entire time on stage wondering if your fly is unzipped in front of 20 million people. I just thank God that the speech was Amy (Schumer)'s responsibility.”
See also: The Best (And Most Annoying) Reactions to Jon Hamm Finally Winning an Emmy
Powell, a MICDS graduate whose parents live in Creve Coeur, says he’s jealous of fellow St. Louis winner Hamm—but not because he got all the attention after last month’s ceremony.
“I am jealous of Jon Hamm for a great number of fairly obvious reasons, but I couldn't have been more thrilled for him to finally win for his portrayal of Don Draper,” he says. “It is one of the greatest dramatic performances in TV history, and it would have been criminal for him to go unrecognized by the Academy.”
For other St. Louisans interested in a career in television, Powell suggests moving to Los Angeles or New York.
“Be respectful and honest to everyone you meet no matter where they are on the totem pole,” Powell advises. “Don't be bitter when your peers achieve success faster than you. Be prepared to make a terrible salary for a good number of years.”
Sarah Thompson, a St. Louis public relations specialist and friend of Powell’s since grade school, describes him as low-key and humble.
“He is incredibly accomplished, especially in the TV comedy arena in NYC, but just doesn't have massive recognition because he's behind the camera,” she says.
Contact Lindsay Toler by an email at LToler@stlmag.com or on Twitter @StLouisLindsay. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
