Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
Primetime Emmy Awards · 108 nominations across 24 ceremonies · 23 wins
78th Emmys · 2026
- Nominee Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show · Taylor Swift
- Nominee Wicked: One Wonderful Night · Ben Winston, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo
- Nominee Nikki Glaser: Good Girl · Nikki Glaser, Hamish Hamilton
- Nominee The Muppet Show · Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Matt Vogel, Eric Jacobson, Alex Timbers, Sabrina Carpenter
- Nominee Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable... · Dave Chappelle, Rikki Hughes
77th Emmys · 2025
- Winner Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor · Marcus Raboy
- Nominee Ali Wong: Single Lady · Ali Wong, John Irwin
- Nominee Adam Sandler: Love You · John Irwin, Josh Safdie, Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Adam Sandler
- Nominee Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years · Bill Burr, Dave Becky
- Nominee Your Friend, Nate Bargatze · Nate Bargatze, Tim Sarkes, John Irwin
- Nominee Sarah Silverman: PostMortem · Sarah Silverman
76th Emmys · 2024
- Winner Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic · Craig Plestis
- Nominee Trevor Noah: Where Was I · Trevor Noah
- Nominee Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer · Dave Chappelle, Rikki Hughes, Stan Lathan
- Nominee Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die · Nikki Glaser
- Nominee Billy Joel: The 100th — Live at Madison Square Garden · Billy Joel
75th Emmys · 2023
- Winner Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love · Carol Burnett, Paul Miller
- Nominee Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer · Wanda Sykes
- Nominee John Mulaney: Baby J · John Mulaney, Alex Timbers
- Nominee Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music & Laughter
- Nominee Trevor Noah: I Wish You Would · Trevor Noah
- Nominee Lizzo: Live in Concert · Lizzo, Hamish Hamilton
74th Emmys · 2022
- Winner Adele One Night Only · Ben Winston, Adele
- Nominee One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga · Alex Coletti, Bruce Gillmer, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett
- Nominee Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts · Casey Patterson, David Heyman, Mike Darnell
- Nominee Dave Chappelle: The Closer · Dave Chappelle, Rikki Hughes, Stan Lathan
- Nominee Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special · Norm Macdonald, John Irwin
73rd Emmys · 2021
- Winner Hamilton · Jill Furman, Dave Sirulnick, Justin Wilkes, Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeffrey Seller
- Nominee 8:46 – Dave Chappelle · Dave Chappelle, Julia Reichert, Steven Bognar
- Nominee David Byrne's American Utopia · Jeff Skoll, David Linde, Diane Weyermann, Len Blavatnik, Kurt Deutsch, Bill Pohlad, Dave Sirulnick, Sue Naegle, David Byrne, Spike Lee
- Nominee Friends: The Reunion · Ben Winston, Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kauffman, David Crane, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, James Corden, Mike Darnell
- Nominee A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote · Casey Patterson, Thomas Schlamme, Aaron Sorkin
- Nominee Bo Burnham: Inside · Bo Burnham
72nd Emmys · 2020
- Winner Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones · Dave Chappelle, Stan Lathan, Rikki Hughes
- Nominee John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch · John Mulaney, Rhys Thomas, David Miner
- Nominee Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill · Jerry Seinfeld, George Shapiro, Michael Davies
- Nominee Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah · Tiffany Haddish, Wanda Sykes
- Nominee Hannah Gadsby: Douglas · Hannah Gadsby, John Irwin
- Nominee Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor · Dalton Delan, Deborah F. Rutter, Chris Robinson
71st Emmys · 2019
- Winner Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live From Liverpool · Ben Winston, Sheila Rogers, James Corden, Ian Karmel, Gabe Turner
- Nominee Springsteen on Broadway · Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau, Thom Zimny
- Nominee Wanda Sykes: Not Normal · Wanda Sykes
- Nominee Hannah Gadsby: Nanette · Hannah Gadsby
- Nominee Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé · Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
70th Emmys · 2018
- Winner Dave Chappelle
- Nominee Full Frontal with Samantha Bee · Samantha Bee, Jason Jones, Allana Harkin
- Nominee The Late Late Show with James Corden
- Nominee Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life · Lorne Michaels, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Marcus Raboy
- Nominee The Carol Burnett Show · Carol Burnett, Allen Shapiro, Paul Miller
60th Emmys · 2008
- Winner Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project · Larry Rickles, John Landis
- Nominee Great Performances
59th Emmys · 2007
- Winner Duets: An American Classic · Rob Marshall
- Nominee Great Performances
53rd Emmys · 2001
- Winner Dralion
- Nominee Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning · Ellen DeGeneres, Joel Gallen
- Nominee 73rd Annual Academy Awards · Gilbert Cates
- Nominee Saturday Night Live · Lorne Michaels
- Nominee Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band · Bruce Springsteen
45th Emmys · 1993
- Winner Bob Hope: The First 90 Years · Nancy Malone, Don Mischer
- Nominee Great Performances · Jac Venza
44th Emmys · 1992
- Winner Cirque Du Soleil II: A New Expérience
- Nominee Great Performances
30th Emmys · 1978
- Winner Bette Midler: Ol' Red Hair Is Back · Dwight Hemion, Bette Midler
- Nominee The George Burns One-Man Show · George Burns
- Nominee World of Magic
- Nominee The Second Barry Manilow Special · Barry Manilow
- Nominee Neil Diamond: I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight · Jerry Weintraub, Neil Diamond
28th Emmys · 1976
- Winner Gypsy in My Soul · William O. Harbach, Cy Coleman, Fred Ebb, Shirley MacLaine
- Nominee The Lily Tomlin Special
- Nominee Steve and Eydie: Our Love Is Here to Stay
- Nominee Rocky Mountain Christmas
- Nominee The Monty Python Show: Wide World Special · Ian MacNaughton
27th Emmys · 1975
- Winner An Evening with John Denver · Jerry Weintraub, John Denver
- Nominee Shirley MacLaine: If They Could See Me Now · Shirley MacLaine
- Nominee Lily · Jane Wagner, Lorne Michaels, Lily Tomlin
25th Emmys · 1973
- Winner Liza with a Z · Bob Fosse, Fred Ebb, Liza Minnelli
- Nominee Once Upon a Mattress · Joe Hamilton
- Nominee Applause · Alexander H. Cohen, Lawrence Kasha
24th Emmys · 1972
- Winner S Wonderful 'S Marvelous 'S Gershwin
- Nominee The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour · Chris Bearde, Sonny Bono, Cher
- Nominee Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center · Joe Hamilton, Julie Andrews, Carol Burnett
- Nominee The Flip Wilson Show · Monte Kay, Flip Wilson
22nd Emmys · 1970
- Winner Annie, the Women in the Life of a Man · Martin Charnin, Anne Bancroft
- Nominee The Second Bill Cosby Special · Bill Cosby
- Nominee Kraft Music Hall · Dwight Hemion, Burt Bacharach, Jack Benny
- Nominee Sinatra · Frank Sinatra
21st Emmys · 1969
- Winner The Bill Cosby Special · Bill Persky, Sam Denoff, Bill Cosby
- Nominee Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In · Dan Rowan, Dick Martin
- Nominee Barbra Streisand: A Happening in Central Park · Robert Scheerer, Barbra Streisand
- Nominee Duke Ellington Concert of Sacred Music
- Nominee The Rite of Spring · Zubin Mehta
- Nominee Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing · Frank Sinatra
- Nominee Vladimir Horowitz: A Television Concert at Carnegie Hall · Roger Englander, Vladimir Horowitz
20th Emmys · 1968
- Winner Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In · George Schlatter
- Nominee Lincoln Center/Stage 5 · Jac Venza
- Nominee Chrysler Presents The Bob Hope Show · Bob Hope
- Nominee A Man and His Music + Ella + Jobim · Robert Scheerer
- Nominee The Fred Astaire Show · Fred Astaire, Gil Rodin
- Nominee Herb Alpert
19th Emmys · 1967
18th Emmys · 1966
- Winner Chrysler Presents The Bob Hope Christmas Special · Bob Hope
- Nominee Carol Channing
- Nominee The Julie Andrews Show · Alan Handley
- Nominee Jimmy Durante
- Nominee Sammy Davis, Jr.