Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
Primetime Emmy Awards · 180 nominations across 47 ceremonies · 48 wins
78th Emmys · 2026
- Nominee Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Nominee Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- Nominee The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
77th Emmys · 2025
- Winner Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
- Nominee The Daily Show
76th Emmys · 2024
- Winner Daniel O'Brien, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Ryan Ken, John Oliver · Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Nominee Daniel Radosh, Josh Johnson, Matt Koff, Joseph Opio, Zhubin Parang, Kat Radley, Jon Stewart · The Daily Show
- Nominee Streeter Seidell, Alison Gates, Celeste Yim, Bryan Tucker, Rosebud Baker, Michael Che, Jimmy Fowlie, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Dave McCary, Lorne Michaels, Julio Torres, Asha Ward · Saturday Night Live
75th Emmys · 2023
- Winner Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
- Nominee The Daily Show
- Nominee Late Night with Seth Meyers
- Nominee The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
74th Emmys · 2022
- Winner Daniel O'Brien, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Ryan Ken, John Oliver · Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Nominee Michael Che, Alison Gates, Streeter Seidell, Colin Jost, Bryan Tucker, Steve Higgins, Lorne Michaels, Celeste Yim, Anna Drezen · Saturday Night Live
- Nominee Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello, Glenn Eichler, Tom Purcell, Brian Stack, John Thibodeaux · The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- Nominee Robin Thede · A Black Lady Sketch Show
- Nominee Daniel Radosh, Josh Johnson, Matt Koff, Trevor Noah, Kat Radley · The Daily Show
73rd Emmys · 2021
- Winner Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
- Nominee The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- Nominee A Black Lady Sketch Show
- Nominee The Amber Ruffin Show
72nd Emmys · 2020
- Winner Dan Gurewitch, Jill Twiss, John Oliver, Tim Carvell, Daniel O'Brien · Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Nominee Karen Chee, Dina Gusovsky, Jenny Hagel, John Lutz, Seth Meyers, Amber Ruffin, Ben Warheit · Late Night with Seth Meyers
- Nominee Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello, Glenn Eichler, Daniel Kibblesmith, Tom Purcell, Brian Stack, John Thibodeaux · The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- Nominee Samantha Bee, Mike Drucker · Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
- Nominee Daniel Radosh, Matt Koff, X Mayo, Dan McCoy, Trevor Noah, Joseph Opio, Zhubin Parang, Kat Radley · The Daily Show
71st Emmys · 2019
- Winner Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
- Nominee Late Night with Seth Meyers
- Nominee Documentary Now!
- Nominee The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- Nominee Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
70th Emmys · 2018
- Winner Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Nominee Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
- Nominee The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
- Nominee Late Night with Seth Meyers
69th Emmys · 2017
- Winner Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Nominee Late Night with Seth Meyers
- Nominee Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
- Nominee The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
68th Emmys · 2016
- Winner Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
- Nominee Key & Peele
- Nominee Inside Amy Schumer
- Nominee Portlandia
- Nominee Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
67th Emmys · 2015
- Winner The Daily Show
- Nominee The Colbert Report
- Nominee Key & Peele
- Nominee Inside Amy Schumer
- Nominee Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
66th Emmys · 2014
- Winner The Colbert Report
- Nominee The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
- Nominee Keegan-Michael Key · Key & Peele
- Nominee The Daily Show
- Nominee Amy Schumer · Inside Amy Schumer
- Nominee Portlandia
- Nominee Inside Amy Schumer
- Nominee Key & Peele
65th Emmys · 2013
- Winner The Colbert Report
- Nominee Portlandia
- Nominee Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- Nominee The Daily Show
- Nominee Real Time with Bill Maher
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
64th Emmys · 2012
- Winner Jon Stewart · The Daily Show
- Nominee Paula Pell · Saturday Night Live
63rd Emmys · 2011
- Winner The Daily Show
- Nominee Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
- Nominee The Colbert Report
- Nominee Conan
62nd Emmys · 2010
- Winner The Colbert Report
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
- Nominee The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Real Time with Bill Maher
- Nominee The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
61st Emmys · 2009
- Winner The Daily Show
- Nominee The Colbert Report
- Nominee Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
60th Emmys · 2008
- Winner The Colbert Report
- Nominee The Daily Show
- Nominee Paula Pell · Saturday Night Live
- Nominee Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
59th Emmys · 2007
- Winner Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
- Nominee The Colbert Report
- Nominee The Daily Show
- Nominee Real Time with Bill Maher
58th Emmys · 2006
- Winner The Daily Show
- Nominee The Colbert Report
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
- Nominee Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Real Time with Bill Maher
57th Emmys · 2005
- Winner The Daily Show
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
- Nominee Seth Rogen · Da Ali G Show
- Nominee Da Ali G Show
- Nominee Dan Mazer · Da Ali G Show
- Nominee Real Time with Bill Maher
- Nominee Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Sacha Baron Cohen · Da Ali G Show
56th Emmys · 2004
- Winner The Daily Show
- Nominee Chappelle's Show
- Nominee Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
55th Emmys · 2003
- Winner The Daily Show
- Nominee Steve Hely · Late Show with David Letterman
- Nominee Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Robin Williams
- Nominee Paula Pell · Saturday Night Live
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
54th Emmys · 2002
- Winner Saturday Night Live
- Nominee The Daily Show
- Nominee Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
53rd Emmys · 2001
- Winner The Daily Show
- Nominee Saturday Night Live
- Nominee Paula Pell · Saturday Night Live
- Nominee Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee The Chris Rock Show
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
52nd Emmys · 2000
- Winner Suzy Eddie Izzard · Dress to Kill from Eddie Izzard
- Nominee Chris Rock · Bigger & Blacker from Chris Rock
- Nominee Jonathan Groff, Andy Blitz, Janine Ditullio, Jon Glaser, Brian McCann, Conan O'Brien, Andy Richter, Robert Smigel, Brian Stack · Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Tom Agna, Vernon Chatman, Louis C.K., Lance Crouther, Nick Di Paolo, Ali LeRoi, Steve O'Donnell, Chuck Sklar, Jeff Stilson, Halsted Sullivan, Wanda Sykes · The Chris Rock Show
- Nominee Rodney Rothman, Carter L. Bays, Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett, David Letterman, Jim Mulholland, Bill Scheft, Eric Stangel, Justin Stangel, Craig Thomas, Steve Young · Late Show with David Letterman
51st Emmys · 1999
- Winner The Chris Rock Show
- Nominee Mr. Show with Bob and David
- Nominee Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Dennis Miller Live
- Nominee David Cross · Mr. Show with Bob and David
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
50th Emmys · 1998
- Winner Dennis Miller Live
- Nominee David Cross · Mr. Show with Bob and David
- Nominee The Chris Rock Show
- Nominee Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Nominee Mr. Show with Bob and David
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
46th Emmys · 1994
- Winner Dennis Miller Live
- Nominee Late Show with David Letterman
- Nominee The Kids in the Hall
- Nominee Mystery Science Theater 3000
- Nominee Tracey Ullman Takes on New York
45th Emmys · 1993
- Winner Bob Odenkirk, David Cross · The Ben Stiller Show
44th Emmys · 1992
- Winner Billy Crystal
- Nominee Larry Wilmore · In Living Color
43rd Emmys · 1991
- Winner Billy Crystal
42nd Emmys · 1990
- Winner Sam Simon · The Tracey Ullman Show
- Winner Billy Crystal
41st Emmys · 1989
- Winner Phil Hartman
39th Emmys · 1987
36th Emmys · 1984
35th Emmys · 1983
- Winner John Candy · Second City Television
34th Emmys · 1982
- Winner John Candy · Second City Television
- Winner Catherine O'Hara
30th Emmys · 1978
- Winner Robert Illes, Larry Siegel, James R. Stein · The Carol Burnett Show
- Nominee Dan Aykroyd · Saturday Night Live
29th Emmys · 1977
- Winner Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi · Saturday Night Live
- Nominee Chevy Chase · Saturday Night Live
28th Emmys · 1976
- Winner Chevy Chase · Saturday Night Live
24th Emmys · 1972
- Winner Jack Lemmon
22nd Emmys · 1970
- Winner Judith Viorst
20th Emmys · 1968
- Winner Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
- Nominee The Carol Burnett Show
19th Emmys · 1967
- Winner Mel Brooks
11th Emmys · 1959
- Winner Fred Astaire · An Evening with Fred Astaire