Quiet, please Quiet, please

‘Transparent’ winner hushes Emmy crowd in Hebrew

Accepting award for his role as Maura Pfefferman, Jeffrey Tambor urges Hollywood movers and shakers to 'give transgender talent a chance'

By Jessica Steinberg
  • Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
 19 September 2016, 5:38 pm
Winners Jeffrey Tambor and Jill Soloway attend IMDb 'Live after the Emmys,' in Los Angeles, California, on September 18, 2016. (Rachel Murray/Getty Images/AFP)

Funnyman Jeffrey Tambor had the Emmy audience in stitches Sunday night as he accepted the Best Lead Actor in a Comedy for his work in Amazon’s Transparent, created by Jill Soloway.

“Sheket b’vakasha,” said Tambor, using the popular Hebrew term for requesting quiet, probably most often used in summer camp situations.

He left out the ‘hey,’ usually added at the end.

But Tambor’s message was clear, asking Hollywood creatives to give “transgender talent a chance.”

Jeffrey Tambor accepts the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for ‘Transparent’ at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards on in Los Angeles, September 18, 2016. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

“Give them auditions,” said Tambor. “Give them their story. Do that.”

Jeffrey Tambor (right), and his ex-wife, played by Judith Light, in season one of ‘Transparent’ (Courtesy ‘Transparent’)

With the emotion clearly audible in his voice, Tambor continued: “I would not be unhappy if I were the last cisgender male to play a female transgender on television; we have work to do,” he added.

Veteran actor Tambor has won kudos for his portrayal of aging transgender Maura Pfefferman, who also struggles, comically, with her large Jewish family that includes an ex-wife, three adult children and grandchildren.

Tambor won his first Emmy last year for Transparent.

 

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