Elton John now an EGOT winner after Emmy win—here's what it means
Elton John has finally reached EGOT status!
The renowned musician won his first Emmy at the 75th edition of the awards ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 16 (Philippine time), completing the four letters of EGOT that stand for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, which are all prestigious award-giving bodies in the entertainment scene.
His feat, which he earned after winning Best Variety Special (Live) for his Disney+ variety show Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium, made him the 19th person to become an EGOT winner.
Apart from him, the EGOT club consists of Richard Rodgers, Helen Hayes, Rita Moreno, John Gielgud, Audrey Hepburn, Marvin Hamlisch, Jonathan Tunick, Mel Brooks, Mike Nichols, Whoopi Goldberg, Scott Rudin, Robert Lopez, John Legend, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Alan Menken, Jennifer Hudson, and Viola Davis.
Elton was not able to attend the show as he's still recovering from his knee surgery, though he has shared his reaction to his career milestone.
In a statement shared on his Instagram page, he said receiving the award "is a testament to the passion and dedication of everyone involved, and I am so deeply grateful."
"Whilst I am gutted that I couldn’t be there to accept this award in person, my heartfelt thanks go out to the Academy and all those who took the time to vote. This award reflects the collective effort and creativity of an amazing team," he continued, expressing his gratitude to Disney+ and the team behind his winning special for their commitment to "bringing [it] to life" as well as his special guests who took part in it, including Dua Lipa, Brandi Carlile, Kiki Dee, and Bernie Taupin.
"Thank you to all the fans, friends, and collaborators who have supported me throughout the years," he added. "Honored to have joined the hallowed ranks of EGOT winners, here’s to the joy of music and the magic it brings to our lives!"
According to a report by Entertainment Weekly, David Furnish—Elton's partner who also won an Emmy for the special—revealed he FaceTimed the musician after their win. "We woke him up in the middle of the night. He’s back in the UK. He’s had his left knee replaced, which isn’t surprising when you think of how many pianos he’s jumped off," he told the press.
"He screamed out loud," Furnish said, recalling Elton's response. "He was like, 'Yes!' He was really happy, incredibly honored. He said, 'I’m lucky to be in such talented and esteemed company.'"
Elton bagged his first Grammy in 1986 for That's What Friends Are For. He later clinched his first Oscar for Best Original Song for Can You Feel the Love Tonight in 1997 and then his first Tony for Aida in 2000.
According to The New York Times, the term "EGOT" started in 1984 when actor and musician Philip Michael Thomas revealed in a press conference that he wanted to "win an Emmy for his work on Miami Vice, a Grammy for his record albums, an Oscar for a play he wanted to adapt as a film, and a Tony for some musicals he had written." While he's taking the credit for the acronym, NYT reported that he unfortunately ended up not getting nominated for any of the recognitions he dreamed of.
Per NYT, it's "possible to game the system" when one is close to being an EGOT. Composer Lloyd Webber said that one way to do that is to "become a producer, put some money into a few shows." It's a strategy that worked for other members of the EGOT club like singer-actress Jennifer Hudson.
While it undoubtedly seems prestigious, renowned composer and EGOT winner Alan Menken referred to the title as a "random assortment of honors" that means nothing. "Just do what you do, as well as you can, and don’t think about it. If you get awards, great," he said.
