Emmy winners from ‘Abbott Elementary’ get an A+ from Philly fans

We were already Abbott Elementary’s biggest fans, and with its Emmy wins Monday, Philadelphians were among the most joyful voices, celebrating the victories of the show based on a fictional — but believable — Philadelphia public school.

Quinta Brunson, the show’s creator, star, and Philly native, won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. Sheryl Lee Ralph was honored as Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of master teacher Barbara Howard. A historic year for the awards, Brunson was the first Black woman to get three Emmy nominations in comedy categories, and both actors were only the second Black women to win in their categories.

“I am here to tell you this is what believing looks like. This is what striving looks like!” Ralph said in her acceptance speech, which brought down the house. “And don’t you ever, ever give up on you.”

In Philly and on social media, the love was flowing, including from the school district that inspired the series.

Joyce Abbott, Brunson’s former sixth-grade teacher at Andrew Hamilton Elementary School in West Philadelphia and the show’s namesake, was still riding the high of Ralph’s and Brunson’s wins on Tuesday morning. “It was just amazing,” said Abbott, who texted both actresses after their wins. “All that recognition, after just one season?” Abbott, who recently retired from a decades-long career in the Philadelphia School District, was particularly moved by Ralph’s speech.

“She had me in tears,” Abbott said. “I recorded the speech, and I’m going to watch it again.”

» READ MORE: The Philly teacher who inspired Abbott Elementary's creator Quinta Brunson

Even now with Brunson’s Hollywood career and all the accolades, Abbott thinks back to the shy, brilliant student she taught all those years ago. “I’m so proud of her,” she said.

Abbott, a faithful viewer of the show, says she identifies most with Ralph’s character.

Fans have come to love her character — an unflappable veteran, Philly to the core, elegant and old-school.

“She reminds me of me, so much,” Abbott said.

Jerry Jordan, president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, is an avowed Abbott Elementary fan, too.

After Ralph’s and Brunson’s Emmy wins, Jordan took to social media to gush.

“A fantastic and well-deserved honor,” he tweeted. “Congratulations to @quintabrunson, a phenomenal writer, actor and Philadelphian!”

Philadelphia school board member Cecelia Thompson pronounced Ralph’s reaction “best speech ever. Proud to be a Philadelphian.”

City Councilmember Helen Gym took to social media to offer “Congratulations to Philadelphia’s iconic @thesherylralph and a voice and a presence for history. Our entire city honors you! @AbbottElemABC.

Councilmember Isiah Thomas gave kudos to Brunson and Ralph, and to the district’s real-life faculty and students as well.

During Ralph’s Emmy acceptance, she belted out a rendition of the song “Endangered Species” that caused the audience to explode.

She sang: “I am an endangered species

But I sing no victim’s song

I am a woman, I am an artist

And I know where my voice belongs.”

Jazz singer Dianne Reeves, the song’s composer, was thrilled.

“Oh my God this is my composition!!!!! Yes!” Reeves tweeted. “Congratulations you are the best my soul is so full I can’t stop crying.”

Ralph, who is married to Pennsylvania State Sen. Vincent J. Hughes, was thrilled herself in a video posted to Twitter after receiving her award. The actress gave profuse thanks for all the support she had received since her win was announced on stage.

“I hope you’re doing half as good as I am right now,” she said. Next to her, Hughes, who represents Philadelphia in the 7th District, beamed and waved her Emmy statue.

In an interview Tuesday, Hughes talked about the serious side of Abbott Elementary, beyond it’s highly successful first season.

“Quite frankly, the success for Sheryl, for anybody and everybody connected to Abbott Elementary is bigger than the show itself. It really is about what’s happening in our schools, and how we really have to do a much better job for our kids,” he said. Ralph made those points herself in post-Emmy interviews, pointing to the need for more funding for Pennsylvania and Philadelphia schools.

Her husband wasn’t at all surprised by Ralph’s speech.

”That’s completely off the cuff,” Hughes said. “That is her being Sheryl. She really is a master public speaker.”

He said his wife often sings “Endangered Species” when she performs.

”She uses it as a vehicle to communicate a message, and to channel her own inner self,” Hughes said.

On Monday at the Emmys, ”There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Everybody stood on her feet when they called her name, then they sat back down, and then when she started to sing, they stood up again. It was very special,” he said.

And what was the Emmy winner doing Tuesday?

“Like a good schoolteacher, Sheryl’s back to work,” Hughes said. “She dropped me off at the house, and then she went to work.”

Ralph’s Emmy speech was even fodder for student conversations in some Philly classrooms on Tuesday. Evan Grossman played the clip for his classes at Northeast High School, where he teaches English. Grossman said students reacted well.

“It’s an inspiring moment,” the teacher said, “and it’s made it easier to teach how to write about big moments in our lives.”

Meanwhile, Parkway Northwest High School for Peace and Social Justice shared Ralph’s speech with the entire student body during morning announcements Tuesday.

But as much as the good feelings were flowing for Brunson and Ralph, the same couldn’t be said for Jimmy Kimmel and his play-dead, on-stage performance when Brunson was accepting her award. His antics got a thumbs-down on social media.

“I really don’t know how to define white, male privilege more clearly than comedian and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel not getting out of the way of Quinta Brunson’s moment,” @adambonin wrote.

“White bro literally won’t move out of the damn way to let the black woman have her moment alone,” tweeted @ghweldon.

Later, Brunson, who had to step over Kimmel to get her award, told reporters later it hadn’t bothered her “that much” and she seemed to joke about it.

“I don’t know,” she said. “Tomorrow, maybe I’ll be mad at him. I’m going on his show on Wednesday, so I might punch him in the face. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”