'SNL' alum Laraine Newman says 'I can feel an ulcer developing' over 'The Bear' comedy at Emmys: 'It's not even a dark comedy'

Original “Saturday Night Live” cast member Lauren Newman railed against “The Bear” on Emmys night, where the FX series set a new record for most comedy wins in a single year with 11 trophies in its second season. The previous record holder was “The Bears” with 10 wins in their first season. Newman, who was on “SNL” for five years (and who is also the mother of “Hacks” star Hannah Einbinder), called out the show for allegedly rigging the segment.

“I can feel an ulcer developing every time I think of 'The Bear' at the Emmys in the comedy category,” Newman posted on X (formerly on Twitter) shortly before the awards ceremony began.

He posted later in the night: “I think 'The Bear' is a great show but [in my honest opinion] It's not a comedy — not even a dark comedy.”

Hannah Einbinder lost the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series to “The Bears'” Lisa Colon-Zayas. It was Einbinder's third nomination for “Hacks,” which ended up winning Outstanding Comedy Series over “The Bear,” which many pundits believed to be the Emmys' biggest upset. “Hacks” leading lady Jean Smart also won lead actress for “The Bears'” Ayo Edebiri, while “The Bears” stars Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach won their own acting Emmys for lead actor and supporting actor, respectively.

The debate over whether “The Bear” is a comedy or a drama intensified after the show's second season dominated Emmy nominations. The season was widely praised for its dramatic episodes, including an intense family flashback episode (“Fish”) that won Jamie Lee Curtis an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of a mother with bipolar disorder.

Emmy hosts Dan and Eugene Levy even poked fun at the ongoing controversy over “The Bear” during their monologue, saying: “'The Bear' is nominated for 23 Emmys tonight, making it the most nominated comedy in history. Now, I love the show. , and I know some of you will expect us to joke about whether 'The Bear' is really a comedy — but in the true spirit of 'The Bear,' we won't make any jokes.”