UPDATING Emmys: John Mulaney Gets in A Dirty Bleeped Joke, Taylor Swift Pops Up, Matthew Rhys, Jean Smart Set Records, Stephen Colbert Wins

The Emmy Awards have been unusually even and a little weird.

First the best parts: Mariska Hargitay has earned so much good will over her career that her hosting is appreciated. She’s working hard, and trying to be different than Olivia Benson. She looks amazing, making more costume changes than any host of any show in history.

Some highlights: Taylor Swift showed up in a pre-taped sketch with the “SVU” squad, but the producers blew it by keeping the audience audio off. The whole thing felt like it was canned. Could have been exciting, but it wasn’t.

Meantime, in the real world, Taylor was chatting with Tom Cruise at the Kansas City Chiefs game. Tom was promoting his new movie.

John Mulaney, of course, stole the show. He got bleeped but pulled off a dirty joke. Also, he read aloud from a book by late New York actor Frank Vincent, borrowed from the library. Mulaney is a genius.

Sally Field won an acting award 50 years after winning for “Sybil” — and then winning two Oscars. Her speech about the arts was gold.

Stephen Colbert won Best Talk Show, a victory lap after CBS cancelled him.

Both Jean Smart and Matthew Rhys set records. Smart won her fifth Emmy in a row for “Hacks.” She was nominated five times also. And it was her eighth Emmy. Matthew Rhys won two awards tonight, for Best Actor in a Comedy, and in Limited Series. It’s the only time that’s happened. He also has an Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama, from 2018.

The show itself, however, comes off as low rent and extremely turgid. Most of the presenters are not cool. They’re pedestrian. Will things improve? Still forty minutes to go…