Candice Bergen and Selena Gomez poke fun at childless cat lady ...

By Ellie Iorizzo, PA Los Angeles Correspondent

Candice Bergen and Selena Gomez have mocked Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance’s “childless cat ladies” comment at the Emmy Awards.

Despite the political threads running throughout the 76th ceremony, there was no reference made to the latest apparent assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump.

Before presenting best lead actress in a comedy series to Hacks star Jean Smart, Bergen reflected on her sitcom Murphy Brown.

“For 11 years, I had the tremendous privilege of playing the lead in a comedy series called Murphy Brown,” the 78-year-old said.

“I was surrounded by brilliant and funny actors, had the best scripts to work with, and in one classic moment, my character was attacked by vice president Dan Quayle when Murphy became pregnant and decided to raise the baby as a single mother.

“Oh, how far we’ve come. Today a Republican candidate for vice president would never attack a woman for having kids so as they say, my work here is done.

“Meow,” she added, referencing comments made by Mr Trump’s running mate JD Vance which resurfaced recently.

Meanwhile Only Murders In The Building star Selena Gomez also referenced the upcoming US presidential election as she introduced the first award of the evening.

Gomez, who shared the stage with her co-stars Martin Short and Steve Martin, said: “Let me say what an honour it is to work with two guys who are this far away from being childless cat ladies.”

It comes in the week after pop superstar Taylor Swift endorsed US presidential candidate Kamala Harris, saying the vice president is a “steady-handed, gifted leader”, signing off the post with “Childless Cat Lady”.

Other political comments throughout the evening saw Liza Colon-Zayas, who won an Emmy for best supporting actress role in The Bear, urge people to vote.

“To all the Latinas who are looking at me, keep believing and vote, vote for your rights,” she said on stage.