In what became a Cuomo love-in for the so-called "Love Gov," a chorus of celebrities joined in to sing the governor's praises. Stars including Robert De Niro, Billy Joel, Ben Stiller, Rosie Perez, Billy Crystal, and filmmaker Spike Lee  recorded video messages extolling the governor for setting "an example to the rest of the world."

Absent from the ceremony was any mention of Gov. Cuomo's March directive ordering New York nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients, which caused the virus to spread like wild fire among that state's elderly and infirm population. His decision contributed to the state's COVID-19 mortality rate, which currently ranks as the second highest in the nation.

Cuomo's nursing home mandate reportedly led to 6,000 nursing home deaths from the coronavirus.

All of that was swept under the rug as International Emmys president Bruce Paisner introduced Cuomo during Monday's virtual ceremony, saying that the governor" informed, he demanded, and he calmed people down."