Stars on the 2026 Emmys red carpet spent their evening passing the mic through silly questions, and the result is a chain of jokes, compliments and genuine warmth between people who mostly seem to enjoy each other’s company. Shabana Azeez, Chris Perfetti, Richard Gadd, Brooks Nader, Gerran Howell, Haley Kalil and others traded questions about snacks, superpowers and television characters they wish they could play.
Azeez started the game with a compliment for Perfetti. She called him “a snack,” then pivoted to a question about food. She asked what food someone would be if they could be an actual snack.
Perfetti answered with a joke about being a Nutty Buddy. He said he didn’t want to explain why. The question then went to Geran Howell, who wanted flight. “I’m always suspicious if people say ‘I want to be invisible,'” Howell said. “I’m always like, it’s kind of weird.”
Krys Marshall jumped into the game with her own answer. She said she would be on “Gilligan’s Island” in a little top tie-up with a little booty shorts, like Marianne. Then she asked who someone would want to work with from those who have passed on.
Chris Perfetti answered immediately. He named Tim Curry, the actor who died earlier this year. “Our boy Tim Curry, who I loved so much, such an icon. R.I.P. my dude.” The question then moved to what the next person would do after taking off their clothes.
Azeez thanked Perfetti for the question. She said she would put on her next outfit, which she called a “deeply uninteresting take.” She then asked the snack question again, this time directed at Jeff Hiller.
Hiller answered with a Nutty Buddy, just like Perfetti. He said he didn’t want to explain why. The game wrapped with a question about favorite British snacks.
How the Game Unfolded
Azeez opened the chain with a simple compliment for Perfetti. She called him “a snack,” then pivoted to a question about food. She asked what food someone would be if they could be an actual snack.
Perfetti answered with a joke about being a Nutty Buddy. He said he didn’t want to explain why. The question then went to Geran Howell, who wanted flight. “I’m always suspicious if people say ‘I want to be invisible,'” Howell said. “I’m always like, it’s kind of weird.”
Krys Marshall jumped into the game with her own answer. She said she would be on “Gilligan’s Island” in a little top tie-up with a little booty shorts, like Marianne. Then she asked who someone would want to work with from those who have passed on.
Chris Perfetti answered immediately. He named Tim Curry, the actor who died earlier this year. “Our boy Tim Curry, who I loved so much, such an icon. R.I.P. my dude.” The question then moved to what the next person would do after taking off their clothes.
Azeez thanked Perfetti for the question. She said she would put on her next outfit, which she called a “deeply uninteresting take.” She then asked the snack question again, this time directed at Jeff Hiller.
Hiller answered with a Nutty Buddy, just like Perfetti. He said he didn’t want to explain why. The game wrapped with a question about favorite British snacks.
The Questions in Order
The questions in the chain followed a clear path. Here’s how they fell:
| Question | Who Asked It | Response |
|---|---|---|
| What food would you be? | Shabana Azeez | Nutty Buddy (Chris Perfetti) |
| What TV character would you play? | Chris Perfetti | Matthew Rhys (Joy Taylor) |
| If you could be on any TV show from the past, what would it be? | Peter Krause | “Gilligan’s Island” (Krys Marshall) |
| Who would you work with from those who have passed on? | Krys Marshall | Tim Curry (Chris Perfetti) |
| What’s the first thing you’ll do when you take off your clothes? | Chris Perfetti | Put on next outfit (Shabana Azeez) |
| What superpower do you want? | Geran Howell | Flight |
What the Answers Show About the Group
The answers reveal a group comfortable with each other’s jokes. Perfetti and Hiller both picked the same snack, which made the exchange feel less like a coincidence and more like a shared joke between friends. Marshall’s answer about “Gilligan’s Island” was playful.
Joy Taylor’s response to the question about playing another character was honest. She said she loved Matthew Rhys but couldn’t be him. “But I aspire,” she added, before asking how Krause was keeping cool in the heat.
Krause answered plainly. He was sweating. Then he asked Krause what TV series from the past he would like to be on.
Tim Curry’s Death
Tim Curry’s death is mentioned in the game, and it lands as a genuine moment of respect rather than a joke. Perfetti’s answer to the question about working with someone who has passed on was direct.
“Our boy Tim Curry, who I loved so much, such an icon. R.I.P. my dude.”
The question about favorite British snacks closed the loop. The game ended where it began, with a question about food.
What We Learned From This Chain
The chain shows stars who are willing to be silly in public. They trade compliments freely and answer questions without pretense. The game also demonstrates how quickly a question can travel across a group of people, with each answer becoming the basis for the next question.
The snack question, in particular, stands out as the highlight of the chain. It was the strangest question asked, and it produced two identical answers from two different people. Azeez’s compliment for Perfetti set the tone early, and the rest of the chain followed that same spirit of warmth.
The Hard Numbers
- Event: 2026 Emmys red carpet
- People involved: Shabana Azeez, Chris Perfetti, Richard Gadd, Brooks Nader, Gerran Howell, Haley Kalil, Krys Marshall, Joy Taylor, Peter Krause, Jeff Hiller
- Question theme: “Pass the mic” chain of questions
- Key question: What food would you be?
- Answer theme: Nutty Buddy (Perfetti, Hiller); flight (Howell)
The video is available to watch above. The seventh answer is the best of them.
The game ended with a question about favorite British snacks, leaving the evening with one final laugh before the carpet moved on.
See the video the story is built around at Billboard.
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