Jack Klugman’s Son: My Dad Deserves Emmy Tribute Over Cory Monteith
While ‘Glee’ fans are looking forward to what will be a touching tribute to Cory Monteith at the 65th Annual Emmy Awards, not everyone is so happy.
Cory Monteith will be one of five stars being highlighted during the Memoriam segment of the the Emmys. However Jack Klugman, the star of The Odd Couple who passed away in December, is not being singled out — and his son is not happy about it.
Adam Klugman: My Father Should Get Recognized Over Cory Monteith
Seems a little harsh, don’t you think?
Adam Klugman, the son of the late Jack Klugman has spoken out saying that if anyone’s going to get recognized and honored at the Emmy Awards, it should be his father — not Cory, who passed away from heroin and alcohol poisoning in July at the age of 31.
“They’re celebrating this self-inflicted tragedy instead of celebrating the life of my father, who won three Emmys,” he said, according to Los Angeles Times. “Cory Monteith never won an Emmy.”
While he added that he has nothing against Cory, he feels that he is uncomparable to his father. “To compare the contribution he made to the contribution my father made — it doesn’t compare,” he said, after claiming to also be a fan of Glee.
“My dad was at the inception of television and helped build it in the early days,” He told The Associated Press, adding that Jack was a pioneer, and that him not getting honored is “criminal.”
“It’s an insult and it really seems typical of this youth-centric culture that has an extremely short attention span and panders to only a very narrow demographic [of young adults],” he added.
Emmys Executive Producer Defends Choice To Single Out Cory Monteith
Emmys executive producer, Ken Ehrlich released a statement after the negative quotes were made public:
To a younger generation, Cory Monteith’s portrayal of Finn Hudson (on Glee) was highly admired, and the producers felt that he should be included along with the four other individuals we have singled out.
However, that wasn’t a good answer for Adam.
“What about the people who should be introduced to somebody like my father?” he asked. “I don’t mean to say anything disparaging about Cory, but he was a kid who had won no Emmys and it was a self-induced tragedy.”
Cory’s Mother: My Son Is Worthy Of Memoriam
Cory’s mother, Ann McGregor has now stood up for her son.
“If he had lived 30 more years, he would have accomplished much more,” Ann told TMZ on Sept. 22. Just because he was young, Ann says, doesn’t mean he was unworthy. She also pointed out the great deal of charity work he did.
Like the sweet mother she is, she admitted that she understands Adam’s misguided negativity is just from a son who misses and loves his father.
Jack Klugman will be part of the full memoriam, remembering all the stars that were lost this past year. Along with Cory, Gary David Goldberg, Jonathan Winters, James Gandolfini and Jean Stapleton are being highlighted.
You can catch the Emmys on Sept. 22 at 8 PM ET on CBS.
HollywoodLifers — do you think it’s wrote for Adam to have said those comments? Or do you think he is right? Let us know!
WATCH: Lea Michele Returns To ‘Glee’ Set After Cory Monteith Death
— Emily Longeretta
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