Uganda’s Joseph Opio wins 2024 Sports Emmy award

Ugandan writer and comedian Joseph Opio displays his Emmys Award. PHOTO/ COURTESY  

What you need to know:

  • Bestowed by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the Sports Emmys are presented in recognition of excellence in American sports television programming, including sports-related series, live coverage of sporting events, and best sports announcers.

Ugandan comedian Joseph Opio’s documentary film ‘The World According to Football Showtime’ has won in the Outstanding Writing-Long Form category in the 45th Sports Emmy Awards.
The five-part docuseries was nominated alongside Hard Knocks: Training Camp With The New York Jets, The Crossover: 50 Years of Hip Hop and Sports, All Access and Chasing Gold: Farebersviller.

In his acceptance speech on Tuesday at the Lincoln Center in New York, Opio who is also the writer and producer of the documentary first lauded renowned South African comedian, Trevor Noah for narrating the docuseries but also allowing him to always ride his court tales. He also thanked his production team, and his family back in Uganda.
The Sports Emmys celebrate the best and brightest in American sports broadcasting.

Bestowed by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the Sports Emmys are presented in recognition of excellence in American sports television programming, including sports-related series, live coverage of sporting events, and best sports announcers.
His victory at the Sports Emmy Awards comes three months after he won a Primetime Emmy for writing on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.  

Opio is a Ugandan stand-up comedian and writer on The Daily Show, a trained lawyer and accountant. He is also an observational satirist whose standup has been watched across three continents — from South Africa through Switzerland to the biggest comedy clubs in New York. Opio has written over 360 episodes of The Daily Show and is a WGA Award nominee.