Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series is a category in the Primetime Emmy Awards. It is awarded annually to the best variety show or similarly formatted program of the year. The award is sometimes known by other names, such as “Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Program” and “Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series.”

History
From 1979 to 1989 and in 1991, variety series and specials competed together. Single programs dominated as winners during this time until the Outstanding Variety Special category was formed. Since 1994, all of the winners in this category have been late-night talk shows, except in 1997.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart won the award for ten years consecutively (2003–2012), the longest winning streak for a television show in Primetime Emmy Award history. In 2015, this category was separated into two categories – Outstanding Variety Sketch Series and Outstanding Talk Series.

Programs with multiple awards
Totals include wins for Outstanding Talk Series and Outstanding Scripted Variety Series.


 * 11 awards
 * The Daily Show with Jon Stewart


 * 7 awards
 * Last Week Tonight with John Oliver


 * 6 awards
 * Late Show with David Letterman
 * Saturday Night Live


 * 3 awards
 * The Andy Williams Show
 * The Carol Burnett Show


 * 2 awards
 * The Colbert Report
 * The David Frost Show
 * The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
 * Kennedy Center Honors
 * Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
 * The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
 * Your Show of Shows

Programs with multiple nominations
Totals include nominations for Outstanding Talk Series and Outstanding Scripted Variety Series.


 * 27 nominations
 * Saturday Night Live


 * 17 nominations
 * Late Show with David Letterman


 * 15 nominations
 * The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
 * The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson


 * 12 nominations
 * Real Time with Bill Maher


 * 11 nominations
 * The Carol Burnett Show
 * Jimmy Kimmel Live!
 * Late Night with David Letterman


 * 10 nominations
 * The Colbert Report
 * The Tonight Show with Jay Leno


 * 8 nominations
 * Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
 * Politically Incorrect


 * 7 nominations
 * Dennis Miller Live


 * 6 nominations
 * Drunk History
 * The Late Show with Stephen Colbert


 * 5 nominations
 * AFI Life Achievement Award
 * The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
 * The Dean Martin Show
 * The Dick Cavett Show
 * The Garry Moore Show
 * Late Night with Conan O'Brien
 * MTV Unplugged
 * The Muppet Show
 * The Perry Como Show
 * Your Show of Shows


 * 4 nominations
 * The Andy Williams Show
 * The Ed Sullivan Show
 * Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
 * The Jackie Gleason Show
 * Kennedy Center Honors
 * The Late Late Show with James Corden
 * Portlandia
 * Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
 * The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
 * Tony Awards
 * The Tracey Ullman Show


 * 3 nominations
 * A Black Lady Sketch Show
 * The Colgate Comedy Hour
 * The David Frost Show
 * The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
 * Documentary Now!
 * Evening at Pops
 * The Flip Wilson Show
 * In Living Color
 * Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
 * The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
 * Toast of the Town
 * The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
 * Tracey Takes On...


 * 2 nominations
 * The Arsenio Hall Show
 * At Home with Amy Sedaris
 * The Benny Hill Show
 * The Chris Rock Show
 * Conan
 * The Danny Kaye Show
 * The Dinah Shore Show
 * Great Performances
 * Here's Edie
 * The Hollywood Palace
 * I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman
 * Inside Amy Schumer
 * The Jack Benny Program
 * Key & Peele
 * Tonight Starring Jack Paar
 * The Judy Garland Show
 * Omnibus
 * The Red Skelton Hour
 * SCTV Network
 * The Steve Allen Show
 * Tracey Ullman's Show