Dave Chappelle finally won his first Emmy award, for hosting Saturday Night Live's post-election episode last fall. It's a bit hard to believe that Chappelle has never won an Emmy before now, as he's generally regarded as one of the most brilliant comic minds in recent memory. While he stepped out of the spotlight for a number of years after the controversial end of Chappelle's Show, it's still hard to fathom that he had never been recognized previously for his contributions to TV.

Chappelle not having won an Emmy for Chappelle's Show itself is especially strange, as in addition to being a hit with audiences, the show was also a critical favorite. Chappelle's Show sketches regularly drew acclaim for both their insightful looks at things like race relations in America, and willingness to push the envelope of what was considered an acceptable topic for humor. Not to mention just being really, really funny.

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That aside, Chappelle's moment in the Emmy spotlight finally took place last night, albeit not on the main Emmy awards stage. Chappelle's win happened during last night's Creative Arts Emmy Ceremony, broadcast on FX. Chappelle won the award for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, for his widely praised turn hosting Saturday Night Live last fall. It was both Chappelle's first time hosting SNL, and first return to sketch comedy since Chappelle's Show came to an end.

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Chappelle had some stiff competition in that category, facing off against two other high-profile SNL hosts from last season, Tom Hanks and Lin-Manuel Miranda. In addition to being a multi-time SNL host, Hanks is of course one of the most revered actors of all-time. Miranda is a multi-talented performer, best known for being the original star and creator of the smash hit Broadway musical Hamilton.

Chappelle's debut as SNL host was not without controversy though, as it was the first episode to air after Donald Trump's win of the 2016 presidential election. Chappelle's monologue was even deemed too offensive to air by a North Carolina NBC affiliate, although he did memorably encourage Americans to give Trump a chance as president, a statement he now says he regrets. Outside of politics, the episode was a big success, headlined by a hilarious parody of The Walking Dead's season 7 premiere.

NEXT: Saturday Night Live May Keep Live Coast-to-Coast Airings

Saturday Night Live season 43 premieres September 30 on NBC.

Source: Creative Arts Emmy Ceremony [via Deadline]