• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
Arts & Entertainment

How Emmys host Andy Samberg poked fun at HBO’s CEO

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 21, 2015, 1:34 PM ET
onstage during the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 20, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.
onstage during the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 20, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.Photograph by Kevin Winter — Getty Images

Sunday was a big night for HBO—and not just because the premium cable network absolutely cleaned up at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Time Warner’s (TWX) HBO, which won more than three times as many awards as any other network at last night’s event, also seems to have received some free advertising for its standalone streaming service from the awards show’s host. Comedian Andy Samberg gave out what he claimed was the password information for his personal HBO Now account, complete with a username/password combination that reportedly actually worked (briefly, anyway).

In what first appeared to be merely a joke at the expense of HBO CEO Richard Plepler — who said earlier this year that he didn’t care about HBO Now account password-sharing — Samberg told the millions of people watching to use “Khalessifan3@emmyhost.com” as the account email and “password1” as the password. “Gotta have a number in there; throw them off the scent,” Samberg joked. Based on the social media response, quite a few people immediately went online to try Samberg’s purported HBO Now account, with many reporting back via tweets that they did successfully log in to HBO Now before eventually getting booted from the service due to the large number of devices signed on to just the one account.

The account information @AndySamberg gave for @HBO Now is actually very real, but it says: pic.twitter.com/YSf6eatWjK

— /Film (@slashfilm) September 21, 2015

It remains to be seen just how much HBO was actually in on the joke itself, although a spokesman for HBO told Fortune that, while the network did receive some heads up from representatives of the awards show before it aired, HBO didn’t know exactly what to expect ahead of Samberg’s gag. (Vulture also reported that HBO did not pay to have the joke incorporated into the program.) The network acknowledged the joke at its expense with a tweet mock-thanking Samberg for the influx of visitors to its service:

If anyone needs some @HBO recommendations, we'll be here all night. Apparently.

Thanks, @AndySamberg. #Emmys

— HBO NOW (@hbonow) September 21, 2015

Later, after Samberg’s account stopped working, HBO Now tweeted out a reminder that new customers who sign up for the service can get a free, 30-day trial.

If khaleesifan3's login isn't working for you:
Start your own account, free for 30 days: http://t.co/ZlUCN0f2Zc pic.twitter.com/qQMT2zH7fV

— HBO NOW (@hbonow) September 21, 2015

Samberg is familiar with HBO and its original programming, having recently starred in the tennis mockumentary 7 Days in Hell, which premiered on HBO in July. Samberg stars in the sitcom Brooklyn 99, which airs on Fox (FOX), the network that aired last night’s Emmy Awards.

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

pp
PoliticsElections
Graham Platner runs controversial ad during Red Sox game vowing to ‘reverse the private equity curse’
By Patrick Whittle, Kimberlee Kruesi, Kyle Hightower and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
7 hours ago
Rear view of a depressed non binary person looking out of their bedroom window on a sunny day - negative emotion
EconomySmall Business
America is becoming less neighborly, and it’s hurting Gen Z and millennials’ chances at economic mobility
By Tristan BoveMay 26, 2026
10 hours ago
g
Arts & Entertainmentmuseums
For 60 years, nobody knew where the Muppets were made. Now you can go see
By Philip Marcelo and The Associated PressMay 25, 2026
1 day ago
s
Arts & EntertainmentBox office
Star Wars won the weekend. Nobody’s quite sure whether to celebrate
By Lindsey Bahr and The Associated PressMay 25, 2026
1 day ago
Someone leafs through titles stacked in a library
AIResearch
AI hallucinations are infiltrating expert work—and entering the permanent body of knowledge
By Tristan BoveMay 24, 2026
3 days ago
pizza
PoliticsRestaurants
‘Earth-shaking event for New York pizza’ looms as flour ban hits 80% of crusts citywide
By Jake Offenhartz and The Associated PressMay 22, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
5 days ago
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
Commentary
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianMay 26, 2026
16 hours ago
The pig in the python: Baby boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
Economy
The pig in the python: Baby boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
By Nick LichtenbergMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
Investing
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
By Eva RoytburgMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, May 26, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 26, 2026
13 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.