Elton John becomes the 19th person to attain EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) status

Last Updated on January 24, 2024

It’s finally happened – another legend has achieved EGOT status, with Elton John being only the 19th person to attain the much-desired acronym at this evening’s Emmy Awards. Now, I know what some of you are asking yourselves right now – what does EGOT mean? It’s the acronym from the toppermost of the poppermost in the entertainment industry, meaning the person who attains EGOT status has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award. It was infamously coined by Miami Vice star Phillip Michael Thomas, who, as Emmy Host Anthony Anderson pointed out in his introduction this evening, never won any of the four awards (the closest he got was a Golden Globe nomination). The acronym became more widespread after getting name-checked on 30 Rock. Sadly, John was recovering from a knee operation, so he wasn’t there to accept the award in person.

Elton John’s Emmy this evening for his Disney Plus concert, Farewell from Dodger Stadium means the legend gets to join fellow EGOT winners like Viola Davis, Mel Brooks, Richard Rodgers, Rita Moreno, Mike Nichols, Andrew Lloyd Webster, and John’s frequent collaborator Tim Rice, among other winners. Elton John has previously won five Grammys, two Best Original Song Oscars, and one Tony Award. It’s a fitting bow to put on John’s career, with his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour meant to signify the end of his touring career, although he has said he’ll still do the occasional show here and there. He’s also not planning on retiring from music anytime soon, with him having a new album in the works.

Suffice it to say, it’s always nice to see a legend get his flowers. What’s your favorite Elton John song? Mine’s a toss-up between “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” and “Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)”