Taraji P. Henson Works Her ‘WAP’ Off to Entertain You at Tonight’s 2020 AMAs

Look at our president. Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for dcp

You might have finally fused with your sofa, but this year’s American Music Awards host Taraji P. Henson brought every ounce of the nation’s remaining energy to the AMAs ceremony Sunday at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater, kicking off the evening with a very special dance interpretation of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” ahead of her monologue. “I am so happy to be here,” the actress enthused. “Look, I’m just happy to be off the couch, and in some real fashion. And some deodorant, which I think just expired.”

“I know you’re still at home, but tonight? You’re home with me,” the Empire star raved, before shouting out all the stars in the house, including Beyoncé and Dolly Parton. Were those “stars” actually cardboard cutouts? Absolutely, but Taraji stays committed. The audience also included a (very) socially distant IRL section of groups of people from within the same pods, who were tested prior to the show and masked up at the event, Henson explained later in the night. She closed her monologue, “It has been a long year, and now that 2020 is coming to an end, it’s time to remember that we are one country, y’all. We need to heal. We need to love on each other a little more, and that’s what tonight’s all about.” And what better way to heal than a Weeknd–Kenny G performance?