LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) - Donald Trump may not have picked up a prime time Emmy himself on Sunday (Sept 17), but Alec Baldwin's Saturday Night Live impression of the US President scooped a comedy win on a night where politics loomed large throughout.

The biggest political shocker was White House former Press Secretary Sean Spicer making a surprise appearance, and even he couldn't resist a dig at the administration.

"This will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys, period, both in person and around the world," he said.

Melissa McCarthy, who famously spoofed Spicer on SNL, took home an Emmy last week. Kate McKinnon also won an award for her tongue-in-cheek performances as Hillary Clinton and Kellyanne Conway.

SNL itself won best variety sketch series, after its most-watched season in 23 years.

In other big news of the night, Donald Glover became the first African American to win the Emmy for outstanding director, after also taking the trophy for best lead actor in a comedy series, both for his hip-hop themed show Atlanta.

"I want to thank Trump for making black people number one on the most depressed list. He's the reason I'm probably up here," said Glover.

The coveted top drama prize went to The Handmaiden's Tale with star Elisabeth Moss named best drama actress, and Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus won an unprecedented sixth consecutive Emmy award for her role as fictional politician, Selina Meyer. The show also won best comedy series.

"We did have a whole story line about an impeachment, but we abandoned that because we were worried that someone else might get to it first," Louis-Dreyfus said.