“Thank you. Thank you so much. It’s very humbling. It really is, and I appreciate it. Because I just don’t get enough attention,” said Jean Smart as she accepted her Emmy tonight, beautifully portraying the self-centered comedienne struggling to stay relevant in the HBO/Max comedy series Tricks.

“I will never be able to thank you enough for thinking of me for this incredible role,” she said, thanking everyone “at HBO, no, Max, no H — sorry, just what we needed, another network.”

(Pay-TV channel HBO spun off its name to Warner Bros. Discovery’s streamer HBO Max, which was subsequently renamed Max.)

This was Smart’s third Emmy in as many seasons for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Critics and voters seemed to agree that she gets better every year in her role as Deborah Vance, a legendary but aging comedienne looking to make a comeback with steely vulnerability.

RELATED: ‘Hacks’ Surprises with Emmy Win for Writing in a Comedy Series, as Paul W. Downs Thanks Those Associated with the Show

Season 3 finds Deborah back on the road to success after setbacks with her long-running Vegas show. She’s more on her own this season than the first two, which were heavily focused on her relationship with comedy writer Ava (Hanna Einbinder). Season 3 sees both of them develop professionally and personally, but major trust issues lead to a dramatic finale.

The field was competitive. Nominee Quinta Brunson won the award at the strike ceremony in January for Abbott Elementary School (Smart, who had both previous seasons of Tricks, did not qualify).

Also nominated, The bear Ayo Edebiri — who won for supporting actress in January but had a leading role this time around, Selena Gomez for Only murders in the building — and ultimately joins her co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short among the Emmy nominees, as well as Maya Rudolph for Loot and Kristen Wiig for newcomer Royal palm.