Michael Douglas had the audience laughing during his Emmys acceptance speech Sunday night before turning to a more serious note.
The Behind the Candelabra star, who won best actor in a movie or miniseries for playing Liberace in the HBO biopic, gave an innuendo-filled speech where he at first jokingly thanked fellow star Matt Damon for his part in the "two-hander."
"You're only as good as your other hand," he quipped.
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Backstage, he explained that "two-hander" is an acting term that's "all about two people together, and you're only as good as the other partner. We relied on each other through this who experience, and I wouldn't be up onstage without Matt and his performance and his commitment."
He said he hadn't planned that part of his speech beforehand, but did actually plan out the part where he said he wanted to share the statuette with Damon, asking the actor whether he wanted "the top or the bottom."
Douglas admitted that he didn't expect the response from the audience.
"It took me quite by surprise," he said.
Backstage, Douglas also praised fellow nominee Damon and Emmy-winning director Steven Soderbergh for waiting for him to get treated for his throat cancer.
"Obviously, this picture had special meaning to me," he said. "One day, I'm dealing with mortality issues regarding my cancer, and the next day, this jewel was handed to me, this beautiful script, and Steven and Matt. I have to thank them for actually waiting another year because I wasn't up to speed physically."
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He also paid tribute to Liberace.
"There was an incredible quality he had, generosity and joy of life," Douglas said. "He was a wonderful caregiver in every sense."
Meanwhile, he ended his speech by lamenting that he isn't able to see his oldest son, Cameron, who is serving time in prison for dealing drugs.
"If you happen to have a slip, this for a prisoner who is not violent … they punish you," he said. "In my son's case, he has spent almost two years in solitary confinement, and right now I'm being told I cannot see him for two years. It's been over a year now, and I'm questioning the system. Obviously, at first I was disappointed with my son, but I've reached a point now where I'm very disappointed with the system."
He added that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is working on a new policy "regarding non-violent drug addicts."
He added: "The U.S. represents five percent of the world's population and now we have 25 percent of the world's prisoners."
