Why wasn't Beyonce at the Emmys? John Oliver hilariously explains his 'sense of loss' over her absence

Hold up.

We don't know which is more disappointing: that "Lemonade" was completely snubbed at the Emmys or that Beyoncé never bothered to show up -- even though she was supposed to.

After nary a production design win at the Creative Arts Emmys, Bey had one last shot left at clinching the next letter in her eventual EGOT: Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special. Instead, that honor went to the dudes who directed Grease: Live. (Yo, Thomas Kail and Alex Rudzinski, I'm really happy for you and I'm gonna let you finish but...)

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Beyoncé attending the Emmys wasn't just idle gossip, either: Don Mischer Productions, who put on the show, tweeted this week asking the BeyHive for "original fan art" that Beyoncé would digitally sign. And sources told People she "may wow the crowd with a surprise performance."

There was even a seating card for her, right behind Liev Shreiber and in front of Kyle Chandler.

Getty Images

Yet, in the end, there was no Beyoncé -- which John Oliver, winner of Outstanding Variety Talk Series and Emmy guest who was supposed to be seated two rows behind Beyoncé, took umbrage with.

"I thought Beyoncé was going to be here," the Last Week Tonight host explained backstage. "I saw a seating chart and I was supposed to sit two rows behind her, so all I've really been thinking about for the last 48 hours is, 'I'm going to be able to look at Beyoncé's head for four hours.' And she hasn't turned up. So, this is nice, but this evening generally has a sense of loss in it for me.

"I was gonna stare at the back of her head and experience happiness in a form that I probably haven't felt before," he added. "But probably wisely for Yonce, she's given this evening a pass."

See more photos from inside the 2016 Emmy Awards:

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ET has reached out to Beyoncé's rep and the Television Academy for comment.

Even without being present, Queen B's presence was felt during the show, as two winners quoted a Jay Z lyric about her onstage: Sterling K. Brown -- who thanked his wife, during his acceptance speech, "I got the hottest chick in the game rocking my chain" -- and his The People v. O.J. Simpson co-star, Courtney B. Vance, who shouted out Angela Bassett, saying, "To the woman who rocks my chain...This one's for you, girl!"

Makes you wonder how Beyoncé would have thanked Jay if she'd won...