In 2011, just before that year's Emmy Awards, artist Norman Sunshine wrote an article for the New York Times recounting his experience of being nominated for and winning an Emmy for designing the title sequence for Addie and the King of Hearts. Sunshine, who was (and, as of 2011, still is) the longtime romantic partner of then-Warner Brothers Television president
Alan Shayne, said in the article that he struggled with whether or not he should take Shayne with him as his Emmy date. He finally decided instead to take a female friend for the sake of social propriety, and he later regretted that decision.