Cory Monteith Tribute at Emmys: 'Glee' Co-Star Jane Lynch Highlights Actor's Kindness Amidst Controversy at His Inclusion, 'The Odd Couple' Actor Jack Klugman Excluded from Special In Memoriam [VIDEO]

The death of "Glee" actor Cory Monteith continues to rock Hollywood, even months after his passing. Last night (Sept. 22), his co-star and friend Jane Lynch paid tribute at the Emmys to Monteith with a special message about his life and impact on modern TV viewers.

Lynch gave a 95-second speech about Monteith, dressed in all black, and paid tribute to both his kindness and impact on viewers, while lamenting the senselessness of drug abuse.

"From the first time you saw Cory, he had a star quality and a genuine sweetness that made it impossible not to fall in love with him, and millions did fall in love with Cory. I'm here to say that all that warmth and that charm, that open-hearted quality that we loved in Cory was no act," Lynch said touchingly. "Cory was a beautiful soul. He was not perfect, which many of us here tonight can relate to. His tragic death is a reminder of the rapacious, senseless destruction that is brought on by addiction."

The special Emmys tribute to Monteith has not gone without controversy, however, due to both the nature of his death (overdose of heroin and alcohol) and his short resume (Monteith was 31 when he died). Adam Klugman, son of "The Odd Couple' actor Jack Klugman (who passed away this year at the age of 80), was angry that his father was excluded from a special tribute, while the arguably less impactful Monteith got a special moment.

"I think it's criminal. My dad was at the inception of television and helped build it in the early days," Adam told The Associated Press (via Entertainment Weekly). "What about the people who should be introduced to somebody like my father? I don't mean anything to say anything disparaging about Cory, but he was a kid who had won no Emmys and I was a self-induced tragedy."

Lynch, however, was understanding about Adam Klugman's anger. "If I were his son, I might be upset too," she told TMZ.

The four other actors who received special memorials were James Ganfolfini, Jean Stapleton, Jonathan Winters and Gary David Goldberg, all of whom were television legends and had won Emmys.