In This Section
TV Guide Spotlight
Also on TVGuide.com
|
« Soaps News
Backstage at the Daytime Emmys Brings Laughs, Tears
Ellen DeGeneres by Gregg DeGuire/ WireImage.com
We were promised more energy, more fun and more excitement for this year's Daytime Emmy Awards, and the event delivered. Opening with multiple, overlapping spoofs on daytime television, hosts Sherri Shepherd and Cameron Mathison set the tone from the start. With an all-new, banquet-style set-up and an open bar for the guests, the sweltering L.A. evening outdoors was left far behind for the cool festivities inside the Kodak theater. Backstage in the press room, TVGuide.com heard from the winners of each category, where the newly crowned Daytime Emmy recipients gushed about their new trophies.
Tyra Banks was one of the first of the night to take home a win. For her acceptance speech, she took over the entire stage area with her team when they won for Outstanding Talk Show/Informative series, and she was no less outspoken when she arrived at the press room. Explaining that she'd had her own "ugly cry" after holding her composure on camera, she also spoke to her mother's emotions over the win. In recalling the moment, Tyra teared up again, and described how deeply her mother's stake in her career was planted — plus how, in Tyra's words, the elder Banks "instilled her power in me."
Outstanding Younger Actress and Actor winners Jennifer Landon and Tom Pelphrey also came through, each with a unique perspective on the night as Daytime expats. Neither says they're ruling anything out yet — neither returning to a soap (any soap) nor touching a soap script again — but neither specified more Daytime appearances in the works. For his part, the newly shorn Pelphrey was riotously funny, cracking jokes even about his recently deceased father — albeit in a loving way. "He was Big D--k," Pelphrey deadpanned. "Because his name was Richard." He added, "The apple sure doesn't fall far from the tree!," sending the room into peals of laughter. Once he stopped laughing at his own jokes, the Guiding Light alum said that, as a new Angeleno, he's auditioning around town, but no plans just yet.
Later on, Ellen DeGeneres, fresh from her win as Outstanding Talk Show Host, announced her press room arrival through the ABC emcee's mic. Taking the stage, she ran the question session with her classic agility, even hopping off over to the door to let the caterer in the room. Despite having already taken home an Emmy or three, DeGeneres said this one was still special because it meant she was still making people happy at a time when we all need "more joy." She also offered some details on her own new joy of getting engaged: She and her partner, Portia De Rossi, have set a wedding date, and, even with the hard work of planning the event, DeGeneres said it was already promising to be her dream wedding.
Some of the more contrite Emmy honorees were Regis Philbin, who won a Lifetime Achievement Award, and Anthony Geary, who took home the win for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (GH). While both were old pros at taking home the shiny, winged trophy, the night was no less meaningful to them. For Geary, taking home an Emmy is even more exciting as he gets older, he said, while Philbin, though deeply honored, only half-joked that he views kudofests as akin to going to the dentist.
Jeanne Cooper, who won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, was one of the evening's later surprises. Although her Y&R cast mates were wildly enthusiastic when her name was called, Cooper's demeanor was calm and collected backstage. Taking questions in her flowy Etro dress, she said she was thrilled to win, especially after what many fans see as her having being overlooked too many times. The biggest thrill for the daytime vet, she told us, was having her two sons there to celebrate with her.
All in all, the evening had its surprises, its humor and its sizzling-hot stars, making the night even hotter than the 90-degree-plus temps. Did this year's Daytime awards fire you up, or leave you cold? What was your take on the revamped annual tradition? — Anna Dimond
Related:
• Daytime Emmys Aiming for Golden Globes Energy
• Judge Cristina Rules in New Daytime Emmy Category
• Cameron Mathison, Sherri Shepherd to Host Daytime Emmys
• Heather Tom Takes Bold and Beautiful Step For Charity
|
TVGuide Links:
|
|
|
|
Jun 21, 2008 12:55 AM
|
|
The best part of the show was the opening. Loved it when Elisabeth Hasselbeck called Cameron Mathison, "Josh Duhamel" and the scene with Sherri Shepherd and Susan Lucci was hysterical.
|
|
Jun 21, 2008 11:31 AM
|
|
I enjoyed the emmys even tho a few that I'd hoped would win didn't. I think that Sherry Shepard did a super job. She was so funny and poised. I absolutely love to watch her on the View. She and Whoopie are the reason I try and watch every day. I hope she returns to host the awards show again next year.
|
|
Jun 21, 2008 3:37 PM
|
|
Tom Pelphrey is BOMB!
|
|
Jun 22, 2008 12:22 AM
|
> We were promised more energy, more fun and more
> excitement for this year's
> Daytime Emmy Awards, and the event
> delivered.
No. It didn't. It was an abomination. I have no problems with the winners; I was awestruck, though, at how bad the ceremony itself was. It came off as tacky and amateurish.
|
|
Jun 22, 2008 9:59 AM
|
|
After watching 2 of the best young actors in daytime, Van Hansis and Jesse Soffer, get overlooked again and again and again, I'm just wondering: Is this award going to be given to Tom Pelphrey every year whether he's on a soap or not? I'm sure he's a good actor, but seriously!
|
|
Jun 22, 2008 10:40 AM
|
What an awesome show! I was really worried, as it's been sinking more and more with ridiculous, overly fan-oriented gimmicks (two years ago, with a 2nd "fan" stage outside, last year with the godawful fan videos). This year keeping the focus on who/what we want to see - - the stars and the shows - - was fantastic!
Given how upset I was over the nominees, I was quite pleased with the winners they chose from them.
If only OLTL had won for best show. But then getting best directing and best writing was something at least. I'm glad CBS didn't dominate, because frankly, they might love to tout how many weeks Y&R has been #1, but that has more to do with people's habits than with how good the show is (pretty dreadful the last year or so.)
|
|
Jun 23, 2008 1:33 PM
|
Tom Pelphrey IS a good actor. The scenes he submitted (his wife on the show died) were as good as it gets.
He's off GL now so the chances of him next year are pretty slim.
Next year - Van Hansis!
|
|
Jun 23, 2008 5:33 PM
|
Not enough GH stars nominated like Sonny and Jason and Diana,Kate,Claudia. I am so happy Tony Geary won and GH won for the best soap on TV.
Also Judge Judy deserved to win"What is going on with them"
A Big Oversight and I was VERY disappointed that there was no tribute or even a mention of the passing of the late, great soap legend Beverlee McKinsey.
She was one of the greats in the soap opera world especially on Another World and Guiding Light!
|
|
Jun 23, 2008 9:53 PM
|
Hated the opening. Wasted five minutes just to promote ABC shows.
Apparently it's not new for the Daytime Emmys to ignore those who have left this earth during the year. Those tributes are saved for the Primetime Emmys. I remember being shocked when Michael Zaslow passed away and there wasn't a tribute.
|
|
Jun 23, 2008 11:45 PM
|
I thought the opening was very funny and I enjoyed it and it could have lasted longer IMO.
Overall though, I didn't think the show was that great. Enough with the Ellen kissing up.
What was Tyra wearing?
Shocked that Jeanne won, but congrats to her. Not surprised Jennifer won.
Would have liked someone from Days to have won, but oh well.
Thought the cameras on the tables was a bit much. They didn't need to promote it so much. Could have done without the backstage KMart room.
Why did GH win?
I hope next year's nominations will be more deserving.
I do think two hours was a good length.
I would have liked to see more clips of the actors' work. It seems like we only got to see work from some of the categories, but not all which was strange.
Enjoyed Regis' moment.
|
|
Jun 24, 2008 11:10 AM
|
|
Doesn't Regis also have a son? Why didn't he mention his son in his acceptance speech?
|
|
Jun 24, 2008 11:12 AM
|
|
IMDB says Regis has four children.
|
|
Jun 24, 2008 11:19 AM
|
|
I was completely and utterly disgusted that there was no tribute or even a mention of the death of Beverlee McKinsey. She was the best that daytime ever produced, and I will never watch the Daytime Emmy's again!
|
|
Jun 27, 2008 10:39 AM
|
|
Regis Philbin actually has FOUR children. He has a daughter and a paralyzed son in a wheelchair from his first wife. He tends to ignore their existence and never mentions them. In fact, in the 80's, Howard Stern held a fundraiser on his show for Regis' son, Danny, because Regis did not pay child support or of he did, it was a paltry amount considering how much the man is worth. He only focuses on his second wife, the "beautiful" Joy and their 2 daughters, Joanna and J.J. And now he has his first grandchild and for all we know, his other daughter had a child. I lost track of their lives after awhile. And why I like Regis on "Live," I cannot respect a man, especially a man who is financially abundant and then some, not do anything to help these 2 children that he produced and promised to take care of them. That is until he became too famous and rich to acknowledge them and was ashamed to mention them publicly.
|
|
Jun 28, 2008 7:24 PM
|
|
|
