Daytime Emmys
Ok so here is another woah is me and my soap opera world post, but I promise less profanity. I was/am very angry which facilitated my earlier posts. It is really horrible to be a soap opera fan in this day and age. I have a lot to talk about in this post so hang in there. I know daytime television is not considered important anymore, but lets be honest it plays a huge part in a lot of people's history. I bet if you go up to any woman they would tell you that at one point or another in their lives they watched a soap and they have their "soap" that they follow. My 90 year old grandmother has watched Y&R for 20 years... she started when she was in her 70s.
For me I have always loved them all. I started watching Another World when I was 8 then Days, Sunset Beach, Passions, Young and the Restless, All My Children, As the World Turns, General Hospital, Bold and the Beautiful, Port Charles, One Life to Live, and finally I started watching Guiding Light in 2005 (I held out on that one forever cuz I didn't want to be able to say I had seen them all). I am going to proclaim myself an expert... cuz lets be honest I have been watching them for 15 years! Which is why tonight's daytime Emmys both impressed and annoyed me at the same time.
I don't know where to start.... first of all let me say I have not seen them all this year. I haven't watched B&B since 2006.... I intermittenly watch OLTL, DOOL, and AMC depending on the stories, but all year I watched GH, ATWT, and Y&R. That is not true every year, from 2005-2009 I don't think I watched a single episode of Y&R or ATWT (other than when Simon was there). I bounce around from soap to soap cuz lets be honest writers have to write 80 pages of stories everyday, so they can't all be good. But if I had to pick ATWT would be my "soap". That being said I was heartbroken last year to hear that it was going to be cancelled, but I looked forward to the Daytime Emmys honoring its FIFTY THREE years of television history, boy was I dissapointed. The montage was incredibly short and demeaning to its history. It was less than a minute with absolutely no dialogue. They showed way too many clips from the last year and I cannot believe they only showed Nancy once! Helen Wagner was on that show since the beginning and she died less than two months ago. I found it more of a slap to the face of fans. Maybe I was expecting a lot, because GL's montage was so good last year when it was ripped from our screens... well a 7.5/10. This was more like a 2. I was offended as a long time viewer, but hey I got to see a David Copperfield magic trick, a performance by the Jersey Boys, and David Letterman doing a top ten list! What does any of that have to do with the Daytime Emmys? I realize they were only working with 2 hours to do all the awards a GREAT tribute to Dick Clark and a poor tribute to Agnes Nixon...damnit! I get it soaps aren't that cool anymore, but they have the most passionate fans and we deserve more. The montage didn't even really show the Luke/Noah kiss... which was the first in daytime.
While the montage and tribute was awful, the awards weren't. They did exactly what I wished they had done last year. Almost all the major acting awards went to ATWT! Now do I think that Julie Pinson, Michael Park, and Maura West all gave the best performances this year. No. But at least MP and MW deserve it for the fabulous years on the show. Really it was more of a tribute to their years of service... you know like an oscar is nowadays.... (must be in the business for 20 years and then we will reward an above average performance over those who actually deserve it. ie Tommy Lee Jones, Morgan Freeman, and Sandra Bullock). The difference is that after September 19th I probably will never see Michael Park or Maura West again....why? Because they are not sterotypical actors. They break the mold. Neither are conventionally attractive and they are more gut actors than the suave, cool, and aloof actors we are used to seeing in today's TV and movie world. I appreciate the years they were on the show, and I won't lie I bawled like a baby when MP won then Maura won and I lost it. Hell I like their characters, but I will be that one person who says I don't like Carly and Jack together, and still I cried. (Yes I am aware I am weird. I have loved Carly and Craig since 2000 and not changing now). Michael Park did blow it out of the water this year, but I do have to say if anyone was going to win from ATWT in lead actress it should have been Terri Columbino. Gawd she was amazing this year, but I am still happy Maura won nonetheless.
I truly do not know what I will do once ATWT is finally gone. I have had a year to prepare, but they are the last part of Another World and the Procter and Gamble wonderful soaps that ruled the 70s and 80s.
That being said.... let's finally get down to the awards
Outstanding Drama Series
All My Children
The Bold and the Beautiful
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
This I have to say I don't get. General Hospital literally killed it this year. Without a doubt this was GH's year. I have seen parts of the episodes B&B chose and I realize that having Betty White.... yes Betty White dieing was a beautiful story, but GH through the carnivale and Claudia's death really was the best throughout most of the year (as long as you forget that loverly appearance by one James Franco who is coming back to ruin my show once again)
Outstanding Lead Actor
Peter Bergman as Jack Abbott on The Young and the Restless
Doug Davidson as Paul Williams on The Young and the Restless
Jon Lindstrom as Craig Montgomery on As the World Turns
Michael Park as Jack Snyder on As the World Turns
James Scott as EJ DiMera on Days of our Lives
Peter Bergman deserves to permanately win this award. Every year he should just get mailed one instead of constantly sitting there and never winning... No he is not Susan Lucci he can act... also I am pretty sure he has won one or two just you know not in the last 10 years. Honestly though they picked this right as stated before. Michael Park's performance after accidentally shooting Brad a character I couldn't stand and did not want to mourn for...MP's performance made me change my mind. (also finally having Austin Peck of my screen did make me extremly happy)
Outstanding Lead Actress
Sarah Brown as Claudia Zacchara Corinthos on General Hospital
Crystal Chappell as Olivia Spencer on Guiding Light
Bobbie Eakes as Krystal Carey on All My Children
Michelle Stafford as Phyllis Summers Newman on The Young and the Restless
Maura West as Carly Tenney Snyder on As the World Turns
Ok all of these women were ok in the last year. Sarah Brown probably deserved it but she has 3 already. If I was voting I would have voted for Crystal Chappell, but I am more than happy with the winner.
Outstanding Supporting Actor
Bradford Anderson as Damien Spinelli on General Hospital
Ricky Paull Goldin as Jake Martin on All My Children
Jonathan Jackson as Lucky Spencer on General Hospital
Brian Kerwin as Charlie Banks on One Life to Live
Billy Miller as Billy Abbott on The Young and the Restless
Yep... completely right. One could make an argument for JJ, but again 2 hell maybe 3 emmys. Billy Miller was phenomenal over the last year. He makes you smiles, breaks your heart, and makes you feel for the completely lovable Billy Abbott
Outstanding Supporting Actress
Beth Chamberlin as Beth Raines on Guiding Light
Carolyn Hennesy as Diane Miller on General Hospital
Julie Pinson as Janet Ciccone on As the World Turns
Bree Williamson as Jessica Brennan on One Life to Live
Arianne Zucker as Nicole DiMera on Days of our Lives
Bullshit. Ok I am in the minority who actually likes Janet and guess what I love Julie Pinson and I love ATWT as already witnessed, but this was ridiculous. Bree Williamson deserves this. Period. She should have won last year and now she should have won this year. Done.
Outstanding Younger Actor
Drew Tyler Bell as Thomas Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful
Scott Clifton as Schuyler Joplin on One Life to Live
Zack Conroy as James Spaulding on Guiding Light
Drew Garrett as Michael Corinthos on General Hospital
Dylan Patton as Will Horton on Days of our Lives
I know nothing about the kid who won so I am honestly not going to say anything about him. All I know is that Scott Clifton is one of the most talented actors not just on daytime, but anywhere and I cannot believe that after I believe 6 years in a row being nominated in this category he hasn't won. I was for sure this was his. Drew Garrett would have been well deserved as well. As long as Zack Conroy didn't get it I was happy.
Outstanding Younger Actress
Julie Marie Berman as Lulu Spencer on General Hospital
Molly Burnett as Melanie Layton Kiriakis on Days of our Lives
Shelley Hennig as Stephanie Johnson on Days of our Lives
Christel Khalil as Lily Ashby on The Young and the Restless
Marnie Schulenburg as Alison Stewart on As the World Turns
I love her!!!!!!!!! Totally deserving! Would not have minded though if Christel Khalil had won, but I am ecstatic for Julie!
Outstanding Writing Team
All My Children
As the World Turns
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Young and the Restless
Again can't speak to B&B, but ATWT has been bringing it in the humor/fun department which is sorely lacking in the rest of the shows and overall the writing minus everything with Janet's family has been superb. But I can't judge this one.
Outstanding Directing Team
All My Children
The Bold and the Beautiful
General Hospital
One Life to Live
ding ding ding! you are correct sir.
Outstanding Talk Show Host
Bonnie Hunt on The Bonnie Hunt Show
Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa on Live with Regis and Kelly
Rachael Ray on Rachael Ray
Mehmet Oz on The Dr. Oz Show
Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and Sherri Shepherd on The View
Ok... this is the only one of the non-soap categories that I included cuz seriously..... DR. OZ! I can't believe anyone watches his shows let alone gave him an award. jeez.
That being said the award show was rushed without clips of the actors. They are on 5 days a week basically 365 and you can't give me a 7 sec clip of each of the actors but you will force me to watch the Blue Man Group, the Lion King, Circ de Solei, and a 10 minute infomercial about the greatness of the hotel that is hosting the event. ugh.
I am now off to try and find a better tribute video for ATWT one that really shows why it was great! not just a quick blurring of mismatched scenes.