TELEVISION

Ellen DeGeneres captures the Daytime Emmy for talk show.

NEW YORK (AP) - Ellen DeGeneres capped a successful first year on daytime television by winning a Daytime Emmy award for best talk show on Friday. But Wayne Brady won the Daytime Emmy award as best talk show host even though his program has been cancelled. An overwhelmed DeGeneres turned and kissed her mother, Betty, before taking the stage to accept the trophy. She thanked television executives who convinced station managers across the country that people still wanted to see her on TV. "I have fun everyday," said DeGeneres, whose show won three other technical awards. "It's the best job I ever had." In what had to be bittersweet, Brady was honoured as best talk show host for the second straight year even though production had been stopped on his program for poor ratings. He wasn't at Radio City Music Hall to accept his trophy. Brady beat stars whose shows were more successful, including Dr. Phil McGraw, Regis Philbin, DeGeneres and the women from the View. The legendary Anthony Geary of General Hospital won his fourth best actor award in a daytime drama. It seemed to take him by surprise. "If I thought I had a shot at this I would have had someone do my hair," said Geary, whose gray locks spiked in all directions. Michelle Stafford of The Young and the Restless won best actress in a daytime drama. Her character, Phyllis, had to deal with a son taken away from her at childbirth reappearing as a teenager. The Young and the Restless was honoured as best daytime drama for the sixth time. The soap opera won a total of four Daytime Emmys this year. Bob Barker won best game-show host for the lucky 13th time and his show, The Price is Right, won its fourth award as best game show since being on the air in 1972. Barker was not in New York to accept the award. Convicted felon Martha Stewart's year got a little lousier. She lost the Emmy for best service show, an award she's won four times, the same week Martha Stewart Living was placed on hiatus with its star facing a possible prison sentence. Stewart was in the audience. Financial adviser Suze Orman won the award. "For the first time in my life, I am seriously speechless," Orman said.

Rick Hearst of General Hospital and Cady McClain of As the World Turns won awards for best supporting actors in a soap opera during the ceremony, televised on NBC from Radio City Music Hall. "I feel very proud to be in a medium where everyday is like an under-rehearsed opening night," said McClain, who plays Rosanna. "We do the best we can with what we've got." Hearst shed the first tears of the night, remembering his late father, and McClain was the first winner to loudly talk over the music designed to cut short her speech. Chad Brannon of General Hospital won best younger actor in a daytime drama, and Jennifer Finnigan of The Bold and the Beautiful won best younger actress for the third year in a row. Al Roker, Meredith Vieira and Emeril Lagasse joined in an off-key musical tribute to Sesame Street on its 35th anniversary. The children's show is the most-honoured program in Daytime Emmy history, with 91 awards, and won another six during the creative and craft awards presentation last week. Jeff Corwin of the Discovery Kids show Jeff Corwin Unleashed was honoured as best performer in a children's series. Maurice Benard of General Hospital, last year's winner of best actor in a daytime drama, was considered a favourite again this year, said Carolyn Hinsey, editor of Soap Opera Weekly. His character, Sonny, accidentally shot his wife in the head during childbirth. Eric Braeden of The Young and the Restless was another strong contender for a storyline where he dreamed of seeing his father - also played by him - after 40 years, Hinsey said. The Emmys are awarded by the National Television Academy and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. -David Baouder.

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