SOAP Q: 2010 Daytime Emmys: One of the Worst ever!

By Mike Webber

Before the Emmys even aired, I knew that it was in Trouble. After being in NY for over 30 years and held at Radio City and Madison SQ garden it made the switch to LA in 2004 and was held at the Kodak Theater (Home of the Oscars) to this year at the Las Vagas Hilton in Blazing HOT Las Vegas that has zero connection to daytime!

Also to have it on Gay Pride day for NY, Seattle, Dallas, San Francisco, etc you have lost your core audience. Believe me watching a daytime award show is the last thing we need (maybe the Tonys). I didn't know until after the fact, that the BET awards was happening, another of your core audience.

The 2010 Daytime Emmys telecast will be one that goes down in the record books. It should be acknowledge it was one of the worst produced awards telecast ever. The first half hour was taken over with an emotional tribute to Dick Clark and "American Bandstand." Sure, "Bandstand" was a daytime show almost two generations ago, but a more fitting tribute should be at the Primetime Emmys, given the scope and influence of Clark and the show. The tribute came too early into the show and took up nearly the entire first half hour. These kind of tribute usually happen in the 2nd hour. I can't believe they made Dick Clark cry!

When the Emmys got around to actually awarding daytime programming, the show clicked. But they should know that the fans want to see actual clips of the nominees, not just ther name and pictures. For those who never see daytime and want to promote daytime would be fitting if they showed these powerhouse performances.

The tribute to Anges Nixon, while appropriate and well done, was far too short but much better than the As the world Turns tribute that was just a cheesy music montage with a few classic clips. Showing the NUKE kiss was a welcome highlight. Last year's Guiding Light tribute was more credible with Betty White introducing and talking about the show's uniqueness and included some good clips. Afterwards the cast reunited and got a standing ovation. Last night nothing happened.

This was the worst sin this ceremony committed for show on the same network which is leaving the air after nearly 53 years on the air. (The last episode was shot last week and will air in September.) The tribute of this show should be the centerpiece of the evening. Instead, it was treated as a minor footnote and not worthy of anything more than a couple of minutes.

Michael Park and Maura West of ‘As the World Turns‘ were named best actor and actress in a soap opera, an emotional send-off for a show that is going off the air in three months. (The top picks were Y & R's Peter Bergman and GH/B&B's Sarah Brown.)

West brought her sobbing daughter onstage at the Las Vegas Hilton to celebrate the sweep in acting awards for the show, which was canceled by CBS. Its last episode will air in September. “I can’t think of a better way to say goodbye to a 13-year run on a 53-year-old show,” said Park, who plays Jack Snyder on the series.

Park noted the emotional scene when the show’s team recently filmed its final episode last week. “I pray that you never have to endure what we endured on Wednesday,” he said.

Another ‘As the World Turns’ cast member, Julie Pinson, was named best supporting actress in a drama. (It should have went to Carolyn Hennessey (Diane) from GH)

The wins made you wonder, your show sweeps the Emmys and the ratings are better then most of the other shows, but you are still cancelled? No Sense!

The sexy, Billy Miller of CBS’ ‘The Young and the Restless’ won the Emmy for best supporting actor in a daytime drama. Julie Berman of ABC’s ‘General Hospital’ won her second straight Emmy as outstanding younger actress in a soap, and Drew Tyler Bell of CBS’ ‘The Bold & The Beautiful’ was best younger actor. (his fellow nominees had bigger stories then he did)!

CBS’ ‘The Bold & The Beautiful’ won the Emmy for best soap opera for the second year in a row (Thanks to Betty White). ‘As the World Turns’ wasn’t nominated in that category. B&B was expected to win.

Surprisingly, Regis Philbin was an uncomfortable host. He wasn't easily jovial or particularly warm, which have always been Philbin's charm. Stand-up isn't his forte.

‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ was named best entertainment talk show. Both DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey did not submit their names for best talk show host, an award won by Winfrey protege Dr. Mehmet Oz for the first year of ‘The Dr. Oz Show.’

Somewhere in the second hour a virtual infomercial for a Las Vegas hotel is implanted. What in the world did this have to do with daytime TV? Nothing. This just proves how low daytime has gone with product placement. This was a total circus! From David Copperfield to the Blue man group to Don Rickles to Lion King to Jersey Boys! WTF?!?

There were no Children's show honored on the telecast.

My sugesstion is that it needs to go to the beginning and do the telecast during the day when your core audience is ready and you can focus on Daytime. This worked for the first 16 years of the Daytime Emmys.

Here is a list of winners:
Outstanding Drama Series: The Bold and the Beautiful

Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Maura West, As the World Turns

Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Michael Park, As the World Turns

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Julie Pinson, As the World Turns

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Billy Miller, The Young and the Restless

Younger Actor in a Drama Series: Drew Tyler Bell, The Bold and the Beautiful

Younger Actress in a Drama Series: Julie Berman, General Hospital

Drama Series Directing Team: General Hospital

Drama Series Writing Team: The Bold and the Beautiful

Talk Show Host: Mehmet Oz, The Dr. Oz Show

Game Show Host: Ben Bailey, Cash Cab