Archive

The Daytime Emmy Awards: A big year for women

The 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards airs tonight at 9 P.M. on CBS. Since I’m not a soap watcher, I’m not sure I can sit through two whole hours of categories such as Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Achievement in Multiple Camera Editing for a Drama Series.

Luckily, there are a couple of categories that are of broader interest, namely Outstanding Talk Show and Outstanding Talk Show Host. Nominated in the former class are Dr. Phil, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Rachael Ray, The Tyra Banks Show and The View; the latter nominees are Dr. Phil, Ellen DeGeneres, Rachael Ray, Tyra Banks, Lisa Rinna and Ty Treadway (Soap Talk), and all of the ladies from The View — including the prematurely departed and greatly missed Rosie O’Donnell. (Seriously. I tried to watch she show this week and can confirm that it has reverted to its earlier, unwatchably boring, possibly homophobic, pre-O’Donnell self.)

Rosie has long said she’s not going to attend the Emmys because of a scheduling conflict with one of her kids’ school functions, but it’s just as well, since it would’ve been a conflict of another kind if she and Elisabeth Hasselbeck ever found themselves in a room together again (even one as big as the Kodak Theatre).

It’s a big year for not only our favorite lesbian conspiracy theorist and the other gabby ladies of The View (10 nods), but also for female-hosted and -produced shows generally. The Ellen DeGeneres Show was nominated for 12 awards; Rachael Ray for seven. And don’t forget the producing powerhouse behind Ms. Ray’s daily shriekfest — none other than the daytime queen, Oprah Winfrey. (O removed herself from all Emmy consideration in ’99, following her gajillion wins.)

And not for nothin’, but somewhere along the way, Tyra Banks has turned into quite a television personality: In addition to her eponymous talk show, which this year nabbed six nominations, she also hosts America’s Next Top Model, to the delight of lesbians and gay men across the land. (OK, and probably a few … actually, who else watches that show but the gays?)

Notably absent this year from the Daytime Emmys is Martha Stewart, who has hosted her syndicated talk show since 2005. She’ll probably be watching at home while replanting her summer bulbs, starching her sheets and making napkin rings out of $100 bills.

Of note: The broadcast will be preceded by Bob Barker‘s final spin of the wheel on The Price Is Right. The same climactic episode already aired this morning, which is sort of confusing. I get that CBS wanted to honor Barker by showcasing The Price Is Right to a larger, prime time audience, but isn’t this the one night of the year when daytime TV people get to pretend that they’re just as important as the nighttime ones?

Well, regardless, the old guy deserves his props before he retreats into golfing and spaying strangers’ pets — he has hosted Price for 35 years and been on TV for 50. Fifty! Fare thee well, silver fox. And no matter what happens in the horserace that is Outstanding Achievement in Live & Direct to Tape Sound Mixing for a Drama Series, I’m putting my money on sure-bet Bob for Outstanding Game Show Host.

Lesbian Apparel and Accessories Gay All Day sweatshirt -- AE exclusive

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button