Las Vegas Weekly

June 28, 2010 · 12:01 AM

Photos: Las Vegas shines in spotlight of emotional Daytime Emmy Awards

By Don Chareunsy

Marie Osmond on the red carpet of the 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards at the Las Vegas Hilton on June 27, 2010.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Posted at 11:29 p.m. on 6/27/10; updated at 12:01 a.m. on 6/28/10

By Don Chareunsy, Vegas DeLuxe editor

The 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards tonight was an emotional evening, with tears flowing as much as the gowns on the long red carpet at the Las Vegas Hilton.

The show, in Las Vegas for the first time after years in New York and L.A. and on primetime CBS after a telecast hiatus last year, featured performances from Las Vegas headliners Blue Man Group at The Venetian, Marie Osmond of the Flamingo and cast members from Jersey Boys at Palazzo, Cirque du Soleil and The Lion King at Mandalay Bay.

But it was a tribute to TV legend Dick Clark, Daytime Gives Back’s Feeding the Children and the night’s winners that packed a powerful and emotional punch.

MGM Grand headliner David Copperfield appropriately made host Regis Philbin magically appear, with Philbin shouting “Viva Las Daytime!” His opening monologue included a video of David Letterman’s Top 10 Ways to Describe Regis Philbin read by Letterman and a message from TV legend Don Rickles.

General Hospital stars Kelly Monaco and Jonathan Jackson presented the first award of the night, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, to Julie Pinson of As the World Turns, which goes off the air this fall after 53 years. Pinson, who is married to Emmy winner Billy Warlock, exclaimed, “Oh, my God!” Backstage, Pinson continued, “I’m humbled. It’s been 13 years in the business for me. I’m going to miss As the World Turns. … My husband’s award will be lonely no more!”

Ryan Seacrest emceed the tribute to Clark with an American Bandstand video montage that included a who’s who in the music world, among them Chubby Checker, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Lionel Richie, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Cher, Frankie Valli and Smokey Robinson.

The parade of performers include The Spinners, the cast of Jersey Boys, Osmond, Tony Orlando and Checker, whose “The Twist” brought the audience to its feet and Susan Lucci onstage with him. Garth Brooks, Simon Cowell, Cher, Donny Osmond, Frankie Avalon and Barry Manilow saluted Clark in a video, and Seacrest sat next to Clark in the audience during a medley of Manilow's "American Bandstand" that brought the performers back onstage. Surprisingly, Clark stayed in his seat and didn’t speak but was overcome with emotion.

After Rachael Ray introduced a performance of The Lion King, Billy Miller won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for The Young and the Restless; Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show went to Cash Cab on The Discovery Channel; Outstanding Talk Show/Informative went to the syndicated The Doctors, which was introduced by Alex Trebek and Blue Man Group; and Drew Tyler Bell won Outstanding Young Actor for The Bold and the Beautiful.

Former The Bachelor star Travis Stork, now on The Doctors, said backstage, “We’ve developed a loyal following. They follow us religiously. In one hour, we change people’s lives.” Bell, who looks like Robert Pattinson, said backstage, “It feels amazing. It’s such a privilege to be a part of daytime. This is icing on the cake. It’s really special. … We’re one big family. When one person wins, everybody wins.”

As the World Turns stars Jon Hensley, who has portrayed Holden Snyder since 1986, and Kelley Menighan Hensley, his co-star and wife whom he met on the series, introduced a farewell look back at ATWT that featured Meg Ryan, a gay kiss and a time marker of 1956-2010.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show won for Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment, after which nominee Philbin quipped, “Looks like fun to win something,” and Julie Berman won Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Lulu Spencer on General Hospital, a character she has portrayed since 2005. When Berman was told backstage about a trend of younger actresses winning three consecutive years, she replied, “I’m too old next year to be a young actress!”

Cirque du Soleil cast members performed, General Hospital won for Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team, the Hilton was featured in a video, and Montel Williams, Ronn Moss and Monaco, the former Peepshow headliner who won Season 1 of Dancing With the Stars, spoke about Daytime Gives Back’s Feed the Children effort. Williams choked up when he announced that 200,000 families would be assisted by the end of the year.

Photo: Glenn Pinkerton/Las Vegas News Bureau

Susan Lucci of All My Children on the red carpet of the 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards at the Las Vegas Hilton on June 27, 2010.

Lucci presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Agnes Nixon, the creator of All My Children, One Life to Live and Loving who also worked on Search for Tomorrow, ATWT, Guiding Light and Another World. After a lengthy standing ovation, Nixon gave a short-and-sweet speech.

Outstanding Game Show Host went to Cash Cab’s Ben Bailey, who was sporting running shoes with his tuxedo due to a back injury and said backstage, “I want to give away more money! The Discovery Channel will be after me after that”; The Bold and the Beautiful won for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team; and Dr. Mehmet Oz of The Doctor Oz Show won for Outstanding Talk Show Host.

Michael Park of As the World Turns won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and said in his acceptance speech that the show said goodbye to 60 cast members Wednesday. “I don’t know where I’ll be, but I know I’ll be with my wife,” Park said onstage.

One Life to Live actors Michael Easton and Trevor St. John presented Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series to Maura West of As the World Turns, which prompted tears from her young daughter, who joined her onstage. It was West’s second win in seven nominations.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Shawn Christian on the red carpet of the 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards at the Las Vegas Hilton on June 27, 2010.

The final award of the evening, presented by Philbin and Lucci, went to The Bold and the Beautiful for Outstanding Drama Series, to which executive producer Bradley P. Bell exclaimed onstage, “I love Las Vegas!”

Thanks to contributing photographers Glenn Pinkerton of Las Vegas News Bureau and Erik Kabik for their early photos. Check back right here at Vegas DeLuxe tomorrow for more photographs and interviews with the stars on the red carpet.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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