Ellen, Hospital, win daytime emmys

EW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Ellen DeGeneres took home five Daytime Emmy Awards, while ABC's "General Hospital" won its eighth outstanding drama award in a ceremony broadcast live Friday night from Radio City Music Hall in New York.

ABC took home a total of 12 Daytime Emmys between Friday night's ceremony and the Creative Crafts event on May 14, the most of any network, followed by CBS and PBS (with 11 each), Disney Channel (3) and Food Network (3). Kids' WB!, NBC and Showtime each took home two, and HBO and TLC were awarded one apiece. Syndicated shows took home a total of 16 awards.

Among all programs, ABC's "All My Children" and the syndicated "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" won the most with five each. CBS's "As the World Turns" and "The Young and the Restless" and PBS's "Reading Rainbow" and "Sesame Street" each won four. Three each went to ABC's "General Hospital" and "One Life to Live" and the syndicated "Oprah Winfrey Show." Two awards each went to CBS's "The Bold and the Beautiful," Food Network's "Easy Entertaining," PBS's "Jakers" and the syndicated "Live with Regis and Kelly" and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

It was the first outstanding drama series win for "General Hospital" since 2000. DeGeneres, who also hosted the show, won for talk show host and talk show.

Christian Jules LeBlanc, who portrays Michael Baldwin on "The Young and the Restless," won his first Emmy as lead actor. Erika Slezak, who plays Victoria Davidson on "One Life To Live," took home her sixth Daytime Emmy in the lead actress category.

"General Hospital" won for drama series directing team, while "As the World Turns" won for drama series writing team.

It was a night of first-time winners as well. Greg Rikaart of "The Young and the Restless" won supporting actor in a drama series, while Natalia Livingston of "General Hospital" won supporting actress in a drama series. Younger actor and actress in a drama series honors went to David Lago of "The Young and the Restless" and Eden Riegel of "All My Children." Primetime Emmy winner Stockard Channing won her first Daytime Emmy for performer in a children's special for Showtime's "Jack."

Riegel, who played Susan Lucci's daughter, said backstage said she would give the Emmy to her grandmother. "Somehow it'll look better in her apartment than it ever will in mine," she said.

Meredith Vieira, host of the syndicated "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire," beat "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek and "Price is Right" veteran Bob Barker for her first win for outstanding game show host.

Merv Griffin received a lifetime achievement award for his efforts in daytime TV. He rushed back from doing a show in England to accept the award.

"What a career in a job you love and couldn't wait everyday to get up to go to work, and still can't," Griffin said. He added: "I grew up in daytime, and it's always the most creative, wonderful part of television."

He said to DeGeneres, who was offstage, "I watch you every day."

"Jeopardy!" won its 10th award for game/audience participation show, and its 25th award overall.

Food Network took two Daytime Emmys for service show host for Bobby Flay ("Boy Meets Grill") and Michael Chiarello ("Easy Entertaining").

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter