Editorial - The Las Vegas Infomercial Sequel

The Las Vegas Informercial Sequel (otherwise known as the 38th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards)

The awards show on June 19th is truly proof that things can always get worse. Last year, I ranted that the show was a Las Vegas infomercial, that no attention was being paid to the soap operas or their actors, that the musical numbers were tacky, etc. Even though CBS lowered themselves to air the Daytime Emmys this year, I wish they hadn’t bothered. I still contend that some producer with love for the genre of soap opera needs to televise the show for the internet and give the show back its dignity. The main question really is…What the Hell Does Las Vegas have to do with Daytime Television? So this is where they did the show. So what? If viewers of the Daytime Emmys must endure travelogues every year now, at least change it up a bit. Go to Chicago or St. Louis or Atlantic City next time.

And to add insult to injury: Two legendary soap operas, All My Children and One Life to Live, have been canceled. What was their tribute in this show? A mention in a lame joke by the lame host Wayne Brady who hosts a lame show himself! I won’t bore you with talking about how disrespectful this was. We all know. But I do wonder…what are the Daytime Emmys going to do once All My Children is gone…and they won’t have Susan Lucci to kick around with more lame jokes?

I will not (unlike the judges of the panel of the Daytime Emmys) pretend to have superior knowledge about shows I am ignorant about. I will not comment about Dr. Oz or Jeopardy or Ellen DeGeneris…because I do not watch those shows nor do I ever plan to. I could go on about the cheesy Las Vegas numbers, but I think I‘d be preaching to the choir. I could really go on about the Oprah Winfrey tribute (let us all kneel at the feet of the Goddess!!!) -- okay, I will just a little. This is a television journalist who got her start interviewing soap opera stars and doing tribute shows to them, et cetera, but when fans called upon her for support, she made a YouTube video royally declaring that the medium was dead. A simple “no, thank you, I’m not interested” would have been all that was necessary. She is such a class act that she did not even bother to show up for her own achievement award. Guess she couldn’t make a quick dime out of it so didn’t want to waste her time.

Here is my take on the awards for daytime drama. Or in case you blinked and missed the announcements, here is who won.

Supporting Actor - Jonathan Jackson (Lucky, GH). This one I agreed with. Jackson is an outstanding actor who brings it to the table every time. The only choice of mine who actually won.

Supporting Actress - Heather Tom (Katie, B&B). She must have picked one heck of an episode because I honestly can hardly remember her work on B&B at all this year. I disagreed that she should win this year…BUT at least she is a good actress worthy of a win.

Best Directing Team - tie with B&B/Y&R. I understand Y&R. B&B not so much.

Younger Actress - Britanny Allen (ex-Marissa, AMC) . I was not the only one tweeting “Are you freakin’ kidding me?” when she won. She was let go and replaced from AMC because her acting was so weak. How much more proof do you need that judging these awards by way of submitting one episode is a joke?

Younger Actor - Scott Clifton (Liam, B&B). I would have given it to Chad Duell from GH; but I can understand Clifton’s win.

Outstanding Actor - Michael Park (Jack, ATWT). Maybe it’s petty of me…but he won last year! There may not be that many more years that there will even be a Daytime Emmy Awards show at the rate we are going. Let’s share the wealth a little bit and give James Scott (EJ, DAYS) an Emmy.

Outstanding Actress - Laura Wright (Carly, GH). Laura Wright is a fine actress. I did want to see Colleen Zenk win it, but can completely respect the decision to give it to Laura Wright.

Outstanding Drama - Bold and the Beautiful - Again. This show does its token nomination episode once a year; and then all regresses to who’s sleeping with who, who got drugged by berries on the tropical island, what skimpy outfit is Brandon Beemer wearing today, et cet. Voting by a submitted episode rather than looking at the overall year is…a….joke.