It’s always had hunks, hotties, babes, and more blondes than the Playboy Mansion, but this year the Daytime Emmy broadcast will debut some new and exciting additions.
For starters, the show's venue—the Kodak Theater—is undergoing a makeover for the daytime kudofest. Instead of placing stars in traditional auditorium seats this year’s ceremony is taking a cue from the irreverent Golden Globes and having nominees sit at banquet-style tables to help create more of a party atmosphere.
Also new at the June 20th shindig, ABC will be placing video cameras at select tables, so nominees can record the show from their perspective. The video shot by the superstars will be available at either ABC.com or its sister website, the recently relaunched SoapNet.com. Daytime Emmy producers say the concept allows fans to feel as though they are at the party too.
Minus having to watch Susan Lucci constantly reapply her lipstick.
Viewers will also be treated to some major eye candy when Cameron Mathison takes on the role of host of the 35th annual broadcast. (Sorry ladies, according to award show producers, he will be hosting with 
his shirt on.) Mathison will be partnering up with the newest member of ABC’s chatfest “The View,” Sherri Shepherd.
I guess none of the other ladies from “The Hot Topics” table wanted the gig.
Interestingly, neither Mathison nor Shepherd has ever hosted the Daytime Emmys, nor has either won one. Though Mathison, who plays playboy Ryan Lavery on ABC's "All My Children," was nominated for outstanding supporting actor in 2002 and 2004. Which is much more than can be said for Shepard, who at the moment is probably best known for shocking audiences after revealing to “View” moderator Whoopi Goldberg that she wasn’t sure if the world was flat. Shepherd later announced that it wasn’t.
Shepherd, Goldberg and the rest of the ladies from “The View," including Barbara Walters, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Joy Behar are among the nominees for best talk show host at this year's ceremony. They've lost the category 10 times. But they might have a chance to walk away with a trophy this year since some of their competition has moved to a new category-- best informative talk show. The introduction of the new category means shows like issue-oriented "Dr. Phil" won't compete against celebrity interviews and high production dance numbers as seen on perennial Emmy favorite "Ellen."
In an attempt to attract more than just soap opera fans to the broadcast, Daytime Emmy producers are planning something else new this year. They created a new award to honor non-daytime drama categories, such as top legal/courtroom program. So now "Judge Judy" will go gavel-to-gavel against other courtroom dramas as opposed to potentially non-legal programs in the special class series.
Finally, this year viewers will get to see something that has happened only twice in the awards show’s 35 year history---talk show host Regis Philbin will be presented with an Emmy. (In May 2001, Philbin was a double Daytime Emmy Award winner, taking home statues for both Outstanding Game Show Host for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and another for "Outstanding Talk Show Host for Live with Regis and Kelly.") This time the 76-year-old gabber will be given the Lifetime Achievement Award to honor his 40 years in TV.
The Daytime Emmys will air on ABC June 20th.
Lucia Kim
Families Pop Culture Blog
**Read more articles by Lucia Kim**
