2013 EMMY WRAP UP – ON-STAGE AND BEHIND THE SCENES

By Michael Fairman

The 40h Annual Daytime Emmys telecast is now in the record books, and once again broadcast on cable channel HLN for a second year in a row. The highlight of the live broadcast was not who won in the daytime drama categories, but a mishap that occurred when the ladies of The Talk: Aisha Tyler, Sharon Osbourne, Sarah Gilbert, and Julie Chen took to the podium to announce the winners for Outstanding Informative Talk Show. When Aisha Tyler opened the envelope to reveal the winner, she noticed that the envelope and the name on the card inside it were for the wrong category! So thinking on her feet, and delivering some of the best one-liners ever on an Emmy telecast while waiting for the production to hand her the correct envelope, Aisha Tyler saved the day! Later, it was revealed that the name in the envelope was “The Bold and the Beautiful” instead of the rightful winner, “The Dr. Oz Show”. However, all was corrected and saved in the nick of time by Tyler, and “Dr. Oz” was announced the winner in his rightful category! But it was a must-see memorable Emmy telecast moment that will probably be shown again … and again. Plus, that moment got more play and recognition on mainstream media outlets than the deserving Daytime Drama Emmy winners … go figure … right?

2013 Emmy Wrap-Up Photo Gallery

Courtesy/AP

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Photo Credit: HLN/NATAS

This being the 40th anniversary of the Daytime Emmys, yours truly was asked and honored to segment produce three clip packages dedicated to the soaps for the broadcast: 40 Years of Daytime Divas, Hot Dads (honoring Father’s Day fictional soap dads), and 40 Years of Catfights. As much as I, and many had hoped, more clips and longer versions of these clip packages could have been included on the broadcast, the Emmy telecast edict was to celebrate the entire daytime landscape from Talk Shows, to Game Shows, to Culinary Shows, to Children’s Shows, and yes, our beloved soaps. I was informed a few days prior to our final edit that the packages could only be thirty seconds due to the amount of material and time already booked within the show. So with all the love and care I could, I had to literally throw out some amazing performers who should have been represented. But that is the life of a segment producer, and of an executive producer of a live award show, who has to make difficult decisions based on time available in their rundown, and their overall vision for the show. So, while many were watching the telecast live in the Beverly Hilton Hotel ballroom or at home, I was in the One-on-One Winners Walk area awaiting newly-crowned Emmy winners as they came off the stage, who then met the feisty press corps for the first time, after getting some gold to take home with them. The best parting gift of all at a Daytime Emmys get-together! But what that translated to was, that I was not in the theatre and did not see how the show played live to the people in attendance. I watched it back later when I returned home at 1AM. Thanks to HLN, they were replaying the telecast at that time, so I ended up catching it!

But what gave this telecast a heart and soul was the acceptance speeches delivered by many of the winners in the Daytime Drama categories. So no matter if you agreed, liked, loved, or disliked, or hated components of the Daytime Emmy telecast, this was where human emotion reigned. At times, we were moved to tears when watching these. The first category of the night for the second year in a row was for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. It was presented by the Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series nominees: Max Ehrich and Bryton James of Y&R, and Freddie Smith and Chandler Massey of DAYS. When Chandler announced it was Y&R’s Doug Davidson who won, Davidson took to the stage in a speech that was 35 years in the making. That is how long he has played Paul Williams on the number one soap…

Doug Davidson: “Oh my Gosh. I am overwhelmed! But seriously, where is Halle Berry when you need her? And it just occurs to me that the presenters are younger than my tux! Who do I thank? The first name that comes to mind is Mr. Bill Bell. His genius lives on in our two shows. And everyday, I think about him. Jeanne Cooper, I am so sorry you could not be here tonight. Tony Morina, his concept for this storyline was killer. I certainly appreciate your idea. Margot Wain came on board for the network. She’s a fabulous lady. Maria and her scribes wrote a fabulous story and Jill Phelps and Josh Griffith are here taking it up and doing a great job. I would like to thank my wife Cindy who has been with me the whole time, my backbone. My kids Calyssa and Caden, and most of all I would really like to thank the viewers. They have been more than fans. They have been family to me. They have supported my character and me through some very difficult times. Thank you!”

Another touching moment of Emmy night came when Julie Marie Berman was announced the winner for the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Julie has now won three Daytime Emmys for her portrayal of Lulu Spencer Falconeri. It appeared that no one was more surprised than Julie when her name was called. (Something host Robin Meade picked up on. Meade, would give voice-over announce tidbits of the winning actors and shows, as newly crowed winners made their way from the ballroom to the podium.) When Julie made it to the podium and began her “thank you” list, there was a beautiful moment where she thanked her husband, and later, her long time GH co-star in a bittersweet victory capping off a remarkable run on the ABC soap, since Berman departed the series several months ago…

Julie Marie Berman: “Two people come to mind. Mike; I am indebted to you for the sacrifices you make for my insane love of acting. It’s so rare to find someone who supports what you do so fully, and someone who is willing to sit back and cheer their wife on. So, I love you. And this is so special because it is ‘Supporting’ and means you can’t do everything on your own. I think of Tony Geary, who I shared these scenes with and that man is so special to me, and those scenes were filled with the trust and complete awe that I have for him as a human being. So Tony, I love you and I will miss working with you with all of my heart. Thank you so much General Hospital for a wonderful ride.”

Another grab your hankies moment occurred, when after being on daytime soap operas since the age of 6, Kristen Alderson picked up her first Daytime Emmy on her first nomination for her performance as Starr Manning on General Hospital, a role that she played through 2011 on One Life to Live. An overwhelmed Alderson made sure she thanked a lot of key people in her life for her success…

Kristen Alderson: “I have so many people to thank. First, Starr Manning who I have played for 15 years. I love her so much. You will always be a part of me. For all of my family at One Life to Live, I love you so, so, so, so much. Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati, Kassie DePaiva, Roger (Howarth), Erika (Slezak), Robin (Strasser). Oh my God, everyone. Janie, my tutor who got me through High School. I don’t know how she did it. Also my loving family, I love you so, so, so much. My mom … most of all. She is my best friend and she is everything to me. My brother, you make me laugh every day. Chad, you’re the love of my life. Dad, I am so glad that you are here. Happy Father’s Day! I love you all so much, and this is a thrill for me. Thank you.”

The biggest, and I mean, biggest shock of the night came when for only the second time in its history, Days of our Lives, took home the gold for Outstanding Drama Series. DAYS had not won in this category since 1975! Executive Producer, Ken Corday and a jubilant cast and crew of producers, took to the stage at the end of the night for the final speech. Corday was seriously overcome…

Ken Corday: “Pinch me, somebody pinch me. Really worth the wait … 38 years ladies and gentlemen! Unbelievable! I would like to thank so many people. Please don’t start the music yet… Today is Father’s Day, today is my birthday, and today is a great day to celebrate.”

When The Young and the Restless’ Billy Miller tied with The Bold and the Beautiful’s Scott Clifton in the Outstanding Supporting Actor category, Miller waited his turn to speak to the crowd and the television cameras. But it was the now two-time Daytime Emmy winner, who really summed up what the daytime community is all about, and paid proper tribute to his long-time co-star, Y&R icon Jeanne Cooper…

Billy Miller: “Everybody in this room is part of the hardest working team in entertainment … hands down! We work very hard and we just lost somebody, Jeanne Cooper, who is like a grandmother to anyone who has been in daytime. Corbin, Jeanne, I miss you. Thank you every much.”

Chandler Massey of Days of our Lives, took home his second Daytime Emmy in a row for his portrayal of Will Horton. He was nominated along with his co-star Freddie Smith in the same category. Massey acknowledged Smith in an extraordinary way in his acceptance speech…

Chandler Massey: “This isn’t fair, because I have thee best actor to work alongside of and it’s Freddie Smith. Freddie you are phenomenal. You are absolutely incredible, and it is my privilege to work with you!

After a hectic, exhausting night of conducting red carpet and winners walk video interviews, and being on my feet for God knows how many hours, I took some time to enjoy the CBS Daytime After-Party at the Beverly Hilton Poolside. It was a beautiful affair, with great sweets and if you needed coffee, or a drink! I needed both! It was there, I was able to finally catch up with B&B’s Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke), who after 26 years on the international hit series, finally had scored a nomination. She did not win, but was gracious as one would expect afterwards. As for Jason Thompson of General Hospital, who was so deserving of a Daytime Emmy win in the Outstanding Lead Actor category, I personally called him the next day. Wanted to make sure I checked in with these two giant talents in our genre, because it can be a big let-down after all the hype if you don’t end up walking away with some gold, even if it all is one giant game.

Now, check out our photo gallery above of some of the memorable moments from the 40th Annual Daytime Emmy Telecast! *To view the Emmy Wrap-up Photo Gallery click on the NEXT GROUP button located next to the + symbol to see all the images, or you can just let it play as a slideshow.