HOLLYWOOD - In this madcap season of awards from prestigious organizations, it's somewhat refreshing to know the People's Choice Awards have managed to stick it out for 28 years. It's only fair that the public's choices be heard since entertainment is basically for them, the viewing public.On Sunday, the people spoke--choosing their favorites in film and television.
Long-standing TV shows Friends and ER took the titles as best television comedy and drama series, respectively, and Jennifer Aniston took favorite female television performer. There was a tie for favorite male television performer between Frasier's Kelsey Grammer and Everyone Loves Raymond's Ray Romano.
Alias, ABC's new spy show, took favorite new drama and the Damon Wayans vehicle, My Wife and Kids, took favorite new comedy.
On the film side, Shrek took best motion picture, while Eddie Murphy won best motion picture star in a comedy and Julia Roberts won best motion picture actress. Tom Hanks snagged two awards for favorite motion picture star and best motion picture star in a drama.
Country music stars Garth Brooks and Faith Hill won the top male and female musical performer awards.
Hosted by comedian Kevin James (TV's The King of Queens), Sunday's show got a huge laugh when James came out dressed in a swan dress--the same getup worn by Icelandic singer Bjork at the Oscars last year--and proclaimed he'd found the look first.
"The truth is that I had the outfit first. I just find it funny that I have to defend myself for a trend I started," James said during the show, as a video clip showed the swan-clad actor shopping, golfing and running down the beach at sunset.
The awards are based on the results of a nationwide telephone poll conducted by the Gallup Organization between November 2000 and October 2001, which excluded late fall and winter contenders such as Monsters, Inc. and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.