The brightest stars of daytime television turned out in style recently for the 40th Annual Daytime Emmys, and had plenty of fond things to say about Malibu as they sashayed down the red carpet.
Held at the glamorous Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on Sunday, June 16, the awards saw a changing of the guard as “Days of Our Lives” won drama series honors for just the second time in 40 years in a ceremony that ran late and included more upsets than experts had predicted.
The NBC soap opera that began in 1965 beat out defending champion General Hospital and former three-time winner “The Bold and the Beautiful,” among others. The category included the only four remaining soaps still airing on the broadcast networks in addition to “One Life to Live,” which has found new life on the Internet after being canceled. “Days”’ only other drama series win was in 1978.
The show claimed one other victory: Actor Chandler Massey won his second Daytime Emmy for playing gay character Will Horton, his second win in as many years. The night’s most poignant award went to television icon and former game show host Monty Hall, who was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his storied television career.
CBS’ “Sunday Morning” and “The Price is Right!” rounded off the night’s winners for best morning show and best game show at the 3-hour plus ceremony that highlighted the accomplishments of daytime entertainers.
The Malibu Times welcomed stars on the red carpet this year. Up close and personal, we asked some of daytime’s brightest to share their favorite Malibu insights.
“The Bold and the Be aut i ful” ac tor and Daytime Emmy winner for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Scott Clifton cited Malibu as one of his favorite cities. “My wife and I had our first date in Malibu and it’s where we returned for our wedding,” he said. Clifton jokingly added, “I’m sure that’s where we’ll file for divorce as well.”
Actress Kate Mansi, who portrays Abigail Deveraux on “Days of Our Lives,” spent years honing her craft in Malibu – as a college student at Pepperdine University. “At times I really miss my Pepperdine days,” she said. “I think what makes the university such an incredible experience for so many students is that you create lifelong friendships with professors who influence you so greatly at such a crucial time of growth in your life. My senior film professor and I still email film critiques to one another frequently, my speech professor is still my go to for political questions, my father and I have lunch with Vice Chancellor Gary Hanson, and I was so moved to receive a congratulatory letter from President Andy Benton when I first started at ‘Days.’ It is a community that continues to support me even after graduating, and that is what makes Pepperdine such a special institution.”
Mansi’s “Days” co-star Camilla Banus echoed her love of Malibu. Says Banus, “I absolutely love hiking the Malibu trails and surrounding myself with the gorgeous scenery. Hiking helps me clear my mind and focus on my character development.” When she’s not getting her exercise at high altitudes, Banus loves lounging with friends on the Malibu shores.
“My friends and I frequent the Malibu beaches as often as possible,” she said. “I was born near Miami Beach, so the ocean feels like my second home.”
The 40th annual Daytime Emmy Awards on HLN declined in the key demo but were on par with total viewership from last year, according to Nielsen ratings for Sunday, June 16.
The telecast, hosted by Sam Champion, Robin Meade and AJ Hammer, averaged 213,000 adults 25-54 from 8-10:30 p.m., down 25% from 2012, and 913,000 total viewers, steady with last year’s 912,000.
That viewership was good enough to rank HLN first among the cable news networks on Sunday night, however.
A complete list of the 2013 Daytime Emmy winners can be found online, www. emmyonline.tv/daytime/.
