2009 Daytime Emmy Winners

By Amanda Pendolino on August 31st, 2009

Daytime television stars melted on the red carpet last night, as thermometers read 100 degrees outside the 36th annual Daytime Emmy Awards at Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre.

According to the LA Times, actress and singer Vanessa Williams hosted the event for the first time. While she’s usually seen on primetime in Ugly Betty, she was also nominee for her voice-over work on the PBS show Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies. The award show’s other first was that it was broadcast on the CW, which isn’t considered a regular broadcast network.

It seems to be one of many signs that daytime television is changing; the show also featured a tribute to CBS soap Guiding Light, which will air its last episode in September after 72 years in production (first on radio, then on TV). Jeff Branson, who plays Shayne Lewis on the long-running series, tied for supporting actor with Vincent Irizarry of ABC’s All My Children. (There can be ties? Does anyone else think that’s bizarre? Maybe the Daytime Emmys would get higher ratings if they had to jello-wrestle for the win.)

Other winners included The Tyra Banks Show, which snagged the trophy for Outstanding Talk Show. The Bold and the Beautiful won Best Drama Series, and Christian LeBlanc of The Young and the Restless won for Best Actor in a Drama Series. Best Actress went to Susan Haskell of One Life to Live. Best Supporting Actress went to Tamara Braun of Days of Our Lives.