USA: AUDIENCE FAVOURITES "FRIENDS" AND "THE WEST WING" GRAB TOPS PRIZES AT THIS YEARS EMMY AWARDS

Record ID: 636464

  • Title: USA: AUDIENCE FAVOURITES "FRIENDS" AND "THE WEST WING" GRAB TOPS PRIZES AT THIS YEARS EMMY AWARDS
  • Date: 22nd September 2002
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 22, 2002) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR MATT LEBLANC SAYING: "I think that it was our time, maybe. You know, the writers worked hard for, consistently hard for nine, this is our ninth year now, and the stuff we've shot so far this year is really funny and really grounded and really strong. And the stuff last year w
  • Embargoed: 7th October 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA5KY5G90EABQU05V4JD50SGRMW
  • Story Text: Audience favorites "Friends" and "The West Wing"
    grabbed top prizes at the Emmy Awards on Sunday (September 22) as U.S. television's highest honors, twice delayed last year by September 11th and its aftermath, returned in an upbeat mood.
    The Emmy awards played it safe on Sunday night, honoring an array of veteran shows, including "Friends" and "The West Wing," and effectively snubbing the season's hot new contender, "Six Feet Under."
    NBC's hit drama "The West Wing" won its third consecutive Emmy Award as best drama in a victory that stunned some observers. The political soap opera won out over CBS's "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," HBO's "Six Feet Under" and Fox's "24," all critical darlings.
    Moments earlier, Allison Janney was named best actress in a drama series for her portrayal of the White House press secretary C.J. Cregg on "The West Wing." It was the third straight victory for Janney, coming in a year in which she faced intense competition from Rachel Griffiths and Frances Conroy, both of "Six Feet Under."
    Two other "West Wing" cast members, John Spencer and Stockard Channing, won awards for best supporting actor and actress.
    "Friends" was the other big winner of the evening. The smash NBC sitcom was named best comedy series as it heads into its ninth and presumed final season.
    It was the first time that "Friends" has won the best comedy series award, and its came on the night that one of its six stars, Jennifer Aniston, was crowned best actress in a comedy series for her portrayal of Rachel Green.
    Aniston, kissed by husband Brad Pitt as she rose to accept the prize, also claimed the award for the first time.
    The actress was twice nominated previously as best supporting actress on the show without winning.
    This year's awards brought plenty of Emmy gold to the cast of "Everybody Loves Raymond," the top-rated CBS comedy that has been credited with helping revive the family sitcom genre.
    The show's star, Ray Romano, was named best actor in a comedy series; his first win after two previous nominations.
    Two co-stars, Brad Garrett and Doris Roberts, won Emmys for best supporting actor and best supporting actress.
    Television personality Oprah Winfrey was given the first Bob Hope Humanitarian award and accepted it in tears after listening to tributes from Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and a host of other stars.
    After making a splash in previous years thanks to "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City," HBO's actors were left behind in this year's Emmy race. The network did win a pair of awards for its critically acclaimed mini-series, "Band of Brothers," produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
    "We didn't just win this, the men of Easy Company did," Spielberg said, making reference to the U.S. soldiers upon which the story was based.
    In total, HBO won seven awards for the night, giving it a total of 24, including Creative Arts Emmys for technical achievements handed out last week. NBC won 9 awards for the night, also giving it a total of 24.
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