The 36th Annual Creative Arts & Entertainment Daytime Emmy Awards were presented on Saturday, August 29, at a gala held in the California Ballroom of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The event was presided over by multiple-Emmy winner Alex Trebek, host of Jeopardy!
The awards presented during the Creative Arts portion of the Emmys include mostly non-acting categories. Categories include Outstanding Game Show Host; Children's Series; Achievement in Makeup For A Drama Series; Writing in a Children's series; Achievement in Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design For A Drama Series; Direction in a Children's Special.
The Daytime Emmy Awards are presented to daytime television programs that are broadcast nationally between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 p.m. The eligibility period for this year's Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards was January 1, 2008 - December 31, 2008.
This year, all nine soaps -- the eight series currently airing plus Passions, which ended last year -- received nominations in the technical categories. At the conclusion of voting, All My Children earned four wins, the most of the night. It did not come as a surprise that ABC soap topped the tally due in part to its technically challenging tornado storyline from last year. The show has used that storyline to secure its Outstanding Drama Series nomination.
One Life to Live placed second with three, and As the World Turns and The Young and the Restless each picked up two awards. The only other soap to win an Emmy during the Creative Arts ceremony was The Bold and the Beautiful. Despite six nominations, Days of our Lives ended the night winless.
Drama series were shut out in several new categories this year that honored promotions and "new approaches."
All My Children: 4 wins, 9 nominations
One Life to Live: 3 wins, 6 nominations
As The World Turns: 2 wins, 2 nominations
The Young and the Restless: 2 wins, 7 nominations
The Bold and the Beautiful: 1 win, 3 nominations
Days of our Lives: 6 nominations
General Hospital: 2 nominations
Guiding Light: 1 nomination
Passions: 1 nomination
ABC: 6 wins, 17 nominations
CBS: 5 wins; 13nominations
NBC: 1 win, 7 nominations
