Stars Support Alternative People’s Choice Awards

Stars REESE WITHERSPOON and JOAQUIN PHEONIX lent their support to a
pre-recorded TV version of the People’s Choice Awards after the ceremony was
cancelled due to the Hollywood writers strike.

The awards, which were hosted by Queen Latifah, were dished out during a
taped broadcast which aired on Tuesday (08Jan08) night with winners submitting
acceptance speeches via video.

Organisers were forced to scrap the ceremony, along with the red carpet event
and all of the planned press coverage, after striking writers vowed to picket
all awards shows that go ahead in 2008.

Winners graciously accepted their awards in pre-recorded messages with
several declaring their support for the walkouts by the Writer’s Guild of
America.

Accepting the accolade for Favourite Female Movie Star, Witherspoon said, “We
are nothing without our writers. But we are also nothing without our audience.”

Pheonix also acknowledged the ongoing strike – when picking up the award for
Favourite Leading Man, he gave his speech silently and used cue cards to
deliver his message.

The cards read, “I’m speechless without the writers. Seriously. But in my own
quiet way, I want to thank the millions of fans that voted for me for favourite
leading man.”

Other stars honoured included Johnny Depp, who was presented with the coveted
Favourite Male Movie Star award, and Justin Timberlake, who picked up Favourite
Male Singer.

Robin Williams accepted the Favourite Funny Male gong while Ellen DeGeneres
was named Favourite Talk Show Host.

The main category winners are as follows:

Female TV star: Katherine Heigl

Male TV star: Patrick Dempsey

Talk show host: Ellen DeGeneres

Scene stealer: Chandra Wilson

TV drama: House

TV comedy: Two and a Half Men

Reality show: Dancing With the Stars

Game show: Deal or No Deal

Sci-fi show: Stargate Atlantis

Animated TV show: The Simpsons

Female movie star: Reese Witherspoon

Male movie star: Johnny Depp

Leading lady: Drew Barrymore

Leading man: Joaquin Phoenix

Female action star: Keira Knightley

Male action star: Matt Damon

On-screen match-up: George Clooney and Brad Pitt

Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

Movie drama: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Movie comedy: Knocked Up

Action movie: The Bourne Ultimatum

Family movie: Shrek the Third

Threequel: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

Independent movie: Becoming Jane

Female singer: Gwen Stefani

Male singer: Justin Timberlake

Group: Rascal Flatts

Pop song: Justin Timberlake, What Goes Around … Comes Around

Rock song: Daughtry, Home

Country song: Rascal Flatts, Stand

Hip-hop song: Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, Give it
to Me

R&B song: Rhianna, Shut Up & Drive

Song from a soundtrack: You Can’t Stop the Beat from Hairspray

Reunion tour: The Police

Funny male: Robin Williams

Funny female: Ellen DeGeneres.

(LR/WNWCPL&WNWA/TN)