Repeating her performance from last year, Oprah Winfrey collected Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday night for best talk show and top talk-show host.
"This is so sweet," she said. "It's truly a blessing to have this reward for doing something I so love every day."In winning the award for best talk-show host - for the fifth consecutive time - Winfrey topped Phil Donahue, Leeza Gibbons, Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford, and Vicki Lawrence.
In capturing the outstanding talk show prize at the 22nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" beat out "Donahue," "CNN & Company," "Leeza" and "Live with Regis & Kathie Lee."
"General Hospital" also took home two awards, winning for outstanding drama series and the prize for best drama series writing team.
The best actress award was presented to Erika Slezak of "One Life to Live." It was another year of disappointment for Susan Lucci, who has played Erica Kane on "All My Children" for more than two decades and has failed to win the top actress prize despite being nominated 15 times.
Justin Deas of "Guiding Light" won best lead actor in a drama series.
The eight members of the directing team for "All My Children" won the top prize for directing.
Other winners included Jonathan Jackson of "General Hospital" as outstanding younger actor in a drama series and Sarah Michelle Gellar of "All My Children" as outstanding younger actress in a drama series.
Shari Lewis won her fourth consecutive Emmy as outstanding performer in a children's series for her show, "Lamb Chop's Play-Along," and "Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego" was named best animated children's program.
Former network correspondent and NBC anchor Linda Ellerbee accepted the prize for "Nick News," as outstanding children's series. Ellerbee is the show's executive producer.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented posthumously to Ted and Betty Corday, who were instrumental in the creation and production of "As the World Turns" and "Days of Our Lives." Their son, Ken Corday, the executive producer of "Days of Our Lives," accepted the award.
After winning her first prize for best show, Winfrey didn't take the stage but waved to the crowd at the Marriott Marquis hotel. The program was broadcast live by NBC.
In accepting the award, executive producer Diane Atkinson-Hudson said "We pledge to stay out of the talk-show gutter." Winfrey came to the stage to accept her second award of the night, for best talk-show host.
Winfrey's first award was presented by Merv Griffin and Vanna White.
Before the presentation, White was host for a tribute to Griffin, a pioneer of the talk-show format whose show helped launch the careers of many performers, including Woody Allen, Jay Leno, Billy Crystal, Paul Reiser and Jerry Seinfeld.
Griffin was on stage moments later as executive producer to accept the award for "Jeopardy," which won the Emmy for outstanding game audience participation show.
Rena Sofer of "General Hospital" won as outstanding supporting actress in a drama series and Jerry ver Dorn was given the prize as outstanding supporting actor in a drama series.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
And the winners are: Winners of the 22nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards:
Outstanding younger actor in a drama series: Jonathan Jackson, "General Hospital"
Outstanding younger actress in a drama series: Sarah Michelle Gellar, "All My Children"
Outstanding performer in a children's series: Shari Lewis, "Lamb Chop's Play-Along"
Outstanding animated children's program: "Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?"
Outstanding talk show: "Oprah Winfrey Show"
Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series: Rena Sofer, "General Hospital"
Outstanding game-audience participation show: "Jeopardy"
Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series: Jerry ver Dorn, "Guiding Light"
Outstanding drama series writing team: "General Hospital"
Outstanding children's series: "Nick News"
Outstanding talk show host: Oprah Winfrey
Outstanding drama series directing team: "All My Children"
Outstanding children's special: "A Child Betrayed: The Calvin Mire Story"
Lifetime Achievement Award: Ted and Betty Corday. Ted Corday helped create and then directed and produced "As the World Turns" and "Days of Our Lives." Betty Corday became executive producer of "Days of Our Lives" when her husband died in 1966 and continued to be involved in the show until her death in 1987.
Outstanding lead actor in a drama series: Justin Deas, "Guiding Light"
Outstanding lead actress in a drama series: Erika Slezak, "One Life to Live"
Outstanding drama series: "General Hospital"