By: Azra, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
A.B. Replies: Well, let's put it this way. Those actors? They love, love, love to pretend, even when they aren't getting paid or grinning painfully through an interview with Pat O'Brien. And when their names are read at the People's Choice Awards, and they leap out of their seats and dab their eyes and clutch at each other as if they're about to be kissed by the fiery lips of Archangel Gabriel and baptized in immortal flame?
They're. Faking. It.
Show producers admitted as much, in a disclaimer flashed at the end of last week's show. Unlike many other awards-show producers, who will electrocute an entire preschool of chipmunk-cheeked toddlers if it means keeping their winners a secret, the People's Choice folks clue in winners in advance.
Not that everything at People's Choice is prestaged. I mean, I hope that Ray Romano wasn't planning ahead of time to absolutely mortify his 13-year-old twins the way he did Tuesday night. I might have to make a call to child protective services. But the surprise that Ellen DeGeneres radiated after hearing her name called as the Favorite Talk Show Host? Ersatz.
And, yes, the prenotification is to ensure their honorees show up. The spokespeople for the show wouldn't respond to your question--I guess they think the answer is still a secret--but this fact has been all over the media (and the show's own end credits) for years.
Dig this, from the L.A. Daily News' 2003 People's Choice Awards coverage:
"When My Big Fat Greek Wedding was announced as the Favorite Motion Picture (Comedy) winner, the film's writer and star, Nia Vardalos, and others in the cast jumped up and hugged each other as if it were a surprise, which it wasn't, since the winners are notified in advance."
All that said, just because the winners are clued in ahead of time doesn't mean they show up. That same year, Julia Roberts, the world's most popular ice queen, raked in her eighth award for Favorite Motion Picture Actress, and she blew it off. Producers were forced to show a montage of her rocket-tile-size choppers, billowing banshee hair and all-American cowgirl guffaw. Eminem did the same thing that year, failing to appear even though he took the crown for Favorite Male Musical Performer.
Mel Gibson has blown off the awards too, in a way. That same year, 2003, he accepted his trophy for Favorite Motion Picture Actor via video.
Kind of tough to pull that off unless you're notified in advance of your award, eh?