TV comedy “Friends” ends its 10 years on air this season, but Sunday the show proved it still had a lot of fans by winning two People’s Choice awards for favorite TV comedy and for Jennifer Aniston as most popular TV actress.
Summer smash hit movie “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” was the top pick among films over “Finding Nemo” and 2002 drama “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.”
“Friends” claimed more People’s Choice Awards than any other TV show or movie, but Aniston’s co-star, Matt LeBlanc, called it “a sad time” for the program’s creators and stars given it is now in its final tapings.
Backstage, he told reporters, “It’s 10 of the greatest years of my life come to an end.”
He added that co-star Courtney Cox, who recently revealed she is pregnant, is “doing great.” Aniston was not on hand to accept her award.
Winners at the People’s Choice Awards are picked from polling by the Gallup organization and online voting by fans across the United States. They provide a measure of popularity compared to critics awards and honors from professional groups such as the movie industry’s Oscars and TV’s Emmys.
Actor Jim Carrey was on hand to accept the award for “Bruce Almighty,” as most popular film comedy. In the movie, he plays a man given the powers of God.
He ran through the audience slapping high-fives to fans, and then he pulled a few up onstage to thank them.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” was picked as the most popular movie drama.
Mel Gibson was the favorite film actor and Julia Roberts was the top film actress, but they were trumped in popular voting by movie star Tom Hanks, who was given a special People’s Choice award for favorite all-time entertainer.
Ray Romano picked up his third People’s Choice trophy as most popular TV actor for comedy “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Fans are wondering whether Romano and the show will be back next season, and backstage he said he has not decided.
“We’ll probably make a decision in a couple of weeks, but that’s not to say it will be final,” Romano said, noting that any decision can be changed before the upcoming TV season that begins nine months from now in September.
Top-rated “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” took home the People’s Choice honor for favorite TV drama, while “Joan of Arcadia” was the most popular new TV drama and “Two and a Half Men” was picked as the favorite new TV comedy.”
Oprah Winfrey was named favorite TV talk show host.
“Survivor: Pearl Island” was the favorite reality based TV series for the fourth consecutive year. Backstage, the show’s creator, Mark Burnett, predicted his upcoming “Survivor All-Stars” will be “my blockbuster.”
He said most hit shows end their runs on TV when the stars grow weary, but because “Survivor” is a reality series whose players change with each show, “the only reason ’Survivor’ will end is when the people don’t watch it anymore.”
In musical categories, Beyonce’ Knowles and Faith Hill shared the award for favorite female performer while Tim McGraw was the voters’ choice for most popular male recording star.
Matchbox Twenty was picked as favorite musical group, and Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar” was named the most popular music video.