People choose animation, controversy for top honors

Pasadena, Calif. (ap) — Two controversial films that defied the odds to earn millions at the box office joined a familiar green ogre to take top honors at the 31st Annual People’s Choice Awards on Sunday.

The Michael Moore film “Fahrenheit 9/11,” which took a critical look at President Bush’s actions after the 9-11 attacks, won the favorite movie award, while Mel Gibson’s explicit “The Passion of the Christ” won in the favorite drama category.

Moore dedicated his win to the U.S. troops fighting overseas and said he was “amazed” that people voted his film their favorite.

“I love making movies, and I’ll take this as an invitation to make more ‘Fahrenheit 9/11s,'” Moore said.

Gibson echoed Moore’s appreciation, saying the award “means a lot more to me this time than anything before.”

“I depended on you, and you were there,” Gibson said. “If it wasn’t for you guys, we would have been dead in the water.”

The animated “Shrek 2” swept a number of categories, being named favorite comedy, favorite sequel and favorite animated movie.

The character of Donkey in “Shrek 2,” voiced by Eddie Murphy, was named favorite animated movie star, while the Fairy Godmother, voiced by Jennifer Saunders, won in the favorite movie villain category.

Perennial favorites took many of the top awards, including many of this year’s new categories. Julia Roberts and Johnny Depp won for favorite female and male movie star. Matt LeBlanc and Marg Helgenberger won for favorite male and female TV stars.

“Will & Grace,” won for favorite TV comedy. “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” was named favorite TV drama.

After votes cast via the Internet during the first hour of the live telecast were counted, “Joey” was named favorite new TV comedy, while “Desperate Housewives” won for favorite new TV drama.

The People’s Choice Awards, hosted by Jason Alexander and Malcolm-Jamal Warner, were presented at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and broadcast on CBS. The awards covered 38 film, television and music categories, including a number of new ones.

The nominations were determined by editors at Entertainment Weekly, the People’s Choice production team and a panel of pop culture fans. Internet voters chose the winners.

Harry Connick Jr. takes turn in ‘The Pajama Game’

Harry Connick Jr., the crooning heartthrob and jazz stylist, will star next season in a Broadway revival of “The Pajama Game,” one of the musical theater’s biggest hits of the 1950s.

Connick will play the role originated in 1954 by John Raitt, according to Jeffrey Richards, a co-producer of the revival.

The performer will begin rehearsals after Labor Day. The musical will open sometime in November, Richards said Saturday.

“The Pajama Game” tells the story of labor unrest in an Iowa pajama factory and the romantic involvement between the plant supervisor (the role Connick will play) and a union activist.

Getting star on Walk of Fame piece of pie for comedian

Comedian Soupy Sales, who once said a pie in the eye was worth two in the sky, saw his proclivity for pie-tossing pay off with a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

“I appreciate this from the bottom of my heart, and I appreciate you all coming here in the rain,” Sales, who was seated in a wheelchair, said Friday.

The rain forced the ceremony to be held inside the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with Hollywood’s honorary mayor, Johnny Grant, setting up the 79-year-old comic’s classic schtick.

“Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. had pies thrown in their face by Soupy Sales, and I want to belong to that club,” Grant said. He then got down within Sales’ reach and took a pie in the face.

The star was the walk’s 2,274th. Celebrities attending included actor Peter Marshall and actress Nancy Allen.

Sales, whose given name is Milton Supman, was born in North Carolina. He got his start as a radio scriptwriter and standup comic, going on to host immensely popular local children’s shows in Cincinnati, Detroit, New York and Los Angeles. He also has made guest appearances on numerous TV shows, occasionally appeared in films and twice had hit records, with the novelty songs “The Mouse” and “Spy With a Pie.”

Besides throwing cream pies, Sales also takes them in the face. He once estimated he had been hit 25,000 times.