"Dark Knight" Sweeps People's Choice: "Here's To Heath"

LOS ANGELES — Holy People's Choice Awards, Batman!

"The Dark Knight" soared away with every trophy it was nominated for Wednesday at the 35th annual fan-favorite CBS ceremony. The caped crusader flick won five awards, including favorite cast, superhero, action movie and on-screen matchup for Christian Bale's Batman and the late Heath Ledger's Joker.

"On behalf of all of the cast from the movie, thank you very much to the fans," said Bale. "Here's to Heath."

The CBS ceremony was hosted by Queen Latifah and returned to the Shrine Auditorium for its typical star-studded live show format, following last year's writer's strike-friendly, pre-taped program. Stars such as Adam Sandler, Kate Hudson, Robin Williams, Hugh Laurie and Reese Witherspoon showed up to accept their awards at the slightly subdued ceremony.

"It's such a great way to start the new year," Witherspoon, the "Four Christmases" star who won an Oscar in 2005 for portaying June Carter Cash in "Walk the Line," said as she accepted her award for favorite female movie star. "A couple years ago, I won a great award for singing in a movie. This year, I won an award for having a baby throw up on me."

Other recipients selected by Internet voters in categories spanning movies, television and music included "Dancing With the Stars" as favorite reality show, Carrie Underwood as favorite female singer, "House" as favorite TV drama, Brad Pitt as favorite leading man, Angelina Jolie as favorite female action star and Ellen DeGeneres as favorite talk show host.

"I wish I could share this with you," DeGeneres told the audience while clutching her trophy on stage. "I could throw it on the ground and smash it into a million pieces, and give each one of you a little piece of it, but that's violent, and that's probably why you voted for me, because I'm not violent."

Other winners were "WALL-E" for best family movie, "27 Dresses" for best comedy and "The Secret Life of Bees" for best independent movie.

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Will Smith was named both the top male action star and best male movie star; Kate Hudson was declared the best leading lady. The best TV comedy was "Two and a Half Men" and the top TV animated comedy was "The Simpsons."

Queen Latifah accepted the favorite drama and independent movie awards alongside her "The Secret Life of Bees" co-star Dakota Fanning. The overly enthusiastic host opened the show by wading through the audience and asking celebrities if they could keep entertaining the masses in 2009. All mimicked President-elect Barack Obama and by answering: "Yes we can."

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CBS is a division of CBS Corp.

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On the Net:

http://www.pcavote.com/pca

Comments

[shedances]

The Dark Knight was more violent than some of the reviews let on ... but the late Heath Ledger was amazing as the insane Joker. I don't think anyone could've done that better; and now, if they reprise the role, it will be a very hard act to follow. I also liked Bale, Caine, Freeman & Maggie G. (can never remember how to write her last name?). It was a great Batman movie.

[dmsdzinr]

OBVIOUSLY Bale recognizes the PURE GENIUS that was Heath Ledger as The Joker!

[DennyCrane]

And so the backlash begins. I'll be the first to admit that most movies that make a ton of movie are garbage. Titanic is a perfect example of that. But The Dark Knight was the best movie of the year. If you look past the fact that the main character dresses as a bat and another paints his face, you'll see a very intelligent crime drama that has a lot to say about the times we live in. This movie does a terrific job of discussing the war on terror and doing it an entertaining way. So much of what this movie brings up (kidnapping, torture, invasion of privacy, etc.) is stuff that the Bush administration has been guilty of. It's nice to have a movie that actually makes you think. While some people look at this movie as an endorsement of Cheney's methods, others see it as a repudiation of them. But no matter where you side, the movie gets you to ponder these questions. And it's nice to have an action movie that cares more about story, character and acting than action or endless special effects.

[Leslib]

I recently watched The Dark Knight and have to say I was not impressed. It was just another Batman movie, and it dragged on a bit too long. Ledger was fine in it. I wouldn't say it was the best performance of his career. Unfortunate that it was cut so tragically short.

[Twinkie]

ALL movie awards events are an appalling waste of time and only intended as an extra promotion tool for the industry. These people are paid astronomical amounts of money for a few months work, and then they get awards too? What a sad indictment on modern society that these charades are so popular.

[marred]

You said it Brother. Amen.

[rmetz74]

So wait, are they meaningless, or are they worth resenting the winners over?

The recipients know perfectly well what the awards mean. Part of their job - outside of the months of shooting - is to do promotional stuff, knowing the biggest reaction will be people like you making themselves feel better by anonymously insulting them, despite your having never met them, or their having any opportunity to respond. They also know that by participating in these shows, they're making it more likely that their projects will continue as sequels, long-running series, etc., which means more work for the crew, who does not make a ton of money and needs the work to be successful. Nevermind the many people who are employed by the awards shows themselves.

Save your sanctimony.

[1sparrow]

angelina did two phenomenal acting lobs in "a mighty heart " and "the changeling". i really admire her for leaving laura bla bla tomb raider. i loved "dark night" but mmmm it's a classy tomb raider movie. with no doubts the best movie is slum dog millionaire. the best movie in 5 years. as far as brad pitt... he was better trying to morph robert redford in the early years.

[serindipity803]

Brad Pitt rules....

[scubalady]

You admire her for leaving Tomb raider but she precisely won for Wanted which is rather Tomb raider-ish. Phenomenal acting like A mighty heart is good but when you need a little cash and viewers in theaters it's nice to go back to the sexy sultry gun waving chick part.That's the one part the pepole want to see her play.Hence the trophy.

[scubalady]

Leaving Tomb raider? She may play in the Changeling or A mighty heart to add artsy flicks on her resume or satisfying her ego.But when she wants to earn big cash and put viewers on seats she goes back to the sexy, sultry, gun waving chick part. That's what the people expect from her, that's precisely why they gave her a trophy for Wanted (for a very Tomb Raider-ish role).

[leatherbunny]

Oh look, all my favorites!!! The people sure know how to pick them. So glad to see Brad Pitt as favorite leading man, Angelina Jolie as favorite female action star, I think the Jolie Pitts are on a winning streak.

[aliceautumn]

What a joke. Not one single actor won, just personalities, spouses of producers or the untalented children of actors. The Dark Knight sucked. Too long, silly story line and only won because Ledger is dead and did a weak impression of Jack Nicholson. Bale is just a pretty face. Terrible movie. This "awards" show is for promoting the interests of the financial backers of these performers ( I cannot call any of them actors) and the films they are in. It is one big Infommercial.

[BlueStateMan]

Your taste is in your @$$.

[Chandidevi]

Alice, your comment is magnificent and you hit the nail on the head. Aren't we done with this kind of wheeling and dealing????

[bac59447]

The great thing about art is that it's not science. Where you see a bad movie I see one of the best fims I've seen in years. And there is simply no way to prove either of us right or wrong. Which is why giving prizes for art is preposterous, ridiculous and self-defeating. The so-called people's choice at least admits it's merely a popularity contest. All the rest are self-delusional pretentious nonsense. Just show me the damned movie. I'll let you know whether I like it or not by whether I tell my friends to go.

[CaptainFrogbert]

Well... yes and no. Yes one's appreciation of both art and artefact is subjective: I may like Picasso and you may love Rembrandt. I may love a Gibson Les Paul and you may love a Fender Stratocaster. But by NO stretch of the imagination is Picasso or Rembrandt not better than my Nephew's refrigerator drawings. By no stretch of the imagination is a Strat not better than a the Guitar Hero toy guitar.

Quality is real and it matters. Good art is subjective up to a point, but good art is also definable and defensible over bad art.

On the other hand, the people's choice awards are arguably the most subjective of the awards shows. But people do have the right to celebrate what they love. I'm happy for the winners.

But no, most of the winners are not representative of good art. So what?

[reggieb]

Ledger's take on the Joker was impressive. He made me forget about Nicholson for which I'm thankful.

[MindyM]

alice -

It's too bad that you didn't experience what I did watching Dark Knight. The idea that the movie is getting a sympathy vote because of Heath Ledger's death is pretty pathetic. Maybe, just maybe, the people really, really liked it. Maybe they liked a film that didn't insult the intelligence of its audience.

Jack Nicholson's Joker was good for the type of Batman movie back then. I personally hated those old Batman movies. That was one reason that I initially didn't want to see Dark Knight. Once I realized that this was a much more realistic take on Batman, I couldn't wait. Finally a comic book movie that wasn't a joke!

Heath Ledger portrayed a very different Joker than Jack Nicholson. He took the Joker to a totally different place.

You sound awfully cynical. How does this awards show promote the financial backers of these performers? It's not like the cast of Dark Knight needs any more publicity. The film was a critical and commerical success. Maybe you just didn't get it. Too bad.

[Xav7]

This award show is pitiful.

[rzzza]

the simpsons, wtf?

that stopped being good like 10 years ago

[jshubbub]

No joke. If you've got to pick animation on Fox then you have to go with "Family Guy."

[Maygressive]

Best Comedy "Two and a Half Men" .... really ??? 30 Rock anyone or The Office. Who are the "People" who "Chose" that one ?

[firelord5000]

A) 2.5 men is very funny.
B) 2.5 men has more viewers then both of those terrible shows combined... go figure.

[erinker]

And According to Jim had exponentially more viewers than Arrested Development ever did. That doesn't mean it was the better show.

The Office is many, many times higher quality than 2.5 Men. It just is.

[sarimn00]

Two and a Half Men is a hilarious show. I can see why they won.

[Eric8869]

shows the sorry state of television comedy right now

[ikesambobby]

27 dresses? Reese Witherspoon for some goofy comedy? I can see The Dark Knight but some of these winner's are just goofy.

[whatevahs]

Are you freakin kidding me? Two and a half men won? I didnt get to watch it last night so I'm catching up this morning. I tried watching that show before and found it far too boring, unfunny and painful to watch. No wonder they have a laugh track. A live studio audience would fall asleep or walk out.

[tonyterrific]

Heath was remembered and missed.

[sophieozz]

Award shoes. If this site hadn't reported on it, I wouldn't have known or cared.

[Orphie]

Yeah, I bought some award shoes . . they have gold tassels. . but nobody invited me to the show, so I have nowhere to wear them.

[kathy001]

I wore mine to work today. No way I'm going to let those babies just sit in the closet. All you cube-moles - eat your hearts out!

[sophieozz]

I'm happy you're amused by my early morning typo. :-)

[reggieb]

I have an award bra with gold tassels but nobody invited me to the show, so I have nowhere to wear it.

[NewDem08]

Yes, they are pathetic.

[scubalady]

Angelina Jolie won for female action star? What a big surprise here!! I guess the contest was fierce and the choice tough beteween so many action movies with a woman in the leading part.Those awards are like the beauty pageants, make sure everyone get a trophy or a crown. I mean: favorite male movie star, favorite leading man, favorite male action star with only 3 nominees in each (one name often present in at least 2 categories).
It' s so sweet, our stars are just like toddlers, no one must cry or be disappointed at the end of the day.You all won, congrats!!