TVSquad

For the first time in a long time, something was different about the Daytime Emmys. No, it's not that they're on in primetime; that happened years ago. What was different was the 35th Daytime Emmys opted to forgo the theater setting and seat the stars at round tables. As co-host (with All My Children's Cameron Mathison) Sherri Shepherd told the AP days before the AP, "Usually everyone is sitting in a row. This year, it'll be like a wedding. We're also going to do something so that fans will be able to get a view of what's going on at the different tables." That would be web video created by the actors at every table - table cam. Perfect for hams. The vids are at SOAPnet. For details about the show from the winners backstage, check out AOL.

So did the seating arrangements make a difference? Well, it depends. Those who were there probably had a better time because there was an open bar, just like the Golden Globes. For viewers, it still looked like the Daytime Emmys, including many familiar faces winning. After a strained attempt at comedy for the opening -- blending All My Children fictional characters with The View's real hosts -- the show commenced.

For one thousand weeks -- that's 19 years -- CBS's daytime drama The Young & the Restless has been number in the Nielsens, the highest-rated soap on the air. Back in December 1988, when this streak started, the number one show in prime time was The Cosby Show. The number one song was "Faith" by George Michael (do you hear that, Eli Stone?). And Ronald Reagan was winding up his second term as President. In other words, it was a looooong time ago.

Of course, this being a soap, not much has changed on Y&R in nearly 20 years. Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) is still the ruthless scion involved in an on-again, off-again marriage/love story with Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott). Jill (Jess Walton) is still a social-climbing vixen. Brad Carlton (Don Diamont) has graduated from hot pool boy to hot corporate executive. Jeanne Cooper is still playing grande dame Katherine Chancellor. And Genoa City, Wisconsin (yes, really, Wisconsin!) is the center of the universe for these characters.