The Daytime Emmy Awards' Best and Worst Moments
Mia Phillips
Updated on March 29, 2026
Best: That Tribute to Joan Rivers: If you're ever going through a difficult time in your life, just watch this clip below. Proof that Joan could not only make us laugh, but also make us cry.
The Worst: Prize Giveaways: Audience giveaways are awesome—if you're in the audience. For viewers at home, not so much. Tyra wasting three minutes for an audience giveaway was three minutes too long. It's also why I think The Ellen DeGeneres Show shouldn't have won Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment, but more on that in a second.
The Worst: Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment: Ellen DeGeneres is hilarious, and her show is great afternoon programming. But the last few years I've found it to be almost unwatchable because it seems like one giant advertisement with so many pre-planned segments, interviews, and giveaways. I know most talk shows are, but in this case, The Talk deserved it. Call me biased because I've been so fortunate to be on the show, but it's always entertaining, always on the cutting edge of topics, and creatively at the top of its game.
A photo posted by The Talk (@thetalk_cbs) on Apr 26, 2015 at 4:29pm PDT
Best: Shemar Moore: Seeing the Criminal Minds star pay tribute to his daytime "home" was moving and so on point. Even more moving, Maura West's reaction and acceptance speech upon winning Outstanding Lead Actress (though I was kinda hoping for a win for first-time nominee Alison Sweeney, who totally killed it as Sami Brady this past year).
Here's the full list of winners:
Outstanding Drama Series (tie): Days of our Lives and The Young and the RestlessLead Actress in a Drama Series: Maura West, General Hospital
Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Anthony Geary, General Hospital
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Amelia Heinle, The Young and the Restless
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Chad Duell, General Hospital
Younger Actress in a Drama Series: Hunter King, The Young and the Restless
Younger Actor in a Drama Series: Freddie Smith, Days of our Lives
Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team: The Bold and the Beautiful
Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team: The Bold and the Beautiful
Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment: The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Outstanding Host of a Talk Show/Entertainment: Live! With Kelly & Michael
Outstanding Talk Show/Informative: Steve Harvey
Outstanding Morning Program: CBS Sunday Morning
Outstanding Game Show: Jeopardy!
Outstanding Game Show Host: Craig Ferguson, Celebrity Name Game
Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series: Mark Teschner, General Hospital
Outstanding New Approaches Drama Series: The Bay
Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series: Martha Byrne, Anacostia
Outstanding Children's Series: R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour
Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program: The People's Court
Outstanding Culinary Host: Bobby Flay, Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction
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