‘Ellen DeGeneres’ captures Emmy for ‘Best Talk Show’

Doing her own daytime talk show, Ellen DeGeneres says, is its own reward. Still, a trophy or two doesn’t hurt.

“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” capped a successful rookie year by winning the Daytime Emmy award for best talk show.

“I should have been in daytime long ago,” DeGeneres told the audience Friday night at Radio City Music Hall. “I love this.”

Her show’s lighthearted blend of talk and music, coupled with her role as the voice of Dora in “Finding Nemo,” completed a comeback for a career that stalled after she came out as a lesbian.

DeGeneres lost the best talk show host award to Wayne Brady, whose syndicated program had its plug pulled for poor ratings.

“The Young and the Restless” was honored as best daytime drama for the sixth time, and the show’s Michelle Stafford won for best actress. The legendary Anthony Geary of “General Hospital” won his fourth best actor award in a daytime drama.

Rick Hearst of “General Hospital” and Cady McClain of “As the World Turns” won awards for best supporting actors. Chad Brannon of “General Hospital” won best younger actor in a daytime drama, and Jennifer Finnigan of “The Bold and the Beautiful” won best younger actress for the third year in a row.

Bob Barker won best game show host for the lucky 13th time and his show, “The Price is Right,” won its fourth award as best game show since coming on the air in 1972.

But Martha Stewart’s year got a little lousier. The convicted felon lost the Emmy for best service show — an award she’s won four times — to financial adviser Suze Orman, during the same week “Martha Stewart Living” was placed on hiatus. Stewart, who is facing a possible prison sentence, was in the audience.

Jeff Corwin of the Discovery Kids show “Jeff Corwin Unleashed” was honored as best performer in a children’s series.