Susan Lucci Files Protest
NEW YORK (AFA Newswire) Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps shattered yet another world record today when it was announced that he had won an unprecedented nine Daytime Emmy Awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Phelps' name was placed in Emmy contention by NBC, whose coverage of his historic bid for eight gold medals in a single Olympics generated worldwide excitement and pushed ratings for the network's coverage of the Beijing games through the roof.
Critics have called the move by NBC — which will broadcast the Daytime Emmy ceremony — "A shameless and cynical ratings gimmick meant to squeeze every precious drop of publicity from Phelps' popularity."
A network spokesman dismissed the comments, stating flatly, "He was on TV. It was daytime. Where's the problem?"
Susan Lucci, who was famously nominated 18 times for her work on the soap opera All My Children before finally winning her first and only Emmy in 1999, has submitted an official protest that reads in its entirety, "Oh, for crissakes!"
It is not clear if Mr. Phelps will attend the awards ceremony or that he is even aware of this latest victory. Phelps has, however, publicly stated that while on the trip home from Beijing, he intends to win a Nobel prize, Project Runway and the New Hampshire Primary.
In other news: John Edwards has been stripped of his "World's Greatest Hubby" title by the International Novelty Coffee Cup Federation.