Host is a favorite for daytime nods

NEW YORK -- There'll be no waiting with bated breath for Susan Lucci when the 26th annual Daytime Emmy Awards are handed out in a ceremony carried live on ABC at 9p.m. Friday, May 19.

The name of the daytime diva, who was nominated a staggering 19 times before finally winning an Emmy last year, was nowhere to be found on the 24-page list of nominees announced early Wednesday morning at New York's Rainbow Room.

The name of the peripatetic Regis Philbin, on the other hand, was frequently heard Wednesday.

The man who has so far gotten many nominations but no Emmy to show for a long career on me tube is up for outstanding game show host -- of his runaway hit "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," which is up for five Emmys, including outstanding game show.

As it happens every year, Philbin was also nominated for outstanding talk show host, along with the retiring Kathie Lee Gifford, for his work on "Live With Regis & Kathie Lee," which is nominated for outstanding talk show, another annual bridesmaid that has yet to be a daytime bride.

Lucci, in the good nature for which she has become known as the world watched her lose graciously year after year until she won graciously last year, released a statement that said: "Our industry is filled with brilliant performers, and I congratulate all the wonderful and talented nominees. I only wish there was room for more of my deserving colleagues to be recognized."

Among the other moments of irony in the nominating ceremony carried live on "Good Morning America": One day after word came that "The Martin Short Show" had been canceled, Short was nominated for six Emmys, including outstanding talk show host and outstanding talk show.

The second most-nominated program with 11 was "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," the leading nomination-getter among syndicated shows. Second in the syndicated categorywas "Martha Stewart Living" with seven noms.

Among the networks, ABC was the top nom-getter with 59, including 12 for 'The View" and its quintet of hosts, 12 for Lucci's "All My Children," which is competing with two sister soaps on ABC for outstanding drama series.

"The Young and the Restless" accounted for 28 of CBS' 51 nominations, while "The Bold and the Beautiful" earned nine.

"Sesame Street" earned 12 nominations, with PBS programming picking up 35 altogether.

Showtime toted up a personal-best 21 nominations, more than any other cable network. HBO, which has grown into a dominant factor in the primetime Emmy race, received six nominations.

The rest of the network-by-network breakdown: the WB (14), NBC (11), American Movie Classics (seven), Disney Channel (four), Nickelodeon (four), Comedy Central (three, all for "Win Ben Stein's Money"), Discovery Channel (two), Fox Family Channel (two), MTV (two), VH1 (two), Animal Planet (one), CNN (one), Food Network (one).

The Daytime Emmy Awards are presented by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, whose president, John Cannon, flubbed his lines...