Whoever gets nominated for this year's Daytime Emmys, we know their names appear below. "Pre-nominations" for this year's awards were announced yesterday, identifying who the cast members of each individual show picked as their soap's creme-de-la-creme.
Listed below are the pre-nominees, as well as my helpful advice for the final ballot, which is provided free of charge for the Academy.
Outstanding Lead ActorAMC: David Canary, Thorsten Kaye, and Michael E. Knight
ATWT: Scott Bryce, Jon Hensley, and Michael Park
B&B: John McCook, Ronn Moss, and Jack Wagner
DAYS; Stephen Nichols, James Scott, Thaao Penghlis, and Peter Reckell
GH: Steve Burton, Tyler Christopher, and Anthony Geary
GL: Ricky Paull Goldin, Robert Newman, and Ron Raines
OLTL: Michael Easton, Robert S. Woods, and Jerry verDorn
Y&R: Peter Bergman, Eric Braeden, and Christian LeBlanc
Soapy Says: Surprised to see Maurice Benard left out this year. Hopefully Tyler Christopher's strong work during Emily's death won't be slighted because of his relatively young age. ATWT's cast obviously felt for Scott Bryce, who was fired via telephone over the holidays. How in the hell is DAYS' Penghlis a lead?
Outstanding Lead ActressAMC: Bobbie Eakes and Susan Lucci
ATWT: Martha Byrne, Terri Colombino, and Maura West
B&B: Susan Flannery, Hunter Tylo, and Katherine Kelly Lang
DAYS: Deidre Hall and Alison Sweeney
GH: Nancy Lee Grahn, Megan Ward, and Laura Wright
GL: Crystal Chappell and Nicole Forrester
OLTL: Erika Slezak, Kassie DePaiva, and Robin Strasser
PAS: Lindsay Hartley, McKenzie Westmore, and Tracey Ross
Y&R: Jeanne Cooper, Melody Thomas Scott, and Michelle Stafford
Soapy Says: No Kristian Alfonso, when there was a DAYS spot available for her? ATWT's Colombino was at least honest enough to admit she is a lead, even though that probably will damn her to a non-nomination. Those who refused to be honest about their screen time are all over the supporting female category. Look out for a win for Flannery, given her announced impending retirement.
Outstanding Supporting ActorAMC: Jeffrey Carlson, Jacob Young, and Billy J. Miller
ATWT: Trent Dawson, Grayson McCouch, and Austin Peck
B&B: William deVry, Patrick Duffy, and Dax Griffin
DAYS: Bryan Dattilo, Jay Kenneth Johnson, and Joseph Mascolo
GH: Bradford Anderson, Rick Hearst, and Sebastian Roche
GL: Murray Bartlett, Jordan Clarke, and Daniel Cosgrove
OLTL: Brian Kerwin, John-Paul Lavoisier, and Tuc Watkins
PAS: Christopher Maleki, Phillip Jeanmarie, and Eric Martsolf
Y&R: Greg Rikaart, Ted Shackelford, and Kristoff St. John
Soapy Says: Attention Academy. Be smart. Austin Peck was a revelation as Brad on ATWT in 2007 and deserves a nomination. Do not hold his tenure on DAYS against him. Acknowledge his mammoth step up! Follow that with first-ever nods for OLTL's Lavoisier and Watkins and I'll be damn near ecstatic.
Outstanding Supporting ActressAMC: Alicia Minshew and Sabine Singh
ATWT: Kelley Menighan Hensley, Colleen Zenk Pinter, and Marie Wilson
B&B: Jennifer Gareis, Lesli Kay, and Heather Tom
DAYS: Judi Evans, Martha Madison, and Mary-Beth Evans
GH: Rebecca Herbst, Carolyn Hennesy, and Kimberly McCullough
GL: Beth Chamberlin, Marcy Rylan, and Gina Tognoni
OLTL: Kathy Brier, Catherine Hickland, and Bree Williamson
PAS: Erin Cardillo and Melinda Sward
Y&R: Tracey E. Bregman, Judith Chapman, and Adrienne Frantz
Soapy Says: If the on-almost-every-day Minshew and Herbst are supporting, then what the hell would they have to do to qualify as leads? This is merely jockeying for position in a category that they are much more likely to actually be nominated in, given their young ages. There is no doubt in my mind that this award deserves to go to OLTL's Brier, who had a banner year. I'd love a nomination to right the wronged Singh, even though it's not really merited.
Outstanding Younger ActorATWT: Van Hansis, Jake Silbermann, and Jesse Lee Soffer
DAYS: Blake Berris, Darin Brooks, and Matthew Florida
GH: Dylan Cash and Josh Duhon
GL: Lawrence St. Victor, Tom Pelphrey, and John Driscoll
OLTL: Brandon Buddy, Edward Alderson, and Jason Tam
PAS: Adrian Bellani and Blair Redford
Y&R: Hunter Allen and Bryton McClure
Soapy Says: A category with few people to pick from makes nods for ATWT's Hansis and Silbermann even more likely. Duhon, McClure, and Pelphrey are probably in as well. I would LOVE to see a Bellani nomination, if only so I could see him in Armani. ;)
Outstanding Younger ActressAMC: Melissa Claire Egan, Chrishell Stause, and Leven Rambin
ATWT: Jennifer Landon, Alexandra Chando, and Marnie Schulenburg
B&B: MacKenzie Mauzy
DAYS: Shelley Henig, Kristen Renton, and Rachel Melvin
GH: Julie Marie Berman and Kirsten Storms
GL: Mandy Bruno, Bonnie Dennison, and Caitlin Van Zandt
OLTL: Kristen Alderson, Farah Fath, and Brittany Underwood
PAS: Danica Stewart and Hannia Guillen
Y&R: Vail Bloom, Emily O'Brien, Tammin Sursok and Christel Khalil
Soapy Says: Zzzzzzzz. I'd actually bet here that Rachel Melvin has a decent shot at being a rare DAYS nominee, though Berman, Landon, and Chando are probably more likely to ascend the stage.
After the two previous actors to play ATWT's Mike Kasnoff (Shawn Christian and Mark Collier) ended up being voted as being among the 10 sexiest soap hunks of all time, it should be apparent that the newly-cast Jon Prescott has some hunky shoes to fill.
