The Outstanding Drama Series category has somewhat of a jinx associate with it. In years past, very few programs that have received the most nominations in an Emmy year have ever been named top drama series. This year, that burden of overcoming that jinx fell upon As The World Turns. Moreover, As the World Turns had accumulated just nine Drama Series nominations in its history and won only one time in 1987.
As the nominations were being read, backstage, Emmy factoid guru Tom O'Neil noted that All My Children has a tendency to pull off "upsets" in Drama Series category. General Hospital, however, has won the category more times - six -- than any other show.
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| ATWT Executive Producer Chris Goutman with Martha Byrne |
Executive producer Christopher Goutman attributed heavily the show's turnaround to its writing and top-notch performers. Last year, As The World Turns didn't win a single Emmy. Humbly, Goutman said that he would rather have seen all the nominated ATWT performers take home Emmys than earn a single statue in the Drama Series category.
"I never think that I'm going to win. I think our talent should be out there. It's these faces that are on the screen," Goutman stated.
As head writer Hogan Sheffer had done early in the evening, Goutman made a point of mentioning As The World Turns' 45-year history.
"I'd like to thank those of you who have been with us for the last 45 years. You have our humble gratitude," said Goutman sincerely. "For those of you who have never heard of us before or have thought we're a little bit past our prime, please tune us in. As the saying goes: We're not just getting older -- we're getting better."
