“Dark Knight” sweeps People’s Choice Awards

"The Dark Knight" soared away with every trophy it was nominated for last Wednesday at the 35th annual fan-favourite ceremony. The caped crusader flick won five awards, including favourite cast, superhero, action movie and on-screen matchup for Christian Bale's Batman and the late Heath Ledger's Joker.
"On behalf of all of the cast from the movie, thank you very much to the fans," said Bale. "Here's to Heath."
The People's Choice Awards was hosted by Queen Latifah following last year's writer's strike-friendly, pre-taped programme. Stars such as Adam Sandler, Kate Hudson, Robin Williams, Hugh Laurie and Reese Witherspoon showed up to accept their awards at the slightly subdued ceremony.
"It's such a great way to start the new year," Witherspoon, the "Four Christmases" star who won an Oscar in 2005 for portraying June Carter Cash in "Walk the Line," said as she accepted her award for favourite female movie star. "A couple years ago, I won a great award for singing in a movie. This year, I won an award for having a baby throw up on me."
Other recipients selected by Internet voters in categories spanning movies, television and music included "Dancing With the Stars" as favourite reality show, Carrie Underwood as favourite female singer, "House" as favourite TV drama, Brad Pitt as favourite leading man, Angelina Jolie as favourite female action star and Ellen DeGeneres as favourite talk show host.
"I wish I could share this with you," DeGeneres told the audience while clutching her trophy on stage. "I could throw it on the ground and smash it into a million pieces, and give each one of you a little piece of it, but that's violent, and that's probably why you voted for me, because I'm not violent."
Other winners were "WALL-E" for best family movie, "27 Dresses" for best comedy and "The Secret Life of Bees" for best independent movie.
Will Smith was named both the top male action star and best male movie star; Kate Hudson was declared the best leading lady. The best TV comedy was "Two and a Half Men" and the top TV animated comedy was "The Simpsons."
Queen Latifah accepted the favourite drama and independent movie awards alongside her "The Secret Life of Bees" co-star Dakota Fanning. The overly enthusiastic host opened the show by wading through the audience and asking celebrities if they could keep entertaining the masses in 2009. All mimicked President-elect Barack Obama by answering: "Yes we can.”