Perhaps it had something to do with the democratic nature of the People's Choice Awards, but Hollywood's most beloved seemed strangely sanguine about the 26th annual ceremony. Asked how she prepared for the Jan. 9 event, ER's Kellie Martin responded, "I went to yoga. And I played with my dog." Jennifer Aniston, who shared the favorite TV comedy award with her fellow Friends (see cover story, page 96), also had a mellow morning. "I woke up and read the paper," she noted.

But not everyone remained blasé as the show—which gives awards in film, TV and music based on a nationwide poll—began at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. (Top winner: The Sixth Sense, which took home three trophies.) Time of Your Life star Jennifer Love Hewitt got teary as she accepted an award for favorite actress in a new TV show. And Michael Michele, on hand with her ER castmates to accept the prize for top TV drama, said she leased preshow jitters by knocking back "a few glasses of champagne" in her limo.

When it came to fashion, most guests chose traditional silk and satin, though a rainbow of pashminas were on display—and leather made a surprisingly strong showing. Paula Cale of Providence (voted best new TV drama) wondered if her black leather Cynthia Rowley gown was more appropriate for the MTV awards: "I look like Marilyn Manson." And ER's Alex Kingston suggested that her David Cardona sleeveless leather top needed "gloves and a whip—then the dominatrix-vixen look would have been complete."

After the two-hour ceremony, televised on CBS with Nash Bridges costars Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as hosts, some 1,500 revelers danced to a classic-rock cover band and dined on shrimp, roast beef and crème brûlée at a parry in the adjacent Pasadena Conference Center. But at least one celeb had other dinner plans. "After the awards," said ER's Laura Innes, who brought her son Cal, 9, "we're going to In-N-Out Burger. That's our evening."

Dan Jewel
Steven Cojocaru in Pasadena