Hey, Emmy prognosticators: you better put Andre Braugher higher up on your list of possible nominees for best drama-series actor. The star of "Thief" steals every scene in the hot new FX series, which is getting raves from TV critics. The past Emmy winner for "Homicide" is not only back in the kudos game, but he's a major player.

"He plays a professional thief who is suddenly thrust into a critical crossroads in his line of work and his family life," notes the L.A. Times. "Braugher approached the role seriously, reading technical books on safecracking and lock picking as well as talking to technical advisors."

"Braugher's compelling — just the way he says 'Shut up!' snaps you to attention," reports the Chicago Tribune.

Entertainment Weekly says "Rarely has a character hopped onto the screen feeling so completely real.

If you didn't see the premiere of the pilot episode this past week, FX will air it again tonight at 11 p.m., Sunday at 10 p.m. and Sunday at 11 p.m. FX will telecast the next original episode, titled 'I Ain't Goin' to Jail for Anyone," on Tuesday night at 10 p.m.

Photo: "Everybody steals," insists Braugher in "Thief." "Biggest thieves in the country got their own Fortune 500 companies. No such thing as a straight life."
(FX Network)

Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards are the funniest kudos show. Not just because they include a burping contest and the sight of unsuspecting celebs getting drenched in green slime. Answer this question: who are the least informed people on the planet? Kids, right? So who cares what they think?

Lots of folks, that's who — albeit mostly wee ones. Last year 5.2 million viewers tuned in, 3.1 million of them children, to see "The Incredibles" win best picture and "American Idol" declared best TV show. This year the awards, hosted by Jack Black, will be telecast on Nickelodeon cable channel tomorrow night. Yes, April Fools' Day. Draw your own conclusions.

You can also draw, design or create your own awards' show experience. For the first time ever, the ceremony will be telecast live on the Internet, too — in three versions. Viewers can check out what's happening on stage, backstage and in the audience at any time.

"Think of the possibilities if adult awards shows with sagging ratings tried the same idea?" asks Associated Press reporter Dave Bauder. "If the Oscar winner for best costume design is giving a dull acceptance speech, why not click on the backstage camera to see if George Clooney is wandering around?"

Check out more about the Kids' Choice Awards, click here.

Photo: Tom Cruise demonstrated how slimy he can be at the Kids' Choice kudos in 2001.
(Nickelodeon)

Given the competitive nature of its participants, the Sports Emmys are always a good kudos clash except every four years when Olympics coverage sweeps everything.

Thank goodness 2005 was Olympics free. Now we can find out if the big boys in the World Series games on Fox can squash those sly knee-high sluggers in the Little League World Series on ABC to win the Emmy for best live sports special.

Those are just some of the nominees named this week as participants in the Sports Emmys, which will be bestowed on May 1. Of course, ESPN has the most nominations. Its three channels (ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPEN Classic) lead with a combo of 42 bids. For the full list, click here.

Hey, somebody get Hugh Jackman back on the phone and tell him, "We still love ya, baby!"

Never mind that rumor buzzing through Broadway that Oprah Winfrey will host the Tony Awards on June 11. The TV chat queen and producer of "The Color Purple" has broken her silence, insisting she will not assume emcee duties, but she does plan to attend the ceremony at Radio City Music Hall.

This year the Tony Awards will be a real drama. There isn't one mega-hit musical or play likely to sweep the kudos like "The Producers" or "Doubt." Indeed, at this point, there doesn't even seem to be a single show clearly ahead in either of those races, but it's still early. Many shows haven't officially opened yet. Some haven't even begun preview performances, but we know that they're lead contenders based upon their earlier success on distant stages.

Just the other day a noted theater journalist told me, "I think the race for best musical is between 'The Color Purple' and 'Tarzan' and it's a toss-up. Either one can win."

But that brave pronouncement was made before yesterday's news that "Jersey Boys" will begin a national tour on Nov. 6, starting in San Francisco. Usually, Tony voters don't take jukebox musicals seriously, but they absolutely insist that the winner of best musical have major touring promise. That's because a huge percentage of the 735 voters work on touring productions or else are employed on the business side of theater. Very few creative folk pick Tony winners. These aren't the Oscars where the largest voting bloc is comprised of actors.

There's a real chance that all three of those shows — "The Color Purple," "Tarzan" and "Jersey Boys" — could be outwitted by something that looks like it was recently found at the bottom of Noel Coward's old steamer trunk. I don't know what touring potential "The Drowsy Chaperone" has, but it'd be a mistake to underestimate the Tony chances of a throwback tuner expert at pulling off shockeroos. It's a charming chestnut about an obsessed modernday fan of 1920s musicals that proved to be a surprise hit 3,000 miles off Broadway at the Ahmanson Theater, sweeping the Los Angeles Drama Critics Awards. When Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Woman in White" bombed on the Great White Way, the Marquis Theater suddenly and unexpectedly became available for rent. "Chaperone's" producers took a gamble, snatched it up and now the rialto is buzzing with curiosity about the cheesy, outdated, oddball show that's become a sudden sensation. If it matches its early hype, we Tony pundits may have to revise our view that no one show will dominate the awards.

For now, here below are my lists of who's out front in the top Tony races:

BEST MUSICAL
(Frontrunners)
"The Color Purple"
"The Drowsy Chaperone"
"Jersey Boys"
"Tarzan"

(Possible)
"Lestat"
"Ring of Fire"
"The Wedding Singer"

BEST PLAY
(Frontrunners)
"Festen"
"The History Boys"
"The Lieutenant of Inishmore"
"Rabbit Hole"
"Shining City"
"Well"

(Possible)
"Three Days of Rain" (eligible?)

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
(Frontrunners)
"The Pajama Game"
"Sweeney Todd"
"The Threepenny Opera"

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
(Frontrunners)
"Awake and Sing!"
"The Constant Wife"
"Faith Healer"
"Seascape"
"Three Days of Rain" (eligible?)
"A Touch of the Poet"

(Possible)
"The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial"
"The Odd Couple"

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
(Frontrunners)
Bob Martin, "The Drowsy Chaperone"
Michael Cerveris, "Sweeney Todd"
Harry Connick Jr., "The Pajama Game"
Alan Cumming, "The Threepenny Opera"
Josh Strickland, "Tarzan"
John Lloyd Young, "Jersey Boys"

(Possible)
Jarrod Emick, "Ring of Fire"
Brandon Victor Dixon, "The Color Purple"
Hugh Panaro, "Lestat"

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
(Frontrunners)
LaChanze, "The Color Purple"
Sutton Foster, "The Drowsy Chaperone"
Patti LuPone, "Sweeney Todd"
Kelli O'Hara, "The Pajama Game"
Chita Rivera, "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life"

(Possible)
Jenn Gambatese, "Tarzan"
Cyndi Lauper, "The Threepenny Opera"

(Click link below to continue reading)

Photo: Clockwise from upper left are pictured four strong Tony contenders for best musical — "Jersey Boys," "Tarzan," "The Color Purple" and "The Drowsy Chaperone."
(Dodger Theatricals/ Disney Theatrical/ Alliance Theatre Co./ Marquis Theatre)

The gals of "The View" sure have a clear view of how the Daytime Emmys work. They not only know that they will lose the award for best talk show host on April 28, but why.

Multiple host nominees never win, they're telling fans. Just solo candidates.

That's true. So much so, in fact, that the only time Regis Philbin won for "Live" was in 2001 when he was in between cohosts. Now last year's champ Ellen DeGeneres is the only solo contender in that race.

But don't bet your farms on "The View's" Oscar or Emmy predix next year. The reason they're so savvy about award prognostication is because the show's producers, Emmycast producers and network execs approached GoldDerby a few years ago to ask why the gabby gals keep getting slapped. I told them to get used to it and explained why. Now they're sounding like Emmy experts to the world.

At least they're braced this year and are acting like good sports with a good sense of humor while preparing for more Emmy doom ahead.

Cohosts Barbara Walters, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones Reynolds, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck plan to poke fun of themselves often on their show over the next month by staging skits like the "top 5 reasons the ladies won't win." The awardcast's cohost Tom Bergeron will give the gals a peek backstage at the Kodak Theater since they probably won't get to see the path that winners' will trod on April 28.

Photo: "We're a realistic show," cohost Elisabeth Hasselbeck told the AP. "You know us — we don't bull around!"
(ABC)

Surprise! Gay people love cute gay cowboys! With "Crash" not even nominated as a rival, "Brokeback Mountain" easily trotted off with the best picture award from GLAAD, the nonprofit group that hails "fair, accurate and inclusive representations" of gay life.

"Finally, an award that actually means something to me!" sighed director Ang Lee as he accepted the honor. "Some of these are very meaningful to me. OK, there was one that got away, but that's OK."

Lee swore that the GLAAD kudo is "the very last award I will accept for 'Brokeback Mountain.' And to end the journey here tonight is like coming home. The fact is this: 'Brokeback Mountain' has helped to change the world. And it is such a privilege and honor to have joined you, and all the people all over the world, who struggle for compassion and equality."

"Brokeback" beat "Capote," "The Family Stone," "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" and "Rent" at ceremonies held Monday night in New York City at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. More awards will be presented on April 8 at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, on May 25 at the Ritz Carlton in Miami and on June 10 at the San Francisco Marriott. Gay TV channel Logo will telecast highlights of the first two gay-las on April 15. VH1 will broadcast the kudofest one day later.

Other winners included "The Oprah Winfrey Show" for its episode "When I Knew I Was Gay." Newsweek and USA Today were saluted for best overall print journalism. To see a full list of recipients, click here.

Photo: Smile, cowboy! Heath Ledger and costars Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Williams were truly glaad they showed up for their "last" "Brokeback" kudofest.
(Focus Features)

Today the Screen Actors Guild announced its next awards timetable. Nominees for best TV and film performances will be announced on Jan. 4, 2007. Winners will be revealed on Jan. 28 at the ceremony to be held at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles and simultaneously telecast on TNT and TBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Ballots will be mailed to the 4,200 members of the two SAG nominating committees (2,100 judging film, 2,100 judging TV) on Dec. 1, 2006, and must be returned by Jan. 2, 2007. Final ballots will be mailed to all 120,000 members on Jan. 5 and are due back by noon on Jan. 26.

I can't believe I'm writing this. When I first heard about Emilio Estevez both directing and writing a movie about the assassination of Bobby Kennedy, I assumed, when I was done laughing (in a morose kind of way), that it was an automatic Razzie nominee. Then last week came word that Harvey Weinstein's new shingle has picked up distrib rights.

Now here's a new punchline from Weekend Warrior columnist Edward Douglas at Comingsoon.net: " Hmmm. It seems like the hot tip out there right now is Emilio Estevez's 'Bobby.' I just interviewed Sharon Stone for 'Basic Instinct 2' and she was kind of standoffish and laissez-faire, until I asked her about playing with Demi Moore in 'Bobby,' and, honestly, I have never ever heard anyone get so excited and animated in my years as a journalist/interviewer. I was kind of embarrassed for the Sony reps standing in the room 'cause they were starting to get uncomfortable. Going to run what she said about the movie on CS soon, but looking at the cast and the subject matter and how it's being handled (similarly to 'Good Night Good Luck' with actual footage cut into the drama), I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up one of the 5 next year. Must be why the Weinsteins pounced on it."

Photo: Elijah Wood and Lindsay Lohan portray some of the people whose lives are shattered by witnessing the murder of Sen. Bobby Kennedy.
(Weinstein Co.)

American Film Institute offshoot AFI Associates will present its Platinum Circle Award to the Arquette family on May 10 at a luncheon at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. Among the related honorees will be Rosanna, Richmond, Alexis, David and wife Courtney, and Patricia and fiance Thomas Jane. Posthumous recognition will go to the siblings' father Lewis, who died in 2001, their grandfather Clifford, who passed away in 1974.

"The nine members of this true Hollywood family have made extraordinary contributions to the art of film and television," notes AFI Associates president Carole Mitchell.