JIM CARREY FLICK 'ALMIGHTY' CHOICE 'FRIENDS,' 'CSI' CLAIM MULTIPLE AWARD WINS.

Byline: Valerie Kuklenski Staff Writer

Pirates, hobbits and God dominated the movie categories of the 30th annual People's Choice Awards on Sunday, while the TV winners reaffirmed the Nielsen ratings.

``Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'' was named favorite motion picture, while ``The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' won the drama category, and the comedy award went to ``Bruce Almighty.''

The evening's multiple winners included the NBC sitcom ``Friends,'' which won favorite comedy series for the sixth time and favorite female television performer (Jennifer Aniston), and mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who claimed favorite drama series for ``CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' as well as the award for ``Pirates.''

Country husband and wife Tim McGraw and Faith Hill claimed a pair of honors as favorite male and female musical performers.

The awards are determined by a Gallup Poll of Americans asked to name their favorites in various entertainment categories, with the exception of a handful of areas decided during the show from online balloting. The winners were notified in advance to encourage their attendance, but still a third were missing in action Sunday.

Mel Gibson was frisky and danced a jig when accepting the award for favorite motion picture actor, but Julia Roberts was a no-show for her 11th motion picture actress honor. Unlike other absentee winners, she did not send a videotaped message. Last year, the producers made up for her absence by compiling video clips of her past acceptances. This time, the announcement was made as a footnote to a Pantene promotional spot saluting great hairdos of past winners.

Tom Hanks sent a video message to accept the honor of all-time favorite entertainer.

``When it comes down to all-time great entertainers, I would certainly put (co-finalists) Clint Eastwood and Bill Cosby ahead of me,'' he said. ``I'm not sure I'd even make the first couple hundred pages.''

Jim Carrey brought life to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium when ``Bruce Almighty'' was announced, sprinting up the aisle to high-five the audience before taking the stage.

``Not only is this an important win for the movie,'' he said, ``(but) it's just great to know that ... the whole Hollywood community has decided to accept Jesus Christ as their lord and savior. It's fantastic! Thanks, my Jewish friends.''

He dragged to the stage four young ladies from the audience who said they voted for his movie, and he directed the producers and writers to thank them.

Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry accepted the ``Friends'' crystal trophy.

``The cast of the show is pretty good, but if it weren't for the brilliant people behind us, the writers, we would have been canceled after 13 episodes,'' Perry said. ``And to the fans, we love you, and we will miss you.''

Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer, co-hosts for the event, celebrated their series ``Two and a Half Men'' being named favorite new television comedy series. Angus Jones, who plays Cryer's son in the show, accepted it.

``Very soon, the show's going to have to be called 'Three Men,''' he said.

The ``CSI'' win was its second in a row. Backstage, creator Anthony Zuiker said yet another spinoff was being considered to join the Las Vegas-based original and the Miami spinoff.

``The rumor is 'CSI: New York,' 'CSI: New Orleans' or 'CSI: Hawaii,''' he said. ``And when the chairman of CBS chooses to announce it, it will be official.''

Ray Romano, star of ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' picked up his third award as favorite male television performer. He brought his 11-year-old twins, Matt and Greg, onstage with him, saying they were his good-luck charms.

``When and if the show leaves, I'm going to miss you guys the most,'' he said to the fans in the balcony. But later backstage, he tipped his hand that this season may not be the finale of ``Raymond'' after all.

``Before the new year, I was leaning that this probably was the last year, and then the new year came, and I started to panic a little and I couldn't sleep at night,'' Romano said.

The ``Survivor'' franchise picked up its fourth award in as many years for reality-based television program, this time for its ``Pearl Islands'' season. Its rivals in the category were ``Fear Factor'' and ``The Bachelor.''

``I think what I've proved is not that people like reality TV,'' executive producer Mark Burnett said backstage. ``There's a lot of sucky reality TV. They like good TV.''

Oprah Winfrey won her fourth award for favorite talk show host, topping David Letterman and Jay Leno.

``I feel like I should be giving this award to the people who have supported me for 18 years on the most amazing journey,'' she said.

Rob Thomas, leader of the group matchbox twenty, submitted a videotaped message for the favorite musical group or band award, which was decided by online balloting.

``I want to thank people; we're big fans of people,'' he said. ``Our mothers are people.''

Country singer Toby Keith won the music video award for his rowdy hit ``I Love This Bar.''

Valerie Kuklenski, [phone]

valerie.kuklenski(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

(1 -- color) Jim Carrey clowns around as he accepts the award for favorite comedy movie for ``Bruce Almighty.''

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) Melinda Clarke of Fox's `The O.C.' on the red carpet.

(3 -- 7 -- color) Ray Romano, top left, was named favorite male TV performer Sunday night at the 30th annual People's Choice Awards at the Pasadena Civic Center. Oprah Winfrey, above, was named favorite talk show host. During the red carpet arrivals, Marg Helgenberger and Gary Dourdan, far left, of ``CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' greet each other; Joanie Laurer, left, formerly known in pro wrestling as Chyna, shows off; Mischa Barton, right, one of the stars of Fox's ``The O.C.,'' arrives. Sunday's event was telecast on CBS.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

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