THE SLIME OF THEIR LIVES CELEBS AS WELL AS TWEENS, TEENS REVEL IN NICKELODEON'S KIDS' CHOICE AWARDS.

Byline: Valerie Kuklenski Staff Writer

What if the Oscars, Grammys and Emmys were presented by and for 12-year-olds? The results probably would be something along the lines of the 17th annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, where the prize for best fart in a movie can mean as much as the favorite movie honor.

The kids' cable network pulled out the stops Saturday for the awards show, moving it from its previous venue, the modest Barker Hangar of Santa Monica Airport, to the roomier Pauley Pavilion at University of California, Los Angeles, which allowed some 50,000 shrieking, cheering kids to welcome A-list hosts Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz (remember, ``Shrek 2'' is coming) and an impressive roster of presenters, performers and winners.

Comic George Lopez and singer/movie star Jennifer Lopez, presenting the favorite male TV performer honor to Frankie Muniz of ``Malcolm in the Middle,'' joked about the public's confusion over their common last name.

``I have some of your mail,'' Jennifer said.

``Ben (Affleck) wants you to call him back,'' George replied.

Aside from that remark, which elicited some groans from the audience, the show was all about fun, whether it was watching stunt biker Matt Hoffman bail out of a plane at 14,000 and parachute into a pool of slime, or saluting kids' favorite bodily functions.

The award for ``amazing fartistry'' in a movie went to the camel (or was it his passenger, Anthony Anderson?) in ``Kangaroo Jack.'' That basso profundo rear-end rumble beat out the oh-so-subtle bubble on the surface of the ocean by a floating pelican in ``Finding Nemo.''

But Nick fans gave props to ``Nemo'' in more meaningful categories: favorite movie and favorite voice for Ellen DeGeneres as Dory. She accepted both awards.

``I like kids a lot - I once was one,'' she said. ``Enjoy being a kid. It's a great time of life.''

Nominee Jennifer Aniston may have a lot of friends in the 18- to 49-year-old crowd, but this group gave its award for favorite female TV star to Raven-Symone, the ex-``Cosby'' tyke who now headlines her self-titled sitcom on the Disney Channel.

The favorite male movie star honor went to Jim Carrey, who won kids over with his Grinch and ``Bruce Almighty'' roles and will be expecting them in theaters next Christmas for his adventure-comedy, ``Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.''

``I thank you; my inner child thanks you,'' he said. ``His name is Eugene, and he loves Spider-Man.''

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk was named favorite male athlete for the second year in a row. ``Thanks for letting me be a video-game character all these years,'' he said.

The tweens and young teens who cast their votes on www.nick.com passed over Oscar winner Halle Berry and nominee Queen Latifah for Amanda Bynes (``What a Girl Wants'') for favorite female movie star.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were dressed to impress and perfectly coiffed when they came out to present an award, but they were caught in the midst of a green slime fountain.

There were fewer slime incidents during the show than in years past, but when director Lou Horvitz finally decided to turn the green goo loose at the show's end, he did it with abandon, first nailing Myers and then spewing it over some 500 fans in the first several rows on the floor of Pauley Pavilion. The kids splashed in it, while some grown-ups tried in vain to escape the concoction of yogurt, Jell-O and applesauce.

What started out as a whimsical Nickelodeon special has become a hot ticket among Southern California kids and an important date on celebrity calendars. Avril LaVigne did not make the cut this year for favorite female singer - the award went to recording-industry newcomer Hilary Duff over Beyonce, Ashanti and the aforementioned Ms. Lopez - but LaVigne came anyway to perform her hit ``Don't Tell Me'' in recognition of this young but economically powerful demographic.

OutKast was destined to be the musical focal point from the group's opening number, the pop hit ``Hey Ya!,'' to ``The Way You Move,'' complete with strings, horns and harp. Andre 3000 and Big Boy then accepted the favorite musical group honor.

Hugh Jackman distinguished himself with the award for best burp, topping David Spade, Bynes and too many other celebs to list.

``Finally - something my family can be proud of,'' Jackman, a star of stage and screen, said. He mustered a few more during his speech. ``To my agent - brrp - to my manager - brrrrppp - to all of you - brraaaapp.''

The Wannabe Award, for a celebrity who inspires kids in his or her personal and professional life, went to Adam Sandler, whose broad physical comedy appeals to them and whose work on behalf of the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and other charities leads by example.

Kathleen Thomas, a seventh-grader from Michigan, won an essay contest among Sandler fans for the right to present the award to him on stage. She offered a gift of a stuffed dog to her big-screen hero. He admitted he arrived without a present for her, so he kicked off his sneakers and handed them over.

``I had to give them back,'' Thomas said of the shoes later at the party, which could be described as Nickelodeon's answer to the Oscar-night Governors' Ball - a free-for-all of french fries, pizza, sundaes, dancing, finger painting, bungee racing and rock climbing, with celebrity autograph and photo ops thrown in for good measure.

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Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Mike Myers, co-host of the 17th annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Saturday night in Pauley Pavilion, gets slimed during taping of the event. OutKast singer Andre 3000 soars high while singing the duo's hit ``Hey Ya!''

(3 -- color) Hugh Jackman, in mid-burp, receives an appropriate award from co-host Cameron Diaz.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press