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There's isn't a whole lot more than meets the eye at this awards show, although the eye will be meeting more than usual.
Not only is Transformers in the running for favorite movie, action film and soundtrack song at the 34th Annual People's Choice Awards, but the brain trust behind the upcoming homage to box office clout, radio airplay, magazine covers and plain old good looks has added a handful of new categories to honor the past year's trends in film, TV and music.
As evidenced by fresh fields honoring threequels, indie movies, reunion tours and sci-fi shows, Knowledge Networks—the market researchers behind the vote-for-your-favorites fun—apparently are looking to pick even more young-adult brains to further explore what makes wallets open.
Joining Michael Bay's action extravaganza in the favorite film category is The Bourne Ultimatum (also up for favorite action movie and threequel) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, which has an illustrious pedigree going for it, with both Curse of the Black Pearl and Dead Man's Chest having taken the top prize in previous years.
Defending Favorite Male Movie Star, Action Star and On Screen Duo half Johnny Depp won't have the chance to triple his pleasure again when the People's Choice Awards are handed out Jan. 8 in a ceremony to be hosted by Ryan Seacrest and broadcast live on CBS…but he'll still be able to pocket two trophies, having been nominated in both of those solo categories yet again.
He and Keira Knightley won't have a chance to defend their on screen duo credentials, however, having been displaced this year by Rush Hour 3's Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, Ocean's Thirteen's Brad Pitt and George Clooney, and Spider-Man 3's Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire.
All threequels, but only Spider-Man will face off against Pirates and Bourne for top Part Three honors.
The fact 21 series are vying against each other for either Favorite New TV Comedy or Drama once again hints at that market research theme, but fans have been asked to narrow it down among CSI, Law & Order: SVU, and House (the same as last year, but Grey's Anatomy was swapped for SVU)for favorite overall drama and The King of Queens, My Name Is Earl and Two and a Half Men (exactly the same as last year) for favorite sitcom.
Nominees are chosen by a sampling of men and women ages 18-49.
Other familiar faces back by popular demand includes the repackaged trio of last year's Favorite Male TV Star nominees, Kiefer Sutherland, Patrick Dempsey and Charlie Sheen; perennial Favorite Female Movie Stars Halle Berry and Sandra Bullock (squaring off this year against Reese Witherspoon); Fox's animation Sunday; and talk show hosts Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey and Jay Leno.
The musical categories features some fresh faces, however, with Fergie, Gwen Stefani and Beyoncé competing for Favorite Female Singer honors and John Mayer, Tim McGraw and Justin Timberlake bringing variety back to the race for Favorite Male Singer.
Beyonce and Timberlake both lead the individual nominations with three apiece, including favorite female or male singer, and are competing against each other for favorite pop song, "Irreplaceable" versus "What Goes Around…Comes Around."
At the People's Choice Awards, if you go around one year, chances are you're coming around the next.
Here's the complete list of nominees:
MOVIES
* Favorite Movie: The Bourne Ultimatum, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Transformers
* Male Movie Star: Johnny Depp, Denzel Washington, Bruce Willis
* Female Movie Star: Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon
* Leading Man: Jamie Foxx, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Joaquin Phoenix
* Leading Lady: Jessica Alba, Drew Barrymore, Queen Latifah
* Male Action Star: Matt Damon, Johnny Depp, Bruce Willis
* Female Action Star: Jessica Alba, Jodie Foster, Keira Knightley
* On Screen Match-Up: Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 3, George Clooney and Brad Pitt in Ocean's Thirteen, Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man 3
* Movie Drama: Disturbia, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Premonition
* Movie Comedy: Knocked Up, The Simpsons Movie, Mighty Hogs
* Independent Movie: Becoming Jane, A Mighty Heart, Sicko
* Family Movie: Evan Almighty, Ratatouille, Shrek the Third
* Action Movie: 300, The Bourne Ultimatum, Transformers
* Favorite Threequel: The Bourne Ultimatum, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Spider-Man 3
MUSIC
* Male Singer: John Mayer, Tim McGraw, Justin Timberlake
* Female Singer: Beyoncé, Fergie, Gwen Stefani
* Group: Daughtry, Maroon 5, Rascal Flatts
* Pop Song: "Big Girls Don't Cry," Fergie; "Irreplaceable," Beyoncé; "What Goes Around…Comes Around," Justin Timberlake
* Hip-Hop Song: "Give It to Me," Timbaland w/ Justin TImberlake and Nelly Furtado; "Party Like a Rock Star," Shop Boyz; "Stronger," Kanye West
* R&B Song: "Beautiful Liar," Beyoncé w/ Shakira; "Because of You," Ne-Yo; "Shut Up and Drive," Rihanna
* Rock Song: "Hey There Delilah," Plain White T's; "Home," Daughtry; "Makes Me Wonder," Maroon 5
* Country Song: "I Need You," Tim McGraw w/ Faith Hill; "Never Wanted Nothing More," Kenny Chesney; "Stand," Rascal Flatts
* Soundtrack Song: "Read My Mind," The Killers, Friday Night Lights; "What I've Done," Linkin Park, Transformers; "You Can't Stop the Beat," Hairspray cast
* Reunion Tour: Genesis, The Police, Van Halen
TELEVISION
* Male TV Star: Patrick Dempsey, Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland
* Female TV Star: Sally Field, Katherine Heigl, Jennifer Love Hewitt
* Scene-Stealing Star: Richard Belzer, Law & Order: SVU; Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother; Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy
* Talk Show Host: Ellen DeGeneres, Jay Leno, Oprah Winfrey
* TV Drama: CSI, House, Law & Order: SVU
* TV Comedy: The King of Queens, My Name Is Earl, Two and a Half Men
* Animated Comedy: Family Guy, King of the Hill, The Simpsons
* Sci-Fi Show: Battlestar Galactica, Dr. Who, Stargate Atlantis
* New TV Drama: Big Shots, Bionic Woman, Cane, Dirty Sexy Money, Gossip Girl, Journeyman, K-Ville, Life, Life Is Wild, Moonlight, Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, Women's Murder Club
* New TV Comedy: Aliens in America, Back to You, The Big Bang Theory, Carpoolers, Cavemen, Chuck, Reaper, Samantha Who?
* Game Show: Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, Deal or No Deal, Jeopardy!Competition/Reality Show: American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
MISCELLANEOUS
* Funny Female Star: Ellen DeGeneres, Wanda Sykes, Whoopi Goldberg
* Funny Male Star: Will Ferrell, Robin Williams, Adam Sandler
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