LOS ANGELES -- The twice-delayed Emmys draped itself in red, white and blue on Sunday paying tribute to the victims of Sept. 11 and naming White House drama The West Wing as the best dramatic series and New York City's Sex and the City as best comedy.
The Emmys, television's top awards, came off as billed starting with a rousing rendition of "America the Beautiful" and ending with Barbra Streisand singing Rodgers and Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone" standing in front of a wall with the names of the victims of the aerial assaults written across it.
One of the show's final images was a photograph of a small girl, her hands cupped in prayer, an American flag behind her and the title "God Bless America" written across the picture.
Emmy organizers had promised the show would spotlight the attacks and its aftermath, but they also said the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences would focus on how TV can provide people with entertainment and hope during troubling times.
The Emmys did just that with veteran TV news anchorman Walter Cronkite following the patriotic opening, declaring that television is more than "lights and wires and a box."
"Television, the great common denominator, has lifted our common vision as never before, and television also reminds us that entertainment can help us heal," Cronkite said.
Dressed in a black pantsuit befitting the show's subdued mood, comedian Ellen DeGeneres said it was time to go on the air and celebrate the top TV shows, actors and actresses.
"I think it's important for us to be here because they can't take away our creativity, our striving for excellence, our joy," she said, then quipping: "Only network executives can do that.
DeGeneres earned a standing ovation from audience members as the Emmys closed for showing that even in the midst of a national tragedy, there is room for comedy -- gracefully done.
In one segment, she shed her black suit and draped herself in a fluffy white dress that looked like a swan -- mocking the dress Icelandic pop star Bjork wrapped around herself at last year's Oscars and was panned by fashion critics for doing so.
"This is business casual," Degeneres joked, referring to this year's Emmy dress code that had celebrities leaving tuxedos and gowns at home in favor of business suits and simple dresses.
Emmy organizers also promised the show would go about its business of handing out awards, and for the second year in a row, "The West Wing" claimed the honor of top drama, beating out rival "The Sopranos," which was the most nominated program coming into the show with 22 nods.
"The Sopranos," was not completely rubbed out, however. Its star James Gandolfini won best actor in a drama for playing conflicted Mafia boss Tony Soprano, and his co-star Edie Falco was named best actress for portraying his wife.
"The West Wing," -- the second most nominated show with 18 nods -- swept early awards for best supporting actor, Bradley Whitford, supporting actress Allison Janney, and best director, Thomas Schlamme. It took home four prime time Emmys to three for "The Sopranos," which also earned awards for best writing. Joining "Sex and the City" in the top comedy awards were Eric McCormack, who was named top actor in a comedy for his title role as Will on "Will & Grace," which tells of the lives of a gay man and his best friend, a straight woman named Grace. Patricia Heaton of "Everybody Loves Raymond" was named best actress in a comedy for her second straight Emmy.
"I am so happy to be, at this time in our country, a part of a show that brings some laughs into everybody's lives," said a teary Heaton.
Like others, she paid tribute to the victims of the Sept. 11 attack and said "thanks" to members of the armed forces and their families, and she dedicated her work to them.
Backstage, Streisand said it was good for TV's top actors and actresses to appear and for the industry to go ahead with the Emmys despite the national mourning.
She said she chose the song she did because she wanted "to make a statement that we go on even through our fear," Streisand said."It's a very sad time in our history, a frightening time, and I wanted to give something back to the people, to our country.
Doris Roberts won the Emmy for best supporting actress in a comedy series for her work as the mother in "Everybody Loves Raymond." Peter MacNicol won best supporting actor in a comedy series for "Ally McBeal."
The tone of the show, the victim tributes, the patriotism and DeGeneres's comedy all received strong praise from the actors, actresses and directors talking to reporters backstage.
"The show was beautiful, Ellen was brilliant. She has a lovely, graceful sense of humor," said Heaton.
McCormack said he was glad that the show had been delayed for another three weeks because it gave the nation more time to grieve and put the attacks in perspective.
"West Wing's" Janney said she liked the show's subdued tone, and the fact there were fewer reporters, fewer cameras, and less of a focus on the competition.
"It feels, somehow, much more relaxed than other Emmys. It felt civilized ... it felt good," she said.
The Emmys were originally set for Sept. 16, but postponed out of respect for the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. It was reset for Oct. 7, then canceled hours before airtime, when the U.S. air attacks on Afghanistan began that day.
With the assaults on New York and Washington fresh in people's minds and a government warning last week more attacks may be on the way, Emmy organizers mounted some of the tightest security ever seen for a show business event, including declaring the air space above the theater a "no fly" zone.
