The 35th annual People's Choice Awards were held on Wednesday, January 7, 2009, at the Shrine Auditorium. (The nominees were announced on November 10.)

Big winners this year included the movie "The Dark Knight", singer Carrie Underwood, the TV show "House", and actor Will Smith.

You may not be able to get inside the annual Academy Awards show or the Golden Globes, but you can get a seat to see many of the very same Hollywood movie and TV stars when they show up to accept the annual People's Choice Awards.

The People's Choice Awards are different from most Hollywood award shows. Until 2004, the winners of the People's Choice Awards were selected through a Gallup poll of the general public.  The people were polled for their opinion about their favorite movie & TV stars, their favorite singers, and their favorite films and TV programs. Those polled were free to name any star that they like as their favorite; their choice is not limited to a handful of nominees.

However, in 2004, they dropped Gallup and switched to a partnership with Entertainment Weekly magazine. Now, nominees are determined by a "front row panel of over 6,000 entertainment enthusiasts" recruited by EW editors. The panel votes on the various categories, then people vote via the Internet for the winners.

To cast a vote via the Internet go to www.PCAvote.com .

Previous years' winners have included Johnny Depp, Julia Roberts, Will Smith, Brad Pitt, Renee Zellweger, Mel Gibson, Ray Romano, Eminem, Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Ricky Martin, Tim Allen, Helen Hunt, Bill Cosby, Drew Carrey, Celine Dion, Elton John, Bruce Willis, Adam Sandler, Calista Flockhart, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Shania Twain, Billy Campbell, Faith Hill, Nathan Lane, Christina Applegate and the Backstreet Boys.

And the good news is that you can attend. For free!

That's right, although there are 1,000 invited VIP guests (who dress in black tie), there are also free tickets distributed to the general public via Audiences Unlimited.

You never know what's going to happen at this live awards banquet. When funnyman Jim Carrey won the award for "Liar Liar'', for Favorite Comedy Motion Picture, he leapt up from his table, lifted his chair high above his head, and shook it in manic glee as he danced up to the stage, finally hurling the chair ahead of him before bounding onto the stage and smothering his producer in a mock passionate embrace.

The January event is also the first major awards show to be held of each year. The show is broadcast live on CBS-TV (tape-delayed for the west coast).

In 2008 and 2007, the show was hosted by Queen Latifah.

In 2006, the awards show was hosted by comedian Craig Ferguson.

In 2005, the show was hosted by Jason Alexander, from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

In 2004, the hosts were Charlie Sheen & Jon Cryer.

A very limited number of free tickets for this event are distributed online by Audiences Unlimited.

Due to the popularity of this show, Audiences Unlimited limits everyone to a maximum of 4 tickets.

They usually only have a few hundred general admission tickets, and tickets "sell out" early. Most years, the event is "sold out" in mid-December. So it pays to get them early. People with those tickets are admitted to the awards show on a first-come-first-serve basis as space allows. So if you get a ticket, it's crucial that you show up early for the event if you want to be sure of getting a seat. ( Read their notice here.)

Some years, Audiences Unlimited also has tickets for the bleachers outside the Shrine for the red carpet apprivals, so if you can't get a ticket inside, you might be able to opt for a bleacher seat.

Several performers have won multiple People's Choice awards over the years - Tim Allen has won ten and Garth Brooks has won eleven of the flame-shaped crystal awards. Reba McEntire has won eight awards, and Julia Roberts has won eight. Whitney Houston has six, and Oprah Winfrey has won four.

In 1998, Whoopi Goldberg was honored for her 20 years of career achievements in motion pictures and television with a special tribute presented by LeVar Burton, Rosie O'Donnell, Rob Reiner and Tom Jones.

Phone Audiences Unlimited long in advance (I'd suggest in late September or October) for details about getting tickets to the next year's event. Their phone number is (818) 506-0043. Or check their website's "specials" page for info.

This year, the started taking mail-in requests around October 18, 2008.  So hurry.

Send ticket requests with a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your request to:

Audiences Unlimited
801 South Main St, 2nd Floor,
Burbank, CA  91506

Act early. All envelopes are filed in the order received and requests are processed accordingly until their supply of tickets is exhausted. Tickets will be mailed in mid-late December. Minimum Age 18. "Dressy attire is required."

The minimum age for admission is 18.

 Getting There: The Shrine Auditorium is located about five miles south of downtown Los Angeles, on Jefferson Blvd at Royal Street, across the street from the USC campus, and not far from Exposition Park. Take the Harbor (110) Freeway to the Exposition Blvd exit. Turn west on Exposition one block to Figueroa Street, then turn right (north) on Figueroa and go one long block to Jefferson Blvd. Turn left (west) on Jefferson, and the Shrine will be on your right (north) side. You can't miss it.

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