"Pirates," Depp win top People's Choice awards

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By Bob Tourtellotte

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest" earned two awards for favourite movie and best film drama at the People’s Choice Awards on Tuesday in a show filled with popular Hollywood stars and jokes about Britney Spears’ panties -- or lack thereof.

"Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp, who plays fanciful Captain Jack Sparrow in the movie that raked in over $1 billion at global box offices, earned awards for best male movie star and favourite male action star.

Jennifer Aniston, the star of relationship film "The Break-Up," was named top female movie star while her co-star and former boyfriend, Vince Vaughn, was best leading man.

Cameron Diaz earned the title favourite leading lady, and Halle Berry was named best female action star. Rounding out the film awards were Adam Sandler’s "Click," best film comedy, and animated hit "Cars," favourite family film.

Aniston, appearing in a flowing short skirt, took the elevated stage and looked down at the fans directly below her. She flashed her famous grin and said, "Man, I tell you, it’s a lucky thing we do wear underwear, huh?"

It was a comedic jab at pop singer Spears who made headlines late last year when Hollywood’s paparazzi snapped photos of her in a .....continued below

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Aniston wasn’t the only one with a panty quip, either.

Berry, in a stunning Gucci-designed skirt cut high across her thighs, thanked God for remembering her underclothes, and comedian Robin Williams -- named funniest male star -- said about Berry: "Thank God for having her wear that dress ... Britney -- underwear -- remember that."

POPULAR WITH PEOPLE

The People’s Choice Awards are one of Hollywood’s first shows in a roughly two-month stretch of award celebrations leading to the February 25 Oscars, the film industry’s top honours given out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Unlike Oscar winners and others who are chosen by critics, media groups and industry guilds, People’s Choice winners are picked by film and television fans who vote online, and the awards are a measure of mass popularity.

Backstage, Williams turned a bit more serious when talking about the awards and what they truly meant to him.

"It’s the idea that the people said, ’We like what you do,’ and they are the ones who go to the movies and watch the television shows," he said.

In television awards, hit hospital show "Grey’s Anatomy" was named best drama and "Two and a Half Men," about a pair of adult brothers raising a boy, was best comedy.

"Heroes," was picked as best new TV drama, "The Class" was the top new comedy, and hit talent show "American Idol" won the award for best reality program for the second year in a row.

The award for favourite male TV star went to Patrick Dempsey and the sexy doctor McDreamy on "Grey’s Anatomy," and Eva Longoria, the vixen of "Desperate Housewives," was picked favourite female TV star.

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