And the winner is………….The Emmy’s

“West Wing” wins its third term, and “Friends” finally gets the big one. “The West Wing” won its third Emmy in a row as outstanding drama series, and “Friends,” ending a run of nine years that included four nominations, was named outstanding comedy series. Allison Janney won her third “West Wing” Emmy in a row, although the previous two were for supporting actress. This year she won as outstanding lead actress. “Thank you to the Emmy voters for this promotion,” she said. Jennifer Anniston was the first of “Friends’” ensemble cast to win an outstanding performer award. “We used to nominate ourselves in this (supporting) category, but it didn’t work out,” said Matthew Perry. “Nobody ever won.” “I did!” chimed in Lisa Kudrow, who was outstanding supporting actress in 1998. “This is so amazing, after eight years and the last three hours and 10 minutes,” said “Friends” executive producer David Crane, accepting the outstanding series award. “I think it was our time, maybe,” said Matt LeBlanc. “I’m not surprised.” Michael Chiklis was obviously surprised to be named outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role as a hard-boiled L.A. cop on “The Shield.” It was a breakthrough for FX with its first Emmy this year. “When it happens, it’s a pretty surreal out-of-body experience,” he told reporters afterward. And he was the only winner to thank TV critics — “for helping people find us.” Another breakthrough came when “The Bernie Mac Show” writer Larry Wilmore won the comedy series writing Emmy, the show’s first. “This isn’t supposed to happen in your first season,” said Wilmore. Oprah Winfrey mouthed “Wow” after hearing her kudos for the first Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, presented by Tom Hanks. “She is a girlfriend to the world,” Julia Roberts said in a prerecorded tribute. The annual award was established to carry on Hope’s long legacy of work on behalf of others. “Listening to all the things being said, I thought I’ve got to do better,” Winfrey said. “What I’ve done doesn’t even compare to what I could do in the world.” “The West Wing” won four awards, more than any other show, during the September 22 NBC telecast. “An actor is only as good as the material that he gets, and we get gold week after week,” John Spencer, outstanding supporting actor in a drama series, said of Aaron Sorkin, the show’s creator and principal writer. This year’s big winner was the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake. The production by Don Mischer, who had to bow out of his production job at last year’s twice-postponed Emmy Awards to take on the prior commitment, took home seven awards — six from the September 14 Creative Arts show and one on the telecast. The miniseries “Band of Brothers” and HBO’s undertaker hit “Six Feet Under” had six each, and “The West Wing” took five. Ray Romano won the Emmy as outstanding comedy series actor, and his fictional brother Brad Garrett was honored as supporting actor for his role as Robert. The only award without an acceptance speech was probably the most special of the evening. Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani announced the annual Governors Award for the four networks who organized “America: A Tribute to Heroes” immediately after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. “The program raised a lot of money for the victims’ families,” Giuliani said. “It made them feel embraced and cared for, and it brought America closer together. ... Thank you on behalf of a very grateful America.”