Illustration by Tony Tye and Curt Chandler, Post-Gazette TV Editor Rob Owen goes behind the scenes of the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Los Angeles with this journal, written exclusively for post-gazette.com. Click photo for larger image. L.A. Confidential Index to Press Tour journals

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Mirroring its ratings revival this past season, ABC took the most honors at the Television Critics Association awards last night, winning for program of the year ("Desperate Housewives"), Heritage award ("Nightline") and new program and drama ("Lost" won both).

(Full disclosure: I was elected president of the TCA this morning, which just means more work to do.)

Craig Ferguson of CBS's "The Late Late Show" opened the awards.

"Our jobs are very similar. We both have to watch a lot of very bad television," he said. "The only difference is, you don't have to pretend to like it. Four words: 'Spring Break Shark Attack.' Thank you, CBS."

Jon Stewart ("The Daily Show") won for individual achievement in comedy for the second time, and PBS's "Frontline" won its seventh award for news and information.

For the second year running, Fox's "Arrested Development" was named best comedy.

Buzzed-about Canadian import "Degrassi: The Next Generation" (The N) was named outstanding children's show and BBC America's "The Office Special" was named best movie, mini-series or special.

"House" star Hugh Laurie won honors for individual achievement in drama. He jokingly called TV critics "the wisest, kindest members of our community. With this award, you show the wisdom of Solomon. But I know some of you thought Solomon was a little twi-dimensional."

Marc Cherry, created of "Desperate Housewives," accepted his show's award, but commented on debris that had gone unnoticed on the side of the stage, likely leftover from tomorrow's presenter, NBC. That Peacock network was setting up in that space earlier in the evening. See, NBC doesn't just pollute the airwaves.

Bob Newhart, profiled earlier this month on PBS's "American Masters," won the career achievement award.

	AP Photo/ABC,Moshe Brakha
	The stars of the hit primetime series, "Desperate Housewives," pose on the show's set in this 2004 publicity photo. From left, are Nicollette Sheridan, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria and Teri Hatcher. Along with last night's TCA honors, the show was among top nominees announced earlier this month for the 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

"I love television. It is just the most powerful medium ever," Newhart said. "It has great power to elevate and great power to degrade."

At an after-awards party, some of the Canadian TCA members staged what I think is their second annual "Alt Awards," given to TCA members. Because so many shows film in Canada, they always manage to wrangle a few actresses to be part of their fun and games. For the second year in a row, Lucy Lawless ("Xena: Warrio Princess") played along, joined this year by Leslie Hope ("24," season one).

Weirdness in L.A.: A man was standing on a street corner in Hollywood Friday night wearing a ball cap emblazoned with the words, "Drum Machines Have No Soul." He was trying to sell bumper stickers for $1 that had the same slogan. I couldn't pass by without asking what it meant.

John Wood, 54, told me he's "campaigning for better music in pop culture, me and 20,000 people." His group has no Web site ("Webs are for spiders," he said. "I don't have a computer"), and he complained every time a car with blaring music passed by.

But darn if I didn't see his sticker on a Ford pick-up's bumper when I went to leave a nearby parking garage later that evening.