Hudson emotional at People's Choice Awards NEW: Britney Spears wins first People's Choice Award Sandra Bullock wins favorite dramatic -- and comedic -- movie actress Ellen DeGeneres wins 14th People's Choice Award (CNN) -- Jennifer Hudson didn't win a People's Choice Award for a performance on Wednesday, but her emotional speech upon accepting a humanitarian award highlighted the 2014 edition of the awards show. Hudson accepted the favorite humanitarian award with her sister Julia for the foundation the pair started in the name of Julia's son, Julian D. King, after his 2008 murder. The Hudson sisters' mother and brother were also killed in the crime. Jennifer Hudson said she was inspired by performers and educators she saw as a child and wants to carry the message on. "If they did it, then I can do it, too," she said of the work. The People's Choice Awards mark the beginning of what the denizens of Tinseltown refer to as "awards season" -- that most Hollywood of never-ending parties. It starts a flurry of kudofests, including Sunday's Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Grammys and the Oscars. Join the conversation on our People's Choice Awards live blog The awards for TV, movies and music covered a wide range, indicated by two people who accepted the Waterford crystal trophies -- one a newcomer to the honors, the other a repeat winner. The former, Britney Spears, may have won her share of MTV Video Music Awards, but she'd never been accepted by the People's Choice Awards until Wednesday. Spears -- who recently put out a new album, "Britney Jean" -- was named favorite pop artist. She walked up the stage steps carefully, almost tottering on her heels, and thanked her fans and her management team. If Spears was a newbie at this People's Choice thing, Ellen DeGeneres is an old hand. The talk-show host won her 14th People's Choice Award, named favorite daytime TV host. "There's nothing better than knowing you make people happy," said DeGeneres in accepting the trophy. Sandra Bullock won the first honor of the night, for favorite movie actress. It must seem "like I spend lonely Friday nights voting for myself," Bullock joked. The popular actress pretty much swept the movie actress honors -- she also won favorite comedic movie actress ("The Heat") and dramatic movie actress ("Gravity") as well. Justin Timberlake also won, for favorite album ("The 20/20 Experience") and favorite male artist. A gracious Julianna Margulies accepted one of the Waterford crystal trophies for her show, "The Good Wife," which won favorite network TV drama, and another for co-star Josh Charles (favorite dramatic TV actor). Charles, she revealed, had a good excuse for not being at the ceremony: He was on his honeymoon in Thailand. The awards actually started before the broadcast. The first trophy was handed out on the red carpet as stars' entrances streamed over the Internet. It went to Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black" in an appropriate category: favorite streaming series. Later on the carpet, favorite cable TV drama went to "The Walking Dead" and Ian Somerhalder ("The Vampire Diaries") accepted an award for best sci-fi/fantasy TV actor. The show formally began in time-honored awards show fashion: with an overlong sketch. This one featured a number of nominees, as well as hosts Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs in character on the set of their show, "2 Broke Girls." The sketch was followed with the hosts on stage at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre making a number of broad jokes. The People's Choice Awards is kind of overstuffed itself. It nominates performers, films, shows and hosts in almost 60 categories. They range from the mundane -- favorite movie, favorite song -- to the amusing. There are categories devoted to "favorite TV gal pals," "favorite on-screen chemistry," "favorite streaming series" and "favorite music fan following." That last one pits Britney Spears' Britney Army, Katy Perry's KatyCats, Lady Gaga's Little Monsters, Demi Lovato's Lovatics and One Direction's Directioners against one another. Don't laugh -- they were a heavy presence on social media early in the evening, with the Directioners a particularly forceful group. Sandra Bullock is a big winner at the People's Choice Awards. But for all the absurdity, the People's Choice Awards do offer a snapshot of what's popular in 2014. As actress Malin Akerman said, " (The) People's Choice is one of my favorites, because it's the people choosing their favorite shows and their favorite movies." "It kind of is the ultimate award," added Nina Dobrev of "The Vampire Diaries." As Stephen Colbert observed in a taped bit, the People's Choice Awards aren't given out by "some elite academy of out-of-touch plutocrats." Colbert, incidentally, won favorite late-night talk show host. Watch "People's Choice" hosts make Conan happy over accidental boob grab Besides, it's never too early for celebrities to start showing off the latest finery on the red carpet and do their bit to entertain. It is, after all, an awards show. The People's Choice Awards were created in 1975 by producer Bob Stivers. Consumer products company Procter & Gamble took over production in the early 1980s and still sponsors the show. Some categories change from year to year; one year featured a Nice 'n Easy Fans Favorite Hair. After many years relying on Gallup Polls, the People's Choice Awards took a new tack in 2005. The nominations are now based on sales, industry ratings, box-office grosses, social media data and votes from peopleschoice.com. According to the hosts, 700 million votes were cast.