CBS - RATINGS FOR TONY AWARDS JUMP -- SO DO NBA'S

RATINGS FOR TONY AWARDS JUMP -- SO DO NBA'S

Broadway's Tony Awards ceremonies made a game attempt to compete against the NBA finals Sunday night. The CBS telecast, which aired from 8 00 p.m. to 11 00 p.m. averaged 7.3 million viewers, 18 percent above the 6.2 million posted during the previous two years. By contrast, the NBA telecast, always a big draw, averaged 11.2 million viewers, peaking in the final half hour with 13.49 million. The Tonys telecast saw Geoffrey Rush become the 17th actor to win the "triple crown" (Oscar, Emmy, Tony), when he received the award for best lead actor in a play ( Exit the King ). He had received the Emmy for his title-role performance in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers four years ago. The awards ceremonies were dominated by Billy Eliot, which picked up 10 trophies.

08/06/2009