The Soap Opera Digest Awards, originally known as The Soapy Awards when introduced in 1977, is an awards show held by the daytime television magazine Soap Opera Digest. History 1977 until 1983 The Soapy Awards were an award presented by Soap Opera Digest magazine to the best work on American soap operas from 1977 until 1983. Unlike their successors, the Soap Opera Digest Awards, this accolade lacked a great deal of glamour. The statue itself was a tall geometric crystal and were presented during a television show after winners were announced in the magazine. The original award was designed by the magazine's art director Janis Rogak. The magazine's editor Ruth J. Gordon, who was founding editor made the very first presentation on The Merv Griffin Show. The first awards were presented during the Merv Griffin Show to Best Actor Bill Hayes and Best Actress Susan Seaforth Hayes from Days of Our Lives (which also won for 'Favorite Show'). This first award also included a special award for 'Outstanding Achievement in the World of Daytime Drama' to All My Children and One Life to Lives creator Agnes Nixon. The 1978 award were presented live during America Live from both New York and Hollywood. The 1979 show was presented on the Thursday Dec. 27, 1979 episode of Dinah and Friends. In 1980, during the height of Luke and Laura, their portrayers Anthony Geary and Genie Francis won for Best Actor and Best Actress. An award for 'Favorite Performer in a Mature Role' went to All My Childrens Ruth Warrick. The 1981 show incorporated many of the categories which would become a hallmark of the Soap Opera Digest Awards, such as 'Most Exciting New Actor' (Tristan Rogers, General Hospital), 'Favorite Villain' (Andre Landzaat, General Hospital), and 'Favorite Villainess' (Robin Mattson, General Hospital). That year, the awards were swept by General Hospital. In 1984, the awards were replaced by the Soap Opera Digest Awards. In 2001, the award was featured in the episode "The One with Joey's Award" for the show Friends, in which Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) was nominated for a Soapy for his fictional role in Days of Our Lives but does not win. In the episode, Joey says the awards began in 1998, so it's likely not meant to be the same award, but rather a homage. 1984 - 2005 In 1984, the awards evolved into The Soap Opera Digest Awards,