Gabe The Bulldog Fetches Top Dog Honors in Nick at Nite's First Annual Worldwide Fido Awards Saluting the Family Dog Sunday, October 5

Gabe The Bulldog Fetches Top Dog Honors in Nick at Nite's First Annual Worldwide Fido Awards Saluting the Family Dog Sunday, October 5

Judges Kevin Nealon, Vivica Fox and Dog Trainer to the Stars Tamar Geller were (Bow) Wowed by Feats of Six Finalists

'Buddy' from Arizona Grabbed the Hero Award; Kristin Davis Named Dog's Best Friend

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- A toilet-flushing, skateboarding bulldog named Gabe from Bellingham, Washington (bow) wowed the celebrity judges of Nick at Nite's First Annual Worldwide Fido Awards -- telecast on Sunday, October 5 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT -- to fetch top dog honors. The champ triumphed over five other talented finalists, including a deep diving Labrador Retriever and a Schubert-humming Golden Retriever. All were revealed, showcased and saluted in the one-hour canine competition honoring the family dog, hosted by actor/comedian Fred Willard (Best in Show) and judged by Kevin Nealon, Vivica Fox and dog trainer to the stars Tamar Geller.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081006/NY37128 )

Having received the most online votes at www.worldwidefido.com, where viewers chose their favorites from user-generated videos, the Fido finalists who took home a bone in his or her "dog-egory" are as follows:

   Cutest: French bulldog Samson from San Francisco   Best Trick: Gabe, a toilet-flushing, skateboarding bulldog from Bellingham, WA   Best Dressed: Phoebe Buffay, a poolside boxer in a bikini from Pasadena, Texas   Owner Lookalike: German Shepherd Kaine Vom Feuerspiel (owner Ashley Brook) from Avondale, Arizona   Best Voice: Sunny, a Schubert-humming Golden Retriever from Ocean Beach, California   Most Outrageous: Tommy, a deep diving Labrador Retriever from Sewell, New Jersey.    

In a show highlight, Buddy, a German Shepherd from Arizona was awarded the Hero Award, to honor invaluable services provided to humans. Buddy made news last summer after saving his human's life by calling 911 after he had suffered a seizure.

In addition, the evening's sole human award winner, Kristin Davis, garnered the Dog's Best Friend Award for her commitment to fostering abandoned dogs. Pooch performances, including dog tricks and relays, entertained the audience throughout the evening.

The First Annual Worldwide Fido Awards were sponsored by PetSmart and Bissell.

More images from the show can be found at: www.nickelodeonpress.com/worldwidefido/blast/winner.

Launched in 2007 by Worldwide Biggies -- the digital entertainment studio headed by children's and family entertainment hit maker Albie Hecht -- Worldwide Fido has emerged as a popular online community for dog lovers where users upload videos of their beloved canines. Worldwide Biggies is redefining entertainment by creating hit properties for young adults and the digital family. Designing properties that launch on the web and live on multiple media platforms, it is a full-service studio that is uniquely positioned to take advantage of new technology and content distribution channels to create a library of original and licensed hits.

Nick at Nite is Nickelodeon's nighttime programming block that also features popular hit family comedies including the Emmy Award-winning series Home Improvement, George Lopez, and Family Matters, as well as The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Roseanne. Also coming in 2009 is the hit comedy Everybody Hates Chris, from co-creator and narrator Chris Rock and inspired by his real-life childhood experiences.

Nickelodeon, now in its 29th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 96 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 14 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) .

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Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh//NY37128
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Source: Nick at Nite

CONTACT: George Cabico, +1-818-736-3119; or Marianne Romano,
+1-310-752-8208

Web Site: http://www.nickelodeonpress.com/worldwidefido/blast/winner
http://www.worldwidefido.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment