Neil Patrick Harris, Adam Lambert and Ellen DeGeneres and other faves get People’s Choice Award nods

It’s hard to believe the People’s Choice Awards has been around for 36 years!

I think it has survived – as a television special at least – because most of the winners are notified in advance so there is a high turnout of stars each year.

Hopefully, three of the most popular stars around – who also happen to be out – will be among the winners.

Neil Patrick Harris, already a three-time Emmy nominee, was nominated in the category of favorite TV comedy actor. His competition is also stellar: Alec Baldwin, Steve Carell, Charlie Sheen and Jim Parsons.

NPH’s show, How I Met Your Mother, is nominated for favorite comedy along with fellow CBS Monday night sitcoms Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men as well as NBC’s The Office and ABC’s Desperate Housewives.

Ellen DeGeneres is nominated in the favorite talk show category along with Chelsea Lately, Live with Regis & Kelly, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Tyra Banks Show.

Then there’s Adam Lambert nominated for Favorite Breakout Music Artist. He would seem a shoo-in to win over fellow American Idol rival Kris Allen but then again, that’s what we thought on the show! Also nominated in the category are gay fave Lady Gaga, Demi Lovato and Susan Boyle.

Other nominees of LGBT interest are Glee and Modern Family for favorite new TV comedy.

Winners will be revealed during the live broadcast of the awards from its new home, the Nokia Theater, L.A. Live on Wednesday, Jan. 6.