It’s Whitney’s Night to Say Thanks at Music Award Show : Pop music: Houston receives eight honors at the American Music Awards, which ties two longstanding records by Kenny Rogers and Michael Jackson.

LOS ANGELES —  It was a tight, nearly neck-and-neck race at Monday’s 21st annual American Music Awards.

Not for the awards themselves, of course, which were mostly foregone conclusions, but in the contest to see who would get thanked more in one evening: “the Lord Jesus Christ” or “Bobby.”

Whitney Houston--celebrated wife of Bobby Brown and mother of Bobbi Kristina--continued to enjoy the predictable spoils of her splashiest chart year throughout the Shrine Auditorium ceremony. She swept up seven awards for her “I Will Always Love You” single and “Bodyguard” soundtrack album, plus the career-honoring Award of Merit, following a video tribute narrated by Stevie Wonder that had her in tears.

This armful left Houston tying two longstanding AMA records: Kenny Rogers’ for the greatest number of lifetime AMAs (19) and Michael Jackson’s for the most ever won in a single year (eight).

“Guess I just should stay up here, huh?” quipped the diva, giving voice to the obvious midway through the three-hour telecast.

Nominations for this show--a populist precursor to the Grammys each winter--are based on record sales and airplay, and winners are selected by a national consumer poll, pretty much precluding the possibility of suspense in a chart year so dominated by one personality.

With no more than two AMAs going to any other artist, none of the other winners attracted a fraction of the attention afforded Houston--although one non-nominated performer, controversial rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, dogged his way into the media spotlight through a combination of infamy and default.

In the backstage press room, the parade of honorees and presenters were asked by reporters whether they saw any problem with Dick Clark Productions giving an artist currently facing a murder charge such a highly visible platform to promote his music.

None did, on the record at least, and many seemed puzzled that a question of ethics would even come up, with acts from En Vogue to Aerosmith echoing Snoop producer Dr. Dre’s sentiment that “anybody who sells 4 million records should be able to perform anywhere he wants.”

The media were warned by a publicist that Snoop would “walk” if his “court case” came up during his press conference. And when it finally did, he did. But before that, Snoop alluded to the wariness of some mainstream organizations about working with him, saying: “I want to give a special shot out to Dick Clark for standing up for me. . . . The people out there felt me. I got one of the biggest responses this evening. . . . Respect me as a musician. My private life and my other life, leave it alone.”

Snoop Doggy Dogg’s playful rendition of “Gin and Juice”--the edited radio version, that is, with hip-hop “scratching” noises turned up to obscure the more blatant sex and drugs lyrics--was indeed a crowd favorite. Dr. Dre mixed from behind a turntable as Snoop and several tricycle-riding cohorts roamed the “Dogg Pound,” an amusingly oversized back-yard set.

Snoop also won the unofficial award for best living metaphor. Asked why he’d let his hair grow out in such a ‘70s-redolent fashion, the rapper said, “My ‘fro symbolizes my career. It’s blowin’ up every day.”

The honors for most obnoxious went to two members of Stone Temple Pilots, who skipped the press-conference room but did stop to pose in the photo tent, miming fellatio on one another with the help of their trophies.

The Pilots’ awards were for favorite new artist in both the pop/rock and heavy metal/hard rock categories. Other double winners were Aerosmith (pop/rock band and heavy metal/hard rock favorite artist), Alan Jackson (country single and album), Toni Braxton (new artist in the soul/R&B; and adult contemporary categories) and Dr. Dre (rap/hip-hop artist and new artist).

Alabama won its 17th AMA, for best country band. Other honorees included Garth Brooks, telecast co-host Reba McEntire and newcomer John Michael Montgomery in the country categories; Luther Vandross and En Vogue in the soul/R&B; division; and absentee Eric Clapton as favorite pop/rock male artist.

Kenny G managed the feat of besting the otherwise unbeatable Houston in this popularity contest, handing her her sole loss among eight nominations in the adult contemporary artist category. “Are you sure this is right?” the startled saxman kept asking. “Positive?” The recount is probably going on as we speak.