Darin Brooks didn't show up for the recent Tag the World Triathlon, nor did he make it to the red-carpet luau. A local boy, growing up in Honolulu, people were anticipating his return to the islands ... and friends and fans were disappointed.

Maybe they are more forgiving knowing Brooks was busy. He took home the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series category last Sunday night. Brooks won the award for his role of Max Brady on NBC's “;Days of Our Lives,”; even though he is no longer on the show. His four-year stint as Max ended in May when he left the show to pursue other roles.

His acceptance speech, which included a few bleeped-out words, displayed the actor's surprise at winning the award.

“;It was so surreal, and I had no idea it was going to happen. I didn't prepare a speech and totally freaked out,”; he said. “;Everyone was laughing and I didn't know why. Then, I realized, I just swore on TV. I was shaking and just so stunned. I forgot to thank so many people.”;

Brooks said that he normally doesn't get nervous.

“;But, that was really nerve wracking,”; he said. “;An Emmy is huge, even though it's a Daytime Emmy. It's one of the higher awards for daytime television shows.”;

Susan Brooks, Darin's mother, couldn't be more delighted with the results. She went to the award ceremony last year as Darin's date, but watched his win this year on television at home in Hawaii. Susan is the co-founder of Arts of Paradise Studio Gallery Waikiki, where she teaches art classes.

“;We are just so proud of him,”; she said. “;He started acting in high school (at Kaiser High School in Hawaii Kai) and got the bug,”; she said. “;He really learned a lot on 'Days.' It was good training to have to memorize lots of lines. He's got where he is with a lot of hard work and perseverance. He continued taking acting classes until just recently. He really wants to do well.”;

Susan was able to sit on the set of “;Blue Mountain State”; in Montreal, watching her son film his new series: “;It was really interesting to watch. ... He is so professional.”;

Brooks changed his plans to return to the islands because of the new show.

“;I really wanted to be there for the triathlon. I was supposed to be done by the 21st,”; he said. “;One of the creators, who also plays my best friend on the show, had appendicitis, and production was pushed back a week.”;

The filming wrapped on Aug. 28.

“;Blue Mountain State”; is a half-hour TV comedy scheduled to air on SPIKE TV in January. He describes the sitcom as “;Friday Night Lights”; meets “;Animal House.”;

Brooks' character in “;Blue Mountain State”; is a charming second-string quarterback who shirks responsibility to enjoy his college days.

“;He has the talent to be first string, but he just wants to have fun. He wants to be behind the scenes as opposed to in the limelight. He does everything in his power to hinder his own success,”; he explained. “;My character has a big heart and is very likable.

“;It's a fun, raunchy guy-humor-type show. I don't think there is anything else on TV that's quite like it. ... It's revolutionary in a way. We're just pushing the envelope with every episode.

“;It's really, really crazy. We have a cameo with Cloris Leachman, a cameo from Curtis Armstrong who played Booger in 'Revenge of the Nerds.'”;

Brooks has found some freedom in filming for prime time as opposed to daytime.

“;Daytime kinda gets a bad rap for being cheesy or whatever, but it has some of the hardest-working actors and crews, shooting 120 to 125 pages a day,”; he explained.

The flexibility afforded him in “;Blue Mountain State”; allows him “;more room to take chances.”;

On “;Days,”; he said, “;you could only do one or two takes and needed to move on.”;

Thirteen episodes of “;Blue Mountain State”; are scheduled to air, and Brooks says he won't know whether it will be picked up for another season until sometime next year.

In the meantime he hopes to explore movies and other action options.

“;I'll have a lot of time off right now. I'd like to get more stuff under my belt, things to add to my resume.”;

Brooks said he hopes to come back to his island home, sooner rather than later, to “;relax and surf.”;