NBC.com’s Carole Panick was backstage at the Emmy Awards. Here is what she saw as TV’s biggest stars made their way from the stage (all times are PST)…
by Carole Panick
7:57 p.m. — So the show is winding down. But I’m sure the parties are just getting started! Congrats to all of tonight’s winners. Until next time…stay tuned! 🙂
7:53 p.m. — Back by the “secret” entrance, I brushed shoulders with Matthew Perry as he left the building! Then I was up close with Joan Collins, she looks fabulous. No, really, I swear! By the way, from here you can walk right into the Governor’s Ball. It’s all set up beautifully and soon will be brimming with stars and gold statuettes. There are huge floral bouquets on each table. It’s very elegant.
7:41 p.m. — I walked around again and what should I find, but Megan Mullally in the Access suite getting a neck massage! Now I get it! Billy Bush is a spa guy. He’s offering massages and other relaxation techniques. But almost more importantly I found a guy with a TRAY OF COOKIES. I swear he was more in demand than Helen Mirren.
7:35 p.m. — OMG. Jaclyn Smith is back here. Is it crazy that she is the one I am most starstruck over? I interviewed stars on the red carpet, but she is KELLY GARRETT!! I got up the nerve to stand up and ask a question and then some GUY stole my question!!! Ugh.
7: 26 p.m. — The one-on-one gauntlet is super-packed now. Everyone is clamoring for the winners’ attentions, plus the show is entering its last half hour (let’s hope so, for Bob Newhart’s sake!). While backstage earlier, I saw Megan Mullally and Tony Shalhoub, both clutching their awards, in a seemingly in-depth discussion while many, many folks hovered around them. Meanwhile, Candice Bergen couldn’t get around the cluster!
7:23 p.m. — Seriously, would it kill them to give us some cookies? Chocolate? Anything sweet? The Caesar salad was nice, but I’m over it. Megan M just told her psychic story…a psychic actually predicted she’d win two Emmys for playing a secretary on a sitcom! Freaky, eh? I predict that Megan’s new talk show will be a hoot! (yes, a hoot!)
7:11 p.m. — Yes, okay, Jaclyn, NOT Jacqueline. My bad. I can hear the indignant uproar from online fans everywhere. Jaclyn Smith. On another topic, how cool is Andre Braugher? He’s like the new Samuel L. Jackson. Not that there’s anything wrong with the current Samuel L. Jackson, but you know what I mean. He’s just cooooooooooool.
7:05 p.m. — I write the blogs that make the young girls cry…sorry, got caught up in the Manilow spirit! Also saw Joan Collins backstage just after the Charlie’s Angels reunion. Don’t they look good? They are still hot angels! Did you have a favorite? Mine was always Kelly Garrett (Jacqueline Smith).
6:50 p.m. — And now Jeremy Irons won’t stop answering questions. What a difference 5 minutes makes, eh? There is all kinds of hub-bub going on just outside this room. By the look of all the flashes, must be in the deadline photo room or the Official Emmy photo gallery that is right outside. I’ll go check it out…
6:45 p.m. — On the red carpet and back here in the press room, there’s always that odd moment when no one has a question to ask. Jeremy Irons, (Academy Award winner! hello!), is back here and there was a bit of a lull before anyone asked a question. Now they’re up to speed. Phew!
6:40 p.m. — As I whisked past the Access one-on-one room, I got a glimpse of Billy’s tough life. He was relaxing in some type of recliner wearing a comfy looking bathrobe. I’ll have to watch to find out what THAT was all about. Maybe Jeremy Piven gave him a massage? Maybe I just don’t want to know.
6:32 p.m. — So, Greg Garcia was just about to enter the Photo room and I caught Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford getting ready to head into the auditorium. Also,
Nancy O’Dell herself was geting some last minute curl added to her gorgeous mane, while Billy Bush reclined in the Access one-on-one room. And finally, a winner made it back here!
6:26 p.m. — Well, I guess we know why Megan hasn’t made it back here yet…she’s presenting with Howie Mandel. So, just outside the tent I’m, in there is also a secret backstage limo entrance/exit. If you didn’t see someone on the red carpet, they probably were whisked in the back way. For example, the Spelling family, who are here for the tribute to Aaron Spelling. They arrived the secret back way.
6:22 p.m. — Okay, awkward. Someone backstage just asked the creator and director of “My Name is Earl” about Earl being Jewish. And he said, “Well, Jason Lee is Jewish.” Research, people, do your research before you ask religious questions. Spare us all the awkward silences.
5:43 p.m. — I just did a loop and saw Jeremy Piven being interviewed backstage. Then I followed Blythe Danner back into the press area. She was clutching her new statue! The one-on-one rooms are very elaborate in a very small space. Most
have a “theme” and almost all have goodies for any winners who stop by. I’m
dying for a cookie…but don’t want to barge in or anything.
5:35 p.m. — Wow, how amazing to see Jeremy Piven back here talking about his father, getting emotional. What a great moment for him. And now someone asked him about being a “fluffer.” And THAT my friends is the wide range of emotion backstage at the Emmys! I’m off on another loop…
5: 25 p.m. — So the first award is out! Congrats! The winners’ first stop is
backstage where they head to the Trophy Table and chat with Access Hollywood, then they come and blog with me…JUST KIDDING.
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