Blogging from the Emmys
My fourth Daytime Emmy ceremony has now come and gone, and this year’s annual back-patting by the daytime industry held for me a parade of downs but a few best-ever ups.After arriving in Los Angeles on Wednesday, my friends and I made our usual when-in-L.A. trip to The Price is Right, which was more wearying than winning. My third time with Mr. Barker and his beauties was just as exhausting, sometimes maddening, and momentarily supercool as it was before, but not getting picked from the field of 325 audience members (again) relegated my five-second sighting of Y&R’s Don Diamont walking across the Television City lot to be the day’s highlight. (Note to all of you who plan to one day attend TPIR: if you’ve never been treated like cattle for 13 hours straight before, has CBS got an opportunity for you!)
Anyway, onto Emmy day. I started the day at a frequent stop of mine both in Beverly Hills and Manhattan: the awesome Museum of Television and Radio, both of which count among their top highlights a massive archive of television programs old and new. For me, it’s almost always a chance to catch older episodes of soaps that I once loved or that currently have me under their spell. This trip, I loaded up on episodes of ATWT from 1998-2003, both prior to and during its Hogan Sheffer-led renaissance. I finally got to see footage of the pre-haircut Mark Collier (perhaps the most popular man at soaphunks.net these days), who during this era was a Mike Kasnoff who was pre-annoying and pre-hypocritical. But I digress...
So long I spent dilly-dallying at the MT&R that I was left with not enough time to head back to the hotel to change into my Emmy duds given the 24/7 L.A. traffic jam in all directions. I finally made it back and changed, and then I decided to take what I knew would be a lengthy Metro rail ride to the Kodak Theatre in order to avoid the traffic, but that sloooooooooooooow trek had me still somewhere on the Blue Line by the time the red carpet was emptying. I finally arrived about 40 minutes into the show, and the labyrinthine pathway to the actual entrance to the theatre proved elusive. Just as my friends and I were about to give up all hope, who should walk by but OLTL’s resident bad boy, John-Paul Lavoisier, who cheerfully provided us with directions when we asked. I also threw in that JPL was robbed of a nomination this year, which he was. He said (believably) that he didn't care. JPL’s also now officially known with me as being the Emmy Nomad, as last year he barely stayed in his Radio City seat which was a few rows ahead of mine, and here again this year I find him spelunking outside during the telecast once again. Ants in your pants, JPL?
So we finally make it inside to our ehhh second mezzanine seats. The Kodak is a nice venue, but quite a bit smaller than I expected. Even some of the stars were relegated to the very back of the orchestra level, where nobodies like me would have gotten to sit at Radio City.
It turns out that since ABC decided on a three-hour show this year, we really hadn’t missed that much…only the first three awards. So I’m very relieved at this point.
The largest soap contingents were obviously the L.A.-based ones, as Y&R got much more thunderous auditorium applause than they ever do in NYC. It seemed that almost everyone in the left orchestra section would be able to hum “Nadia’s Theme” in their sleep. Of course, GH had the loudest crowd among fans, as always, who seem to shriek no matter how good their show was in a given year. (I acknowledge GH is on the upswing these days, but I’m still not quite back on board.) I’m still an ATWT boy, thankyouverymuch.
The evening started to look like it was going to be all-GL-all-nite type of affair, with the first four acting winners all hailing from Springfield. I don’t often watch GL, but I’m happy for them…GL needs the potential ratings boost those wins may spur. Then my favorite among this year’s nominees, ATWT’s Jennifer Landon won and I had my one ATWT victory. You sooo deserved it, Jen. Then a fifth win for Tony Geary was certainly welcome, as he’s the one GH element who shines even when the show does not.
Two non-soap winners, though, tied for me in the category of Best Performance When Attempting to be Arrogant and Self-Congraulating. Best Game Show Host winner Alex Trebek ended his speech by thanking himself, which first looked like it was going to be the set-up for a self-effacing joke, but turned out to be genuine. Pomposity, thy name is Alex. Soon after, daytime dim bulb Tyra Banks showed up and prefaced her presentation of Outstanding Service Show Host by announcing the fact that The Tyra Banks Show “finally” won its first Emmy…for hairstyling. Tyra then proceeded to point at her own tresses as though she deserved a standing-o on the spot. (Then to make it worse, after declaring that she personally loved all of the nominees’ shows, she proceeded to mispronounce winner Suzy Orman’s name.)
So Outstanding Drama Series rolled around, and GH won again, breaking its own record with a ninth win. My friends and I left once that envelope was opened to get into star-gazing position, but I assume the GH producers acknowledged their ability to get it together for two episodes once again this year. (snark)
So we head out and it’s not five minutes before we run smack into OLTL’s David Fumero, who was puffing on a cigarette (yuck!) with co-star Melissa Gallo (Adriana, OLTL). He was very nice, posed for a picture, and then went back to polluting his lungs. I didn't have the courage to beg him to get a haircut.Anyways, then we found a great spot to stargaze from that few others had found yet. This was near the foot of the escalator that the stars would all have to use to go up to the afterparty, so we figured that most everyone would have to go by at some point. We were right...
Almost everyone was friendly and talkative as they made their way by, including:
- ATWT's Jesse Soffer, who seemed a bit distracted by the whole affair.
- ATWT's Zach Roerig, who was hilarious and--trust me--is even hotter in person, when the ATWT hair department hasn't gotten their hands on him yet;
AMC's Alec Musser, was friendly when we called out to him but otherwise looked kinda sad. The fact that his shirt was unbuttoned almost down to his abs made me kinda happy. :)- DAYS' Rhasaan Orange seemed a little surprised that we actually we knew his name, while a visibly imbibed Bryan Dattilo acted crazy right behind him. Aside from Peggy McCay, they were the only DAYS cast members who passed by us...few attended since DAYS got its annual (and let's face it, deserved) Emmy snub.
- GH's John J. York looked great as he went up, as did GL Younger Actor winner Tom Pelphrey; ATWT's Marie Wilson (who may just be the most beautiful woman in daytime); OLTL's Tuc Watkins, ATWT's Colleen Zenk-Pinter, Terri Colombino and about-to-return Paul Leyden, GH's Finola Hughes, Emma Samms and Tristan Rogers, AMC's Bobbie Eakes, Leven Rambin, and Thorsten Kaye, B&B's Schae Harrison (very, very friendly); and Y&R's Eileen Davidson.
- ATWT's Jon Hensley looked great in his tux and specs, though wife Kelley Menighan Hensley was nowhere to be found.
- Also spotted: ATWT's new Luke (Van Hansis) and old Luke (Jake Weary), GH's Rick Springfield, Corbin Bernsen, John Ingle and Stuart Damon, B&B's Ronn Moss, Hunter Tylo, and Lorenzo Lamas; OLTL's Robert S. Woods, Renee Elise Goldsberry (very sweet), Forbes March, Bree Williamson, and alum John Loprieno; AMC's Ian Buchanan (much shorter than I expected), Jeff Branson, and Michael B. Jordan; former GH and RH alum Ron Hale; Y&R's Peter Bergman, Tracey E. Bregman, Jess Walton, Joshua Morrow, Sharon Case, Jeanne Cooper, and Amelia Heinle; The View's Barbara Walters and Joy Behar; and B&B's Susan Flannery, who I learned the day before at TPIR drives a Mercedes with a personalized "B AND B" license plate.
- PASSIONS' John Reilly went by at least 10 times, as he apparently spent the evening looking for Sharon Wyatt, who had gone MIA.
- ATWT's Alexandra Chando, apparently attending with just-axed co-star Jordan Woolley, looked hot and much older (in a good way) than her teen-aged alter ego.
Luckily for us, some stars actually made their way over to talk to the fans, and we were right there at the front when they came over. Here's a run-down of those celebs:
B&B's droolicious Winsor Harmon came by and played Opposite Day by snapping pictures of us fans. He said he was helping with a "Behind the Scenes at the Emmys" feature for an upcoming issue of Soap Opera Digest, so I may be in there sometime soon. I'll keep a lookout and let you guys know.- OLTL's Kamar de los Reyes was among the very first stars to make his way over to the fans, and he graciously shook hands and posed for pictures.
GH's Jason Thompson, I must say, seemed a little annoyed with all the attention as he worked his way through our crowd (I think to go to the bathroom), but I'll give him a pass since he's new at all of this.- AMC's Cady McClain seemed oddly perplexed both times she came by us, and she's supposed to be an old pro at this type of thing by now. Still nice, just seemed flummoxed.
- Meredith Vieira certainly didn't act like a bazillion-dollar Today Show diva, as she warmly came over to do more than just shake hands; she actually seemed like she wanted to visit for a while. I mentioned to her that I had been a contestant with her on Millionaire three years ago, and when I told her that I thought she had been robbed of an Emmy that evening, she was very kind and friendly. She really is among the friendliest of celebrities I've ever met.
- GL's John Driscoll locked eyes with my friends and even though they are not GL watchers and didn't call out to him, he made a beeline to them and started handing out the hugs. The crowd loved him, and he was just crazysexycool all around...clearly GL's hottest man these days.
ATWT's Grayson McCouch, who is the Soap Star of Soap Stars for one of my friends, came over for a picture and a big hug and promptly made her day. Grayson has a great attitude about the whole Emmy process...he seems like he'd be more comfortable out hanging with us than stuck in the role of soap star. He cheerfully posed for pictures, too. A class act.- And yes, Y&R's Don Diamont was in attendance, but no, he didn't come by outside. DAMN IT!
posted by soapy at
Sunday, April 30, 2006
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