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Partyhopping with TV's Tops

By Scott Huver, Hollywood.com Staff

Perrey Reeves and Jeremy Piven

Wondering what went on at all the elite Emmy afterparties once the ceremony went off the air? Hollywood.com saved you the limo rental costs, stiletto pain and morning-after aches and hit them all (well, almost) to give you the inside scoop on the TV’s biggest night.

A Tony Time at the Emmy Governors Ball
The obligatory first stop on any post-Emmy party trek, is of course, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Governors Ball, held at the Shrine Auditorium where the ceremony took place. And by "obligatory" we mean, sure, the stars want to pay tribute to the gracious hosts of the Emmys, but also because after about half a day of being cinched, buttoned and squeezed into their finest formal wear, a blazing hot sojourn up the red carpet and three often nerve-wracking hours sitting through the show, everyone is definitely, desperately in need of a plate of food and especially a glass of vino (or three).

The Academy certainly delivered on the spread for the starving stars, with chef Joachim Splichal’s menu that included a first course of a tower of Mango and Dungeness crab with avocado, crisp lotus root, sweet ginger soy reduction, a mouth-watering entrée of beef filet mignon and red wine braised short rib, cippolini onions, marrow flan, potatoes fondante and asparagus, and a sumptuous dessert of milk chocolate mousse with champagne gelee and berries in a Dove dark chocolate cup and cherry vanilla cake.

Alec Baldwin

As the awesome assembly of TV’s elite chowed down--and believe us, if a bomb dropped on the Ball about all there’d be left to watch are movies and your friend’s videos on YouTube--in a massive but tres chic party space designed in black, white and grey (a nod to the color scheme of early TV?) amid flower arrangements of floating roses and calalillies, and of course several guests, like 30 Rock’s Tina Fey, provided a splash of color with the ultimate table-topper: their glittery golden Emmy statues.

The 30 Rock table prompted the most drive-by visits from fans of the show who happily and repeatedly brought up the fact that the Emmy should help the critically hailed but low-rated comedy stay on the air. Well, yes, that’s something to celebrate, too.

As Norman Roper’s Orchestra kicked out the tunes (everything from old standards to your latest iPod downloads) on a rotating dais at the center of the dance floor, it was a great time for the stars who hadn’t had a chance to chat earlier to kibbitz, compare notes on the outcome and coo over each other’s ensembles, like Kate Walsh leaning down to chat with her former Grey’s Anatomy co-star Ellen Pompeo and admiring Ellen’s dazzling Fred Leighton jewelry.

And while there was an abundance of Voss--the official water of the Emmys, we were told--most guests were looking to do more than just hydrate, with Aida Turturro’s intense search for the bar being a prime example. With a little direction Aida found it, discovering Kyra Sedgwick introducing herself there to people who despite being at the Emmys she may have assumed did not own a television, while Stephen Colbert ordered a cocktail for his wife.

Tony Bennett

Because of 30 Rock’s big win, guests might have thought star Alec Baldwin had plenty to sing about and took the stage doing one of his uncanny Tony Bennett impressions from Saturday Night Live--but on closer inspection Alec was at his table and it was Tony himself, fresh from his on-show duet with Christina Aguilera and seven Emmy victories for his musical special, crooning some of his more memorable tunes with band, including "I Left my Heart in San Francisco" and "Who Can Ask for Anything More."

But the stars did ask for something more: the way to the limo drop-off, so they could hit the next party!

ET/People and Duran Duran’s View to a Thrill
Easily the most anticipated after-affair of the evening was thrown by the two gold standards of entertainment info, Entertainment Tonight and People Magazine and not just for the stars to get their sound bytes in for some major p.r. value. The starry-eyed celebs were clamoring to get into the knockout live performance by pop legends Duran Duran, who by all accounts blew the roof off of downtown L.A.’s Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall (the stunning location itself was a major lure) with a nine-song set of their greatest hits.

Hayden Panettiere
Grey’s Anatomy heartthrobs Justin Chambers and Eric Dane looked on as their wives Keisha and Rebecca Gayheart danced with their co-star Sara Ramirez and swooned for sparkly shirted lead singer Simon LeBon as he sang "A View to a Kill." Newlywed Kate Walsh waved her arms in the air and snapped her fingers, dragging brand new hubby Alex Young closer and closer to the stage, perhaps hoping against hope that Simon would sweat on them. But the young Grey’s gang had nothing on the "old marrieds" Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy, who knocked everyone out with their high-energy, full-tilt boogie.

Another happy couple, Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott, watched the show from a queenly perch in a balcony high above the stage, befitting her status as Hollywood royalty. And when Tori ran into her old So NoTORIous co-star Zachary Quinto, the bizarrely bespectacled Zach introduced to his Heroes pal Masi Oka in a bit reminiscent of David Letterman’s classic "Uma-Oprah" moment: "Tori, Masi. Masi, Tori."

No one was more down with the Durans than Masi, who mouthed the words to every single one of their hits while twirling adorably around the dance floor with pixiesh Hayden Panetierre as Ali Larter and her man looked on approvingly.

Not everyone was craving the evening’s party-hearty vibe. Emmy host Ryan Seacrest found a private corner to decompress with a tall drink of water (that’s a real glass of H20, not a euphamism) while dreading the fact that he had to be back at his day job on the radio at sunup the next morning. "I can’t even THINK about it!" he lamented.

Ugly Betty was fashionably late--but also bummed--when America Ferrera showed up too late to catch the concert, but she consoled herself at the Godiva chocolate bar with her co-stars, including Vanessa Williams who showed up with--surprise, surprise--her apparently congenial ex, hoop star Rick Fox. Even without the aid of California community property laws, it seems Rick has nabbed himself a role on their show as well.

America Ferrera

A scarf wearing Jon Voigt trolled around with two sweet young things on his arm, Rainn Wilson wandered hand-in-hand with his wife, and Jennifer Love Hewitt slipped out of sight into a cozy corner with her man, Ross McCall. And the 30 Rock love continued to flourish: Jack McBrayer aka Kenneth the Page was cornered at the mashed potato bar as fans gushed and gushed over him (or maybe they were sneaky TV execs hoping to plumb Kenneth’s TV savant brain for more great game show idea like Gold Case.)

Tuning in to TV Guide
At first glance, it might have seemed more like a Grammy party than an Emmy bash: John Legend danced on the tables, Kanye West (fresh from a surprise appearance at Justin Timberlake’s concert earlier in the evening) surprised the crowd with a four-song set while never removing his sunglasses, Joey Fatone and Wayne Brady did a duet, and the "Band from TV" hit the stage in the wee hours at the TV Guide Emmy After Party held in a huge tent erected just outside the Les Deux nightclub in Hollywood.

Christopher Ivery and Ellen Pompeo

Early on in the Versailles-meets-Bordello fantasy space, faux Marie Antoinettes poured Perrier Jouet champagne while red-corset-and-black-hotpants-clad waitresses passed abysmal food catered by Dolce; later, Adrian Grenier joined one of the Marie Antoinettes on her birdcage swing as the Band from TV rocked out. That band featured Hugh Laurie, James Denton, Bonnie Somerville, and surprise guest singer Teri Hatcher, who ditched her long pink Badgley Mischka gown from the awards show for a lingerie-inspired mini-dress. Maybe she had advance warning that Bordello chic was the party's theme?

America Ferrera stayed in her cobalt blue jewel-toned Monique Lhuillier gown, adding the heavy gold Emmy Award as an accessory. "She made this dress for me," the Ugly Betty star said, "I love it, it feels really good." Rebecca Romijn, her co-star, also stayed in her show gown, a beaded pink "vintage Guy LaRoche." "It's heavy!" she giggled, arm-in-arm with handsome hubby Jerry O'Connell, canoodling like the newlyweds they are.

Like most of the biggest names, Sandra Oh arrived very late into the night and joined Ellen Pompeo on one of the numerous black leather couches spread around the stage, while a very pregnant Constance Zimmer (along with partner Russ Lamoureaux) settled into another. Also heading into the bash after midnight were Debra Messing (in Spring 2008 Ralph Lauren), Paris Hilton, Ryan Seacrest and his American Idol compatriots Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul. Kyra Sedgwick and hubby Kevin Bacon made the scene together, while Vanessa Williams and ex-husband Rick Fox mingled separately. No drama there!

The funniest famous face at the celebration was Dodger pitcher David Wells, who insisted that he was just "walking by" the party after having dinner at The Grill in Hollywood & Highland down the street. "I know one of the guys who is bartending," the massive hurler grinned. "But I can get into just about any party I want to. But who are these people?" He was casual in an Aloha shirt and jeans, but his teammate and fellow pitcher Brad Penny obviously got the dressy memo, for he turned up in a suit and tie.

Dressy was definitely the theme of the evening, as stars including Ali Larter, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Kevin Connolly, Melora Hardin, Eric Mabius, Maggie Grace, Olivia Wilde (wearing Zuhair Murad), Rebecca Gayheart, and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series winner Terry O'Quinn were dressed to the nines for the big night out.

Teri Hatcher

Ironically, even if you win multiple Emmys but are not one of the beautiful people, it's not the easiest thing to get into the post-show parties (despite the fact that about 1500 people passed through the TV Guide bash). Just ask Amazing Race executive producer Evan Weinstein, who clutched his fifth Emmy Award and surveyed the crowded scene.

"If I didn't have this thing in my hand, I'd never get into this party," he sighed. "They don't invite me!"

High Def but Not High Drama
The link-up was the West Hollywood Municipal Park for the inaugural Direct TV 100 HD Emmy Party. After walking down a pathway lit with the Direct TV logo (blue lights shining the logo on the sidewalk), guests reached the "HD Wall", an 18x66 foot entrance of flat screen TVs with synchronized video playing. Once inside, they mingled at cocktail tables, lounge on sofas or grab a bite or a drink at one of the bars or buffet tables munching mushroom bread pudding, rib eye sandwiches, tuna tartare trumpets and more food from chi-chi catering crew Along Came Mary.

Mary-Louise Parker

In the center of the party was an inflated 60 foot high inflated sphere of a hot air balloon, which included animated images and video inside and out. Inside the sphere, which included a rotating door, fable turntable titan DJ AM was busy spinning records for guests including Paris Hilton (when, oh when, will she get that much-deserved Emmy nomination from cruel, cruel Hollywood?), Frankie Muniz (who took a break from his thriving race car driving career to go back to the ol’ Emmy campus after "graduation"), once and future Spice Girl Melanie Brown, No Doubt’s Tony Kanal and the biggest Emmy star of the party, Dolce & Gabbana clad Mary-Louise Parker--at least we think MLP was inside. After being spotted on the red carpet she was definitely not in high-def within the party, as no one could locate her. The Weeds star had disappeared in a puff of smoke.

We also heard Andy Dick was in the house, but decided he was better left heard but not seen.

Okay, one big Emmy star sighting--check. Tuna tartare trumpets--check. Pose for photo with Paris Hilton--check. Collect free flat screen HDTV everyone has heard the party was giving out to guests as free swag--What? No free TV for the little people? We’re outta here!

Reality Check at Fox
The Fox network is known for their impressive stable of reality TV series, and they issued us a big-time reality check at the door: apparently we weren’t on the list. Fortunately Hollywood.com’s red carpet video crew made it in, so we resisted the urge to beg James Spader to loan us his Emmy to use as a Wonka Golden Pass or to stamp our foot in a huff and end up on TMZ, so we kept the party bus rolling--too many soirees, too little time!

Rachel Griffiths
The Sopranos Get Whacked at HBO’s Bash
With the big wins for The Sopranos final season, we walked into the HBO bash (just a skip across the street from Direct TV) into the Pacific Design Center hoping the place would be pimped out to look like Tony’s Bada-Bing bar, but there was no strip club chic to be found. Instead we found the goombahs Thai-ing one on in an exotic environment filled with furniture, textiles and art from Thailand’s Chiang Mai region, including elephant chairs, purple tenting, exotic garlands and orchids and a 28-foot-tall gold statue tent centerpiece that overshadowed even outsized James Gandolfini!

The north end of the party was the Jersey Boys’ ground zero, with Gandolfini holding court with Tony Sirico and Steve Buscemi at one table, series creator David Chase at another with his Emmy proudly displayed before him, and Michael Imperioli and Dominic Chianese heading up a third table. Aida Turturro, who found the bar more easily here, was the gadfly, never sitting and flitting from table to table.

Sudenly the DJ busted out Journey’s "Don’t Stop Believing" (enriched by accompanying Thai percussionist on a stage above the dance floor) prompting Aida to say "I think this was the big song at my prom" while Jamie-Lynn Sigler danced to the beat with Robert Iler, hugging him warmly. When the song suddenly cut out just as it did in the series’ final scene a large round of applause, hoots and shouts rattled through the party, and the DJ started the song over from the beginning.

"Robert and I loved Journey for so long, before it was even on the show," Jamie-Lynn told us, "and when they were saying it was going to be in the last episode we thought it was like a joke on us, because that was my ringtone for like years. I love that song!"

We watched John Schneider dirty dancing with his wife, and couldn’t decide if it was more disturbing to think Beau Duke or Pa Kent busting a lambada move, so we moved on to another end of the party where the Entourage team and, yes, each of their individual entourages assembled to pay tribute to Emmy winner Jeremy Piven, who single-handedly contributed more cigar smoke to the party than the entire Sopranos clan (when asked by fire marshals to step a few feet outside the tented bash to smoke, Piv simply moved to another area inside the party, assuming the privileges of the Emmy anointed.

Usually a place where stars tired of trekking from bash to bash usually park it for the night to relax and unwind, HBO’s party was much more of a drive-by experience this year. Comely Katherine Heigl was in and out in an instant, apparently unable to find us for the secret rendezvous we’d privately planned for after the Emmys (okay, I’d had more than a few glasses of Moet at this point, sue me), and others who popped in for mere moments included Queen Latifah, Tom Selleck, Heidi Klum and Seal, Rachel Griffiths and Sally Field, who dispatched her publicist to grab a drink at the bar after hearing way too many questions about the bleeped moment during the ceremony.

Jamie-Lynn Sigler

If Sally didn’t want to get political, she came to the wrong place. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaragosa was in the house glad-handing like he was on the campaign trail, and Al and Tipper Gore dined quietly among a throng of Secret Service agents (or were they FBI, keeping tabs on the Sopranos?). The former vice president (and Emmy and Oscar winner) was over the moon when he was greeted by astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon--perhaps the view from space offered a special perspective on the global warming issue.

Dame Helen Mirren (who like Gore pulled off the remarkable Oscar-Emmy twofer this year) and her husband, director Taylor Hackford, sat at the first table by the door, Taylor often affectionately stroking his wife’s shoulders and arms while she deep in conversation with her fellow Emmy victor America Ferrera.

Hayden Panettiere, who’d changed into a short, pale blue sack-like dress since the Emmy ceremony scampered purposefully through the party with a gal pal, then exited, returning a few minutes later with her Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia. Looking more couple-y than they’ve cared to admit publicly so far, Milo kept a guiding hand near Hayden’s back and waist at all times as they intercepted America to wish her well on her way out the door while the Hackfords ventured to the valet stand with Helen carrying her "stripper shoes," thick clear Lucite heels that, yes, would’ve been at home at the Bing.

The view from the dance floor definitely improved since the John Schiender debacle: Big Love’s little hottie Ginnifer Goodwin was shaking her groove thang in a teeny, tiny crimson number that was barely holding on for dear life, and many wives scolded their husbands for looking at Ginnifer and musing that pologamy might be the way to go. Taking a tip from the great actress Dame Helen, the starlet clutched her stilettos in her hand as she rocked out.

Sally Field

Apparently Larry David could curb his enthusiasm for Emmy after parties--the entire cast of his show were notable no-shows, and Sopranos matriarch Edie Falco was nowhere to be seen. Let’s hope no one pulled an Adriana on her!

--Additional reporting by Jenny Peters and Emily Christianson

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