Neither Prince nor Pink performed at the lavish HBO Emmy bash at the Pacific Design Center. They were busy at their respective gigs – the ET/People party at the Mondrian hotel and the TV Guide bash at Social Hollywood.
But some of the dancers gyrating to the pulse-pounding, percussion-heavy disco tunes (think “Jungle Boogey”) at the HBO Emmy bash were reportedly pros hired to get the party started.
And it worked. Aida Turturro, who plays Tony’s sister on “The Sopranos,” was the first to do a victory dance for HBO’s 26 Emmy wins. She also tried (unsuccessfully) to drag Olympic figure skater Sasha Cohen on the floor but the adorable Skater Girl was too busy doing HBO star-gazing.
And there were plenty of luminaries, honchos and Emmy winners to watch in the clear plexi-tented sprawling patio party, decorated with starfish squiggled carpets, pinky orange lights, bubbling water fountains and buffet tables piled high with beet salad, chicken, pork chops, spicy seafood, and dessert tables littered with tiny crème brulees and baby brownies.
A red-gowned Edie Falco was enthralled with a man performing sleight-of-hand magic tricks at the “Sopranos” table while Lorraine Bracco –in glittery gold - chatted with a pal from Miami, where the show has - and will continue to be – shooting. Stevie Van Zandt – not a bit surprised that “24” won big and pleased about “The Office” acclaim - chowed down at a table next to his jovial "Sopranos" co-starJames Gandolfini.
Warren Beatty looked engrossed in deep conversation with New York Times film writer Sharon Waxman while his “Mrs. Harris” Emmy nominated wife Annette Bening talked about her daughter’s fashion sense with a friend she’d not seen since Carrie Fisher’s birthday party.
A few folks looked up briefly when cameras flashed as Paris Hilton slithered by the “Sopranos” table, but they quickly went back to celebrating. Candy Spelling and her son Randy arrived together but quickly seemed to go their separate ways.
Lisa Kudrow didn’t get a gold statue but she still reveled in the validation from her nomination for “The Comeback.”
“It does feel sweet that we got three nominations and so much good press,” she admitted. As she thanked a People scribe for complimenting her black Valentino dress, Kudrow’s handsome French hubby Michel Stern piped in, “It is the back that is even more gorgeous. That is why I wanted her to get onstage, not to pick up that silly thing, but to show the gorgeous back!”
Okay, sweet. But no more Moet & Chandon pink bubbly for you.
“Ray” director Taylor Hackford congratulated an overwhelmed Kelly MacDonald ("The Girl in the Café”) while his Emmy-winner "Elizabeth" wife Helen Mirren, heavenly in a white chiffon Morgana Le Fay gown, hugged her Emmy-holding co-star Jeremy Irons. And it's not easy to hug when holding an Emmy. You could easily put someone's eye out with that sharp winged thing.
Across the room, HBO’s other Jeremy - Jeremy Piven - was literally holding court, his “Entourage” Emmy safely standing on his table. Wearing his now loosened up ascot, Piven was getting high fives, backslaps and hug-it-outs from Kevin Connolly and Nicky Hilton, Adrian Grenier, Perrey Reeves, friends and fans while his Emmy date – his exhausted mom – sat staring at her empty plate with her hands cupped over her ears.
There’s only so much disco a mom can take. Even for her Emmy-winning, ascot-wearing actor son.
The only person enjoying Piven’s win more than Piven was Ari Gold’s assistant Lloyd, played by Rex Lee. So is he worried about Piven’s ego explosion after getting a shot of Emmy gold?
“Oh, I don’t think so,” Lee confided. “And even if the worst thing happened and he got a big head and became insufferable, I could still – if I wanted to – avoid him when we weren’t working. But I get the best of him at work. He’s brilliant and kind-hearted and it’s a blessing to have such great onscreen chemistry.”
At midnight, the party was barely beginning to thin out. Exhausted Emmy host Conan O’Brien was outside talking with Megan Mullally, holding her Emmy and talking about her new talk show, natch. O’Brien’s wife had taken her high heels off and was teetering in her bare feet waiting for their car at the backed-up valet.
Grenier - without any entourage at all – ran down the street and hopped into a small car, probably to whisk over to a hotter party around town. But Lee ran outside to tell departing pals, “You go on. I’m staying here at HBO.”
Wise move, Lloyd.
Photo Credits:
Adrian Grenier's only faux pouting about Jeremy Piven's Emmy win at the HBO shindig. I think.
WireImage/John Sciulli
Lisa Kudrow arrives at HBO's bash with husband Michel Stern. And he's definitely watching her back!
WireImage/Mark Sullivan
Photo Credits: The queen and her consort - Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons - put their heads together at the HBO Emmy party
WireImage/John Sciulli
In response to my query about what the double finger salute from by the perpetually partying and late-to-the set actress Lindsay Lohan and her "I scowl, therefore I'm tough" DJ pal Samantha Ronson at the Entertainment Weekly pre Emmy party really meant...
