The Television Academy of Arts and Sciences plowed through 74 awards categories in 3 hours and 9 minutes on Saturday afternoon. If you’ll be watching it on TV – or even if you were in the Nokia Theatre – here are the moments you didn’t see — and won’t be in E!’s condensed telecast this Friday.
2:58 PM
Rushing in to the theater before the 3:00 start, the Academy’s house photographer asks Ryan Seacrest to pose with Kathy Griffin. Seacrest says “sure” and mockingly stands directly in front of his reality competitor, blocking her entirely.
3:27 PM
There’s a mass “sigh” as the room discovers that Betty White is not present to accept for “Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.”
3:34 PM
Costume design winners found out they had won before the
show and planned bold fashion statements for their acceptances. “Jimmy Kimmel Live’s” Rodney Munoz created a blazer with the Emmy statue in sequins, while “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance” costumer Soyon An embedded Christmas lights spelling out “Thank You” in to her dress. On second thought, these two will probably make it in to the show.
4:25 PM
Minutes after winning for “Outstanding Choreography”, “So You Think You Can Dance” personality Mia Michaels sits inside the closed and empty Katsuya at L.A. Live furious texting on her iPhone. The statue rides shotgun on the booth next to her.
4:52 PM
During a mass exodus to hit the lobby, a handful of TV agents from ICM and William Morris discover that the bars are alcohol-free. Instead, they take up neighboring tables at The Yard House in the L.A. Live complex and do not interact. Multiple winners in black tie stroll through the restaurant, creating an odd mix with the tourists and mall-crowd on a Saturday afternoon.
6:06 PM
The closing minutes of the show draw numerous big laughs in the room. The nomination video package for “Best Commercial” plays in fast forward, complete with “Tivo” sound effects. Conan O’Brien’s self-produced package for “Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Series” features his former writers’ names on a series of job applications for McDonalds, Wendy’s, and others.
6:12 PM
The sarcastic tone between category competitors Kathy Griffin and Ryan Seacrest continues. As Ryan Seacrest accepts the Emmy for “Outstanding Reality Program” for “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution”, he cites Oliver’s “courage.” In her seat, the defeated Griffin mutters “Courage? … really?” Griffin, who had been sitting with Kristin Chenoweth later says, “I need to get a gun and blow my f’in brains out.”
6:15PM
After the win minutes earlier, Seacrest watches Jeff Probst beat him for Reality Host from the wings on the side of the stage. Probst tells the crowd that he just arrived from the Nicaraguan set an hour earlier and is going back two hours later. Seacrest gives his 2008 Emmy co-host a bear hug as he exits the stage.
6:17 PM
As Ann-Margaret stands up from her second row seat to accept the last award of the show — Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (“Law & Order:SVU) — she gets momentarily flustered looking for her speech. The tiny, folded up piece of paper had fallen to the floor in the row behind her out of sight.
6:19 PM
That’s a wrap.
6:25 PM
Due to the high number of awards and multiple winners within categories, an unusually high proportion of winners creates a sea of gold moving towards the heavily stocked (and promoted) “Grey Goose” bars waiting across the sreet. Probst ditches his third trophy in his car before hitting the party. To beat the hot sun, organizers handed frosted “big size” bottles of SmartWater to every guest after the short walk.
6:52 PM
“Mad Men” meet Mustafa: On the way in to the Governor’s Ball, Jon Hamm and “Mad Men” Creator/Executive Producer Matthew Weiner pose for multiple photos with Isaiah Mustafa, the “Old Spice Guy."
8:37 PM
In a freak breach of industry party protocol, partygoers engage in full blooded dancing at the ball. Winners pack the circular tiered dance floor for the band’s rendition of Katy Perry’s “California Gurls." The dancing is still going strong at 10:30.
