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Dish Of Salt: From The Red Carpet!
By Laura Saltman, AccessHollywood.com red carpet correspondent
(Pictured Left: Access Hollywood's Nancy O'Dell arrives at the Academy Awards)
5:45 - I'm freezing and while I would have loved to snap some photos on the red carpet. I'm too cold to take off my wrap. So I head back to the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel to change, not before snapping a photo by the pool, then it's time to head for the Vanity Fair party.
5:30 - I thank Beyonce for being so gracious to stop and talk to everyone unlike the others who think they are too big to have to talk to everyone. Are you listening Jennifer Hudson? In fact, even Anika Noni Rose's publicist blew us off. These girls should take a lesson from Beyonce. Big props to Will Smith and Jennifer Lopez on this as well. They talked to everyone tonight.
5:20 - More blowoffs including Eddie Murphy, Nicole Kidman, Queen Latifah, Martin Scorcese, Forest Whitaker and a few others.
5:15 - Helen Mirren tells me she will be careful not to fall ass over t@!#* again like she did at another awards show.
5:00 - Jada Pinkett Smith looks great in a mustard colored dress. She has worn this color before and tells me it’s because with her skin tone she loves warm colors. Her son Jayden is completely bored playing with a Rubik’s Cube. He tells me he thinks his mom looks like a gold statue. Jada tells me Jayden has a date with Sarah Michelle Gellar at the Vanity Fair party. Later Will Smith tells me all about Jayden’s crush on Buffy.
4:50 - So while I'm grateful to have a spot here on the carpet it’s completely frustrating. So far the folks on my side of the carpet have been blown off by Penelope Cruz, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Celine Dion, Jodie Foster, Naomi Watts, Jennifer Hudson and lots more.
Here's how it goes. The publicists pull their clients away from the press by bringing them to the middle of the carpet. I feel for the folks who are not on the national entertainment shows who have to deal with being blown off every single red carpet. I'd go insane. Thank goodness for Access Hollywood!
Oh, and also let me mention that while the publicists blow off the media they always make sure to bring their clients past the still photographers. Can't miss the chance to show off their free dresses and jewels.
4:44 - Now I've got this Japanese journalist who nearly fell over himself to get to Ken Watanabe sneaking into my spot. Hello!!!
4:05 - Right now I'm fighting with the folks from Telemundo over space. They have three reporters in one space and I'm getting yelled at for taking up too much space. Es muy loco!!
4:00 - Speaking of stepping on trains. Michael Buble steps on Jodie Foster's. She looks pissed. Later Jennifer Lopez tells me the secret to having people not step on you is to remember to keep looking down.
3:52 - Al Gore tells me he won't be running for President. Apparently rumors were out he might announce it if his film won tonight. Instead he says he will keep campaigning to save the environment. He also tells me he stepped on his wife's train tonight and nearly tripped her.
3:47 - The producers in my ear are discussing Cameron Diaz's dress calling it a miss, with one person saying she looks "like an '80s bride." A couple minutes later I catch a glimpse. It looks like she pulled the drapes down and made a dress out of them.
3:42 - Jennifer Hudson is brought down the red carpet from the back. I can't see the front of her dress but as she waves to fans in the bleachers I'm a little scared of the metallic jacket she is wearing.
3:39 - Larry David and his wife tell me they arrived here in an eco-friendly hybrid car. They were right behind Al Gore in his hybrid car. Larry’s wife tells me she bought her dress at J Mendel at Neiman Marcus. They have her a discount and Larry jokes, "yes because rich people are the ones who need discounts."
3:20 - Portia de Rossi, girlfriend of Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres arrives. Between the IFB earpiece I have in my ear listening to our producers relay information on who is arriving, as well as Telemundo reporters speaking Spanish next to me... my brain is fried already.
3:19 - Gael Garcia Bernal is the first recognizable name to arrive on the red carpet.
3:00 - Wolfgang Puck comes out and talks about what's on the menu at the Governors Ball. This is making me hungry. He throws out chocolate Oscars to the fans in the stands. Now I'm salivating.
2:47 - By far the most random thing I have ever seen is happening on the red carpet. Acrobats are performing some very strange moves down the carpet in front of the press. Three 6 Mafia, who are the special correspondents for BET, are yelling out rude comments trying to get them to laugh.
2:31 - Melissa Rivers comes walking by. She and her mom are armed and ready to nitpick the stars' fashion choices. So with that in mind I'd like to say that Melissa's jet black hair is way too dark. 2:10 - Just said hello to Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet. He apologizes for making my boyfriend work later today at the radio station. I ask him for some vacation time to which he replies "for the engagement?" Hmm.... does Ryan know something I don't?
2:04 - Just arrived at the red carpet. I'm wearing a very tight fitting ivory colored dress. So breathing is tough. Oh, the things we will do for beauty. I'm hoping to not have any major wardrobe malfunctions here. I was also hoping no one would make jokes about this looking like a wedding dress. They did. I've already had someone sing me the wedding march. This is my eighth time covering the Academy Awards. However, it's my very first time with my own spot where I'll get to interview the stars. Normally I'm just hanging back checking all the action out. Last night I actually had to study the nominees list.
Where was Brad Pitt? It is the Oscars. Babel was great, but why not be there to represent? Bad Move !