August 2009 Archives

Temperatures outside of the Orpheum Theater, where the Daytime Emmys took place over the weekend, reached 106 degrees!!!! But inside the stars stayed cool at the Daytime Emmy Gift Lounge with some very hot products. On 3 Productions invited presenters and nominees to shop the gift lounge during rehearsals for the show.

I stopped by just in time to chat with the show's host Vanessa Williams and "Dancing With the Stars" alum Gilles Marini after they rehearsed their big dance number together. Gilles was heading straight to the Starbucks ice cream counter to scoop himself some Java Chip despite telling me he had to lose six pounds fast for an upcoming love scene he'll be shooting with Rachel Griffiths on ABC's "Brothers and Sisters"! Gilles will be playing Sarah Walker's love interest, as well as having a guest spot on the new season of "Nip/Tuck" as a villain (which he told me is unlike anything he has ever played.)

Now, I get to do fun things almost every day at Access Hollywood but even I was excited when this information came across my desk! The TV Academy Foundation is celebrating this Emmy season with their 2nd annual online auction of some pretty incredible stuff. Fans can bid via eBay www.ebay.com/emmysfoundation on the following items:

A visit to the set for two to the set of the brand new "Melrose Place" which premieres September 8 on CW. I've been to their set recently and let me tell you, walking onto the courtyard set (pictured left, with me in the center!) and seeing the famous swimming pool is quite the experience.

Most little sisters want to be like their big sisters and Noah Cyrus is no exception. The nine-year-old sibling of pop superstar Miley Cyrus is set to tackle the entertainment world too. Noah's first big showbiz gig came doing a voice for the animated film "Ponyo," which recently hit theaters. Now she's starting up a new venture.

Noah and her friend Emily Grace Reaves ("The Hannah Montana Movie") will be heading out on tour with big sis Miley this fall and filming it all for a new Web show called "The Noie and Em Show." They've already begun posting videos on YouTube. Once they go on tour the backstage and behind-the-bus-tour web-isodes will be part of Miley World, her sister's popular fan Web site.

Set your DVR's people. I'm about to embarrass myself once again as I recently took on another acting gig. This time I was asked to play a reporter on CBS's number one daytime drama: "The Young & The Restless."

Back in February, I tackled my first ever acting role playing a patient on ABC's "General Hospital." For that one I had to be glammed down, wear a big bulky robe and sit in a wheel chair with a head injury. This time I was hoping for something a little more glamorous. So, I was thrilled when they asked me to play Sonia Wells, a reporter with the National Inquisitor. I try to stay away from all that tabloid stuff so it was a bit of a stretch for me to play a sleuthy chick whose only goal is to dig up dirt on Genoa City's most famous couple, Nicholas and Phyllis Newman. Here's how the day went down.

I arrived to CBS studios where the show's super sweet and friendly publicist greeted me. She let me borrow Melody Thomas Scott's dressing room. It was right across the way from "The Price Is Right" studio, which I desperately wanted to sneak into! Melody's dressing room was huge and very shabby chic with magazine covers she has been on all over the walls. I have never seen so many. She's been on a lot of covers!  First up we went to the stage where we did camera blocking with the director. I met Joshua Morrow and Michelle Stafford who were in the scene with me (or shall I say, I was in the scene with them) and they were already made up and ready to go. I was still in jeans with messy hair and no makeup. When I remarked how scary I looked Michelle joked, "No you're a piece of ass! You're hot!" I liked these actors already. 

"So You Think You Can Dance" just wrapped up its fifth season and sooner than you can get Mary Murphy's ear piercing screams out of your head, it will be back. SYTYCD is moving to the Fall. It's an experiment FOX is hoping will pay off in ratings gold. The good news, if you are a fan, is that you don't have to wait long for more fantastic dancing. The bad news is that if the show performs well they most likely will not do a summer run next year.

Personally, I think SYTYCD has been a fantastic summer distraction and a reason to stay indoors. However, I'm thrilled for them to finally show those "Dancing With the Stars" celebrities what dancing is really all about. The two shows will go head to head on Tuesday nights this fall.

On Friday afternoon I was invited to a photo shoot with the judges -- Mary, Nigel Lythgoe and host Cat Deeley. We discussed what changes might be coming for the show, how they feel about the direct competition with DWTS and where Nigel stands with Paula Abdul joining the show.