September 2009 Archives

1 week down, 9 to go!
 
What a crazy week it was. The nerves backstage were out of control. 
 
It's so funny how every different human handles high-pressure situations. Debi and Kelly and I like to have nervous chatter while Kathy and Natalie really like to focus and stay calm it seems. Even the pros each handle it a little different. Derek gets silly while Mark gets very internal and serious.
 
It was such a thrill to survive week one. I feel so proud of myself for going out there and getting through both routines without missing a step. There is such a huge level of expectation from the audience but also from you. In all my rehearsals on stage or in front of people I could not stop the uncontrollable shaking from the adrenaline my body was over producing.

But as the scary announcer man said my name and I knew it was show time, my body became relaxed and I was able to dance like never before. As we got into our hold for the middle of the dance and did our natural waltz steps all around the floor I could feel my costume whipping around from our movement and it felt like I was floating on air. INCREDIBLE FEELING!

With Beatlemania at it's highest peak since the Fab 4 first invaded America on February 7, 1964, thanks to the release of "The Beatles Rockband" and the long-awaited remastered CDs, it's hard to believe it's been almost 40 years since the act you've known for all these years called it a day.
 
Many fans (and even most non-fans) still blame Yoko Ono for the breakup of The Beatles, even though there were many reasons why they couldn't, y'know, work it out.  But the Yoko issue has been set in stone, along with the fact that Yoko and Paul -- two of John Lennon's biggest loves -- spent many years bickering, while their relationship over the last decade, while cordial, has been tense.
 
It was shocking -- in a pleasant way -- to hear that Yoko actually gave Paul some credit for a change, even if it was a backhanded compliment, when she admitted that The Beatles could not have existed without Paul.
 
It is true that John created The Beatles, and he was definitely considered to be the de-facto leader in the group's early mop top days. In their first-ever recorded interview for radio, which was done a mere six weeks after "Love Me Do" was released in September 1962, Paul says that "John is, in fact, the leader of the group."
 
But three things happened to change that balance of power...
 
1) After The Beatles stopped touring, John was miserable living in the suburbs with his family, while Paul was still single and took advantage of his freedom to engage in the Swinging London art scene -- that gave him the confidence to exert his influence over the group, which ultimately resulted in more groundbreaking fare like Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
 
2) John was more affected by the drugs The Beatles were experimenting with, which was another reason why Paul stepped forward.
 
3) When The Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, died, somebody had to lead the group, and for a while, that somebody was Paul.
 
OK, I'm done.

All over town leading up to Emmy night the stars were hitting up gifting suites to get in on the latest and greatest products from shoes to jewelry, clothes, skin care products and more. I spent Friday and Saturday doing a little lounge hopping and nowhere was more star-studded than the Lipton VitaliTea Gift Lounge produced by On 3 Productions. That's because while other lounges hold their events off site, this lounge was right downstairs, inside of the Nokia Theater -- the one place where all the nominees and presenters were sure to be.

 

I arrived on Saturday to find Jennifer Love Hewitt, looking lovely in a long black sundress, with her boyfriend Jamie Kennedy by her side, just finishing up making the rounds through the lounge. All the weekly magazines had their microphones out trying to get the scoop on their romance. They seem like a cute couple to me and at Comic Con in July Jamie said a proposal is definitely not out of the question for them. He joked Access Hollywood would be the second to know (besides J-Love) when he did pop the question.

 

Now, for every celeb that stopped by the lounge Lipton Green Tea made a donation to the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates - http://www.nationalcasa.org/). All they had to do was compete in a little challenge - a blind-fold taste test of their green teas and a virtual basketball game. J-Love and Jamie were in the lead with 17 points but they doubled up their points I heard. That's cheating! I apparently scored more points than J-Love did on her own. Take that Jennifer Love Hewitt! In the end it was "Gossip Girl" Blake Lively who won the competition. 

By Melissa Joan Hart

Tonight is THE night! Nerves are flying all around as tension mounts. I'm sitting in the trailer having my hair done with Kathy, Kelly and Karina in the chairs around me. Everyone seems very excited but also a little like "Deer in Headlights." Now that the Emmys are over, all focus here is on tonight and tomorrow for the beginning of our amazing adventure. Tonight the men will dance and the ladies will chill but then Tuesday we switch. All I want is to be able to be calm and enjoy this time while it lasts.

Surprisingly for me, I'm calmer than I thought but I truly think the human body can only handle a high level of adrenaline for a small amount of time. Every time I think about stepping foot on that stage my belly flutters and my hands shake.

I am taking comfort in all the love that has been passed on to mefrom every angle; not only friends and family but from all of the Twitterverse as well! It's amazing the support I have felt and the excitement I see and hear in people around me. I'm also taking comfort in the sheer joy of the moment and the amazingly talented people in this competition. We are all starting to bond over the experience.

12:35 - And that's a wrap on Emmy's '09

 

12:15 - The stunning Mariska Hargitay arrives and is immediately accosted by Andre Leon Talley for a photo. At the same time Chevy Chase sneaks out of the party.

 

11:51 - Jane Krakowski arrives and chats with Kathy Griffin.

 

11:50 - Twilight hottie Kellan Lutz arrives to the HBO party. He's yummy.

 

11:00 - Nia Vardalos steps on my train. She apologizes and I tell her, "Nia Vardalos you can step on my train any day."

 

10:30 - AnnaLynne McCord hits the dance floor with her look-a-like sisters. She's wearing a very, very short dress where you can almost see her lady parts!

 

10:16 - All at once I spot Anne Heche, Kate Walsh, Gabriel Byrne, Chevy Chase and an entire table of "True Blood" cast members enjoying the festivities.

 

10:00 - Arrive to the party and walk the red carpet only to be outshined when Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick arrive moments later. I wind up sitting and grabbing some food and they are at the table next to me.

 

9:25 - The driver picks me up and cracks me up with hysterical stories about when he drove Barbara Streisand, Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson on various assignments. Juicy stuff that I shall respectively keep to myself.

8:45 - Hair and makeup touchups and then its off to the HBO party!

 

8:06 - Toni Collette comes into the gift lounge clutching her Emmy trophy. Kevin Dillon comes in with his gal at the same time. Vanessa Williams comes in with I think the actor who plays Adrian's dad on "Secret Life Of The American Teenager." Her new beau?

 

8:00 - Mary-Louise Parker from "Weeds" hits the gift lounge. Love her! Their season finale this year was brilliant.

 

7:18 - I spot Chris O'Donnell backstage getting ready to go onstage.

 

7:15 - Back at the theater door where celebs are gathered I see Jim Parsons. I tell him how sad I am he lost and he said, "That's OK we have other years." I tell him it was obviously the hex Alec Baldwin put on him. He agrees!

 

7:00 - I walk back upstairs only to pass Kevin Dillon again. I see Maksim Chmerkovsky in a tuxedo and tell him I like the look he had earlier (no shirt). He says he likes that look better too. I head outside to get some cell service. A fashion expert from that other show tells me I look like a movie star! So sweet. A few minutes later Christina Applegate leaves the theater. Some fans ask for a photo and she obliges.

 

6:45 - Kristen Chenowith comes into the gift lounge. She's not feeling well and complains of a migraine headache. She sits for awhile and then paramedics come to check on her.

 

6:29 - OK, random Emmy moment of the decade. I just walked by Maksim Chmerkovsky's dressing room. He was sitting there shirtless staring at himself in the mirror! I popped in to say hello and stole a carrot from his vegetable plate.

 

6:00 - I arrive at the Lipton VitaliTea Gift Lounge backstage where "Dexter's" Michael Hall and Jennifer Carpenter are shopping. Charlie Sheen comes in with his wife and the four chat together for a few minutes before they shop. His wife Brooke seems to do most of the shopping while Charlie hangs back.

 

5:50 - So the best place to hang out is apparently the stage left door. While waiting for a commercial break so they can head back to their seats I spot Drew Barrymore hanging out with her beau, Justin Long. Long then chats with Olivia Wilde from "House." Sally Field is deep in conversation with Shirley MacLean. "'Mad Men's' Jon Slattery waits for his wife who is in the bathroom. Rob Lowe comes over to shake his hand and says to him "you're killing it!" Jason Segal grabs a drink and when he returns he says hello to Fred Armisen and meets his fiancé, "Mad Men's" Elizabeth Moss. Amy Poehler shares her husband Will Arnett's water. Jon Hamm also shares a water with his girlfriend Jennifer Westfelt. They are so cute together. Despite being together over ten years they still seem so in love and hold hands the whole time as they chat with Will. Kiefer Sutherland arrives just in time for the doors to finally open.

 

5:45 - I head down to the backstage area and Kevin Dillon and Kevin Connelly walk by me followed by Jamie-Lynn Sigler and her boyfriend Jerry Fererra.

 

5:03 - Finally got to my seat inside the show. Last year I was sitting behind the cast of "Saturday Night Live." This year I'm sitting with the seat fillers in the back. I decide to ditch after Jim Parson loses to Alec Baldwin. Noooooo!!!! Must have been the hex Alec put on him worked.

4:48 - My interview with Randy Jackson gets interrupted when he spots our executive producer Rob Silverstein who he proceeds to interview. Gotta head into the show now!  

4:32 - Kim Kardashian says to press, "I'm not doing any interviews tonight." OK well, then why did you come to the Emmy red carpet?

4:30 - Blake Lively looks simply stunning in a red Versace gown. She says she picked it because she thought it was young and modern and loved the color.

4:20 - After I tell John Krasinski he should gain sympathy weight to go along with Pam's pregnancy he says he's glad I'm not writing for the show.

4:15 - Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a stunning Vera Wang dress jokes that she botoxed her whole body so she would not sweat today.

4:00 - Tina Fey and Jane Krakowski did their dress fittings across from each other for today. So they knew what each other was wearing. Tina says she has a knife hidden under her dress in case anyone pulls a Kanye on her.

3:48 - Karina Smirnoff says there will be no fighting on stage with her ex-fiance Maksim Chmerykovsky. They are professionals and will be just fine.  

3:45 - Jamie Lynn Sigler fills me in on her role on "Ugly Betty." She says she sports a mohawk in the show!

Just two days until the Emmy Awards and this year I've decided to throw my hat in the Emmy prediction ring. After all, I am a TV Expert. So, why leave it up to others to decide what the purveyors of TV taste will want to honor? I've chosen the 'probable winner' as well as the 'wanna be' winner - which is my own special combination of who I think should get the award, who is the dark horse or who is more deserving.

 

Best Series, Drama

 

"Big Love"

"Breaking Bad"

"Damages"

"Dexter"

"House"

"Lost"

"Mad Men"

 

Winner:  "Mad Men"

There is pretty much no competition here. "Mad Men" won this last year and will again this year due to the combination of the terrific writing and stellar acting (which captures older voters) and the hip period noir vibe (which catches the younger voters). 

 

Wanna Be:  "Lost"

There is no other show on TV like this one (well, until "Flash Forward" starts next week). As we inch closer to knowing what this show is all about it just keeps getting better and better. Unfortunately, you have to be a faithful week-to-week watcher to "get" this show and many voters are not.

 

Best Series, Comedy

 

"30 Rock"

"Entourage"

"Family Guy"

"Flight Of The Conchords"

"How I Met Your Mother"

"The Office"

"Weeds"

 

Winner:  "30 Rock"

It's the best written and most consistently funny comedy on TV hands down.

 

Wanna Be:  Tie: "How I Met Your Mother," "The Office"

Why it has taken voters four seasons to find out what a gem "HIMYM" is I don't understand. I'd love to see it pull an upset but I just don't see the traditional four-camera comedy taking this category. On the flip side, "The Office" had one of its best seasons with Michael falling in love with Holly Flax (guest star, Amy Ryan)

 

Best Actor, Drama

 

Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"

Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"

Hugh Laurie, "House"

Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment"

Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"

Simon Baker, "The Mentalist"

 

Winner:  Jon Hamm

Probably one of the tougher categories to predict - All these men have fantastic material this season but it just seems like Hamm is overdue for a win here especially after the Bryan Cranston shocker last year.

 

Wanna Be:  Simon Baker

Simon's certainly a dark horse here but the telecast is on CBS this year and he was on the number one new show of last season. It could happen.

 

Best Actor, Comedy

 

Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"

Tony Shaloub, "Monk"

Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"

Jermaine Clement, "Flight Of The Conchords"

Steve Carell, "The Office"

Charlie Sheen, "Two And A Half Men"

 

Winner: Jim Parsons

Hopefully the good luck charm I gave him last week comes through for him. Although I don't think he needs it. Parsons turn as nerdy scientist Sheldon Cooper is so spot on that the industry could not help but take notice. Going up against Hollywood heavyweights Baldwin, Sheen and Carell could prove tricky but almost everyone is predicting a surprise here for Parsons. 

 

Wanna Be: Alec Baldwin

He's just so good on "30 Rock" but he did win last year and the voters sure do love them some "30 Rock"

 

Best Actress, Drama

Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"

Glenn Close, "Damages"

Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: SVU"

Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"

Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

Sally Field, "Brothers and Sisters"

 

Winner:  Glenn Close

OK, I'm just gonna say it. This category won't even be... Close. She's just that good.

 

Wanna Be:  Elisabeth Moss

Moss submitted the episode where she tells Pete about the baby, certainly her best work to date on the series. Unfortunately, it won't be enough to knock off Close but there is always next year and so far season three is looking good for Peggy Olson.

 

Best Actress, Comedy

Tina Fey, "30 Rock"

Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who"

Toni Collette, "United States of Tara"

Julia Louis Dreyfus, "The New Adventures Of Old Christine"

Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"

Sarah Silverman, "Sarah Silverman Project"

 

Winner:  Tina Fey

Another surefire win for Fey who took the trophy last year as well as one for her Sarah Palin impressions on "Saturday Night Live" at last weekend's Creative Emmy Awards

 

Wanna Be:  Mary-Louise Parker

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Oh wait she was a bride this season on "Weeds" but when it comes to being an Emmy bride, Parker just can't seem to make it all the way down the aisle.

 

Best Supporting Actor, Drama

William Shatner, "Boston Legal"

Christian Clemenson, "Boston Legal"

Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"

Michael Emerson, "Lost"

Jon Slattery, "Mad Men"

William Hurt, "Damages"

 

Winner:  Aaron Paul

Certainly the toughest category to call but I feel like every year a relatively unknown name bests the biggies and I think Paul's turn as a drug dealing drop-out could be the one. 

 

Wanna Be:  William Shatner

It's his last year to win in this category and voters may feel obliged to let cranky Denny Crane finally have his moment.

 

Best Supporting Actress, Drama

Cherry Jones, "24"

Rose Byrne, "Damages"

Hope Davis, "In Treatment"

Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"

Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy"

Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment"

 

Winner:  "Cherry Jones"

Another tough category to call but Cherry Jones as a tough as nails female president on "24" was certainly the stand out this year.

 

Wanna Be:  Chandra Wilson

The "Grey's" cast is going through some tough times behind the scenes and I think voters may choose to steer clear no matter how deserving Wilson might be, or that she is not among that fray.

 

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy

Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"

Rainn Wilson, "The Office"

Jack MacBrayer, "30 Rock"

Jon Cryer, "Two And A Half Men"

Kevin Dillon, "Entourage"

Tracy Morgan, "30 Rock"

 

Winner:  Neil Patrick Harris

Barney Stinson will win and it will be, wait for it.... Legen-dary!

 

Wanna Be:  Kevin Dillon

I'd love to see Drama cause some well, drama in this category and pull an upset. It would just make Ari Gold so darn mad!

 

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy

Kristen Chenowith, "Pushing Daisies"

Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live"

Amy Poehler, "Saturday Night Live"

Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"

Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty"

Elizabeth Perkins, "Weeds"

 

Winner:  Amy Poehler

An interesting mix of women in this category but Poehler takes the cake when it comes to the funny.

Wanna Be:  Jane Krakowski

No one plays clueless better than Krakowski and the fact that "Parks and Recreation" lacks any buzz could ultimately knock Poehler out.

By Melissa Joan Hart

The countdown has begun!! Nervous is one way to describe this final week of practice before we head into the ring to see what we are made of. It's really going to be a spectacular event when you think about the diversity of the competitors this season. The athletes are used to rigorous training and body conditioning while the singers and musicians have rhythm on their side.

We have a martial arts expert as well as a bada*s republican. We have some competitors that are used to performing well live; some under intense pressure; and some that aren't afraid of a camera. But none of us are natural at all of the above. Not one person in this competition has ever had to be completely out of their comfort zone on such an intense level.
 
While all of us are great at what we do, this ballroom is uncharted territory. But we are all in it together. And while each one of us wants to take home that mirror ball trophy, and we will fight tooth and nail to do it, we all have to take that first step on the dance floor next week and shake a tail feather to see who is the best.
 
Next week is going to be riddled with emotion, conflict, nerves and excitement as we begin this adventure together as a team and get knocked off one by one each week. I can only imagine the terror that will fill my heart next week as I take the floor. So for now my goal in this challenge has changed, instead of making it far enough to dance a Paso Doble, today my wish is not to get thrown out of the game first.
 
To keep up with "What's Happening" find me at twitter.com/MellyJHart... This is Melissa Joan Hart and I approve this message. 
 

Yesterday I had one of the most fun shoots ever. I don't think I stopped laughing for one second. We took first time Emmy nominee Jim Parsons from CBS's "The Big Bang Theory" on a little adventure. The show shoots on the Warner Brothers lot where they give daily VIP tram tours. You get to go on the lot and see the places where "ER", "Gilmore Girls", "The Adventures Of Lois and Clark" and many other shows and movies were filmed. You would think an actor working on the lot would have seen this stuff by now, but it turns out they work so much inside their soundstages they typically haven't ventured around the lot much.

 

So, Jim and I hopped on a tram tour with our tour guide Daniel. Just before leaving I presented Jim with an Emmy good luck charm, a little tiny stuffed monkey which I presented by saying, "don't monkey around... you better win an Emmy!" He loved it and we nicknamed him Shelly (after Jim's character Sheldon Cooper). I told Jim he should have the wardrobe department whip up a little tuxedo for Shelly and bring him along to the red carpet.

 

Our first stop was the town hall where they filmed the original Batman TV series with Adam West and Burt Ward. We ran up the stairs and then did a fake TV fight so later when we air the segment I can add in the infamous graphics they used to always use on the show with words like "Pow!" and "Kabaam." Then, we found out that Frank Sinatra had filmed on the stairs as well and Jim did a little dance maneuver on the staircase. He's pretty darn light on his feet. Who knew!? 

By Melissa Joan Hart

 

Some of you may have heard about this little show called "Dancing With the Stars." As a cast member of the ninth season, I have to admit I didn't realize what a huge phenom this show had become.

 

The excitement I see on peoples' faces can only mimic those of kids walking into Disneyworld for the first time. I feel that I have two very big tasks ahead of me during this time.

 

First is to soak up all the dancing time possible and build myself an arsenal of moves to pull out during competition. The second is to become a politician and secure votes since my fate lies in the hands of the public fifty percent of the time.

If you don't watch "Glee" tonight I might quit the entertainment business.
 
If enough people don't tune in and then FOX is forced to cancel, I'll be so angry I don't think I'll be able to do my job anymore.
 
You see I need this show in my life. All these non-stop reality shows have warped my brain. I'm starting to think that like "The Bachelorette," I can find true love and get engaged in six weeks. Like "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," I can gossip and gripe about my friends behind their backs and they'll still be my girls. Like "The Hills," I can get on a reality show and all of a sudden get invited to cool parties and have people send me free clothes. As the former infomercial pitchwoman Susan Powter used to say -- "Stop The Insanity!"
 
I ache for a good, lighthearted, fun scripted show and then along came "Glee."

Whoo hoo!  That's how I feel about this week.

 

After a wild summer wrap up weekend in Vegas I'm ready for the start of the fall and all my favorite TV shows... plus, a few new ones! This week we get TV for the younger generation as "Glee," "Vampire Diaries" and "Melrose Place" kick-off while "So You Think You Can Dance" premieres their first ever fall run.

 

"Glee" is by far my favorite new show this year. We all got a chance to view the pilot back in May after the "American Idol" finale and I can promise you it only gets better from there. Episode two premieres tomorrow night and tonight is the big red carpet premiere party. I'll have video of that for you tomorrow. If you haven't see the show I like to describe it as "High School Musical" meets "Not Another Teen Movie." It doesn't take itself too seriously. It's quirky and funny and mean but with a heart (if that makes sense). Bravo to creator Ryan Murphy ("Nip/Tuck") for this refreshing show. It's also got a fantastic young cast whose lives could be changed forever if the show is a hit.

The very first time I ever went to a set I was a senior in college. I was interning at KYW in Philadelphia with a lady named Trudy Haynes. We went to the set of "Money For Nothing," starring John Cusack, which happened to be filming in town. Trudy let me ask John a few questions and being the rookie that I was I went right for the "Better Off Dead" and "Sixteen Candles" references and John politely said he hated talking about that stuff. Ooops! No hard feelings though since John did ask me on a date (but I had a boyfriend at the time). I wish I remembered more about the actual experience of watching the production but since I didn't write it down I have forgotten everything but the John moments.
 
So, since I took our intern Joanna Clay (above left, with Chevy Chase) on her first set visit ever to NBC's "Community" this week I thought it might be a great idea to actually have her write down her experience to share. In ten or so years she can look back and remember it. So here is Joanna's recap:
 
I'm a fan of NBC sitcoms. When "The Office", "Parks and Recreation" or "30 Rock" are on my roommates must walk around barefoot and speak in hushed voices. It's serious. When I heard NBC had a new series lined up for their comedy Thursdays and THEN I heard Access was going, I knew I had to get the scoop.