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She can turn the world on with her smile! I just took a picture with Mary Tyler Moore and I'm already thinking about how I'm going to get it framed. Here I am, in the official Emmy Presenter's gift lounge at the Nokia Theater in downtown LA. There is security buzzing throughout the hallways - lots of the stars who are presenting awards or nominees themselves for today's Emmy show are zipping by getting some touch-ups - the hair/makeup and wardrobe rooms are just around the corner.
Oprah's dressing room is right across the hall from where I am sitting now, directly next door to Heidi Klum's, who is one of the show's five hosts and who we watched run in and out of her dressing room to change into her array of outfits . Howie Mandel just walked by followed by four of his helpers. A few minutes later, Josh Groban took a peek inside.
For two days, many of the celebs have been coming to the Gifting Suite to nab some goodies. Brooke Shields, Dana Delaney, America Fererra, and Vanessa Williams all caused quite a buzz when they came into the room. Alec Baldwin, Ed McMahon, Lawrence Fishburne, Martin Sheen, James Spader, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, and Mariska Hargitay. What an exciting night!
The feeling was one of being on top of the world. I was standing on the Great Wall of China - some 4,000 miles long and built over 2,000 years ago. It was one of those very few experiences that are awe-inspiring in the truest sense of the word.
The days here in Beijing had been extremely hazy, and many here for the Olympics had talked about visiting the Great Wall and not being able to see very far when they got there. So, when I opened my hotel room curtains and saw blue skies, I knew my prayers had been answered.
The part of the Wall we visited on this day is called "Mutianyu" in the Huairou district of Beijing. History says it was under the supervision of General Xu Da of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the early Ming dynasty. It was many watchtowers and passes built on steep hills and some precipitous cliffs. This part of the wall goes around the ridge like a flying dragon.
"T-shirts! Hats! Cold beer! Very nice!"
Walking up the road that takes you to the gondola is filled with native vendors selling everything from ice cream to Chinese slippers to miniature Great Wall replicas. When we boarded the gondola and started moving, the anticipation was growing for me. Peering out the window suspended high up in the air, I was first able to see the beautiful rolling hills that make the area so magnificently serene. And then, you see "IT." The Wall. And it is Great. I was just awe-struck. It goes on FOREVER.
My first reaction was "How in the world did they build this?!?" You really want to see how far you can walk, just to see what is on the other side of the coming hill. The parts of the Wall are so different - in some, the floor is flat and leveled, other parts, it's slanted, other times you find yourself climbing very, very steep stairs.
(more great pics, after the jump!)
This morning, just as the hostesses were telling us, “Last Call,” my friend, Jeremy, who is our miraculous Web site guy here in Beijing, invited me to accompany him to men’s gymnastics. Because this is a popular event, we wanted to get there early enough to get a good seat in the media section of the venue. If we just want to be spectators at an event, our press badges will get us in, but the seats fill up fast with the thousands of credentialed journalists here for the games. The badges will get us in - except if a guy by the name of Michael Phelps is in house and in the water. Forget it. You better have a paid ticket, or you watch it on television.
Jeremy and I scurried through the halls, up the stairs and spotted two really good seats. We sat down just at the moment the predominately Chinese audience erupted into a harmonious chant for their athletes. If you’ve been watching the games, you know they are good.
The Rings…(Pictured: Korea)
Pommel Horse...(Pictured: U.S.A.'s Jonathan Horton)
Floor...(Pictured: China)
Parallel Bars(Pictured: Italy)
On the plane ride over to Beijing, there were a lot of Olympic athletes on my flight. It was really cool to see all these men and women wearing their red/white/blue team jerseys walking through the airport. I met some of the track and field team, including Natasha Hastings, who’s running the 4x400 relay. I chatted it up with some of the wrestlers standing in the ticket line and was dying to ask them about their cauliflower ears but held back. Actually, sitting on the plane together - to the joy of the flight attendants who took lots of pictures - gold medalists Venus and Serena Williams. Seated in the aisle opposite the sisters, was Olympic gold medalist Lindsay Davenport.All the athletes felt like stars as passengers whispered, “Who is that?” and stared every time they saw someone on Team USA.
It was until several hours on the plane that I noticed a really cute guy sitting behind me who was also wearing a USA jersey. Our conversation went something like this:
“What team are you on?” I asked very innocently. “Tennis,” he smiled.
“Oh really? There are lots of tennis players on this flight. Do you know Serena and Venus?”
“Oh, yes, I know them very well.”
“Where do you rank among players?”
“In the world, I think I’m 8th.”
“Wow! You’re pretty good. What about in the States?”
“Uh, well. I think I’m pretty much near the top.”
“Oh really? Impressive. What’s your name?”
I am finally able to sleep through the night here in Beijing. The time difference is 15 hours ahead of Los Angeles so for the first several days, waking up every few hours during the night was normal. I'm on the other side of the world, which has been very isolating at times. There are a lot of NBC shows here covering the games and for the most part, you see them traveling as a large group which seems like a lot of fun and can only add to the joy of being in another country. The people I'm personally traveling with usually separate into their own socially comfortable groups and I often find myself solo. You probably heard the news that an American tourist here for the Olympics was stabbed to death and his wife critically injured in a random knife attack in Beijing, so I am very mindful of that when I venture out by myself, especially as a single woman who can be a target no matter where in the world you are. A lot of my family and friends have been calling and e-mailing, making sure that I'm OK and I tell them that I am fine and will keep my wits about me.
I oftentimes feel like that person in a strange land who, on one hand is very scared and nervous about their new surroundings but on the other is overwhelmed by the exhilaration of new experiences. I would certainly rather have a traveling partner to explore new areas but, I don't want to miss out on anything this Asian city has to offer.
Hi Everybody,I am finally getting a chance to write to you about my incredible trip to Beijing! This is my first time in Asia and my very first Olympics, so I am experiencing so many new things and meeting some phenomenal athletes.
I'm going to try to share with you everything that has been going on. It's not often that I cry during an interview, but I just finished one that was very emotional for me. Even my producer, Whitney, just teared up when she was logging the tape of my discussion and had to leave the room.
I'm sure it will touch your heart also.
Lopez Lomong is the American flag bearer for the Opening Ceremonies and he is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. When he was six years old, he was taken from his family by the militia and forced to become a soldier, only to escape and run away to a refugee camp in Kenya. Then, at age 16 (he is 23 now), he was adopted by an American family, who are now coming to Asia to see their son run in the 1500m Track & Field event for the Beijing Olympics. Quite a story!
Lopez is definitely a star at these games because of his incredible journey, but he surprised me when he walked into our room for our interview and said he was so excited about being interviewed by Access Hollywood! He said that he watches all the celebrity news updates, from Angelina Jolie to Will Smith.
One of the highlights for him, so far, has been meeting the American basketball players who are on the Olympic team; like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. You should have seen his face light up when he talked about taking pictures with them. Lopez says he is truly the American story and when he carries the flag for his new country, he will be thinking about his family back in Africa, especially those who never made it out of the militia camps. He knows he is one of the lucky and blessed ones and we will all be rooting for Lopez Lomong to bring home the GOLD!
Peace, Shaun
What a morning it has been! Rattled nerves after I nearly missed my flight to Beijing - a trip I have been anxiously awaiting for three months now.I was so proud of myself for not overpacking (3 suitcases) for three weeks, only to arrive at the airport and be told my connecting flight to San Francisco was delayed.
Oh no!
But the airplane gods were looking out for me and here I am, sitting in a 747-400 with Serena and Venus Williams right next to me and on our way to China! Have to turn off my BB.
See you when I get to the Olympics!
I've been imagining myself standing on the Great Wall of China for the last couple of months. I have been beyond excited ever since I found out I was going to Beijing to cover the Olympics for Access Hollywood.
I am a real "newbie." I have never been to Asia nor, have I ever been to the Olympics so, I feel really lucky to be able to have this assignment.
There has been so much to do to get ready for this trip. August in Beijing is super hot and humid so we had to keep this in mind when my stylist and I were preparing our wardrobe. Nicole and I had a two hour fitting, deciding which outfits would be the most comfortable while I am reporting from the Great Wall and the Olympic venues.
The last place you would normally find me at 1:30 in the morning is at a cemetery walking among the graves. But, on this cold night in Queens, NY, it was an experience I had been looking forward to for the last couple of weeks.
One of my favorite shows is “Law & Order” -- the original, SUV, and Criminal Intent -- I love them all. So when my producer, Chris Fahey, emailed to tell me she had gotten me a part on “Law & Order: CI,” I was just beside myself!
My part is an entertainment reporter (something that required no research). My midnight “assignment” -- reporting live from Machpelah Cemetery in Queens - site of Harry Houdini's actual grave. The L&O episode is a spooky one: magic phenom Miles Stone has buried himself ALIVE for 31 days and he is about to rise from the “grave” to the thrill of bunches of his fans donning T-shirts that blare “MILES LIVES”.
But, of course, something goes terribly, and I mean, TERRIBLY wrong. And I am right there on the scene witnessing it all!
The energy in the room was palpable. I've watched numerous presidential debates on television but none compared to my witnessing one in person.
My red-eye flight arrived into Cleveland at 7:00 in the morning on Tuesday. The city had just gotten up to 8 inches of snow and many of the flights had been delayed. When I walked outside the airport to my car, the snow-covered trees instantly reminded me of being back in Detroit, my hometown.
After a quick change, I headed to Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center. The NBC Press Room had hot plates of food for the crews that were beginning to pile in. My first interview was in the production control room where the director of the debates was mapping out the camera shots and perfecting the lighting on stage for the evening.
"How do you make sure one candidate doesn't get more camera time than the other?" I asked.
"That ball is in the candidate's court. We follow the action."
One woman had the job of greeting both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton when they arrived through the back door of the auditorium.
Then we took "the walk," the path that Clinton and Obama took from their rooms, down the hallway, up the stairs, through the curtains, and onto the international stage. My heart was racing, just thinking about the pressure they were about to be under. With the debate just moments away, I got to my seat in time to hear the moderator tell us to hold our applause and comments throughout the debate so each candidate could be heard. Surprised that, for the most part, everyone kept the promise. When the candidates walked out, everyone erupted into applause, whistling and yelling their names, followed by respectful silence.
And after the final "thank you for joining us," supporters rushed to the stage, begging for autographs and handshakes.
And I realized I had just witnessed history.