The 2009 Golden Globe Awards and the after parties are over. And so is my weekend. Saturday was Fergie's wedding in Malibu. Top secret all the way. And Sunday into Monday was all about the Globes. I am tired...
First, Fergie. We knew there was going to be a wedding. We just didn't know whose and where. I was booked for the event a few weeks ago. I got told of the location (Malibu) on Friday. 'Show up at the parking lot behind the Malibu City Hall.' Saturday morning is the very first time even Fergie and Josh Duhamel's 350 or so guests were first emailed and given the same Malibu location. 'Show up, park, and the shuttles would take you to the 'secret' wedding location nearby.'
No cell phones, no cameras, and no paparazzi. However, the word got out Saturday. Helicopters were hovering overhead. And the Malibu Hills were full of photographers with big zooms. Not even the 50-mile/hour Santa Ana winds didn't stop the wedding from going through. Although, it did mess up a few hairdos.
Then onto the Golden Globes. I showed up early Sunday morning. The final touches on the red carpet were still being applied as I got there. So were the planters, the various TV network booths, along with hair and makeup.
The day started out by parking my car a few miles away at the MGM building. Then onto the shuttle and a 10-minute ride to the Beverly Hilton. There appears to be at least three times as many people working this event than there will be guests. But everyone seems to know what they are doing or where they are going.
At 8AM, the Wilshire Entrance is the only way to get into or out of the hotel grounds. And only if you can prove you're a hotel guest or have a credential giving you pre-show access.
At around 1PM, Merv Griffin Way was opened to those who have tickets for the show. And I'd say around 3PM is when the 'stars' started showing up. Cameramen everywhere at the limo drop-off. Then onto the red carpet walk, where one of many TV network booths will try to land an interview with them. Some celebs are contractually obligated to appear on NBC's Access Hollywood. ET, E!, Inside Edition, and TV Guide Network are the other major ones. I am standing right next to E! and Ryan Seacrest. I'd say the temperature is about 75 degrees, and no winds!
This is one award show where everyone invited is a nominee or a member of a nominated show and production. Everyone who is nominated is allowed red carpet access, and are able to bring one guest with them. Most picked their spouse or significant other, and some others brought their mom or dad, or one of their kids. Meadow from The Sopranos, Jamie-Lynn Sigler arrives alone.
There are so many publicists near the area where I am. All are wearing their headsets, holding a clipboard with the names of the celebs they'll be escorting through the red carpet and all the way to their seats. Some will make sure their 'talent' gets to stop at a certain TV entertainment show and give an interview real quick. Paparazzi and Media photographers are lined up behind the roped area on the carpet. Stars will have plenty of opportunities to line up next to the Golden Globe Award signs lining up one after another as a makeshift wall on the red carpet, and smile and pose for the cameras.
Then between 4PM and 5PM the traffic intensifies, and major stars arrive one after the other. The red carpet is full of celebrities, some of whom are seeing each other for the first time, or after a long time. The 'bleacher creatures,' as we call them in the industry, couple of hundred fans positioned along part of the carpet area, are screaming intensely. Some celebrities are actually signing autographs; whereas others are shaking hands, and a few are acknowledging the applause by simply walking by and smiling for the cameras.
By the way, all the ladies look elegant. Most of the men are in tuxedos, but all with good fashion taste. Except for one notable exception. Tracy Morgan from SNL shows up in a cheap white jacket. Bad! And no sign of John Travolta and his wife anywhere. Good!
By about 4:40, the first announcement that there is now 20 minutes to go for the live show's start is made on the loud speakers. It appears to have no effect. Like a pregnant woman's contractions, the announcements get more intense and frequent. Then finally, security is told to 'force' the TV networks to allow the stars to make their way into the International Ballroom. And at 5PM, the show starts. We've had live feeds since 1PM, and now everyone in the hotel property can watch the show on flat screens strategically positioned everywhere.
I just witnessed 'Brangelina' dissing Ryan's plea to step up to the podium. They no doubt are paying attention to the announcements overhead. For this and other classic Globe moments, check out the Yahoo TV Blog. One of the reasons for some of these late arrivals is precisely to avoid the long 'dreaded' walk and harassment on the carpet. But if they 'really' decided against the red carpet thing, they and their publicist would know to find the alternate ways to get to the ballroom, as Clint Eastwood and a few others did.
During all this hoopla, the staff and crew can have their meals at the staff cafeteria when they get a chance or have a scheduled break. In order to get there, you need to walk past the HBO area where their party will take place immediately after the show ends. Different colored meal tickets are distributed or obtained from the 'Production Office' located by the cabanas. The production office has been there for about two weeks now, and it's the hub central of everything related to Dick Clark Productions and the Golden Globes. You'll find the executive producers, as well as the other producers, productions assistants, advisors, and publicist rooms along side the offices overlooking the pool.
The meals are decent. Hot, and cold food, drinks, dessert, and plenty of round tables of 10. There are big screen plasmas everywhere for people to follow the pre-show at lunch. But everyone has the channel tuned to the football playoffs. As I get there, the Giants are losing to the Eagles in the fourth quarter. And I get updates throughout the day on the Giants game, as well as the Chargers game. Both my teams lost to their opponents. I am pissed. Not a good way to start the evening.
This award show, unlike others, is not engaged in an auditorium type setting. The guests sit around in tables of 8 to 12 drinking and having dinner the whole time. The seating arrangement is by studio, project, or series. It's the only major award show that celebrates both film and TV, and is seen as a prelude to the Oscars.
Meanwhile, some celebrities are seen leaving via Wilshire Blvd. exit, as soon as there are commercial breaks during the show. Beyonce and Jay-Z are among the early exiters. They won't hang out at any of the after parties at the hotel I guess. There are plenty of major parties throughout Los Angeles all night. I am sure they are headed to one of them. Limousines are lined up all along Wilshire, with a few people lined up across the street with their cameras hoping to get a glimpse of anyone leaving the hotel and getting into their limo. It also appears quite clearly no one is taking my picture.
The big winner at the award ceremony, no doubt who I wanted to win but thought the Hollywood Foreign Press would definitely overlook in favor of more name recognition, is Slumdog Millionaire. The movie, filmed in Mumbai with nonprofessional actors, is about two brothers in conflict over a girl. One of the brothers gets to be a contestant on India's version of 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire.' And the movie is told in flashback fashion from there. And now a strong case has been made that Bollywood finally meets Hollywood.
And of course, Kate Winslett winning both the Best Actress and the Best Supporting Actress for roles in two different projects. She should just stick to making movies with Leonardo DiCaprio solely, if her husband would allow it.
See the list of all the winners.
Once the show ends, promptly at 8PM (11PM in the East Coast), the doors swing wide open at the International Lobby. And everyone still inside start making their way onto the huge hotel lobby area where one can easily get lost. Now they have plenty of choices. They can exit and go on their merry way. They can go to one of several after parties in the hotel. They can make their way into all of them if they wish. Or they can simply 'hang out' in the lobby area and mingle with other celebrities, and walk past the hotel guests lined up behind a roped area with their cameras, and in fact interact with them.
The popular stop happens to be the restrooms in the lobby near the registration area. I am standing in line (there's never a line at the men's room) waiting to go to the bathroom. In front of me is Steve Carell. I notice Mickey Rourke a few steps ahead of us. And a few poeple behind me I notice Ron Howard, and Jerry Brown, a former Governor of California. Now that's what I call a royal 'flush.'
The ladies room is right next to ours. But I don't notice any celebs (at least the ones I'd recognize) on line. No doubt women are either doing a much better job holding it in, or they're wearing 'depends' underneath their dresses. Although some of the non-celebrity women decided to wear dresses so skimpy that there's no way they're wearing anything else inside.
I am responsible for a couple of clients to attend the InStyle/WB party. The party is being sponsored in part by the people who I am mingling with. And proceeds to go to charity. I'd say there appears to be no economic crises at least from what I see. No expense was spared. Moet & Chandon is everywhere. And so are a few good vodka brands. And ice sculptures. And of course loud music.
After the chat and greet with my clients, and sending them on their merry way, this poor soul decides to take matters into his own hands, and call it a night. It's been a long day and night. And my feet have blisters and are killing me. Besides, I already have a significant other. So no partying for me. All the girls are free to roam without my dear presence. Early in, early out I say. I make my rounds, say my goodbyes to all I've worked with today, both directly and indirectly. I gather my belongings and the few business cards I've collected along the way, and make my way out to the shuttle.
A few celebrities and wannabees are waiting for their limo. Some hotel guests are waiting for the valet to bring their cars. This is a great hangout, even if it is a little chilly. The Beverly Hills PD has allowed street access on the other side heading west. Eastbound traffic is reduced to one lane. The other two lanes are reserved for the Beverly Hilton. This is how it will be until 2AM. There are people across the street no doubt camped out for the night, still waiting for their favorites to emerge so they can snap a picture. I hope they have good zoom lenses. It's a pretty distance of about six lanes between 'us and them.'
After about 10 minutes of waiting, the shuttle arrives. I, along with a few other tired souls, get on it. One lady sitting in the front remarks she has to drive all the way back to San Diego. Another one is talking on his cell phone the whole time, without missing a beat about how he's so happy to be finally leaving the hotel. Yet another one starts a rumor that this was the last year the show will be broadcast from The Beverly Hilton; that it's a logistics nightmare, and that it will move to the Nokia Theatre. A new and high-tech facility competing with the Kodak Theatre, where the Academy Awards are held.
I am finally in the parking garage. I get in my car and make my way to the exit, where I proudly give up my special event parking pass to the attendant so I don't have to pay the possibly a $100 parking fee for all those hours I was parked there, in the high-rent district. Today's mission was accomplished, all without a hitch.
I hope you're not disappointed with this post, if you even lasted this long. I tried to give you a little glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes. You've had plenty of coverage of the show from the traditional sources. I am sure you've no doubt watched some of them, or read about all via the Internet. This post, as well as the preceding one, were not meant as coverage of the show or the parties by no means. It was just a sampling of my own vantage point as I spent the entire day and some of the night on location. While at the same time, paying careful attention not to violate any professional ethical obligations. Nor revealing some of the more 'embarrassing' moments of the stars that at least I got to witness. I leave that for TMZ and other tabloid-like productions to offer you.
See you next year. I now turn my attention to the upcoming Grammys on Feb. 8.
