After a weeklong series of events, parties, and celebrations, the 51st GRAMMY® Awards were handed out Sunday night, followed by more parties and fun, and now on this fine Tuesday morning everyone is back where they belong. And I am already hard at work for my next venture, as well as trying to catch up on missing posts and tweets and sleep.
I am not going to give you a detailed behind-the-scene glimpse as I did with the Golden Globes. You can follow the play-by-play on the official GRAMMY twitter feed. All I can say is that this year's show will be remembered for all its hits and misses, including some who couldn't attend the festivities due to their extracurricular activities involving hits of their misses.
Chris Brown, 19, and his girlfriend Rihanna, 20, were involved in an altercation early Sunday morning as they were leaving the Beverly Hilton and the pre-GRAMMY party.
Up until 3PM local time, there were conflicting reports as to what happened. In the morning, we were told that Chris Brown or Rihanna (real name Robyn Rihanna Fenty) or both were involved in a car accident. Then came the report that they were both canceling their appearance, and their scheduled performances. The Academy had to scramble with two hours to go before show time and rearranged some replacement fill-ins using Justin Timberlake and Al Green. Not bad!
UPDATE: Rihanna postpones her upcoming appearance in Malaysia as well...
Although Rihanna and Chris Brown were both nominated for multiple awards, neither won any. I guess that was good. Staying with couples, why do you rarely see Chris Martin of Coldplay and his wife actress Gwyneth Paltrow together on the red carpet? They appeared separately on this one too. Gwyneth apparently says, "It’s cheesy," I don't blame her. I mean, who would want to be in the public eye 24/7 as some other celebrity couples we all see all over magazine covers?
On Sunday, the pre-telecast awards were handed out at the L.A. Convention Center. If you arrived in time, you'd be treated to an open bar, as well as sandwiches, and hors d'oeuvres. No expense was spared. The crowd was a mix of obscure yet talented artists & their loved ones. The ones who didn't qualify for the 'major' awards to be telecast on live TV. Like Best Polka Album. And the only way I knew who all the nominees were by the medallions they wore around their neck.
Speaking of recognizing talent, I must be getting way old for the music industry's parade of new artists. Other than the ones I recognize and love for their contribution to music over the years, as well as those who I've grown up with, I couldn't begin to tell you who was the star and who was just a guest dressed down to look like the star they were with. I must've said hello to plenty of music industry's finest of the hour all day long, but don't ask me who they were.
But I must commend the Recording Academy's producers who decided to pair up the elder musicians with the young and now 'in' talent to sing the songs at intervals throughout the live show. That I thought was amazing! And some of the young talent, including Jonas Brothers surprised me with their rendition and performances.
The one American Idol who is touted as a big time performer, other than Jennifer Hudson of course, is Carrie Underwood. This is the third year in a row I've seen her up close and personal at the GRAMMYs (before and after she stepped on the red carpet), and I still don't care for her. Aside from the fake smile and the careless attitude, and the bitchy presentation of her highness self, all off-camera of course, she apparently has talent. But even then, country is not my thing. Why can't some people remember the people who got them to where they are today, even if it means appearing somewhat nice to them when the cameras are off.
Most everyone else was great and gracious. Guests were unusually happy and pleasant. No surprises. Other than when I ran into Kathy Griffin. I couldn't believe that she's so short. Probably 5 feet, with high heels. No one you see on TV or on screen looks as tall as you imagine them to be in real life anyway. Nothing against short people. But for a woman who makes a lot of noise about nothing is definitely short on stature. I guess she is still funny though, and that's why they keep inviting her back. Oh, it also helped that she was nominated for the Comedy Album of the Year. She lost to a dead man. George Carlin.
Other than the big names you all saw on TV both on stage and in the audience, some of the wild mix of celebs I got to see included Trace Adkins, Barry Manilow, Blind Boys of Alabama, Chris Martin of Coldplay (who I thought should've won for Album of the Year), LL Cool J, The Rock, Miley Cyrus, Neil Diamond (who was honored as the Person of the Year -- Where was Barbra Streisand?), Chuck Liddell, Tia Carrere, Eric Benét, Julie Chen, Paris Hilton, Evander Holyfield, Future Man, Mario Lopez (with a pound of foundation on his face), and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, among others.
The pre-telecast was from 1PM to 4PM local time. By 5PM, all guests on the red carpet, as well as all the ones still inside the LA Convention Center had to be in their seats at the Staples Center (where the Lakers play) next door. The show ended at 8PM. But some of the guests started leaving Staples Center early to get a jump start for the various after parties.
I was at the LA Convention Center where the Official GRAMMY Celebration was held immediately following the telecast next door at Staples Center. By about 8:30PM, the place was so crowded that it was nearly impossible to not touch anyone as you made your way in and out of the various themed party areas. The main party hall featured performances by Robin Thicke, and Lucent Dossier Experience, a vaudeville cirque, as well as a special performance by the cast of Hair. The theme was definitely the 60s as door beads, lava lamps, and even a love bus adorned the venue.
By 11PM, the crowd thinned, some heading for other parties, and most going home. I headed out around midnight. I was tired and exhausted, wanted to get to my bed, and fought the urges of some of my colleagues who wanted to play some more. Overall it was yet another successful event. Wish you were there.
