Tony Awards Links

Here are all of the links to my Tony Awards coverage on Sunday.  Pick your favorite!

For the most up-to-date coverage:  Twitter.

You do not need an account to follow my feed.  I will be Tweeting photos and comments during the red carpet which starts at 5:30PM ET and ends at 7:15PM ET.  

For similar coverage if Twitter scares you and if the Facebook app isn't acting up that day:  Facebook.

Post-coverage and articles:  Starpulse (Everything will be linked here at Red Carpet Closet too.)

I am so happy this red carpet is actually happening as there was a threat of a protest by the Local One union and The Tony Awards producers.  And everyone knows......you don't cross a picket line......especially one in New York.  

Feel free to leave questions you would like me to ask on the red carpet.  Remember, Neil Patrick Harris is hosting. (Doogie).  Just had to say it.

During the show, I will be hanging here.  BroadwaySpace.com is throwing a Tony viewing party, so come join the fun. Tickets can be purchased here.  

Logo courtesy of The Tony Awards.

Emmys 2010: Part 2

                                      
The Emmys Weekend posts continue as I take you to the GBK Gifting Suite at the SLS Hotel.  This was one of the official gifting suites of the 62nd Annual Emmy Awards, so it was A-List all of the way.  I cannot wait to share the interviews from our day at the SLS.  Now, for those of you not familiar with gifting suites, let me give you the rundown on how they work.  It's a true VIP experience.  I arrived at the hotel, the valet flirted with me, complimented my outfit, and graciously guided me to the nearest Starbucks for my morning caffeine all within three minutes of my arrival.  Now, I'm not even famous or anywhere near even D-List, and that is how nice they were to me.  The celebs check in at the gifting suite area as they are paired up with a PR gal/guy who will guide them through the five rooms of free goodies.  The PR person is responsible for presenting the celeb to each table, for writing down the items given to the stars (Remember, there is a responsibility to the IRS for anything over $10,000), and schlepping a huge duffel bag.  The bag was large enough for me to crawl in and hide.  Most of the PR guides were female and petite, so they were trying gamely to lug the bags throughout the suite.  Trust me, they were heavy.  


So, the celebs are given anything they want for free.  New Invicta Lupah watch?  It's free.  A year supply of Tic Tacs in your favorite flavor?  FREE.  Wine, cheese, vacations, jewelry, and shoes?  All free, free, free.  The only thing they are required to do is pose for a photo with the vendor and their product.  It is understood that their image may be used in a magazine or on the vendor's website. It is sort of an indirect endorsement in exchange for free things.  Can you tell that FREE is the key word here?  Here are a few of the celebrities we bumped into at the GBK Gifting Suite:

Probably the most surprising attendee in the gifting suite, Joe Mantegna from Criminal Minds. I always think of Mr. Matengna as true theatre actor who isn't interested in the Hollywood game.  He kindly gave us a few good sound bites and he quietly went on his way.

Easily one of my top 3 interviews of the weekend.  Here's Kiernan Shipka who plays  "Sally Draper" on Mad Men.   I have interviewed her before, so we have a fun little rapport. She was so excited about her dress for Emmy night.  It was just as beautiful as she described.  Kiernan is an atypical Hollywood kid:  fresh-faced, engaging, and smart in all of the right ways.  I had a chance to speak with her mom and her grandmother too.  They are raising one lovely young lady. 

Kiernan on the red carpet.  Photo courtesy of the LA Times.

Neil Patrick Harris is probably one of my favorite actors right now. I even went to see his directorial debut at the Hollywood Bowl for the annual musical production of Rent.  Did he stop for interviews?  No.  Hmmmm, I kind of take issue with that because if you are willing to take free stuff, you can stop for two questions.  I would have even been willing to make them all industry-related versus personal questions.  Oh well.......

Kathryn Joosten was a hoot!  She speaks her mind and she had me in stitches throughout our entire interview.  You know Kathryn from The West Wing and Desperate Housewives, she is a two-time Emmy winner, and a cancer survivor.  Another Top 3 interview for the weekend!

All right, 30 Rock fans, here is Scott Adsit who plays "Pete Hornberger" on the show.  I joked about his new Invicta watch because I used to sell Invicta watches when I was a network host at ShopNBC. We had a good time making fun of my former profession.

Melora Hardin, who plays "Jan" on The Office and I shared a fun Emmys moment from 2008.  I had been in the bleacher seats that year and I yelled to her on the red carpet, "I loved you as Fantine in Les Mis at the Hollywood Bowl".  She gamely told me she remembered that moment which I appreciated whether she really remembered it or not.  

Sarah Rue is from the now-cancelled, Eastwick, and she is currently a Jenny Craig spokesperson.  She looks great and the plan is really working for her.  Um, I don't have much else to say as she was rather frosty.......you fill-in the rest of the story.

You never knew who you were going to run into. Every nook and cranny was filled with a familiar face.  As we were leaving, Judah Friedlander of 30 Rock pulled up in a Rolls Royce limo.  At first, it was an over the top moment, until we saw his mother step out of the limo and they started taking pictures in front of the vehicle.  He was treating his mom to a special day on the town.  It was sweet.  

Just a few snapshots of some down moments around the gifting suite.  If you take a look at that pink and white wall I am standing in front of, it's made entirely of pink and white Tic Tacs.  Pink Grapefruit is their new limited edition flavor available in September and October for Breast Cancer Awareness.

The best cupcakes ever!  Check out Stuffed Cupcakes for the most delicious cake filled with cream in the middle and just the right amount of frosting on top.  With 150 flavors, I am ready for this store to hit the West Coast.  In the meantime, they ship cupcakes anywhere in the US!

I promised you a giveaway and a giveaway you shall have.  I am giving away a whole collection of items from this weekend's gifting suites.  You will find a Heaven Simone chocolate brown scarf, 2 packs of Commandos (I bet you didn't know you needed these!), an amazing TheraPearl Eye Mask, 2 Elemis Moisture Melt oils, and a sassy bracelet from Crash & Burn.  All you have to do is comment below and tell me your favorite moment at this year's Emmy Awards.  Open to US residents only. Winner will be selected via Random.org.  Contest ends Monday, September 6th at 11:59PM PST. Winner will be announced at 9AM PST on Tuesday, September 7th.  

I'll be back tomorrow with Emmys 2010, Part 3.  

   

Hollywood Bowl

                                           

Perhaps the best part of a Los Angeles summer is the Hollywood Bowl.  It is a 17,000 seat amphitheatre featuring the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the summer home of the LA Philharmonic, and some of the finest musical offerings in the area.  In my ten years in LA, I have had the opportunity to see great artists like Angela Landsbury, Audra McDonald, John Williams, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Donna Murphy on that massive stage.  I am never disappointed with the atmosphere, the company, and the affordable tickets to enjoy a little culture here in Southern California.

With my pal, Melody Freeman, in the nosebleed seats at the Bowl.

Each year my friends and I hit the Bowl during the first weekend in August for their annual musical theatre selection.  This year was an interesting choice, not only for its racier content, but for its choice of directors, Neil Patrick Harris (NPH). The musical for 2010?  Rent.  NPH is very familiar with the material having played Mark in the National Tour of Rent back in 1997, so he made so unique choices with this production.  He wisely added ten chorus members to fill the cavernous Hollywood Bowl stage so it never felt empty and he had the set designer build a set with levels to fill the vertical height of the the Bowl shell.  When it came to casting, he went in several directions starting with classic musical theatre choices like Gwen Stewart and Tracie Thoms.  Since this is an LA production, you need more star wattage, so Wayne Brady, Vanessa Hudgens, and Nicole Scherzinger rounded out the cast and added the celebrity power.  The real question is, did they deliver the musical theatre goods?

Nighttime at the Bowl with a blurry iPhone camera.

Well, Wayne Brady was as solid as you would expect him to be in the touching role of Tom Collins. Vanessa Hudgens tried so hard in her role as Mimi.  She acted, danced, and sang with so much effort, it was exhausting to watch.  She really wanted to pull this off, but she was miscast in the role.   It was a definite departure from her role as Gabriella in High School Musical, but it wasn't the right departure.  She needs to think more Fosse, less junkie stripper.  I think a turn in Chicago on Broadway might do the girl good.  The true surprise of the night was Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls performing as Maureen, a role made famous by Wicked veteran, Idina Menzel.  I was not a fan until last night.  Holy cow!  That girl can sing, dance, and act.  I think she was the only one prepared to sing to an audience of 17,000 given her experience in the pop world. If her handlers manage her career properly, expect to see the next Beyoncé level diva on the horizon.  She's THAT good and we need a new diva since Beyoncé can barely sing.  (Yes, I said it.  She can't sing.  I've heard her live, she's a performer, not a singer.)  Overall, this show is always going to be a tribute to the work of Jonathan Larson.  Did it move me the way the original Broadway cast did in 1996?  No, but it certainly offered a great night out for a bunch of musical theatre geeks in Hollywood. 

The crowds exiting the Bowl after a night at Rent.

While Rent wrapped up last night, be sure to grab Hollywood Bowl tickets before the season is over.  It's affordable entertainment, a great date night, and an excuse to dine al fresco with lots of wine.

To read more about Neil Patrick Harris and this production of Rent:  LA Times.

And a photo of me and Melody Freeman made it on to the Hollywood Bowl site.  It's good to know they appreciate their cheap seat customers as much as their box owners.  Thanks!