Emmys!

So, I am proud to announce that yours truly has been nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Digital Experience with her work on The Office and 30 Rock. That's right, two of my shows, one award. I don't want to get my hopes way up, because there is always a dark horse contender, but the odds are pretty nice. And if anything, it's very cool to say I was at least nominated. No, I mean that. But, the competitive side of me really wants the victory, to know all of my hard work is finally going to pay off in the end. And if it doesn't, I'll take full advantage of the open bar at the ceremony. Keeping in mind, the actual award won't be given out during the big ceremony, but the night before at the event that Kathy Griffith so affectionately calls, "The Schmemmys." I don't care, I'll take it! Keep your fingers crossed for September 20th!
Just a sample of the content I worked on for my nominated sites:

http://www.nbc.com/30_Rock/exclusives/dealbreaker/ladies-behind-the-catchphrase.shtml
http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/video/categories/adventures-with-angela/31258/

A Hollywood Night

Last night was going to be a total low key night in. The weather was rainy and cold. My friend from Massachusetts' fiancee happened to be in town and wanted to invite me to hang with some of his Notre Dame college friends in Hollywood. Usually, I avoid Hollywood on weekends due to crazy traffic and valet prices. But, since it was Dan and I didn't know how long he would be on our West coast, I joined in. We went to a fun hip bar, Citizen Smith. It took forever in traffic, but once I arrived, I found his friends to be nice and really into that Hollywood scene. They wanted to go to a club after that. With velvet ropes, barely-dressed girls, and Entourage-wannabe guys, that really is not my scene. But, Dan talked me into going. Now, when we got to the club, there was a giant line for both the front and back entrance. But, Dan, being a former NFL pro, that was nothing. He knew a guy who knew a guy who owned the bar and we were in the club in a matter of minutes. Not only that, we had full table service with a giant bottle of Grey Goose waiting for us. From there, I felt I had arrived, for even one night. The club was packed, we were VIP, and everything was "taken care of". I distain Hollywood for being such a cliche of what everybody sees on TV, but then there are nights I love it, because I can actually be part of that cliche.

Fall is Upon Us

In my line of work, the fall season proves to be one of the busiest. We have new shows premiering left and right and we have old classics returning. Lucky for me, I chose to stick with all the classics, except for Kath & Kim, a comedy with Molly Shannon airing on Thursdays. As I have pointed out before, "The Office" remains one of my favorites to work on. It helps when you are a fan of the show.
Last Thursday, I was scrambling to get all of the updates for the website in place and not even working nearly as hard as the web producer I work with, Joya. She and i team up quite regularly and she was the one who I went to Scranton with the year before. Well, she instant messaged me on Thursday with a note saying to meet her in the hall. Instantly, I was unsure if I should bring weapons for a fight. Because, you know, stress can get the best of people. But, instead, she told me she was attending The Office premiere party in Hollywood and wanted to know if I could go, too. I was shocked and of course, flattered that she asked me. Of course, I said, "yes".
I ran home and changed into something casual and headed to Hollywood Billiards. The valet was crazy because clearly, everybody who was invited to go to the party decided to show up minutes before the show started. Once I was able to get my car taken care of, I walked in with Phyllis and Lesley (Phyllis and Stanley from the show) and loved what I saw. At the private party, they had giant screen TVs everywhere with the show on, a huge buffet set-up and an open bar. Everytime an act ended, people applauded and walked around and got drinks. I was able to see my favorites like Oscar and Craig Robinson and was able to see other NBC friends. I was even more flabbergasted to see Steve Carell, his wife Nancy, John Krasinski, and Jenna Fischer also there. The main cast never really show up to such events. They seemed to hang out together, but it was still a trip to see them making an appearance. I wish I had a little more nerve, or alcohol in me, I would have said something to John Krasinski, otherwise known as my soulmate! But, instead, we enjoyed the party and stayed and watched Creed, Craig, and Oscar shoot pool while I chatted with other backstage members of the show. I have to say, I don't think any of the other shows are going to be able to pull off the premiere night we had on Thursday with the cast of "The Office."

Emmys!

Ok, so I have been getting asked a lot if I went to the Primetime Emmys, like I did the Daytime Emmys. The answer is, no. And that's fine with me. The Emmys are boring and usually just a lot of sitting around waiting for people to get done with speeches. I enjoyed the Daytime Emmys because they had supplied bottles of wine at each table! Now, if I was every nominated for a Primetime Emmy, that would be another conversation...
That's not to say I didn't enjoy a huge benefit of Emmy weekend, the parties :) On Thursday, I attended the Radio Tour Party for NBC Talent at BLVD3 in Hollywood. A club I have been trying to get past the velvet rope in for almost a year. Well, it was my year. I managed to check out a few celebrities, but mostly partied with fellow NBC friends and of course, had to shake my groove thing to the awesome Neil Diamond cover band, Super Diamond. They were awesome, I even got on stage to dance with them and the keyboardist's wife invited me to all of their shows. Naturally, I was the last employee left from my crew at the club. The rest were celebrities, club goers, and Super Diamond fans. I have a reputation to keep up.
On Saturday night, I got on the list for the NBC Emmy party at the famous Spago in Beverly Hills. I managed to get all dazzled up and head over the hill just in time for my friends to get off work (publicity girls never rest) and go party. I pulled up to the party and was told I needed to be on a list to valet. I was shocked, I never heard of that before. They checked five lists and didn't find my name. They asked who put me on the list, I was afraid of getting people in trouble, so I just said it could be a mistake and drove away. I felt humiliated. Meanwhile, my friends at the party were continuously texting and wanting to know where I was. I told them I had felt too embarrassed for the night and was heading home. A few of the girls had offered to wait on the corner for me to make sure I got in. As I turned around, I realized I had been trying to get into the elusive EW Party the whole time, the NBC party was a few blocks down the road. I felt like such a fool.
I drove to Spago, had my car immediately valeted and was ready to relax with a glass of champagne and a nice bite made by Wolfgang Puck himself. I had an amazing night, hung out with great friends and even was told by Oscar from "The Office" that I made him cry because I didn't see him waving to me on Thursday night. I would take hearing that over a two-hour snooze fest called the Emmys, any day!

No Sleep Til'...

This weekend was a bit of a rough one when it came time for rest. I am always one of those people who try to cram so much in during the two days a week that I have off, that I never seem to get any rest and wind up exhausted by the time Tuesday rolls around. It started on Friday night, when a couple of friends were hosting a "Farewell to Summer" party at this bar in North Hollywood. I went, it was fun and I was going to be very good and try to leave by 11 so I could surf at 6:30 am the next morning. I did manage to have a good time and then leave early. I got home, got ready for bed and realized my phone was left at the bar. I felt terrible. By this time, it as 1:20 am. I put on some clothes and drove all the way back to the bar. By this time, my friends had left and the place turned into what looked like a prisoners' after-party hang-out. I got shoved inside by an overzealous bouncer who was afraid the cops patrolling the neighborhood would fine him for overcrowding, then I got cat called by scary guys left and right. My group had left and all that was left was what looked like the casting for "Dangerous Minds Part II". The bartender didn't have my phone and so I left. Feeling terrible, for losing my phone and for being in such a gross place so late at night.
I checked my email when I got home and had a message from my friend, Meredith who told me she had my phone. I was completely relieved. Such a terrible feeling to not have your one and only phone.
I relied on my mental alarm clock to wake me up for surfing, but that was after only getting a couple of hours of sleep. I surfed, the waves were not great, but they were manageable. After that, I had to get ready for a friend's birthday party in West Los Angeles. After that, I had three other parties to attend, but got home and couldn't move. I literally couldn't peel myself off the couch. I was exhausted. I cancelled out and watched most of the epic "Giant". Great movie and want to finish it this week.
Today, I played a concussive game of tennis in Malibu, rushed home to get ready to drive over the hill and pick up my friend Morgan and hit the Beverly Center. I found nothing but a turtleneck. Not very exciting, but it was something. And now I count down the hours until I can take an evening nap after work. Lets hope Monday isn't a manic one!

Busy Few Days

These last few days have been very busy for me. But, in a good way that involve a filled up social calendar. Sunday night, I managed to get myself on the invite list for the NBC Press Tour after party at the Beverly Hills Hilton. My biggest fear was feeling out of place, but that simply wasn't the case. I found a lot of friends there, some famous, some night. When the night ended at 10 pm, or shall I say, when the party ended at 10 pm, we just all headed downstairs to Trader Vic's to continue the mingling. I felt like I was at a prom after party, complete with guys dressed in loose ties and girls getting giggly with rum barrels. It was fun and it had me getting in bed by 2.30 am. That part, not so fun. Especially, when I had to get up four hours later for work.
After the very slooooow day at work on Monday, I headed out to another social function at the Sky Bar. The event itself was a young professional networking thing, that came with 20 dollar valet and 14 dollar cocktails. The lighting in the bar sucked, so whatever networking you were there to do, was getting quickly lost with the fact that no light leads to no reading name tags and seeing if that person was worth talking to or not to begin with. So, my NBC crew headed to Mel's Diner up the blog for six dollar food and gossip about the fact Pauly Shore was eating outside and making desperate attempts to get noticed by just about anybody. I ended my night with a small group of good friends from work, the real group of people I wanted to be talking to the whole night, anyway. On the way out, we passed the Stone Brothers, who were a comedian act from our reality show, Last Comic Standing. We chatted with them a bit and they even went as far to say that I should try stand-up because I was very funny and had great delivery and timing. So, thanks Stone Brothers. Because of that little push, I have a notebook full of comic bits and a new fire in my belly to get up on try an open-mic gig. Stay tuned!

Daytime Emmys

I am a still a bit in recovery mode from Friday night, so please forgive me. After all, the Daytime Emmys was an all-day event. I ended up taking the entire day off on Friday and now am thankful for it. There is no way I would have pulled everything off and still made the Emmys in time. From the time I woke up (8:30 am) to the actual time of the ceremony, it was go, go, go. I had a hair appointment, errand running, make up appointment and had to be in Hollywood by 4.30. The make up took a bit longer and by the time I got on the 101 to Hollywood, I was already ten minutes late. To top it off, parking was full and and Hollywood and Highland was closed for the red carpet. It took 30 minutes alone to turn around the block to try my hand one more time at the parking under the theater. Finally, I pulled into the garage (that had been labeled "full", but changed last-minute) and I parked. I rushed to the theater doors and handed my ticket to the security. They saw how visibly shaken I was, afraid I was going to miss the entire event. I had to keep it together for my makeup job, alone. They ushered me in and I didn't feel so bad when I saw Finola Hughes in front of me. I even made a crack to her that if they don't let HER in, we would really be in trouble. Well, they did let her and I both in and we found our tables. Mine was actually closer to the stage than hers ;) 

Our table didn't produce any winners that night, but it did produce plenty of bottles of wine. The entire ceremony was fun and the cast of Days was in very good spirits, despite being shut-out for the night. After the show, dinner was served, but I was too busy hunting down the one woman I was dying to meet that night, Miss Susan Lucci. I succeeded and managed to even get a picture with the pint-sized diva. I realized most actresses oblige to take a picture with you if you use the words, "perfection" when describing them to their faces. 

The night ended with the after-party, more drinks, and dancing at the NBC party at Twist, above the theater. There was a fun turn-out and everybody was in high spirits. The party ended at around 3 am with a bunch of women and some very achy feet. The next morning, after some heavy napping, I drove down to Huntington Beach to visit a friend from Portland. It was the perfect escape to relax after the mayhem of Friday night. Those events are fun, but exhausting. Now, on to the perfect quiet Sunday, before the craziness of work hits on Monday. 

VIP

Last night, I was reminded on how sweet life is on the other side of the velvet rope. Days of our Lives actor, Darin Brooks hosted a VIP event at AREA, a very A-list club in West Hollywood. Darin was working with a sponsor to celebrate his Emmy-nomination for Best Younger Actor in a Daytime Series. When I pulled up to the club, there were already people in as little clothes as possible lining up outside the club, trying to get in. Meanwhile, I spotted the red carpet and was quickly ushered in by Darin's publicist. No lines, no cover, just an open door waiting for me, and about a dozen photographers taking pictures of anybody that appeared to be "somebody". Once inside, there was our table, a group of the young Hollywood up and up having a good time with bottles of Grey Goose at the table. I mingled a bit, danced a bit, and mingled some more. A few of the actors present happen to be guys I would be sitting with at next week's Daytime Emmys. It was a fun way to break the ice and get your name out there.

But, by the time I got home, I quickly realized why I am not a "club kid". From the very beginning, trying on a dozen outfits that just didn't look "right, wrestling to try new things with my hair, to actually taking the drive over the canyon to sit in heavy pimp-mobile traffic on La Cienega, to paying $20 to park my car, to getting into the club, the overpriced drinks and super loud music and cheesy come-ons by guys in cheesy open collar shirts and jackets, it was a bit too much sensory overload. I went because I was on a list and didn't have to face the humiliation of being just another girl trying to get into a club. I did have fun, but it's definitely a once every two month kind of thing. If that. 

It was very nice to be treated like VIP on a Friday night, but if I am ever really on that VIP list on a regular basis, I wonder how many times I have to oblige my VIP duties and show-up. Can't a VIP just sit at home and enjoy a DVD of "Out of Africa" with a little ice cream. Because, quite frankly, that was my other alternate plan if this party was a bust. 

Oh yeah, a good thing to remember... just because you pay $20 bucks for valet at the club, there is a big sign that reminds you that still doesn't mean you are getting in. You have to love Hollywood!

Expect the Unexpected

One of the best things about living in LA is that I have come to expect the unexpected. What was planned to be a simple and relaxing evening ended up being a night of fun and networking. 

Work was pretty slow today, so I managed to play catch up on some projects. After that, I went my weekly Pilates class and had a great workout. I came home and decided the night was a bit too early and with two washers down in my building, there was no way I was going to get laundry done. So, what was a girl to do? Well, I cashed in my RSVP at the Roosevelt Hotel's Tropicana Bar where a huge tech party was going on. I made some pretty cool contacts and collected some pretty good business card. Across from the pool was another party with an awesome DJ. So, I managed to finagle my way over there and found myself at a very cool GQ Magazine party. Needless to say, the tech party and the GQ party looked very different from one another. I stayed with GQ. Once again, met some cool people and had some fun and still managed to get myself in bed by 12:30. Pretty impressive stuff. 

And I promise, tomorrow night is devoted to laundry!

Comedy night

Most Mondays go by super slow for me. None of my assigned shows really need support on this day, so it's spent playing catch up on work from the week before. That's why when I have plans on Monday, it makes it so much better to start the week. Today was one of those days. 

I left work at 6 and headed to Hollywood and met my friend for happy hour drinks then we took in an Improv Olympics showing that featured our Office favorites, Ed Helms, Oscar Nunez, and Kate Flannery. Angela Kinsey was noticeably missing because her pregnancy due date is approaching in a few weeks. I can honestly say it wasn't the best show I have taken in, but never the less, it was entertaining. I realized how much things had changed for our favorite Office cast when I saw Oscar after the show. We were trying to have a conversation about the Office returning, the cast and the show overall, but we kept getting interrupted by fans wanting pictures of him (not me). I can see how that side of fame and get annoying and I also can see that my dear friend, Oscar, has developed quite a fan base. For that, I am proud of him.

Speaking of proud, I am especially proud of my dear friend, Jenny, who gave birth to a healthy and beautiful son tonight. Congratulations to her on the wonderful addition to an already wonderful family! 

Oscar Weekend

How do you know it's Oscar weekend in Los Angeles? It takes forever to find detours in Hollywood. That's right. I literally have to maneuver my own driving schedule around because Sunset is shut down. It's a strange feeling to be in the actual city of the Oscars. I think this every year. 

Sometimes I feel like I am not living up to my full potential of the Hollywood life. But, what is the full potential? Coke-fueled parties every weekend? Hooking up with a new up and coming actor every weekend? Partying until 6am and waking up at 4 the next day? Because you live in Hollywood, does that mean you have to go out in a blaze of glory? I often find myself asking these questions on days where I really did nothing the night before. Well, tonight, I am going to a party at the whiskey bar, 7 Grand, downtown. Don't think I'll get too crazy, but I can leave it up to anybody's imagination on the amount of fun I'll be having. If I end up on a E! Hollywood True Story, I guess then and only then will I know the true amount of potential I had to party it up in Hollywood. Oh well. 

Improv Madness

Monday night proved that I could really hob nob with the rest of them. I attended the Hollywood Improv Olympics that featured Oscar Nunez, Angela Kinsey, Ed Helms, and Kate Flannery from The Office and Mo Rollins from MadTV and was emceed by Kate Walsh from Private Practice. Before the show started, I kicked it with fellow early bird, Oscar at the bar. We had a beer and chatted a bit until the show was ready for him to prepare. They entire two-hour show was hilarious. Kate Walsh was surprisingly funny on stage and the actors all seemed to mesh well as performers. After the show, I had a few more words with the crew from The Office, then headed to valet. While waiting for my car alone on a sidewalk, Kate Walsh and her brother stood next to me to pick up their cars. They lit up their cigarettes and we actually had cool conversation that included the words, "you're funny" from Kate Walsh to yours truly. It was a a very cool moment. Will she remember me? No. Did I even remember what I said that was so funny? No. But, at least I can say I rubbed elbows with a star in Hollywood and held my own. Right?

Asking a Hunk

Ok, so somedays I love my job and somedays I hate my job. Most of the time I consider myself lucky to just be working in an industry that I love (when there isn't a strike) and an industry that remains highly competitive. Friday was a day where I was grateful for my job. I created a feature called Ask the Hunk for Daytime on the website. Basically, I choose a "hunk" from the soap opera I work with and interview him using questions fans have submitted. 

I started shooting this feature in November. My first hunk started right off the bat as a crush. To this day, I don't know if he was being charming or being serious when he gave me his number and suggested we get together. I still have the number and the curiosity in my pocket. Maybe I'll get the courage to lock down a date with him in the near future. 

Last Friday, I got to interview a completely different hunk. A very sweet guy who happens to be a veteran on the show. A veteran who is also hunky and only in his mid-30's. He was fun and very charming, but also had player written all over him. He knew how to work the camera and when a group of female fans showed up to watch our interview, he totally played it up. It was amusing to watch. So, spending half my day with a Daytime hunk was a fun day. I have another hunk who is actually even more charming and a lot younger to interview next Friday. Don't envy me, just remind me of these days whenever you see me around complaining about this industry and this job ;)

Auditions

Today had me in Hollywood extra early for the Last Comic Standing auditions. I couldn't believe how many people were in line. The sad part was that most of them were standing in line for nothing. They had already chosen the select few that would be passed to the next round the previous day. There were all types of "comedians". Were they all funny? The answer is "no". In fact, most of them were damn right annoying, which makes me realize why they are still trying to break out into this business by standing in a line for hours waiting for their big break on a reality show. Sadness.
The real highlight of the day was working with two of my favorite people from NBC, Oscar and Angela from The Office. These two are so much fun to watch in action. And I can honestly say they are super-delight in person. Even after winning a SAG award last weekend. They always remember your face, your stories and greet you with big hugs. As shallow as it might sound, it does add a little sunshine to your day when a celebrity thinks you are somebody worth remembering. Now, that's real sadness, isn't it? Oh yeah, and I met this hotness, too! http://www.dlisted.com/node/21611

Sad news

I am sure it's no shock to anybody by now that the very talented and gifted actor, Heath Ledger passed away today. This kind of news always hits hard and I don't know why. We live in a country where soldiers are dying everyday for a war they are unsure they are fighting in the first place. You can't open a newspaper without reading of a tragic car accident or murder. I guess this one hits home because we felt like we actually knew Heath. I remember looking at pictures of him walking his daughter, Matilda, on the streets of Brooklyn and trying to decipher which parent she looked the most like. I remember reading quotes from him describing life as a father and falling completely in love with him all over again, like the feeling I saw 'The Patriot' for the first time. I think the biggest reason this hit home was the fact I felt I was welcomed into his life. He was a celebrity, I was supposed to know all the good and bad details of his life. And now, personally, I grieve for his family, the mother of his child, and most of all, his daughter. Heath left this earth, like many before him, too soon. And whatever the outcome is of how and why this happened, one thing is for sure, it's another tragic story of a gifted actor who expired too soon.