This is one of my favorite events of the week: the Governor's Ball Food and Beverage Preview with Wolfgang Puck. I always come hungry and ready to taste Wolfgang Puck's delicious food that he plans to serve to all of the nominees and winners after the big show on Sunday night. This year was rather interesting since the tent where the event was happening was hot and the reporters were rather cranky. Watch the video to get the inside scoop on what happened, it's pretty hilarious.
Also, it is great to be in such great company with all of my entertainment reporters. I have met so many incredible friends from this experience over the last two years. It is even sweeter when friends from other parts of the country get to enjoy this unbelievable journey with me. So, any moment spent with James Molnar of The Gold Knight Blog and Jordan Carson of WOTV in Grand Rapids is such a thrill for me to share fun memories on the red carpet with them.
James interviewing me about Sunday's show.
Hanging with my pal, Jordan, on before the Food and Beverage Preview.
We hit a hot red carpet on Wednesday night thanks to TheWrap.com who hosted a fantastic Pre-Oscars party at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. If you have seen any of my recent press junkets, they also usually happen at the Four Seasons, so yeah, the doormen know me at that hotel. I am officially a part of the regular press circuit now. That's pretty cool.
But, back to that red carpet! How does Oscar Nominee, Demian Bechir in a custom cut suit sound to you? So hot and so nice. I also had the opportunity to speak with Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close nominee, Max von Sydow, who is just such a lovely man. While I was not a huge fan of the movie, I must say his nomination is well-deserved. Other celebs included Missi Pyle from The Artist who bonded with me over our love for Chagoury Couture as well as Jane Seymour, and Dennis Haysbert.
Check out our night of interviews and my custom dress from V. Mora Designs. I will talk more about the dress next week and give you the inside scoop on the charity we are donating it to.
Today was the official unrolling of the red carpet on Hollywood Boulevard and in the video below, I give you a glimpse of what it looked like before. We will show you plenty of after shots as the week progresses. I also found my spot on the red carpet and in the backstage pressroom during the official walk-thrus today. We received the usual speech about not photographing your credentials and posting them to the various social media sites. (I talked about it here.) It may sound silly, but it is a rule they take very seriously. Any breech of contract results in a loss of your credentials. You don't want to be that person and I can guarantee you someone has already had their creds yanked by now. Now if the Academy only ran the TSA, we would never see another terrorist in this country again. That's how strictly their rules are enforced.
Later, I went to a fantastic red carpet hosted by TheWrap.comwhich is one of my favorite awards season sites. (Hit up Steve Pond's column for Oscar insight.) I had the opportunity to interview Acting nominees: Max von Sydow from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Demian Bechir from A Separate Life. I will post those interviews soon, but let me tell you.....the happy crying has officially begun. For whatever reason, year 2 at the Oscars is even sweeter. I feel like I belong.
Day 2 has come and gone, but man, I am tired! Can you imagine being a nominee during a week like this? I don't know how they do it and still look pretty all week long. Yesterday, I hit Roger Neal's Hollywood Style Gifting Suite and received the celebrity treatment. What is it like to get all of those free gifts? Take a look....
If you read my Day 1 post, I alluded to a bit of show gossip and I hinted that the group I saw getting credentials might mean that there will be singing at this year's show. (I named them in the tags.) I sleuthed around and here's what I am hypothesizing for now....
1. The group will be singing as a part of some tribute, perhaps during the infamous and always controversial "Hollywood Death" segment. Sounds possible, but it's a group of kids singing, that's too morbid.
2. How about this better theory: They ARE featuring the two Best Original Songs from The Muppets and from Rio. My guess is that the Muppets will make an appearance to sing because Miss Piggy and Kermit are already in the building to present an award. The kids' chorus will be a part of the Rio song. This would make me very happy if Theory 2 actually happened.
I did ask my insider sources to confirm this. When I offered up my Muppets theory, the response was met with silence. My other source could not confirm nor deny. Hmmmm, am I on to something here? What do you think, let me know in the comments below.
It's the last year as the Kodak Theatre. I wonder what the name will be next year?
It feels like Christmas to me and I am bouncing off of the walls. I picked up my credentials today and received my official badge that will get me on the red carpet and in the press room on Sunday. Now, please don't ask to see a photo of my badge. I can't do it. Find out why and what to look for in today's edition of Behind the Red Carpet....
The day was filled with scoop as I sat to get my hair done. I cannot tell you where or who I sat near lest I break the sacred hair salon code, but oh boy, this person has their choice of Monique Lhuillier dress or Badgley Mischka for Sunday's activities and I cannot wait to see them on the red carpet.
Also, I think the producers are misleading us about not highlighting either of the two Best Original Song nominees....or they are featuring music in some way during the show. I saw a group today that involves music roaming around Hollywood and Highland. Mark my words.....we will hear some singing come Sunday night. (And that is exclusive scoop. If you look around, I named the group somewhere......did you find it yet?)
Now watch my one minute video and let me know what you are most excited about this week!
Last Friday, I posted my interview with Reese Witherspoon from the recent press junket for This Means War for iVillage. I received some interesting reactions to the piece about Reese's behavior on Facebook. I have to be honest...what you see is what you get and it was a little disappointing to me since I have been a fan for a long time. I'm going to chalk it up to a bad day at the office and I will go in with an open mind and good attitude the next time I interview her. We all have off days, right?
That same day, I had the opportunity to interview all around kick ass, cool chick, Chelsea Handler. This interview was exactly what I needed: funny, spontaneous, a bit of dry wit, and an unexpected party crasher. Watch the video and let me know what you think.
Here's an Oscars Friday Five to help kick off what is going to be a very exciting week in Hollywood. It will be filled with interviews, multiple wardrobe changes in my car (which I am getting quite good at.) and meals on the run. I can't think of a better way to spend my week...
1. News Talk 690: Tim Lewis labeled me a "red carpet diva"-the best compliment ever. Listen to our interview and see the article. Tim asked incredibly insightful questions and I really enjoyed my time on air with him.
2. Red Carpet Report: My insider's look at the Best Actor and Actress Oscar race. Who did I pick? Find out:
3. Kodak Theatre: If you heard the news this week, the Kodak Theatre name is coming down due to Kodak's bankruptcy issues. I am going to refer you to this post I did in 2009 and I mentioned my love of this theatre in my recent feature in The Gold Knight Blog. The theatre has a significant role in my career and I will be sorry to see the name go away.......
4. Chagoury Couture: I'm not ready to reveal my Oscars dress until February 26th (Trust me, it's gorgeous!), but I want to give a little love to Marco D'Angelo and Gilbert Chagoury for continually dressing me every time I have a big event. My Oscars dress last year was executed divinely and my Tonys dress was probably my favorite dress of 2011. Go visit their site and see what everyone is raving about.
5. Reese Witherspoon: Check out my iVillage interview with the 2006 Oscar winner, Reese Witherspoon, about her new film, This Means War. The movie is a fun ride and if you are looking for a fun romp at the movie theatre this weekend, buy a ticket to this flick. (And after seeing her in person, she's definitely not pregnant.)
