Pre and Post Emmys

Blog - Pre Emmy

As I write this I am sitting on an airplane on my way to Los Angeles. I am looking out the window from my seat and I see the mountains in New Mexico. It’s beautiful down there. Nothing, but land. Wide open land. There are a few clouds in the sky, but it is smooth sailing. I watch the little TV screen in the headrest in front of me and am grateful that I am even on this flight. You see, yesterday around 3PM I checked my e mail and had received one from Continental airlines telling me to watch the weather as Hurricane Ike was on it’s way to Houston, Continental’s hub, and our stop over on our way from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Los Angeles, California. It didn’t look like the airport would be open all day and we might want to make other arrangements. You have to know that I made these reservations 2 months ago when I found out that I was nominated for this Emmy. I got a price so cheap that I thought it was a mistake, but I wasn’t about to argue. I don’t remember the last time I flew Continental, but “less is more” as I always say to my actors, so I took my own advice. I booked this great flight with this even greater fare.
Now, 2 months later, a huge hurricane was on its way to our layover city and they were threatening to close the airport before we would be able to change planes and make our connecting flight onto LA. My husband, Marc, was in the big casting room preparing for me to put him on tape for a couple of projects shooting out of town. Just to throw a little wrench into the works, Marc’s Orlando agent and his Dallas agent called and said he had to be put on tape right away for 2 big projects shooting out of town. I was planning on running into the office for an hour or so, doing any last minute work and then going home early to finish packing and get my house in order. “The best laid plans…” as they say. There is a wonderful saying, “Man plans and G-d laughs.” Well, G-d was yucking it up yesterday at my expense, I can tell you that. While my assistant, Phyllis and my intern, Alex, were looking for alternate flights “just in case,” we called Continental again only to find out they were officially canceling the flight altogether. This was at 4:30 in the afternoon, the day before an 8AM departure. Now, the scramble. I still have to put Marc on tape and e mail the auditions at this point. I now have NO WAY to get to LA, and one of us has to go pick up my daughter at her performing arts afterschool program by 6PM. I also had a 7PM hair appointment so my hair would look good for the Friday trip and evening activities that were planned for us. All I can say is, “Thank goodness I took the dog to the vet earlier in the day to board him.”
As I was calling airlines to arrange a flight for less than 24 hours away, the prices were astronomical. Marc yelled in to me that I should call Gary at the travel agency. Gary actually gave me a great idea. While he couldn’t help me because he was frantically trying to help another dozen of his travelers who were in the same situation as I was, he suggested that some airlines might, and might being the operative word, actually accept my Continental ticket as payment for their flight. I told Phyllis to work on that angle. I HAD to get to LA today. While I was taping Marc, Phyllis got a woman named Beth on the phone from Continental airlines and explained our saga. After much discussion, Beth was able to get us on a Delta flight today and use our existing ticket as payment for today’s flight.
The only catch? It was a 6AM flight, which meant we would have to leave the house at 4:30 in the morning. Not my first choice, but I had to get out of town, so 6AM it was.
My good friend Bob was originally going to drive us to the airport at 6:30AM so I had to call him and tell him we would take a cab instead. I wasn’t about to ask him to wake up at 4 in the morning to drive us to the airport. Being the wonderful friend Bob is, he told me he would get up at 4 and drive us. WOO HOO!
Earlier in the week we had another possible snafu. Almost 2 years ago Marc had a recurring role on the USA television series “Burn Notice.” He was in the pilot plus another 5 episodes as Agent Harris. They shipped his character off to Washington DC never to be heard from again. UNTIL THIS WEEK! Out of the blue this past Monday, Marc received a call checking his availability because they were bringing his character back. Normally this would be a cause for celebration. The dates they were checking? You guessed it. The dates we were supposed to be in Los Angeles. Luckily we skirted that because they changed the start date until the day after we come home from LA.
While watching the CNN news on the headrests in the plane, it looks like Houston is going to get IKE full throttle. Luckily we will be safely in LA.
Now about getting home. HMMMM!
When we landed in LA it was a bit foggy/smoggy. I didn’t care. I was so grateful to be in LA on my Emmy journey. The car rental process went smoothly and we immediately drove to our nearest Whole Foods. I was in heaven. From lunch we drove directly to the hotel we were staying at. Hotel Sofitel. We are right across the street from a mall. As a matter of fact, as I write this I am staring at Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s. Could life be any better?
I had to take a nap before our Friday night party or I never would have made it.
Friday night was wonderful. We had been invited to a party at a restaurant/club called
“Falcon.” It was right on Sunset. One of those trendy kind of places that opens itself up to private cocktail parties before they start serving dinner later in the evening. I made sure I had a new outfit, new shoes, all made up with hair and make-up. Why, I don’t know. The atmosphere was very dark. The music was loud and it was difficult to talk to anyone for too long because of all of the obstacles. I did manage to meet some clients of mine who were only voices on the phone in the past. So, as far as I am concerned, the evening was a success. We were supposed to go out to dinner with some HBO execs, but we were all tired, so we left and Marc and I actually grabbed a quick bite at a place called Real Food Daily. This is a vegan restaurant within walking distance of our hotel.

EMMY DAY HAS ARRIVED. I woke up nice and early all ready for my 9AM hair and makeup appointment. I had saved some of my dinner from the night before so that I would have something healthy to eat in the morning. Marc walked me over to the hair salon. We got there early so we spotted a Starbucks and I splurged on a Venti Soy Chai tea latte, no water, extra hot. My usual. Life was good at that moment.
We walked back to the salon and Olya was waiting for us. She is a very pretty young girl from the Ukrain. She had short stylish red hair and had an almost Asian look to her. Lovely girl with an accent, but spoke perfect English. I told her all about my adventure to LA and why I was getting all gussied up in the first place. We discussed hair up hair down. Straight versus wavy and how much makeup I actually wanted her to put on my face. In the end I had lots of false eyelashes and more makeup than I had ever worn, but it looked good, so I was happy. I told her I would come back in on Sunday with the statue if I won. If I didn’t win, she wouldn’t see me again.
I was running a bit late so Marc came and got me and we rushed back to the hotel to get dressed. We had to be at the Four Seasons Hotel to hob nob before the limos were to take us to the Nokia Center, the location of the Emmys. The garden of the Four Seasons was beautiful. Everyone was dressed to the nines. Men in tuxedos and women all made up in an array of gowns and cocktail dresses. I saw a face that looked familiar and I called out,
“Diane?” Indeed it was. Diane had been Don Johnson’s assistant on Miami Vice oh so many years ago. It was really nice to see her. She was up for an Emmy for a movie she had done about Autism. We wished each other good luck and walked down to meet our limos. Marc and I got into a beautiful black stretch limo with another couple. Once we were settled the man asked me, in his English accent, if we were with “John Adams.”
I replied that we were with “Recount,” the enemy. John Adams was a mini-series that was the only project that had more nominations than “Recount.” As a matter of fact the casting director on “John Adams” was nominated for both “John Adams” and “Recount” as she had done some casting on our movie. She was the main CD on “John Adams” though. After talking to “Rob” in the limo we found out that he was nominated for his music score on “John Adams.” He and his wife had flown over from England for these awards. This was his fifth nomination and he was hoping his first win. WOW, I felt badly for the poor guy.
The limo ride seemed long. My phone kept buzzing with text messages from well- wishers. I was giving them a play by play of my day. Getting up. In the salon. Getting dressed. At the Four Seasons. Now I was texting, In the limo.
When we arrived, there were lines of limos and people for as far as the eye could see. I told Marc I just had to walk the red carpet. It was an amazing experience. It is everything you see on TV. Cameras flashing, reporters shouting out questions, security guards ushering people along, the clothes, shoes, jewels. Oh yea, I was having fun. I WAS AN EMMY NOMINEE!!! I belonged there.
We found our seats. I was in row L. That would be the 12th row. Near the front. Not as far to walk when they called my name. Very cool. I saw all of my “Recount” friends. We all sat around each other. I also saw Sarah Silverman, Susan Lucci, Tom Hanks, Tim Conway, Kathy Griffin. Not that I get too star struck. I have met some pretty big stars over the years, but this was still pretty darn exciting.
The Emmys began and the very first category was…yup CASTING. Oh my gosh. My heart was pounding out of my chest. They announced the 5 nominees for best casting for a movie, mini-series and then announced our names. In a flash they announced the winner: “JOHN ADAMS!” JOHN ADAM???? Are they crazy? Who voted on these things? Did they not know that we had over 100 principals in one movie? That the bulk of them were look-a-likes and that I had cast almost 80 of them alone in Florida? NOT a mini-series worth of programs. Typically a mini-series and a movie would not be in the same category, but they didn’t have enough of one category so they combined them: NOT FAIR!!!! David and Richard, the two LA casting directors on our movie both looked at me and told me they were sorry. Marc felt worse for me than I did. I was OK. Sad? Sure. A bit dejected, yeah, but you know what? I was at the EMMY’S. I AM AN EMMY NOMINEE and they can’t take that from me. I know in my heart of hearts that we won. We did a fabulous casting job. The people who really count in my life know. My husband, my friends and the people I work with whom I respect and admire. They know we won.
Now I had to sit through the ENTIRE show. I was listening to all of the nominees and the winners. When someone won they would announce which number nomination this was for them and which win this was. I heard one winner had 49 nominations and this was his 11th win. Another guy had 39 nominations and this was his 6th win. My limo mate from England did NOT win again. So he is a 5 time nominee. Not too bad in the grand scheme of things. In the grand scheme of things, I am a winner in so many ways and I know that.
After the awards show we all walked over to the convention center next door for the ball.
The room looked like we had just walked into a fairy tale. The lights and sparkles and decorations were just beautiful. We ate and laughed and danced. I saw Jay Roach, the director of “Recount.” I even got to take a picture with an Emmy that the editor for “Recount” had won. He told me I could hold it as long as I wanted to. I got my Emmy fix, if you will. By about 8:30PM we were ready to go back to the hotel. I made my goodbyes to all of my HBO friends. David, the LA casting director, whispered in my ear
“You are a winner in my book.” That made it all worth it. I am a winner among my peers.
I am a winner in my own book where it really counts the most.
When Marc and I got back to the hotel we got into comfy clothes and shoes and walked around the corner for some dessert. I had a big piece of vegan chocolate peanut butter cake with vanilla soy ice cream. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day.