The Golden Globes 2009

If anyone's interested, I've worked awards shows in that room at the Beverly Hilton, and I can tell you exactly how HL managed to skip out on the red carpet (and probably where he spent most of the show). I'm interested.

I'm interested too. The few pictures we've seen of him look very "not happy to be here." As he's said, it's not how he wants to spend his free time (he doesn't check the papers for an award show to attend), but he usually gets the job done and makes it look like he's fine with doing it.

I didn't think many people looked happy to be there. It looked like a mostly disinterested group of folks who could barely be bothered to pay attention or STFU when people were speaking on stage. I'm confused as to why we're saying Hugh wasn't on the red carpet? Because he didn't talk to the press? There are pics of him and a shot or two of him on the red carpet on whichever of the shows I was ffwding through after the GGs were over. He didn't talk to the two RC shows (though he hasn't talked to TVG in *years*), but he was there and posing for the photogs.

If anyone's interested, I've worked awards shows in that room at the Beverly Hilton, and I can tell you exactly how HL managed to skip out on the red carpet (and probably where he spent most of the show). I'm interested. Let me start with the arrivals: There is a circular drive where the limos drop the celebrities off at the front of the hotel. The main entrance is at the middle of the circular drive. Just inside those big double doors is where the red carpet generally begins. (On rare occasions, for smaller events, they'll set it up elsewhere, but that wouldn't be the case for the Golden Globes.) The red carpet then winds around to the main entrance to the ballroom, with paparazzi at one end, then TV reporters, followed by official (as opposed to paps) print photographers. If someone wanted to skip the red carpet entirely, they could drive their own car, park in the lot, take the elevator up and sneak in the back entrance to the ballroom. If someone wanted to skip most of the red carpet (and I think this is what HL did)), they would have the limo drop them off at the beginning of the circular drive, walk through the side door and slip onto the last part of the red carpet just before the entrance to the ballroom. As for the layout inside: The ballroom is built on several semi-circular levels, beginning with the top level, which is usually set up with at least two bars. The next level goes most of the way around, from the green room next to the stage on the right on past the restrooms (golly! such decadence! they all have 270-degree mirrors so they stars can check themselves from almost any angle before going back out into the room) to the orchestra pit next to the stage on the left. The next level down is filled with tables -- these are generally reserved for minor stars (or in the case of the Golden Globes, categories that are considered less important) and hangers-on -- agents, etc. Then, the bottom level is almost a complete circle -- this is where the important stars sit -- they have easier access to the stage. The closer to the stage someone is seated, the more important the producers of the show consider them to be -- there's also easier access to them by the camera crews, which wander throughout the floor. Straight at the back of the room is where the main camera/sound engineers/TelePromtr equipment is set up. The room is so oddly shaped that everyone at every table can easily turn and read the TelePromTr whenever they want to. It's actually kind of fun to watch, just to see if the celebrity reading from it improvises. Because of the nature of the room, what happens during the show is that people spend half the evening getting up and schmoozing with friends, switching tables and (here's the important part) going back up toward the entrance to get another drink (or two or 12). That's one of the reasons the show is so noisy -- it's virtually impossible to get them to settle down, and the sound from the bar area carries all through the room, even though big velvet curtain close that area off from the rest of the room. Just off to the right of the main entrance is the press room, where they take all those post-winning photos. I've run the press room, so I'm very familiar with it -- I could go on for pages just describing how that works, but I won't bore you. The part I haven't mentioned is that right next to the press room, on the next level down (the one that goes to the restrooms) is a walkway that goes out to the pool. On cool nights, it's very chilly, but it was abnormally warm last night. This is where the smokers go... which is why I mention it. Very often, the smokers spend the entire show out on that walkway, talking with friends and smoking. The people who run the show occasionally have to go round someone up from there, if their category is coming up soon, so they'll be in the green room or at their table on time. My guess is that HL spent much of his time out on that walkway. I'm sure there's more I could say, but that's all I can think of right now. If you have questions, feel free to ask.

I believe every time they showed the 30 Rock table, Hugh was behind Alec Baldwin. There might have been one time he wasn't, but Alec's a big guy and could have just blocked Hugh off. Who knows? There were a few sections of the show where the entire House table could have disappeared, but the 20 or so glimpses I picked out of the broadcast, Hugh, Lisa and David Shore seemed to be sticking around their table. Olivia, Jennifer, Jesse, Omar, Kal, and Peter seem to have moved around a bit more. Or possibly just weren't in camera range. Christina Applegate and Tony Shaloub, on the other hand, sometimes seemed like they were the only people at their tables :)

It did seem like Tony and his wife were abandoned at the various points I stopped on them. I saw Hugh behind Alec everytime they went to the "30 Rock" table. Seems like he was there for most of the show. I can't remember which win it was, but there was one point where Hugh didn't even turn around when the winner was announced. I kept seeing Peter back there at various points, too, usually paying attention! {g}

It did seem like Tony and his wife were abandoned at the various points I stopped on them. I saw Hugh behind Alec everytime they went to the "30 Rock" table. Seems like he was there for most of the show. I can't remember which win it was, but there was one point where Hugh didn't even turn around when the winner was announced. I kept seeing Peter back there at various points, too, usually paying attention! {g} I noticed that, too. Clearly "30 Rock" was considered higher priority than "House" this year by the GG powers that be, just because of the placement of the tables. There are handlers (and I've been one) who are responsible for tracking down errant celebs when they're due to be on camera. It's possible that Hugh was out smoking and some GG production person had to go remind him that the "30 Rock" categories were coming up and he should get back to the table to be on camera. (They don't want the impression of empty tables). Or maybe he stayed at the table for much of the night. As for the not turning around -- doesn't surprise me. The room is odd, and it's far too easy to focus on practically anything but the stage. You're sitting at a round table with friends or co-workers, it's hard to hear or see the person on stage (even thought there are always gigantic monitors placed around the room to help with that), and it's not like the GG production people rehearse with everyone in the room to let them know when the director is going to cut to one of the roaming cameras and catch you mid-bite or whatever. What I was trying to figure out was how close the "House" table was to the one where Emma Thompson sat. I may freeze frame one of the overhead shots and see if I can work out the layout. They were clearly both on the main floor, but Emma was closer to the stage, while the "House" table seemed to be pretty close to the wall of the next level. Anything else you want to know about the behind the scenes stuff? I've done everything from being a "spotter" greeting the celebs at the entrance (complete with walkie-talkie) to escorting the celebs to and from and from the Green Room to to tracking them down when their time was coming up to helping with the awards backstage to running the press room. I've also attended a couple of awards ceremonies there. Of course, it wasn't for anything quite as big as the Golden Globes, but the concept would have remained the same. I'm confused as to why we're saying Hugh wasn't on the red carpet? Because he didn't talk to the press? There are pics of him and a shot or two of him on the red carpet on whichever of the shows I was ffwding through after the GGs were over. He didn't talk to the two RC shows (though he hasn't talked to TVG in *years*), but he was there and posing for the photogs. Just realized I hadn't answered this. I thought I'd made it clear, but I guess I didn't. The last section of carpet, which is near the side entrance, is reserved for official print photographers. The reason you don't see him interviewed by TV folks is probably because he slipped in that side door, and caught only the last little bit of the red carpet... the part where the print photographers set up. I didn't mean to say he wasn't on the red carpet... just that he didn't do the whole red carpet. That way he skipped the TV crews and the paparazzi.

Thanks for all the insider info, sherlockjr! Hope your recovery from surgery is going well.

Thanks for posting this sherlockjr. One thing that surprises me is that they set aside an area for the paps. How can they possibly decide who is a deserving pap vs just another guy with a camera? For that matter, what is the difference between any pap and any old guy with a camera? Can anyone show up with a Nikon and be admitted?

Great insights sherlock! Wow, you know that room well. Very cool to know how everything is set up and works. As for everyone not looking too happy, I think the weather might have had something to do with that. Award shows are never the greatest thing on earth for many to attend. That, plus the fact that it was 85 degrees, men were in tuxes that are hot without high temperatures, and the girls in gowns that don't call for sweat and runny makeup to accessorize the ensemble. That alone wouldn't make me a very happy camper.

Just realized I hadn't answered this. I thought I'd made it clear, but I guess I didn't. Well, that post was *before* your more detailed post, so I don't know how you could have made it clear without some sort of psychic vision. {g} Your original post said he avoided the carpet. Your follow up outlined the hypothetical "avoid the red carpet" tactical plan. One made your POV in the other clear.

Thanks for posting this sherlockjr. One thing that surprises me is that they set aside an area for the paps. How can they possibly decide who is a deserving pap vs just another guy with a camera? For that matter, what is the difference between any pap and any old guy with a camera? Can anyone show up with a Nikon and be admitted? They set up an area because they want to control who's able to take pictures. Everyone (celebs, agents, press of all kinds) have to check in at a table just off the red carpet. Press people (including paparazzi) have to apply for credentialing no later than a couple of days before the event. If someone shows up who isn't on the approved list, they are asked to leave. If they refuse, we call security and they are escorted out. There's A LOT of security around, and no one who shouldn't be there (fans, for example) are not allowed anywhere near the building. The closest anyone could get is way across and down the street -- and then the most someone could see would be a car driving by. Oh, and the recovery is going very very slowly, but apparently is going well. I just spazz out fairly often. Edited to answer the "how I'm doing" question, and to change "of" to "off"

I was wondering why they sat Hugh with his back to the Camera - he had to keep twisting around in his seat, when the other nominees seemed to be sitting facing the camera?

I was wondering why they sat Hugh with his back to the Camera - he had to keep twisting around in his seat, when the other nominees seemed to be sitting facing the camera? I doubt that they intentionally sat him that way. They had him seated at the side of the table closest to the stage (and therefore the camera), which would put his back to the cameras if he turned facing his co-workers at the table. Many people, once the dinner is over, turn their chairs around (back to table) to watch the show. His body language makes it clear that he decided the people at the table were more important to him than the show -- he left the chair turned toward the table, twisted his body around toward the stage when he wanted to watch what was happening on stage. This is not the kind of thing a handler or anyone else would try to control -- if he wants to face the table, no one is going to come tell him he needs to turn his chair around.

I was wondering why they sat Hugh with his back to the Camera - he had to keep twisting around in his seat, when the other nominees seemed to be sitting facing the camera? I doubt that they intentionally sat him that way. They had him seated at the side of the table closest to the stage (and therefore the camera), which would put his back to the cameras if he turned facing his co-workers at the table. Many people, once the dinner is over, turn their chairs around (back to table) to watch the show. His body language makes it clear that he decided the people at the table were more important to him than the show -- he left the chair turned toward the table, twisted his body around toward the stage when he wanted to watch what was happening on stage. This is not the kind of thing a handler or anyone else would try to control -- if he wants to face the table, no one is going to come tell him he needs to turn his chair around. Maybe a question to add to that is, do they give specific seat assignments, or do they just assign tables and let the guests sit where ever they want? So did Hugh pick where he was sitting I guess is the question :)

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