SHOW BITS: Welcome to Jesse's house
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Show Bits brings you the 66th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles through the eyes of Associated Press journalists. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.
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HAIRSPRAY CLOUDS
Jesse Tyler Ferguson invited Padma Lakshmi to stay at his house for Emmy weekend.
And what a scene it was.
The "Modern Family" star blasted music so loud during their fashion prep that Lakshmi joked it gave her a headache.
"He didn't have to do what I did, sit there while they buff and tweeze you," said Lakshmi, the cookbook author, actress, model and "Top Chef" producer who wore a white crepe gown.
Ferguson retorted, "A lot of hairspray clouds in my house."
Laskshmi said she met Ferguson on the red carpet several years ago and they've been pals ever since.
— Beth Harris: www.twitter.com/bethharrisap
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CUTTING IT CLOSE
Twenty minutes before show time, an announcer tells Emmys attendees the lobby bar is closing and they better take their seats.
It'll be a few more minutes, however, before Kevin Spacey, Jimmy Fallon and Sofia Vergara head for the entrance.
Fallon for one just can't seem to say no to last-minute autograph seekers.
Vergara is finally beginning to move briskly, but Matthew McConaughey is still taking his time.
Doing a slow saunter down the carpet, McConaughey pauses to compliment his wife's dress.
— Anthony McCartney: www.twitter.com/mccartneyAP
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QUICKQUOTE: LEA DeLARIA
"If I see that on eBay, I'll find you." — Lea DeLaria of "Orange Is the New Black" joking to a fan who just collected an autograph from co-star Matt McGorry.
— Anthony McCartney: www.twitter.com/mccartneyAP
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CAMERAS WORK BOTH WAYS
It's not just fans and professional photographers who get to take pictures of people during the Emmy red carpet walk.
Some of the actors are opting to turn their smartphones on the crowd, taking pictures of the fan bleachers as they stroll by.
The move draws shouts of "Selfie! Selfie!" from the crowd.
— Anthony McCartney: www.twitter.com/mccartneyAP
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NO BAR NEEDED FOR THIS MAN
Kevin Rahm showed he knows how to keep properly hydrated — and in an upbeat mood — at a summer awards show.
In one hand the "Mad Men" actor clutched a bottle of water as he arrived on the red carpet. But when fans cheered him, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny bottle of liquor.
With that, the cheers turned to laughter.
— Anthony McCartney: www.twitter.com/mccartneyAP
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'ORANGE' IS THE NEW FAN FAVORITE
The stars of Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black" were the early fan favorites on the red carpet after series stars stopped to chat with fans and sign autographs.
Laverne Cox dazzled in a long white gown, while Natasha Lyonne smiled and joked, spinning her hand around her head in a sign that the whole experience was crazy.
Selenis Leyva kept up with the show's motif, posing with a pair of handcuffs for a fashion camera.
The bleachers aren't on the main carpet this year, so stars have to make a detour if they want to greet fans. Those who did were showered with applause and well wishes.
— Anthony McCartney: —www.twitter.com/mccartneyAP
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RED CARPET READY FOR ITS CLOSEUP
With a few hours until show time, workers are putting the finishing touches on the red carpet.
A vacuum sucks up leaves and dirt as potted shrubs are hurriedly moved into place.
At a booth set aside for one of the many red carpet interviews, workers wipe down tables and position flower arrangements so bottled water that will keep throats clear is tucked out of sight.
The end result would please a celebrity stylist: Not a petal, leaf or shrub is left out of place.
— Anthony McCartney: —www.twitter.com/mccartneyAP