The event: The 35th International Emmy Awards
The details: Nov. 19 @ The New York Hilton
The star power: Elmo, Robert De Niro and Al Gore
The talk: Upon accepting the Founders Award for co-founding Current TV Gore said: "We are trying to open up the television medium so that viewers can help to make television and join the conversation of democracy and reclaim American democracy by talking about the choices we have to make."
On Monday, the annual Totally Tisch Gala at the Town Hall played host to a number of celebs and notables, including Sen. Chuck Schumer, thesps Ethan Hawke, Billy Crudup and Alec Baldwin, and tennis legend Billie Jean King. For the NYU arts school, though, the big news was $1.5 million raised towards the theater they’re planning to build.
Broadway’s recent strike also gave the gala a monopoly on another set of stars: the cast of “Spring Awakening.” With Local 1 shirts over their formal attire, the performers, including a number of Tisch alums, sang a medley of the show’s songs, covering their mouths during the swear words as they did during this year’s Tonys broadcast. The gala feted the “Awakening” cast as well as Crudup, and Carla Roney and David Liu, creators of internet wedding site theknot.com. Contributor Richard Vague and school namesake Joan Tisch also received plaudits: the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus serenaded Tisch with a rendition of “My Best Girl” that filled the Hall. (S. Thielman)
The words Stephen Colbert and Glamour may not always go hand in hand but they did Monday night in Gotham when Colbert arrived at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center to present House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with her kudo at mag's Women of the Year awards.
"I'm so honored to be here tonight to honor all these honorable honorees. I'm sorry, my writers are on strike, my stuff is usually better. Since my writers are on strike, I’d like to thank Glamour magazine for giving me someplace to perform tonight," said Colbert.
At the BAFTA/LA Britannia Awards Thursday in Century City, everyone was relaxed in the knowledge as emcee Michael Sheen put it, “that no one will go home a loser who didn’t come here a loser.”
Bill Nighy presented kudos to helmer Richard Curtis and thanked him for, “changing my professional career when he put me in Lycra in 'Love Actually.'”
In accepting the award Curtis said, “It’s sort of a nightmare situation. At last you win an award in front of girls you want to sleep with, but it’s for being a goody good and so of course they won’t want to even if they are going to anyway.” While giving a pitch for more aid in Africa from the audience, Curtis talked about the people who helped him, like Sacha Baron Cohen and how Curtis had to reassure donors that Cohen was kidding when told them, “£5 will buy a bra for a poor woman in Africa and £500 will buy her a boob job.”
New Line toppers Michael Lynne and Bob Shaye talked about the films that drew them to Britain. For Lynne, “The ‘Carry on’ films inspired my interest in British films.” While Shaye’s included a long list of movies that clearly predated many in the audience, but he got a laugh with, “We want to make films in Britain again as soon as the pound’s weaker.”
Reese Witherspoon, who introduced Kate Winslet, said she had plenty of stories about the honoree but, “all the stories about Kate and me are all bawdy, tawdry and too drunken to tell.” (S. Dore)
Several leading ladies were honored Monday night at the Four Seasons Hotel during the Elle Magazine Women in Hollywood Awards dinner — Scarlett Johansson, Kate Bosworth, Jennifer Connelly, Diane Lane, Amy Adams — but it was Lauren Bacall who stole the show. Bacall received a standing ovation upon accepting her award and immediately had the crowd laughing when she began by saying, "I am very thrilled to be here because it proves that I am still breathing." Bacall continued with a story of mistaken identity. "I was in Sur La Table the other day and there was a man staring at me and I said, 'do you want something?' and he said, 'Well, you are Katharine Hepburn aren't you?'" On a more serious note, Bacall thanked her daughter and fellow honorees, before ending her speech the same way it began "I just can't believe it myself that I am actually upright." (M. McNiece)
MTV brought the world of music to Las Vegas on Sunday for their annual Music Awards where Alicia Keys, Kayne West and Britney Spears performed as well as Justin Timberlake who took home four moon-men kudos, including male artist of the year.
Nick Cannon popped over to the Tao Hospitality suite to snag some swag while "The Kingdom" stars Jennifer Garner and Jamie Foxx hosted a private party at the Palms Resort.
Meanwhile, rapper Ludacris proved you can have your cakes and eat it too after he was surprised with five different cakes for his birthday celebration at an XM Satellite Radio bash held at the Rio in Las Vegas. Guests Quincy Jones and Chingy joined in on the celebration and enjoyed a lavish meal by chef Steve Martorano followed by hours of non-stop dancing. (K.Hunt)
While hip celebs like Fergie and “Superbad” trio Michael Cera, Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse turned up at the Gibson Amphitheater for the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday, the cast of “High School Musical 2” were the evening’s most lauded click, winning best TV movie, choice hottie for Zac Efron and breakout music artist for Vanessa Hudgens. Even best comedian winner Dane Cook sarcastically thanked them for his award during his acceptance speech. “I’m going to melt this down and make costume jewelry out of it to sell on QVC,” quipped Cook about his Teen Choice surf board trophy. (A. D'Alessandro)
Jimmy Kimmel and LeBron James brought the worlds of comedy and sports together as they co-hosted the 15th Annual ESPY Awards Wednesday night at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.
Kimmel tailored his jokes for the L.A. crowd saying, “Congratulations to all the athletes who had babies. And the Lakers still have Kobe Bryant.” The show’s highlight was James’ dance number, a reinterpretation of Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative.” The energetic routine redeemed James after an ill-advised gag where he pretended to dunk his own baby through a basketball hoop.
Other famous faces on hand to present awards included; Shaquille O’Neal, Carmen Electra, Josh Duhamel, Ashley Judd, Dane Cook, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson. ESPN will air the event on Sunday at 9:00pm ET. (J. Young)
When accepting her award at the Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Thursday night, director Nancy Meyers used her time at the podium to discuss today's women in trouble. “What about the women in Hollywood who started giving women a bad name? The ones who think it is ok to drink and drive and don’t wear underwear. I understand burning your bra, but I do not understand not wearing underpants," she said. But one woman who definitely has Meyers admiration is Diane Keaton who presented the Dorothy Arzner Award to the outspoken helmer. "The great thing about Diane is that she really did redefine the female movie star," said Meyers. "I think she single-handedly made being unique, complicated and funny, sexy."
Sure she has been able to get Boris Yeltsin, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton and Fidel Castro to open up during her many interviews but if it wasn't for Ms. 
Walters the world would never know that Paris Hilton has actually been "acting dumb" all these years. Hilton recently admitted during a phone call from jail to Walters that she has been hiding her inner genius. After uncovering this revealing revelation Walters definitely deserves the Star on the Walk of Fame she received Thursday afternoon. And who was among the crowd watching the honor? Well besides her View co-hosts Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck, none other than Paris' mother Kathy and sister Nicky.
