While the special event industry—and more than a few laypeople—gabbed about whether or not parties should happen while the United States wages war in Iraq, New York's flashiest Oscar bash went on in much the same style as last year. Entertainment Weekly's ninth annual Oscar viewing party still marched a group of celebrities, Time Inc. execs, and media and entertainment reporters past a row of photographers for a night of tablehopping in extremely tight quarters at Elaine's. But the talk inside the party took a decidedly different tone.
During the week before the event, EW director of event marketing Jacqueline Stiles told us she was looking to the academy to set the precedent for her event. The Oscars went on with as much glitz as ever, so EW went on with many of the same touches as last year's party.
Celebrities were still the focus: Outside the clubby restaurant, Overland Entertainment set up a tented arrivals area for the TV crews, photographers and celebrities, including Chris Noth, Tony Bennett, and members of the cast of Ed and the various Law & Order series. The celebrities were wrangled, coddled and gifted by Flying Television Productions.
(Likewise, the Los Angeles festivities had plenty of celebrity coverage. After Vanity Fair uninvited journalists who originally made the list for its Oscar bash, the mag later let some of them come and cover the event. The whole thing begs a tree-drops-in-the-forest-type question: If a bunch of celebrities go to a party, but there isn't a journalist there to cover it, are they still celebrities? And isn't the press coverage the point of most of these things?)
Inside the EW party, as everyone squeezed through the cramped, overheated quarters during cocktail time, you could hear lots of Iraq talk, as reporters asked the celebrities about their take on the war. But once everyone sat down for dinner, chatter turned to the awards (Academy members Alan Cumming and Chloe Sevigny compared votes) as everyone watched the telecast on flat-screen televisions positioned throughout the bar and two dining rooms. On the tables, Musters & Company paired metallic tablecloths (which matched the invitation) and white flower centerpieces.
For the meal, Elaine's served a chopped salad followed by striped bass or filet mignon. But the fun came with dessert: a chocolate brownie topped with ice cream and served with a chocolate Oscar statuette covered in gold foil and a piece of chocolate printed with cover image from EW's Oscar predictions issue, both from Match Catering and Eventstyles.
—Chad Kaydo
See the gift bag from this event...
See the invitation from this event...
Read our coverage of last year's event...
See the gift bag from last year's event...
During the week before the event, EW director of event marketing Jacqueline Stiles told us she was looking to the academy to set the precedent for her event. The Oscars went on with as much glitz as ever, so EW went on with many of the same touches as last year's party.
Celebrities were still the focus: Outside the clubby restaurant, Overland Entertainment set up a tented arrivals area for the TV crews, photographers and celebrities, including Chris Noth, Tony Bennett, and members of the cast of Ed and the various Law & Order series. The celebrities were wrangled, coddled and gifted by Flying Television Productions.
(Likewise, the Los Angeles festivities had plenty of celebrity coverage. After Vanity Fair uninvited journalists who originally made the list for its Oscar bash, the mag later let some of them come and cover the event. The whole thing begs a tree-drops-in-the-forest-type question: If a bunch of celebrities go to a party, but there isn't a journalist there to cover it, are they still celebrities? And isn't the press coverage the point of most of these things?)
Inside the EW party, as everyone squeezed through the cramped, overheated quarters during cocktail time, you could hear lots of Iraq talk, as reporters asked the celebrities about their take on the war. But once everyone sat down for dinner, chatter turned to the awards (Academy members Alan Cumming and Chloe Sevigny compared votes) as everyone watched the telecast on flat-screen televisions positioned throughout the bar and two dining rooms. On the tables, Musters & Company paired metallic tablecloths (which matched the invitation) and white flower centerpieces.
For the meal, Elaine's served a chopped salad followed by striped bass or filet mignon. But the fun came with dessert: a chocolate brownie topped with ice cream and served with a chocolate Oscar statuette covered in gold foil and a piece of chocolate printed with cover image from EW's Oscar predictions issue, both from Match Catering and Eventstyles.
—Chad Kaydo
See the gift bag from this event...
See the invitation from this event...
Read our coverage of last year's event...
See the gift bag from last year's event...
Dessert at Entertainment Weekly's ninth annual Academy Awards party came with adornments: a piece of chocolate printed with the cover of the mag's Oscar predictions issue and a chocolate Oscar statuette covered in gold foil, both from Match Catering and Eventstyles.
The assembled celebrities—including four members of the cast of Ed—spoke to TV reporters outside Elaine's in an arrivals area coordinated by Overland Entertainment.
Inside the dining rooms, Site Effects put a satellite feed of the E! pre-show festivities and the ABC Oscar telecast on flat-screen televisions, and Musters & Company used metallic tablecloths and white flower centerpieces.
While guests mingled before dinner, conversations turned toward the war more than the awards.
