With the Television Critics Association in town for its twice-annual media tour at the Universal City Hilton, organizers at Fox jumped through some logistical hoops to entertain guests for the network's party on Tuesday night. "We had about 70 feet of carpet, and we had lane closures on La Brea and Hollywood Boulevard," said Fox's Tomiko Iwata, who oversaw the event. "The sidewalks are challenging to close because you have to have another option for the public to walk down the street." And with construction going on across the street as well, that was not an easy task.
Iwata beefed up security and wrangled the necessary permits in order to welcome guests to the network's party at MyHouse, David Judaken's not-yet-fully-open-to-the-public nightclub set up to look like a luxury home.
"This year, because of everything, we're very, very conscious," Iwata said. "We had to slash our budget but still come up with an event that took care of our needs—it's very important for the press to have access to the talent." And because MyHouse is laid out like, well, a house, there are areas right for communicating and networking: seating clusters of sectional couches that allow people to talk in comfort, a bank of cabanas, and an open kitchen that serves as a bar. "It was low-key, close to the [Hilton] hotel, and perfect for what we were trying to do," Iwata said.
Among the talent on hand to meet the press at the party were 24's Kiefer Sutherland, House's Hugh Laurie, American Idol personalities, and the family Osbourne.
