For a different take on the Oscar party scene, we hit the red carpet to talk to the folks on the other side of the velvet ropes—the reporters covering agent Norby Walters’ 17-year-old bash at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Billed as the Night of 100 Stars, the party typically draws a vast roster of talent of the, shall we say, not necessarily A-list variety. Here’s what we heard outside:
“You never know with this one. You get surprises. I remember a few years ago no one spoke to Jamie Foxx, and a few years later he won an Oscar. Anna Nicole walked in last year and she spoke with everyone.”
—Sheeraz Hasan, www.hollywood.tv
“This is an amazing party because it’s been around for a long time and it attracts Oscar winners from four decades ago. That’s what I think is so amazing and one of the reasons I love to cover it. It just doesn’t get as much PR as the other parties do. But I still think that overall, this is definitely one of the classics.”
—Tammi Sheffield, Fashion TV
“I don’t think anybody cares about this event. This is the second year I’ve done it, and I just realized people are coming here to see friends. It’s not about showing up on the red carpet. It’s really about Old Hollywood people who are just hanging out together, and that’s about it. Nobody cares about it.”
—Romain Cussaulx, KLUS France
“[Event co-host] Peter Nygard was really interesting to me because he dated Anna Nicole. Anna Nicole was actually supposed to be here tonight, and apparently there is a memorial inside.”
—Cheryl Woodcock, Entertainment Tonight and The Insider
“I work for the Howard Stern show, and this is one of the only parties that will let me in. Others won’t because they don’t want me to ask stupid, crazy, and rude questions. Of course, I’ll be asking those types of questions tonight.”
—Gary Garver, Sirius Satelite Radio
“We covered the Spirits yesterday, we did the red carpet for the Oscars this morning, and we’re going to the press room for the Oscars now. But for me, this was like the cherry on the sundae. I was so looking forward to this event because these stars are still big celebrities, but they have come back to a level where they are just here to enjoy life, enjoy each other’s company, and talk to the media. They’re happy to be back in the spotlight, and it makes our job so much easier.”
—Penelope McQuade, TVA Network
“The neat thing about this party is that you can have full access to the celebrities, whereas if you go to the Oscars, you go to your seat, you’re stuck, you’re not allowed to talk to anybody, and they’ll throw you out if you even look at a celebrity. It’s ridiculous.”
—Steven C. Barber, talent manager
“I think this event gets a lot of coverage, but I just don’t think it makes a lot of air time. All of the A-list celebrities are somewhere else. People want the A-list celebrities, and you’ve got to satisfy the viewers.”
—Jessica Dominguez, ABC TV
“This event is very disorganized, very cutthroat, and all in all not really important. Even just trying to check in, there was some man walking around yelling at people.”
—Anonymous photographer
“This is my 14th year covering this, and I feel it’s the biggest Oscar viewing party. It always has the most celebrities, and it has a real Old Hollywood charm.”
—Shawna Johnson, Manmade Multimedia
Posted 02.26.07
“You never know with this one. You get surprises. I remember a few years ago no one spoke to Jamie Foxx, and a few years later he won an Oscar. Anna Nicole walked in last year and she spoke with everyone.”
—Sheeraz Hasan, www.hollywood.tv
“This is an amazing party because it’s been around for a long time and it attracts Oscar winners from four decades ago. That’s what I think is so amazing and one of the reasons I love to cover it. It just doesn’t get as much PR as the other parties do. But I still think that overall, this is definitely one of the classics.”
—Tammi Sheffield, Fashion TV
“I don’t think anybody cares about this event. This is the second year I’ve done it, and I just realized people are coming here to see friends. It’s not about showing up on the red carpet. It’s really about Old Hollywood people who are just hanging out together, and that’s about it. Nobody cares about it.”
—Romain Cussaulx, KLUS France
“[Event co-host] Peter Nygard was really interesting to me because he dated Anna Nicole. Anna Nicole was actually supposed to be here tonight, and apparently there is a memorial inside.”
—Cheryl Woodcock, Entertainment Tonight and The Insider
“I work for the Howard Stern show, and this is one of the only parties that will let me in. Others won’t because they don’t want me to ask stupid, crazy, and rude questions. Of course, I’ll be asking those types of questions tonight.”
—Gary Garver, Sirius Satelite Radio
“We covered the Spirits yesterday, we did the red carpet for the Oscars this morning, and we’re going to the press room for the Oscars now. But for me, this was like the cherry on the sundae. I was so looking forward to this event because these stars are still big celebrities, but they have come back to a level where they are just here to enjoy life, enjoy each other’s company, and talk to the media. They’re happy to be back in the spotlight, and it makes our job so much easier.”
—Penelope McQuade, TVA Network
“The neat thing about this party is that you can have full access to the celebrities, whereas if you go to the Oscars, you go to your seat, you’re stuck, you’re not allowed to talk to anybody, and they’ll throw you out if you even look at a celebrity. It’s ridiculous.”
—Steven C. Barber, talent manager
“I think this event gets a lot of coverage, but I just don’t think it makes a lot of air time. All of the A-list celebrities are somewhere else. People want the A-list celebrities, and you’ve got to satisfy the viewers.”
—Jessica Dominguez, ABC TV
“This event is very disorganized, very cutthroat, and all in all not really important. Even just trying to check in, there was some man walking around yelling at people.”
—Anonymous photographer
“This is my 14th year covering this, and I feel it’s the biggest Oscar viewing party. It always has the most celebrities, and it has a real Old Hollywood charm.”
—Shawna Johnson, Manmade Multimedia
Posted 02.26.07
