Hayden Panettiere stopped to tell Kate Winslet how much she admires her work before strutting down the red carpet.
Blair Underwood and his wife, Desiree, took in the fans' love for the actor, who earned his first nomination for his work on "In Treatment." Although Globes folks wanted him to keep moving, Underwood stopped at the bleachers to sign autographs.
Jeremy Piven looks as if he has recovered nicely from his reported case of mercury poisoning (haha). He was doing a lot of interviews.
--Maria Elena Fernandez
Passing
NBC honchos Jeff Zucker and and a severely sunburned Ben Silverman exchanged a very lukewarm hello.
--MEF
Gossip
The whispers of the veteran staff at the show: This year the "presenters boxes" (the swag for celeb presenters, a package worth thousands) were not offered and there were numerous cancellations. The whispers also said that it wasn't the stars who balked this year -- in the past their publicists often pinched the entire box or select items.
--Geoff Boucher
Showtime's prime spot
Showtime, with its eight nominations, is finally getting the good tables.
Four of the best positioned TV tables -- in years past belonging to Fox -- are filling up with actors and producers from "Weeds," "Californication" and "Dexter."
"We've got our own little neighborhood in the building," said Robert Greenblatt, Showtime's president of entertainment. "We have three shows nominated and four actors -- that's half our network. I'm really excited."
--MEF
Remar's thoughts
On the Globes' red carpet, James Remar, who plays Dexter's dead father on the nominated Showtime series, opined about the meaning of industry awards. "This is our chance to celebrate acting and shows and films and every industry does this," Remar said. "There's awards in medicine, literature, all of the arts ... for a show like 'Dexter,' yes, the nominations and awards do draw attention and that's important."
--GB
Dexter's romance
Yes, they're newlyweds.
It was hard to divert Jennifer Carpenter's attention away from her husband, Michael C. Hall, whose back she was rubbing. (The two -- who play brother and sister on Showtime's "Dexter" -- eloped over New Year's.) But after Carpenter recognized a reporter, she sweetly accepted the best wishes for her new marriage.
--MEF
This year's unexpected accessory
A small Moet & Chandon Champagne bottle with a funnel (a la Bourbon Street) was given to guests as they entered the Beverly Hilton hall.
--MEF
No table for Mr. Spielberg
In the final moments before the show, the audience area is filled with women in a mad struggle with their gowns, trying to push through the crowd. A voice on the loudspeaker screams at them to take their seats.
Meanwhile, Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Steven Spielberg has arrived, but there seems to be some confusion about where his seats are. While this is being figured out, a woman with a very thick accent holding a Champagne flute approaches the director. "Mr. Spielberg, I want to introduce myself..."
His distress mounts as the woman explains who she is, while his people are desperately trying to get him to a table.
--Richard Rushfield
Drinking games
Although victory is sweet, at an awards show such as the Globes -- where alcohol is served -- so may be defeat.
When Gabriel Byrne won for best actor in a drama series, the "Dexter" table toasted Michael C. Hall and the "Mad Men" table raised its glasses to Jon Hamm, both of whom were nominated in the category.
But then "Mad Men" got to one-up "Dexter" in the drinking department, as is perhaps fitting for the frequently soused characters. Because "Mad Men's" January Jones, who was nominated for her role as a dissatisfied wife on the 1960s drama, was felled by Anna Paquin of "True Blood," prompting another round of toasts.
-- MEF and RR
Scolded by Hanks
Tom Hanks was the last A-list celebrity to enter before showtime, trailing Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr. and Dustin Hoffman, but he was as cool as the other side of the pillow.
"Hey, hey, where's your table number, people?" he said as he approached the media table, where the sign had been moved, stolen or lost. "You need a table number," he said with a tut-tut expression.
--GB
Smoking patio follies, part one
Between the fairy-tale glitz and glamour of the night, a pair of women on the smokers' patio got a dose of reality. An older waiter walked up to the women and said, "Two beautiful women smoking. Everything is beautiful except this. If you want to stop, go to your local hospital and visit the cancer ward."
--MEF
Smoking patio follies, part two
Woman on smokers' patio: "Can I take a picture with you?"
Mickey Rourke: "OK. Take your clothes off."
--RR
Bad mood
"I don't know if it's the economy or the films, it just feels like it's malaise here tonight. We're all just doing it by rote. Put on your tux. Go show up. But I don't feel like anyone cares here tonight or that it will matter who won."
-From a super agent who declined to be identified by name
--RR
Bar scene
"Tudors" star Jonathan Rhys Meyers shakes hands and hugs "Tudors" executive producer Ben Silverman at the bar.
Silverman: "Congratulations. I just watched the first two episodes of your show and it's amazing. You are my prince. You are my king. Amazing."
Meyers: "Thank you. We should get together."
Silverman: "Yes, we'll play. I'll see you later. Goodbye, darling."
--MEF
Also on the smoking patio
"Mad Men" star Jon Hamm was on the smokers' patio without his most common television prop -- a cigarette. Although he is a smoker in real life, he wasn't on the smokers' patio to partake - just to be with smoker friends who wished him well.
--MEF
Piven, overheard
Actor Jeremy Piven, who reportedly had mercury poisoning, told an interviewer he was hospitalized and three doctors told him he had to rest. His resting heart rate in hospital was 47, he said.
--MEF
When an awards show has a bar...
The Oscars are an assigned-seat affair, but the Globes are a cocktail party. Brian Grazer missed the "30 Rock" acceptance speech because he was picking up two cocktails at the bar.
If he had been in his seat, the producer would have heard Tracy Morgan thank craft services but forget to thank NBC Universal's Jeff Zucker -- until he was reminded to do so.
--GB
Trouble brewing?
Has the "Entourage" entourage broken up? In years past, stars Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier and Kevin Dillon have hung as a posse. This year they're on opposite edges of the smokers' patio.
--RR
No respect for Spielberg
During Steven Spielberg's speech, so many people were at the bar or smokers' patio that you could hear their chatter all the way in the ballroom.
-- MEF
Even at the Globes, he's the Boss
It's a room full of Hollywood legends, but the troubadour of the Jersey shore, Bruce Springsteen, has the table with the most eager celebrity line.
Springsteen, sitting in a prime corner table, was greeting old friends and young admirers; Susan Sarandon stopped by to greet the Boss and Patti Scialfa, even as the stars of "True Blood" and "Entourage" tried to act like they weren't scoping him out.
"It's my second time here," Springsteen said during a commercial break. "And it's not my usual kind of scene. It's not the same for us music guys. But there's some familiar faces and we're having a good time."
--GB
Overheard
"Mad Men's" Vincent Kartheiser to "The Office's" Jenna Fischer: "I'm such a fan of yours. It's taken me four tries to work up the courage to say hello."
--RR
Brad + Angelina
Fame always requires ceremony, even if at times, subtle. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie left the main room and went to the bar with security in tow. While the couple act relaxed and smile, those around them stiffen with the calculated casualness of famous people confronted by a larger fame.
--GB
No 'Californication' for young Madeleine
Madeleine Martin, who plays the daughter of David Duchovny's character on "Californication," has never seen her, er, racy show. She's 16 and her parents don't let her. During table readings, she wears a headset for all the scenes she is not in.
When a Showtime publicist pointed out that she can watch in two years, she replied: "I don't think I want to."
--MEF
'Sisterhood' reunion
America Ferrera walks to Blake Lively's table to say hello and find out what party Blake is going to. Those wacky traveling pants are nowhere in sight!
--MEF
The hard truth
Former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw on awards shows: "Oh my god, they're long. Longer than conventions."
--RR
