Wherever there's an awards show in Hollywood, you can rest assured that stellar parties follow!

Last night there were several parties around town but perhaps the best  post Emmy Awards shindig was the "Entertainment Tonight-People Magazine Emmy party." Kathy Lee Gifford summed up the mindset of most folks attending the party: "(People) are really looking forward to drinking.  I mean come on!"  Mary J. Blige said: "I think everyone should eat what they want and do what they want and don't worry about it until tomorrow."

Good advice that dozens of celebrities took as they walked the red carpet and hung out at the party which was held at Vibiana's in downtown Los Angeles... just blocks away from where the Emmy awards were held at the Nokia Theater. By the time the awards show ends and stars walk the red carpet they are relaxed and a lot more fun.

Take Jay Alexander who is a judge on "America's Next Top Model." He told us that most men who attend award shows wear drab clothing. He then enlightened me about the "Mangown." So, what is a "mangown?" According to Alexander, it's an outfit for a male that's not your typical tuxedo and adds a lot of pizzazz.  Rex Lee  of "Entourage" was also a bit humorous when he said he loved this year's telecast because "it only went five minutes over its allotted time." 

Leave it to the comedians to give me the best interviews at the party. Joel McHale of "Talk Soup" and the new NBC hit show "Community" couldn't stop talking about how much he loves watching CNN's Anderson Cooper. He also assured me that if I didn't do a good job interviewing him then he would let me know. It was a very funny yet awkward moment.  Kathy Griffin said while Neil Patrick Harris did a great job hosting the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards he certainly DIDN'T do a better hosting job than she did a week ago at the "Creative Arts Emmy Awards." Hmmm... lots of fun but definitely no modesty at these parties!

Glenn Close talked about why she thinks cable television shows are now better than broadcast network shows. She was speaking to reporters soon after winning the lead actress in a drama series for her work in the FX show "Damages."

"When I first did television in the '80s it was a totally different landscape. The place to do really serious, classy work was Hallmark Hall of Fame, and then along came HBO," she said.

"Writers on cable, more often than not, are given much more creative freedom than at networks," Close said. "That's where creative people want to go.

"The best writing, I personally think, are on some of these shows, ours included, which don't work by any formula and are largely character-based and they tell great story. And that has not been the journey of networks."

If you call Jessica Lange a "cougar," she won't understand. A reporter in the backstage press area asked Lange what she thought about them.

"Why have I never heard this before?" Lange asked. "Where have I been?"

The reporter explained to her it was term for older women who target younger men.

"I'm the wrong person to ask," she said. Lange has been with playwright Sam Shepard, 65, since the early '80s.

Lange, who had just accepted an Emmy for lead actress in a miniseries or movie ("Grey Gardens"), was asked how she keeps looking so great at 60.

"I never exercise," she said.

Cherry Jones, who plays the U.S. president in "24," revealed some details about an upcoming episode. Jones was speaking backstage after getting an Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series.

The show is now shooting episode 10 of its season in Los Angeles - pretending it's New York.

In this episode, she is "dealing a world leader who is being played by Anil Kapoor from 'Slumdog Millionaire,' " she said.

Jones was asked what she would do about health care if she were the real president.

"I'd go for broke, that's what I'd do," Jones said. "I'd go for universal health care."

Hurry up and wait.

It's an old adage in news that always rings true, but today I am reminded of it more than ever. Right now I am blogging this to you via blackberry while waiting for the stars to arrive at the HBO Emmy after party. This is the second year I have covered this party and it's one of my favorite assignments–it seems like all of Hollywood comes to this party! Last year I interviewed everyone from Alec Baldwin and Tom Hanks to the almost unheard of cast of a brand new little show called "True Blood".

This afternoon I rushed around getting ready, made sure that all of my accessories matched my dress and obsessed over which lip gloss to wear. Hey, if the normally fabulous looking celebrities are going to be looking even more fabulous than normal, a mere mortal like me is going to have to do everything in her power to look red carpet appropriate– even if I am on the other side of it!

After meeting my photographer John Aceves, we drove over to the venue where the event is being held expecting there to be a ton of traffic and oddly, the streets of LA are empty right now. I guess that is good news for Neil Patrick Harris, it must mean that people are home getting ready to watch the Emmys (it airs on a time delay here). From all of the emails I am getting, it sounds like he is doing an amazing job!

We got to the venue with plenty of time to spare and wait number one started: the wait to get to the carpet. At major events like this, security often holds off 'opening' the carpet until they can gather some of the press and escort them out together. Finally we were escorted out by a very nice HBO rep and security guard and were given our spot on the line.

Now wait number two starts: the wait for the celebrities. This one will be much longer. Luckily we have a few great things going for us. It's a gorgeous night in Los Angeles. It finally cooled down from the insanely hot temperatures earlier in the day. In addition, when you cover enough of these, you become friends with the producers and crews who are covering the same events, so it's kind of like time to catch up with old friends. And the best part? HBO is keeping us well hydrated, they have huge ice coolers filled with cold water bottles– they know how to keep their press happy!

After all of the controversy over the producer's attempt to time-shift the presentation of four writing awards, those acceptance speeches have taken the shortest amount of airtime.

One winner gave no speech. "Little Dorrit" writer Andrew Davies was not present to accept his Emmy for outstanding writing in a miniseries, movie or a dramatic special.

"30 Rock" writer Matt Hubbard, when accepting the Emmy for writing in a comedy series, kept his speech short, explaining "I am nervous."

The Writers Guild protested loudly last month when producer Don Mischer said he wanted to pre-tape eight awards to gain time to add more entertainment to the telecast.

Alec Baldwin picked up his eighth Emmy, his second consecutive outstanding lead actor in a comedy award, for his work on "30 Rock."

Baldwin, proving his acting ability, said he was surprised.

"You never, ever dream you're going to win," he told reporters backstage.

Instead of acting, most questions backstage centered around his political ambitions.

"I have a great interest in public service, but seeking public office is another whole ball of wax," Baldwin said.

When asked what guest star he would most like to have on "30 Rock," he said Paul McCartney.

Shohreh Aghdashloo - winner of outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or movie - is an Iranian, but she portrayed an Iraqi, Saddam Hussein's wife, in "House of Saddam."

Aghdashloo, who fled Iran three decades ago, spoke about international diplomacy backstage. She said she hopes U.S. President Barack Obama would talk seriously with the Iranian government, perhaps even with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. She left no doubt about her loyalties.

"I'm wearing this green bracelet in solidarity with the young people in Iran who shook the world with their civil disobedience and uprising," she said.

Emmy producers seem to be stealing a few techniques from reality show producers.

Jon Cryer came backstage to talk to the media about his Emmy - for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series - but he found himself on the broadcast again. Show producers tossed to the press room cameras so that host Neil Patrick Harris, who lost out to Cryer, could joke around with Cryer.

After it was over - and he was off the air - Cryer seemed less-than-enthused about the banter. "OK, that was the bit and I hope it was worth waiting for," he said to reporters.

It's interesting how viewers can see the Emmy director's control room, which is in a back corner of the stage.

The most under-dressed actor on the red carpet may be Chevy Chase, who sported a white T-shirt and Armani tux.  He called it "a new statement."

When CNN's Kara Finnstrom remarked that he "could pull it off," Chase - ever the comedian - replied "I can probably pull anything off, but it would be embarrassing." See some of the stars on the red carpet

Chase has a new sitcom on TV - "Community" - in which he plays an aging student at a community college.

Most elegant on the carpet could be actress Cicely Tyson.  She is nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or movie, for her role in "Relative Stranger."  Tyson, 75, has two Emmy trophies on her mantle already.  She won in 1974 for "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" and in 1994 for "Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All."

Shohreh Aghdashloo, whom many viewers may recognize from her turn on Day Four of "24," is competing against Tyson in the outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or movie category.  She played Saddam Hussein's wife in "House of Saddam."

When she spoke to CNN on the red carpet, she revealed that her best research for the role was watching YouTube clips.