Greg on the Creative Arts Emmys red carpet! [Updated]

There’s no better way to warm up for next week’s Primetine Emmys than by attending the Creative Arts Emmys which took place on Saturday at the Nokia Theatre. Nearly 80 awards are handed out in such categories as make-up, sound editing, set design, casting, non-fiction programming and guest acting categories with some big-name nominees .

Let’s start with some of my quickie red carpet impressions:: I saw Jon Hamm walk by and have decided the Mad Men star is the best looking man on the face of the Earth.  … Had a ball chatting up Elaine Stritch on the red carpet . Will have our interview posted tomorrow!!!.. … I did not mean to make Alana Stewart cry on the red carpet of the Creative Arts Emmys. She was talking about Farrah Fawcett and is nominated for the special on Farrah’s heroic battle with cancer. Ryan O’Neal is here too. … Katey Sagal looks wonderful, was great to chat with her about the new season of her series Sons of Amarchy. She is in a role that could not be more different than Peg Bundy on Married With Children …The red carpet is practically overrun by the cast and behind the scenes people from Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place. They had good reason for being so giddy: their recent movie got bofo ratings. Later in the day, they won for outstanding children’s program.

There went Kathy Griffin who gave as many interviews as she could but had to get inside to start her hosting duties.

Interviewed 92 year old Ernest Borgnine on the red carpet  He is a pistol! He wanted to win and put the Emmy right next to his Oscar won for Marty all those years ago . I wondered how a man of his age continues to work in such high-caliber projects: “Listen, why not?” I’m still young (laughs). What the heck. Age is just a number, it’s what you do with it that counts. I’m just not bent over and reaching for an old chair. I’m still going!”

Chatted up double-nominee Seth Green who wants to win in both categories! “We want to win them all!” Seth said of the Emmys nods. “We’re not expecting either but we’re excited to be here.”

Seth told me he never would have dreamed that the series called Robot Chicken would be the success that it is. “I’ve been telling everybody it’s like if you made a play in your basement for your aunt and then won a Tony for it, that’s what this feels like. It’s preposterous. We’re stunned. We just started making a show that we like to make ourselves laugh. We’re shocked by the reaction, by the fans and we’re really grateful for it.”

Got Brenda Blethyn to do her “Don’t break my heart sweetheart” line from Secrets & Lies. She won the Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar for that terrific film. She was nominated for a terrific guest spot on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: “It is so well-written and all of the subject matter is handled with the greatest respect,” Brenda said. “I was so lucky they wrote a part for me especially and I was so happy.”

The two-time Oscar nominee was happy about her second Emmy nod but did not expect to win competing against the likes of Ellen Burstyn and Carol Burnett: “Listen, I’m not expecting for my luggage to be any heavier on the way home which is in a way that’s for sure (laughs) which is in a way a blessing because I’m going straight to Toronto after this and would have to lug it all that way.

Brenda has London River screening at the Toronto Film Festival and it was just at the Telluride Film Festival with the movie.

Talked to two kids from Hannah Montana and they were just adorable: Emily Osmont who plays Hannah’s best friend and Jason Earles who plays the obnoxious older brother of Hannah.

Since Miley Cyrus has become a superstar during the run of the show, I wondered how that ride has been for them to witness and to share in.

Emily: “I’ve known Miley since she was 12 and literally had just stepped off the plane from Nashville and had never been to LA before and now she’s a complete native and totally knows her way around and she’s adjusted really well.”

Added Jason: “It’s funny because to the world she’s more famous, I think she’s like the same dork that she’s always been. She likes all the same things and is just as obnoxious as she ever was. While she is really, really famous, she’s still like an annoying little sister.”

Jason talked about the overall success of the franchise: “I think at the beginning if you had told us we’d do 100 episodes and have a feature film that did as well as it did, we would have told you you’re crazy. It’s been a heckuva ride for sure.”

Elaine Stritch tells me she doesn’t have a hope in heck of winning for 30 Rock because Tina Fey will win for her Sarah Palin stuff on SNL. The Tony Award winning legend already has three Emmys at home and each of her acceptance speeches have been memorable and very funny. Would she deliver another classic should she win again?

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” she said. “I am authentic. I feel authentic and that’s why I look authentic because I am. I’m not fooling anybody. I try, but it seems to be an impossible feat for me.”

Cutie pie Derek Hough (pictured below) of Dancing With the Stars came by for a chat and was with his partner this season Joanna Krupa.