And the winner is…
Here’s what it’s like to present a Television Critics Association Award:
You go up on the stage where the Golden Globes are presented, looking out at an audience that includes “Sopranos’’ creator David Chase with Edie Falco and Lorraine Bracco, Alec Baldwin of “30 Rock,’’ Matt Dallas of “Kyle XY,’’ “Heroes’’ creator Tim Kring with Adrian Pasdar, Masi Oka, “The Office” producer Greg Daniels and castmembers and Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton of “Friday Night Lights.’’
And you pray you don’t black out.
Makes you understand yet again just how good these people in the room are at what they do.
Alec won the award for individual achievement in comedy and rocked the room. He told the story about how he tried to get a role on “The Sopranos.’’
In New York, he was going to a meeting with “a famous socialite’’ to raise some money for some foundation. But he went to the wrong place, and had to bolt down Park Avenue, he’s drenched in sweat. So he excuses himself to use the men’s room and takes his shirt off, and dries his shirt in the men’s room of the Four Season’s Restaurant.
And David Chase walks in and says, “Alec Baldwin?’’
He didn’t get a role on the show.
Of course, when Chase took the stage to accept the award for Outstanding Achievement in Drama, he says that in response to Alec, “When I walked into the (restroom), I thought `Holy (Shucks), that was Alec Baldwin the famous movie star. I didn’t even notice he didn’t have a shirt on.’’
When he came up again for the Heritage Award, Chase remarked that when you are in New Jersey, you can be sitting in a restaurant and have everything stop.
“It’s not that big of a deal,’’ he deadpans.
He then mentioned that he was awed by other nominees, which included “M*A*S*H,’ `Roots,’ `Mary Tyler Moore Show’ and “Sesame Street.’’
“But I thought we had a pretty good shot when I didn’t see any Muppets in the audience,’’ Chase says.
Then he said a TV critic told him it would be good to actually explain the ending of “The Sopranos.’’
“I wasn’t going to get into it, but when I was going to Stanford, at 23, I went to see the `Planet of the Apes’ with my wife,’’ Chase says. “At the end I said, `Wow. So they had a Statue of Liberty too.’ So that’s what you are up against.’’
For a better insight, check out the season one finale.
“The Office’’ producer Greg Daniels says he spent the whole day reading “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
“I’m on page 450, and it’s good,’’ Daniels says. “If we adapt it for American audiences, it could be really successful.’’
He then introduced the cast that showed up for the awards – and said how he would cast them as “Harry Potter’’ characters.
Brian Baumgartner as Hagrid; Mindy Kaling as Pavarti, or Luna; Angela Kinsey as Delores Umbridge; Kate Flannery as Aunt Petunia; Oscar Nunez as Viktor Krum; Leslie David Baker as Mr. Dursley and Creed Bratton as Lucius Malfoy.
“Is this too nerdy for everyone?,’’ Greg asked.
Not for this crowd.
2007 TCA Award recipients are as follows:
PROGRAM OF THE YEAR: “Heroes” (NBC)
OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM: “Friday Night Lights” (NBC)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA: “The Sopranos” (HBO)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY: “The Office” (NBC)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS & INFORMATION: “Planet Earth” (Discovery)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING: “Kyle XY” (ABC Family)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES, MINI-SERIES & SPECIALS: “Planet Earth” (Discovery)
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY: Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock” (NBC)
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA: Michael C. Hall, “Dexter” (Showtime)
HERITAGE AWARD: “The Sopranos” (HBO)
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT: Mary Tyler Moore
Oh, and I’m now the newly elected secretary of the Television Critics Association. Go TCA.