I'm kinda wiped out from last night but what a fun time it was. I'm going to cut and paste some of the highlights from the night from the Daily News On the Red Carpet blog which I was contributing to live all night. But if you don't want to scroll through it and re-live it all with me minute-by-minute, here is a truncated version of my very star-studded night from backstage (red carpet sightings in next post!)

Security is intense. I coukdn't even bring a brownie back to the deadline room from the dining room where, I'm not one to name drop, but I was chatting with Harry Smith of the CBS Morning Show. Al Rokker walked by but he was in a big rush. Didn;t even have time to say, "Hey Al, howz the weather." Anyway, i stuck the brownie in my pocket and am snacking on it now.
So...back to the show...
Jeremy Irons won best supporting actor in a TV movie for "Elizabeth I" to go along with the Emmy he won last fall for the role. "This is a nightmare," he says. Says he can't remember anyone's name He is thanking Helen Mirren. Says the movies was ignored in England and didn't get any attention until it was shown in the U.S.
God Bless America...

Best TV Actress drama: KRYA SEDGWICK!!!!! At last. Well-deserved for "The Closer." "It means so much for me. This show has been such an amazing gift....I'm just so grateful for all of it." She thanks "my one and only, my only one, Kevin (Bacon) and my kids."
She's got Kevin Bacon AND a Golden Globe.

I'm shameless.
Meryl Streep walked right by me in the interview room after taking questions and I couldn't help but say, "Congratulations." She stopped, turned, smiled and said, "Thank you."
I'd say we had a moment.
Here is some of what Meryl had to say backstage before our little moment:
On being emotional after winning: "I usually have a few drinks before my category comes up - so I was not really settled."
On her speech: "Did I speak for FOUR minutes? I hate people who do that!"
On landing the lead in "Mamma Mia" : "Vocally I'm not afraid but physically, there's a lot of dancing."
On post-show parties: "I hav e a 15 year old with me and I'm going to be watching everything she does."
A suck-up reporter, not me, tells Meryl how young and beautiful she looks. She says: You're so far in the back though!"

I was in the interview room when "Babel" won and it was a surreal expeirence. I rushed in and leaned against a wall and noticed that standing three feet away were Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson! I'm wondering what the heck they were doing there as the 'Grey's Anatomy" cast was on stage. Then I notice Eddie Murphy right behind me. He's so small! But he's cool. Very cool. When the producer Larry Marks and director Bill Condon show up, I realize they are there to talk about winning for best picture-musical or comedy.
Jennifer looks a little tired. Beyonce is energized calling it "a beautiful night."

Not only has "Ugly Betty" won best comedy series, but its star America Ferrera just won best actress in a comedy series over some heavy-hitters. She was so emotional and natural, choking back tears: "Oh my God! I'm so sorry I'm such a mess right now."
It is lovely to see. she said she is proud "to bring a new face to television...such a beautiful message about beauty being beyond what you see."
She then thanked her her "mommy" who she credits for "everything I've ever accomplished in this life."
Backstage, she said winning "was a very out of body experience...I was amazed to look out and see a roomful of people who I've been so inspired by. To be on that stage and be welcomed by that community...it was really, really wonderful."
She's emotional again and now surrounded backstage by the show's cast including Vanessa Williams with her big Diana Ross hair.
"There are millions and millkions of ugly bettys in our own lives that we love and cherish and we need to stop using that word.," Fererra said. "What we need to be tellihg our future generations is to expore their talents and to explore their intelligence....and truly make this world a better place."