Gwen Stefani and yodeling

Ryan Seacrest introduced Gwen Stefani in her first appearnce since having a kid. Opening with a yodel and now sporting long, blonde hair with Cherlike bangs, Stefani was surrounded by pajama-clad dancers as she delivered an electronic dance workout interspersed with some sort of yodeling. The hacks in the press room were trying to figure out when yodeling became cool. Is there a “Sound of Music” meets Napolean Dynamite feature in the works??

AMAs: Red Carpet Encounters…Isaiah Washington

Grey’s Anatomy stars Isaiah Washington was just on stage to introduce the group Snow Patrol along with his co-stars Kate Walsh and Justin Chambers. I think his publicist hates me. On the red carpet, I asked him a few perfunctory questions then went right for it: “How are things on the set these days between you and Patrick Dempsey and T.R. Knight. The publicist starts making the “stop talking about that” motion, moving her finger acrss her neck. I ignore her, totally. Isaiah says the media has blown it all out of porportion and everything is fine and was fine shortly after the incident that left T.R. feeling that he had to come out publicly as a gay man. Isaiah seemed to want to talk despite the publicist making the “I’ll cut your head off sign” to me, her eyes bulging out. I ignore her some more, but want to laugh. I tell Isaiah, “Your publicist hates me.” He laughs. I give him major kudos for being polite and talking at-length. I don’t have time to transcribe just yet but will have a full account of our conversation tomorrow on my blog “Out in Holywood.”

AMA Red Carpet: the snubs

Paris Hilton is such a “jackass.” I’m just quoting what someone else said when the heiress/reality show star/party girl/author/wannabe singer/author/hair extension wearer breezed past the press line talking on her cell phone. “She probably wasn’t talking to anybody,” sniffed one reporter. I didn’t much care. Whar could I have asked her: “Are you really as shallow as you seem?” “Was that really YOU singing on that CD you released/” “Who is your best friend/boyfriend this week?”

We got snubbed by bigger names than Paris that’s for sure. I stood on that red carpet yelling “Carrie! Carrie!” (as in Underwood). But she didn’t come over. Too busy doing television I guess. “Mary J. Blige! Mary J!” She at least managed a smile. Ohmygod it’s BEYONCE!!! “Beyonce! Beyonce! Daily News here!” She barely broke stride but she stopped to tell the girls from US and People who designed her gown. “Gwen! Gwen! Gweeeeen!” There went Stefani. In my next post, I’ll tell ya more about the folks I DID get a word with.

Karma is a bitch though: Jimmy Kimmel opens the show with a joke about Kevin Federline and Paris Hilton both releasing their first CDs this year: “Both SO talented,” he said, dripping with sarcasm. Poor Paris. Maybe she was on her cell phone and didn’t hear the joke.

American Music Awards: The Red Carpet w/Josh Grobin and Taylor Hicks and Katherine McPhee

Forgive the typos in advance. I can’t see a damned thing in this tent outside the Shrine Audistorium where they have put us poor press peeps. Josh Grobin is singing right now and I feel kinda special because about an hour ago I asked him a buncha stuff on the red carpet. I said, “When did you know you had this amazing voice?” He says, “Not until I was 14.” So I go, “Your parents never heard you singing in the shower or anything and notice those pipes?” He insists they did not. Anyway, he’s pretty cool, a great singer. But at the risk of sounding like his mommy, the boy’s gotta get a haircut, pronto!

So, I got placed between a People mag and US weekly reporter and they were nice to me even though I made fun of some olf their silly questions: “What are your workout secrets Carmen [Elektra]? Got some good gets though like Katherine McPhee who is, a goddess. And chatted up the dude who edged her for the American Idol crown, Taylor Hicks. He’s lost a ton of weight and has a flattering haircut and looks more than a little bit like George Clooney. He’s a real gentleman and prevented a potentially awkward moment when he ended up in the press line standing RIGHT next to Weird Al who has a song parodymocking Taylor’s song. But Taylor was a great sport and said: “How could you be mad? I’ve been listening to that guy’s music forever.”