The Dish Backstage At The Emmy Gift Lounge

Access Hollywood

By Laura "Dish of Salt" Saltman

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- I've just arrived to the Emmys and let me tell you that red carpet is "H.O.T. hot" and I actually am talking about the temperature.

So, thanks to our friends at On3 Productions, Access Hollywood is exclusive backstage with Bertolli oven baked meals yesterday and today at the Presenters Gift Lounge at the Nokia Theatre at "The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards" hosted by AEG Ehrlich Ventures, Producers of The 60th Primetime Emmys.

I am thrilled to be spending my Emmys inside the gift lounge. It's right next to Oprah Winfrey's dressing room! So, I'm hoping for a sighting. I missed her yesterday when she came through the lounge. One of my eagle eye spotters did see her though. She arrived at around 1 PM with her best friend Gayle King in tow. She snagged some Michael Kors Trench Coat Frame sunglasses and actually left wearing them. Gayle picked a pair of Emilio Pucci sunglasses for herself. Oprah also grabbed a Stella McCartney designed LeSport Sac bag. She was overheard saying that her favorite thing (and we know how she loves her favorite things!) was Truejeans.com, a Web site that matches customers with jeans that fit them perfectly.

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Oprah also checked out a 1.5 million dollar 255 carat diamond necklace, earrings, a bracelet and a ring collection from D'Annunzio Group International. They were hoping she would want to borrow it for tonight but she told them, "I wouldn't take it, it's too much responsibility!" I'm told that Oprah bumped into nominee and host Heidi Klum in the elevator and told her someone sent her a Seal CD and that's all she was listening to in her car right now.

So, instead, I tried on the necklace. Unfortunately, they weren't going to lend it to me for the red carpet.

The hysterical Ross the Intern from "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" was hanging out at the Bertolli Oven Bakes booth where they were having celebs sign dishes for charity. I asked him if he ever got married would he change his name. He said he would hyphenate. I suggested Ross Matthews Clooney. "From your mouth to God's ears," he replied.

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Jennifer Love Hewitt dropped in and picked up a pair of grey Koolaburra boots with a Swarovski crystal peace sign, "Ooh," she joked. "I know what I'm wearing with my dress tomorrow!" She's a huge fan of Tweety Bird and just about fell over when she saw D'Anunnzio's diamond Tweety Bird charm. She also grabbed a Palm Centro Smart Phone. Palm Centro's phones were all blinged out with Swarovski crystals - same for their Plantronics Bluetooth headset.

Germ-a-phobe Howie Mandel actually let someone touch his ears to get a mold for Ultimate Ears, who was custom making headphones for celebrities. He wouldn't let her touch his mouth though. He asked if she had gloves. Celebs were supposed to sit for five minutes with a small piece of Styrofoam in their mouths. Instead, Howie just walked around with his mouth open for five minutes!

Candice Bergen, David Boreanaz and America Ferrera all arrived at the same time. Candace spent about 30 minutes sitting down being shown reading glasses and sunglasses. Her publicist at one point chuckled, "You're still sitting here" when she saw her.

America, sans her "Ugly Betty" glasses, made a quicker decision, picking up a pair of glassed modeled after the Fendi spy bag -- a spy frame!

Meanwhile, David Boreanaz got a hand massage with anti-aging crme from Lierac Paris. When he was done he shook everyone's hands and said, "I appreciate it. Thank you!"

While I was interviewing David, Mary Tyler Moore walked in and I had a serious freak out. Legend!!! Moments later in walked another legend, Betty White. I'm hoping she might want to adopt me as her granddaughter! Our producer, Jeremy, thanked her for all her work with animal welfare and she told him, "I stay in showbiz so I can pay for my animals!" Love her!

Neil Patrick Harris wasn't giving up any scoop on how things will go now that Barney is in love with Robin on "How I Met Your Mother," telling me, "You'll have to wait and see!"

That fierce Christian Siriano walked out proclaiming, "I'm so over this iPhone. It's such a mess!" And then he walked away with a Palm Centro.

The most brilliant moment was when Don Rickles joked just outside the gift lounge, "Are there any Jews in there? If there are any Jews in there, it means theirs a fire sale!" Then he saw Betty White and quipped, "Hey kid - I'll meet you at the state hospital!"

I'm off to find Oprah!!! I'll be inside the actually Emmys show for all sorts of Dish later!

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