Jason Kempin/WireImage.comJust got back from the NBC bash, and once you got past what Conan O'Brien described as the "seizure-inducing" NBC Universal "Experience," it was quite fun. Click in to find out what Rainn Wilson did to E! on the red carpet, what Zach Gilford wants you to do right this minute, and the secret truth about who really runs The Office...
You're Hired! Rainn Wilson tried to steal my job! Midinterview, he swiped my mike and started interviewing Donald Trump himself. It was, as you would assume, priceless and hysterical. I also talked to everyone from Heroes, 30 Rock, The Office and Friday Night Lights, so check back shortly for exclusive bonus videos of all those fab folks.
Oh the Cylonity! The gorgeous and very kind Tricia Helfer told me she's flying to Miami on Friday to begin work on Burn Notice, and she'll be commuting back and forth from Miami to Vancouver through the end of June to do both her Burn gig and finish out Battlestar Galactica. Totally gorgeous in person and extra tall in 4-inch Christian Louboutin heels, Tricia definitely stood out, even in a room full of celebrities. The stars were flocking to her side; Seth Meyers of Saturday Night Live, for example, is clearly a total fan. (Her new bosses join me and Seth in being major Tricia fans; show runner Matt Nix tells me, "We are insanely excited about her.")
Watch With Zach Gilford: We're changing the name of the section from Watch With Kristin to Watch With Zach Gilford. After he heard that Jen started watching Friday Night Lights on his say-so at last summer's NBC bash, he told her to go pick up the Arrested Development DVDs and not come back until she was done. Love. Zach doesn't know this yet, but he's got a future in advice, certainly about TV and probably just in general. I know I would read "Dear Zach Gilford." Wouldn't you?
30 Rocks: I learned tonight that if you approach that nice Judah Friedlander in hopes of getting a picture of his hat—as a strictly documentary enterprise, of course—you will end up with Scott Adsit taking a picture of you and Judah Friedlander and Judah's hat, which tonight read Campeón Del Mundo. Adsit was also on my flight out from L.A. and was supernice as I squeed at him about his show on the way back to my seat. I adore them all even more now...
Ben Silverman Just Thinks He's in Charge: Sure, if you didn't know any better, you'd think that NBC was in charge of life at The Office, but that's not so. The true bosses over there are the Lieberstein clan of Connecticut. Check it: Paul Lieberstein you know as Toby, of course, but when I prodded him about the family tree, he admitted that, "Warren, who's married to Angela, is my sister, and Susanne, who's married to Greg Daniels, is my brother. Or maybe Warren's my brother and Susanne's my sister. I can never keep them straight." For those keeping score at home, Angela is Angela of Dwangela fame, Warren is a TV writer, Susanne runs Lifetime, Greg Daniels is (obviously) the show runner of The Office, and that's seriously got to be the best family short of the fictional Walkers. Anyway, if you run into them and you have any suggestions on how that Office thing should be run, I'm sure Mama and Papa Lieberstein'll be happy to pass along your notes to their children.
That's Life: OK, just so you know, I'm launching a line of tees that say "I Love Life" and I'm going to wear them on the WWKS, and in exchange, the fabulously cool Sarah Shahi is gonna wear an "I Love Kristin" shirt on her show. (It's so crazy it just might work!) Have I mentioned lately that my job doesn't suck? Anyway, it doesn't suck, not least because tonight I got to talk to Damian Lewis (OMG so hot) and Sarah Shahi, and they were fab and awesome and looking forward to getting back to work next month. As for tonight, said Sarah, "Well, tonight, I'm really looking forward to getting out of these shoes." Her 4-inch stilettos were much much more fabulous than mine, but I agree with the basic sentiment, therefore, I'm finally going to kick off my own shoes now and sign off, but check back first thing tomorrow morning for my live report direct from the Alphabet press conference.
A-B-C-ya-then!
—Additional reporting by Jennifer Godwin