My First Oscars, Part I: Gonna Be a Long Day

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12:12 p.m.:  Back on the roof of Ripley's. Hollywood Boulevard is already packed with fans. Poor guys, they are here five hours before the awards to see big stars, and they're stuck with me.

Halfway home in our Oscar preshow coverage. I'm pumped to watch the awards, but I’m sweating that my predictions turn out to be right. Don’t want to look like an idiot my first time out.

11:22 a.m.:  Finally—I get to stay in one place! I'm here in the skybox with Catt, and I get to chill for a little. My next hit is on weird nominations: Click for makeup, Poseidon for visual effects. Just dog-crap movies, and I can't believe they are Oscar nominees!

I'm hungry. If anyone is on Sunset, can you hit In N Out for me?

11:04 a.m.:  Up on the skybox now. About to do a hit with E!'s one and only Catt Sadler. We'll be talking about Sundance at the Oscars. This year, more than ever, several films have come out of Sundance that are now here at Oscar (Half Nelson, Little Miss Sunshine, Al Gore’s doc.)

And I just got the assignment that tomorrow, I'm flying to NYC to interview Jake Gyllenhaal. Email me your questions!

9:42 a.m.:  Just switched into a craaaaaazy cashmere suit from Arnold Brandt. He has been dressing Forest Whitaker all awards season. Me, Sal and male model Tyson Beckford are about to do our own little fashion show.

Just met Tyson backstage. Tip for you: He just finished a film called Hotel California, which is premiering at the Cannes Film Festival.

8:34 a.m.:  Okay, I'm up here now, overlooking Hollywood and Highland on the roof of Ripley's Believe It or Not. I'm gonna be here, then the E! party suite, then the skybox, then back to Ripley's roof, then to the skybox again and finally ending the night at the Roosevelt.

The tourists outside the carpet taking pictures actually recognized me—wow! Now, that's a way to start the day.

8:06 a.m.:  S--t! I forgot my credential in the green room. They're gonna kill me. Gotta hustle back. Running down the red carpet in my tux. Is this classic, or just dumb?

7:12 a.m.:  Yes, real guys wear makeup. When you live the fabulous life of an E! correspondent, it's easy to get run down. So, I'm here with Mr. Salema, and we're pounding water and tea and trying to get focused for the day. Shout-out to the staff at the Roosevelt for hooking up the best eggs I've had in months.

6:03 a.m.:  Just arrived at the Roosevelt. Kind of strange being here...sober. I'm gonna grab some Zzzz’s in the green room until somebody grabs me. Sal Masekela's the first one here, and he's passed out, too. It’s gonna be a looooooong day.

5:28 a.m. PT:  The madness begins. Just woke up, and “my car” is already out front to take me to the Roosevelt Hotel, where we’ll stage for E!’s marathon Countdown to the Red Carpet. So Hollywood, I know. Just a few hours away from live TV. Should probably shave.