Emmys: A kiss that kept on going

tabloid! brings you the 66th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. 

Cranston, Louis-Dreyfus kiss, make up

On her way to the Emmy Awards stage, winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus got waylaid by a pair of lips belonging to Bryan Cranston.

They shared a prolonged kiss as the audience applauded Louis-Dreyfus’ win as lead actress in a comedy series. She had to be led away from the Breaking Bad star by show host Seth Meyers.

“He went for it and I appreciate it,” a grinning Louis-Dreyfus said backstage.

She and Cranston had presented an award earlier in the evening, when she pretended she didn’t remember his appearance on Seinfeld, during which their characters dated and kissed.

Their Emmy smooch was part of that running gag, and Louis-Dreyfus explained that their respective spouses were OK with it.

“It’s not a question of why, but more a question of why not?” a cagey Cranston said backstage after winning for lead actor in a drama series.

Informed that their moment of passion was likely to go viral, he joked, “You’re saying that she has a virus that I wasn’t aware of?” 

Rotating Sofia: What did you think?

During the moment viewers usually make a dash for the refrigerator, the Emmy Awards tried to keep them in front of their screens.

As TV academy president Maury McIntyre was touting the organisation’s community works and educational efforts, he led Sofia Vergara to a platform and turned on a switch that had the Modern Family actress rotating as he spoke.

A smiling Vergara vamped and preened in her white gown as McIntyre rattled on.

The blowback on social media was immediate, with several comments suggesting Vergara was being objectified and the bit was sexist.

The actress disputed that backstage.

“It’s absolutely the opposite,” she said. “It means that somebody can be hot and also be funny and make fun of herself and work and enjoy and make money.”

Vergara also said she knows who started the negative comments.

“I know who she was, has no sense of humour and should lighten up a little bit,” she said. 

Quickquote: Aaron Paul

“I am so hungry.” — Aaron Paul after winning the night’s final Emmy award for Breaking Bad — and could finally go eat. 

Sealed with a smiley face

Every Emmy winner has to sign for their statuette, but only two winners added happy faces beside their names: Stephen Colbert and Aaron Paul. 

The Emmy for best selfie goes to...

Julie Bowen and Sarah Hyland wanted more than just another comedy series trophy for Modern Family.

The actresses who play mother and daughter on the ABC comedy stopped to take a selfie on the Emmy stage after the show’s win.

While they were busy saying cheese the rest of the cast and crew headed backstage to celebrate.

Quickquote: Danny Zuker

“It’s an honour just to win. It really is.” — Producer Danny Zuker of winning comedy series Modern Family. 

Remembering Robin

Cradling her Emmy Award backstage, Kathy Bates recalled a night years ago when she won an award and wanted to call her mother with the news.

It was before mobile phones and she needed a quarter for the backstage pay phone.

Robin Williams dug out a coin and urged her to make the call.

“I never forgot that kindness,” she said on Monday after winning supporting actress in a mini-series or movie for American Horror Story: Coven.

Bates also recalled the night Williams, who died earlier this month, was there when she lost.

It was 1999 and Bates, nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress, lost to Judi Dench. Williams handed out the award that year.

“He said, ‘I really wish I could’ve had your name in the envelope. Are you OK? I know how hard it is to lose,’” she said. “This is a special night for that reason.”

Quickquote: Julianna Margulies

“Oh yes, this is much heavier than the other one.” — Julianna Margulies, comparing the real Emmy she got backstage to the prop she was handed on camera when she accepted her award for best actress in a drama series. 

Quickquote: Stephen Colbert

“I think I may just change my name to the Col-borg. ‘I am the Col-borg. Resistance is futile.’” — Comedian Stephen Colbert, whose show won for best variety series, commenting on singer Gwen Stefani mangling his name when announcing his win. 

Sarah Silverman’s winner’s remorse

Right when she got to the trophy table to collect her Emmy, Sarah Silverman realised she had forgotten to thank some very important people.

“Oh! I didn’t thank my parents!” she said, a wave of guilt spreading across her face.

Told she could mention them on the backstage “Thank You Cam,” Silverman said she’d already breezed past it.

“The ‘Thank You Cam’ was right away and I was like, ‘I thanked everyone.’”

She says she’ll make up for the faux pas by giving her folks the Emmy.

“It’s just going to go in my very embarrassed dad’s living room,” she said. 

Keeping it in the family

Just as Jessica Lange came backstage to claim her Emmy for lead actress in a miniseries for American Horror Story: Coven, series creator Ryan Murphy took the Nokia Theatre stage to accept an award for his television movie, The Normal Heart.

“The Normal Heart just won? Oh great!” Lange said, standing at an off-camera table where winners claim their trophies.

“Can I just watch Ryan a minute?” she asked, clutching her new Emmy as she watched Murphy make his acceptance speech.

Lange was pretty pleased about her own win as well.

“I can’t tell you how lovely and surprising it is to be here again,” said Lange who has previously won Oscars and Emmys. 

Maybe the Emmy should have gone to...

Which performance had Emmy attendees on their feet?

That’d be the pawn shop spoof starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul that was filmed to build buzz for the Emmy Awards.

The commercial for this year’s ceremony, in which Louis-Dreyfus looks into selling her Seinfeld Emmy, was among the clips shown inside the Nokia Theatre during a commercial break.

When it began playing, several audience members stopped in the aisles or stood up to watch.

By the time it was over it had gotten far more laughs than “Weird Al” Yankovic’s actual Emmy performance.

The red carpet sister act

Sisters were where it’s at on the Emmy red carpet.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson came to the awards show with his sister, who stood dutifully in the background as he chatted up reporters.

“She’s so shy,” he said.

Julianne Hough and her brother Derek finished each other’s sentences.

“I’m just here to protect the jewellery,” Derek joked, though he noted the siblings are like best friends.

“We’re just buds,” added his sister.

Coming off their summer dance tour, the Houghs will be reunited on “Dancing With the Stars” this autumn. She’ll be judging and he’ll be dancing. 

Cutting it close

Twenty minutes before show time, an announcer told Emmys attendees the lobby bar was closing and they better take their seats.

It was a few more minutes, however, before Kevin Spacey, Jimmy Fallon and Sofia Vergara headed for the entrance.

Fallon for one just couldn’t seem to say no to last-minute autograph seekers.

Vergara was finally beginning to move briskly, but Matthew McConaughey was still taking his time.

Doing a slow saunter down the carpet, McConaughey paused to compliment his wife’s dress.

Quickquote: Lea DeLaria

“If I see that on eBay, I’ll find you.” — Lea DeLaria of Orange Is the New Black joking to a fan who just collected an autograph from co-star Matt McGorry. 

No bar needed for this man

Kevin Rahm showed he knows how to keep properly hydrated — and in an upbeat mood — at a summer awards show.

In one hand the Mad Men actor clutched a bottle of water as he arrived on the red carpet. But when fans cheered him, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny bottle of liquor.

With that, the cheers turned to laughter. 

‘Orange’ is the new fan favourite

The stars of Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black were the early fan favourites on the red carpet after series stars stopped to chat with fans and sign autographs.

Laverne Cox dazzled in a long white gown, while Natasha Lyonne smiled and joked, spinning her hand around her head in a sign that the whole experience was crazy.

Selenis Leyva kept up with the show’s motif, posing with a pair of handcuffs for a fashion camera.

The bleachers aren’t on the main carpet this year, so stars have to make a detour if they want to greet fans. Those who did were showered with applause and well wishes.