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Emmys 2008: The Backstage Report

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Hail the dark horse
No one was more surprised by his win for Best Actor in a Drama than Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston. ''I thought I was the dark horse,'' Cranston said. ''Breaking Bad had only seven episodes to air....I'm thrilled really more for the show. We're on a small network [AMC], and not a lot of people know about us yet.'' His bald head, Cranston explained, is due to his character's treatment for cancer. ''I was late getting here,'' he joked, ''but I won't leave the house until the hair is perfect.''

The pen vs. the sword
What was Kirk Ellis, winner for Writing for a Miniseries or TV Movie (John Adams), planning on saying about articulate politicians before he got cut off? ''The word was primary [for the Founding Fathers]. They believed the word over the sword, and the word could change the world. We have to listen to a lot of bloviating from pundits on television about whether words matter....Of course words matter. We have to listen to what people say.'' Ellis was clearly still steamed he'd not had the chance to say so in his speech. ''When I stood up there and opened my mouth, they were already flashing, 'Wrap it up.' I find it interesting that we can spend 30 minutes for reality show hosts but no time for the people who actually create the work.''

Jeff Probst has amazing dimples
Seriously, they're, like, engineering feats, those dimples. All the Survivor host and winner of the first ever Best Reality Host Emmy had to do was flash those bottomless caverns of adorableness, and all was forgiven with the backstage press for his hosting job, along with fellow nominees Ryan Seacrest, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and Tom Bergeron. ''It's hard to know when you're in the middle of it how it's going,'' Probst dimpled, er, said. ''We knew it's going to be tough going in. Every time we had one idea, one or two people didn't like it. So that's why we had nothing [for our opening]. I don't know whether it worked or not — according to Jeremy Piven, it didn't.''

Basic cable still can't get no respect
It was a big night for basic cable, with historic wins for FX and AMC especially. But according to Matthew Weiner, holding Emmys for writing and drama series for AMC's Mad Men, there's still a bit of an uphill battle for those networks in the eyes of the Academy. ''I'm surprised there's such a segregated caste system at the Emmys,'' Weiner noted. ''We have an amazing cast, and none of them were asked to present tonight. Most of these networks are all owned by giant conglomerates. I don't know why there's a distinction. We're just happy to win and get noticed by our fellow artists.''

Of Sarah Palin, private lives, and missing purses
30 Rock had a great night at the Emmys — Best Writing, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Comedy — but by the time multiple winner Tina Fey made it to the press tent, it was clear her night had taken an unfortunate turn. Before questions even started, Fey announced, ''If anyone's seen my purse, I left it on my seat.'' Then she fielded several questions about her portrayal of GOP vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and Fey made her feelings clear about it: ''I want to be done playing this lady November 5th....My kid saw Sarah Palin on TV and said, 'That's mommy.''' As Fey talked, her 30 Rock costar Judah Friedlander took cell-phone pics with winner Alec Baldwin. Costar Jack McBrayer broke in with his assessment of upcoming guest star Jennifer Aniston: ''She's super nice — really ugly in person. A dowg.'' Baldwin deftly dodged a question about his recent interview with Diane Sawyer regarding his headline-grabbing personal life, noting with a wry smile, ''When I can answer a question about my private life through the prism of promoting our show, I'll call you.'' And, finally, as the cast left the dais, Fey paused for one last, unfinished plea: ''If anyone sees a small purple purse, with an iPhone in it, with a picture of a naked toddler....''