Emmy Arrival

Another year, another Emmy Awards. This year, the TV schmooze-fest has moved to a new venue, from the historic Shrine Auditorium next to the University of California (always a challenge, weaving to one’s designated parking lot past student joggers and fat-tire bike riders) to this year’s Nokia Theater L.A. Live, downtown across from Staples Center.

We’ve graduated (I guess) from a back alley dish and porta-potty farm to the roof of a parking structure with a back door of the freeway creeping with limos.

But the big question, so far: Should we be worried??? 

I haven’t seen this much security since the twice-delayed 2001 ceremonies made trim and casual in respect to the 9-11 terrorist attacks. That year, it took this reporter 40 minutes to drive from my suburban eastern L.A. County home, and another 90 minutes to drive the two blocks that would get me through the LAPD search phalanx.

This year, security didn’t take THAT long, but it was intimidating. Credentialled drivers were directed into three queues. When you reached the front of the line, LAPD officers looked under my car carriage, presumably for bombs (hey, look in the air for those!) and made me lower all my tinted windows before searching the back hatch of my SUV. Then, drivers had to slalom through a slow-speed course of cement barriers before driving over one-way spikes (in case you wanted to go back and be searched again, I guess), then face the caste system of parking passes. Talent, straight ahead, monsieur or madam!! Press? Catering? Turn left, double back almost to the freeway off-ramp and be ready to walk.

Note to the Academy. Informational signs are a very good thing, especially in the first year in a new location.

I am grateful, however, I do not deal in audio coverage. There is a steady roar from the back of the room, a combination of air-conditioning generators, helicopters and freeway noise, overlaid with Muzak.