LOS ANGELES — Just across from the Beverly Hilton, where the Television Critics Association is meeting with the TV networks to preview the fall season, is an old Robinsons-May department store that has been closed for years. A luxury condominium project never worked out, but the roof of the building was an ideal spot for CBS to gather talent from three networks (including corporate siblings Showtime and the CW) for a party Wednesday night. The location made it possible to walk home at any time, but the party offered such good access to talent and producers that most of us stayed fairly late. (And no, the gelato bar had nothing to do with it.)
We walked across from the hotel, up a "green carpet" driveway; talent came in from the other side, down a red carpet. Inside, Jim Parsons of "The Big Bang Theory" was one of the first people to arrive. (His co-stars Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar were among the last to leave.) I also got a chance to confess to executive producer Bill Prady that I was a late convert but now love the show.
Spent some time with the hilarious Billy Gardell, who's Mike on CBS' new "Mike & Molly," and his co-star, Reno Wilson. They were together on "Heist," and when Wilson read the "Mike & Molly" script, he thought of Gardell for the super-size hero. He called and told Gardell, "This could be the show for us," and a couple of months later, his hope came true. Gardell, by the way, loves playing the Funnybone in St. Louis because he can get "fried ravioli" at Westport. He and his wife even tried to make it, with disastrous results. I gave them some tips courtesy of Charlie Gitto, whom I once watched make it.) And Wilson recalled doing "Miss Evers Boys" at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis sometime in the '90s, he thought. Wilson and I both believed we knew each other but couldn't figure out how.
Two of the handsomest men at the party were Tom Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg of "Blue Bloods," my favorite of CBS' new dramas. I got to chat with Jeff Probst about the new season of "Survivor" and my old pal Phil Keoghan of "The Amazing Race" about the movie he just completed about his bicycle ride across country for multiple sclerosis. The movie premiered Tuesday night in LA and was greeted with a standing ovation.
Somehow, I missed Gabourey Sidibe of Showtime's new "Big C," but on the red carpet, she'd posed for pictures sticking out her tongue. Oliver Stone was supposed to be there, but I never saw him either. Spent quite a while trying to figure out who one person was; turned out to be James Remar, the dad on "Dexter." (CBS talent all wore name bages. CW talent won't, and Showtime talent didn't, for whatever reason.)
About that gelato bar: chocolate-covered banana was an outstanding flavor.
