Emmy Party Diaries: Inside Friday's Events with Bryan Cranston, Conan O'Brien and Amy Poehler

Emmy Weekend kicked off Friday at Spectra at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Performers Nominee Reception. More than 25 nominees, including Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston, Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet and American Horror Story's Connie Britton gathered to pick up their official Emmy certificate. From there, stars and execs stepped out at a well-attended WME bash at nearby Milk, where brass from NBC, Showtime and FX, among other nets, chatted up such stars as Conan O'Brien, Chris Matthews and Ginnifer Goodwin.

The Hollywood Reporter was on site to catch the highlights as they happened.

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Performers Nominee Reception:

8:32 p.m. Cranston, who directed an episode of ABC's Modern Family last season, sits down with Stonestreet's parents, for whom he doled out big hugs. Minutes later, they're joined by Stonestreet's co-star Ty Burrell.
8:45 p.m. Burrell and newly engaged Jesse Tyler Ferguson chat with Lily Tomlin by the entrance. Nearby, Stonestreet tells a gaggle that he hasn't prepared --and for that matter, won't prepare-- an acceptance speech. 
8:46 p.m. The Big Bang Theory's Mayim Bialik, clad in a mauve dress that matches the brace/bandage on her injured hand says co-star and fellow nominee Jim Parsons will "stand up and scream at the top of his lungs" if she wins. The show's Kunal Nayyar, she notes, has been adamant that this is the year that the CBS comedy wins in the series category, which would cap off a year in which Big Bang has beaten reality juggernaut American Idol in the demo and achieved huge success in syndication on TBS.
9 p.m. Former Brady Bunch star Florence Henderson stops for a drink and mingles near the bar as the nominees begin to gather for their certificates. Among the latter: Britton, Giancarlo Esposito, Damian Lewis and Julie Bowen, among others. 

9:01 p.m. New Girl's Zooey Deschanel and Glee's Dot Marie Jones meet for the first time. Says the musically inclined Deschanel: "I love your show!" 
9:06 p.m. Justified winner Jeremy Davies reunites with former Spanking the Monkey co-star Carla Gallo as he awaits to hear his name called. Davies is sporting a messy pseudo Mohawk.
9:09 p.m. Cranston garners some of the evening's biggest applause as he graces the stage to accept his certificate. There, Britton and a newly blonde Elisabeth Moss catch up and pose for pictures together from stage. 

PHOTOS: What the Emmy Nominated Stars and Execs Are Saying
9:16 p.m. Homeland's Damian Lewis gives a big cheer to Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery shortly after her name is called. He then laughs with Moss from stage. Not long after, Giancarlo Esposito collects his certificate and shouts,"I'm so happy, thank you!" from the stage. He then makes his way over to Cranston and the duo bear hug.
9:20 p.m. Julia Ormond nearly misses her cue and jogs to the stage in very high heels. Then comes Amy Poehler, who takes over the microphone and fakes an acceptance speech, generating wides laughs from the entire patio. After crafting a beauty pageant style announcement from stage at last year's Emmys, word is Poehler has nothing up her sleeve for Sunday. At least that's what she's telling people.
9:30 p.m. Shortly after the ceremony ends, Dallas star Brenda Strong says she wants Parenthood's Jason Ritter to come to pay a visit to the TNT drama. "Can you shoot a gun?" she asks.

WME

10:32: Conan O'Brien spotted saying hello to Mandy Moore. He leaves shortly thereafter.

11:05: A&E Networks execs Abby Raven and newly promoted Nancy Dubuc, who is also nominated as an EP on miniseries Hatfield & McCoys greet well-wishers by the bar. The duo is joined by Lifetime's Rob Sharenow.

11:10: The League's Nick Kroll and FX's Nick Grad talk comedy by the bar. Nearby, Homeland showrunner Alex Gansa and EP/writer Meredith Stiehm chat over Fatburgers.

11:25: NBC's Bob Greenblatt mingles with a group that includes Glee and New Normal producer Dante Di Loreto. Jennifer Salke, Ted Harbert and Bela Bejaria are also making the rounds.

11:49: Showtime's David Nevins greets party-goers with Homeland writer-producer Chip Johannessen by the enterance. If he's nervous about Homeland's chances on Sunday evening, he isn't letting on. Inside, FX's John Landgraf, Fox's Peter Rice and stars including Kim Raver and Ginnifer Goodwin say their hellos. 

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'SNL' Recap: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Strips; Channels Most Interesting Man in the World (Video)

Saturday Night Live host Joseph Gordon-Levitt wasted little time before giving the people what they wanted: a Magic Mike-inspired strip tease.

“You know what my favorite part of Magic Mike was?” he asked in one of the least drawn out opening monologues in SNL history. “This part.”

VIDEO: 'SNL' Uncovers More Mitt Romney 'Hidden Footage'

Gordon-Levitt then channeled Channing Tatum’s best moves to “It’s Raining Men,” doing a very different type of dance than he’d performed during his first SNL hosting gig in 2009. The bit ended with a strategically placed confetti gun blasting from his crotch.

The crowd went wild.

The briskly paced episode soon moved to Gordon-Levitt playing son to the Most Interesting Man in the World. But the son proved far less interesting than the father.

His boasts included such non-talents as owning five fedoras, “kind of” being able to break dance, claiming to have dated a model, and accidentally texting a picture of his genitals to his Chinese delivery man.

And rather than drinking Dos Equis, as his father did, the son loved Tres Equis. Jason Sudeikis made an appearance as the Most Interesting Man in the World to berate his son’s general lack of competence.

VIDEO: 'SNL' Recap: Seth MacFarlane Mocks Ryan Lochte; Clint Eastwood Takes Invisible Obama on the Road

Though the episode took place just days after SNL’s election season primetime special, there was still plenty of untapped political fodder for the show to tackle.

In an ad mocking undecided voters (and obliquely, the news networks who put them on air), people asked increasingly foolish questions that revealed their lack of basic knowledge about the American political system.

“Who is the president right now? Is he or she running,” one man asked in a tone suggesting serious contemplation. “If so, experience is maybe something we should consider.”

Another concerned citizen asked: “How long is a president’s term of office? One year? Two years? Three years? Or life?” If the answer is life, the man's wife reasoned, that’s not good because we don’t want to elect a dictator.

VIDEO: 'Looper' Clip Shows Bruce Willis Pummeling Joseph Gordon-Levitt

During Weekend Update, Seth Meyers hit President Obama, whom SNL virtually ignored in its primetime special Thursday. Meyers skewered a gaffe Obama made, in which he said Washington could not be fixed from inside DC.

Meyers questioned why Obama even needed to be out their speaking, considering some of the mistakes Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney made this week. (Meyers offered as evidence speculation that Romney spray tanned before his Univision forum, as well as his now infamous 47 percent comments.)

Back to Obama's gaffe, Meyers said: “Why are you saying anything during this Romney tailspin? You’re like the criminal who gets away with murder and starts sending the cops puzzle pieces to figure it out."

Musical guest Mumford & Sons lent their talents as a Beatles cover band for Gordon-Levitt's bachelor party, though the sketch was one of the cast's weaker efforts. 

SNL airs its second and final primetime edition of Weekend Update Thursday. Host Daniel Craig and musical guest Muse are slated for the Oct. 6 show.

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'Real Housewives' Star Adrienne Maloof Puts Mansion on the Market for $26 Million

Adrienne Maloof and Paul Nassif, in happier times.

Adrienne Maloof of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is putting her opulent, over-the-top mansion on the market for $26 million, THR has learned.

The Bravo reality star shared the palatial home with husband Paul Nassif, a cosmetic surgeon, who has appeared on past seasons of the Beverly Hills edition. Their marital bickering, shown on camera, appears to have not been staged: the couple is currently going through an acrimonious split, with verbal grenades being pitched on both sides.

Nassif filed for divorce Aug. 28, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking joint physical and legal custody of their three sons, Gavin, 9, and 6-year-old twins Collin and Christian.

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Last Wednesday, a judge awarded Maloof temporary custody of the boys after she alleged that Nassif had choked one of the children. She also received a restraining order against Nassif, barring him from contact with the kids.

Maloof's family owns the Sacramento Kings and the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas; she married Nassif in 2002.

Responding Friday in a post on Facebook, Nassif argued that Maloof was using their sons as "pawns" in court.

"It continues to amaze me how so much of the hoopla surrounding a reality show is in reality, unreal -- including the absurdity of the latest utterly false accusations by Adrienne's attorney which we will vigorously address in court. It is becoming a bit of a circus isn't it?" he wrote.

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Maloof's representative told People.com that "the court documents speak for themselves and we are not going to go into the gutter with Paul."

This weekend, the 51-year-old businesswoman-socialite held a pre-Emmys spa retreat at her estate with guests including fellow Real Housewife Alexis Bellino, Taryn Manning and Brooke Mueller.

Twitter: @ErinLCarlson

Email: erin.carlson@thr.com

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Jerry Bruckheimer, LA Kings' Captain Advocate for Equality at Spirit of Courage Awards

The Courage Campaign hosted the 2nd Annual Spirit of Courage Awards Thursday night at the Petersen Automotive Museum in an effort to recognize advocates for equality.   

The event honored Toronto Maple Leafs president and general manager Brian Burke and Philadelphia Flyers scout Patrick Burke for their efforts to support equality, because, as the Mighty Ducks’ owners Henry and Susan Samueli put it: “There is no room for homophobia in the NHL or any other sports league.”

California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris was also recognized for her work to protect homeowners and the LGBT community at large.     

Those in attendance included L.A. Kings captain Dustin Brown, John O’Hurley, Wayne Gretzky, Lisa Ling, Jerry Bruckheimer and Sandra Fluke.  But the Burke father-son duo stole the spotlight for the night.

The pair’s You Can Play organization -- created in honor of their late son and brother Brendan Burke, a gay hockey player -- preaches acceptance for all athletes, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity.  You Can Play ultimately strives to end homophobia in sports.   

Avid hockey fan Bruckheimer, who is on the Kings’ Hollywood Advisory Board and has been a season-ticket holder since 1988, said: “It’s wonderful that Brian and Patrick are being honored by the Courage Campaign Institute, which will further help the world to accept the simple fact that on the field or in the arena, what really matters -- and all that should matter -- is the skill and heart of the athlete.” 

The race for equality may still be a work in progress, but Rick Jacobs, Founder and Chair of the Courage Campaign, believes it’s a race that’s well on its way.

“At last night's event, both Wayne Gretzky, the best hockey player in history and Dustin Brown, the captain of the Stanley Cup-winning L.A. Kings hockey team, literally stood up for full equality in hockey and sports in general,” Jacobs said. "Dustin and his wife are under 30 years of age, they have three kids and they clearly could care less about who is gay and who is not. They care about family and hockey. This is the leading edge of what we see in the rest of professional sports."

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Ben Affleck's 'Argo' a Hit at San Sebastian

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain – Critics and audiences at San Sebastian Saturday applauded Ben Affleck’s  Argo, screening in the 60th San Sebastian International Film Festival’s Official competition.

At the afternoon screening, the packed Kursaal auditorium erupted in applause at pivotal moments throughout the film — unusual at Spain’s A-list festival.

Affleck, accompanied by the film’s Alan Arkin, addressed questions about the film, the relationship between the United States and Middle East and the evolution of Hollywood since the 70s in addition to what his children thought about this shaggier 'do in the movie.

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"My kids hated the hair. I told them I have to keep the hair like this for work," he shared. "And they said, 'Yeah, what kind of work would want you to keep that kind of hair?’ Out of the mouths of babes."

Affleck said his goal in making the film, which is based on a true story linked with the Iranian hostage crisis and a covert mission to sneak U.S. diplomats out of Iran, was to stick to the facts.

"First of all, you’d never believe this story if it weren’t true," Affleck said. "But my goal was for it to be factual. I have friends that are Democrats and friends that are Republicans. I have friends that are Americans and those that live abroad. I wanted everyone to see it and be able to take something from it because it was based on facts."

San Sebastian is off to a strong start as Affleck’s film ran the same day as Pablo Berger’s Snow White, a black and white silent film starring Maribel Verdu and Angela Molina which also premiered to resounding accolades from critics.

“Snow White is a beautiful film, with beautiful images and a very well-told story. It’s only problem is coming after The Artist,” said Carlos Boyero, critic for Spanish daily El Pais.

San Sebastian runs on Spain’s picturesque Basque coast Sept. 21-29.

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Khandi Alexander on the End of 'Treme' and Rebuilding LaDonna

The third season of Treme reintroduces LaDonna (Khandi Alexander) at her bar, Gigi's, smiling as afternoon light streams in through the dirty windows.

It's a familiar sight for anyone who caught the inaugural run of David Simon and Eric Overmyer's ode to post-Katrina New Orleans -- but entirely foreign to anyone who watched in 2011, when the character was beaten and gang-raped in that same room. LaDonna spent the subsequent episodes a shell of her former self and neutered of the spark and levity she added to a series that so often dwells on the bleak.

STORY: 'Treme' Renewed for Fourth and Final Season

"There's nothing worse than having a very strong female character and then suddenly having it go away," Alexander tells The Hollywood Reporter, echoing some of the skepticism that left critics divided on the arc. "David Simon first described her as a woman who crawled her way to the middle class, so to see her go from that to being a victim, it was not something I originally wanted to play."

LaDonna's old self is more or less intact in this new batch of episodes, allowing for a welcome dose of comedic tension with an elitist sister-in-law (Valarie Pettiford). It's a funny reunion for Alexander, who first met her onscreen nemesis dancing for Bob Fosse in the late 1970s. 

Alexander, likely best known to audiences for roles in mainstream hits like NewsRadio and CSI: Miami, recently spoke with THR about her Broadway roots, her take on Treme's new season and approaching the end of the series.

The Hollywood Reporter: You've spent so much time in New Orleans. What do the locals think of the series?
Khandi Alexander: This is what I love about people from New Orleans. They're very honest at all times, and they either really love the show or they don't. And they don't have a problem letting you know. The people who love the show, want you to know the love the show. And the people who don't, they really want you to know. They're very honest, and I appreciate that.

THR: The people who don't like the show, what are there issues?
Alexander: It's so rude. I don't think you can print any of it. [Laughter]

VIDEO: 'Treme' Returns From Year-Long Absence With Season 3 Trailer

THR: And the people who love the show?
Alexander: Season two of Treme, my character was gang-raped and beaten. And the people who love the show, they take me by the arm, take me into their restaurants and their stores. They feed me and hug me and cry.

THR: The rape arc was brutal, even by David Simon standards. What did you think of that turn for LaDonna?
Alexander: I've never played the aftermath in such an honest way, even though I have certainly played a rape victim in my career before. I never played the aftermath... the actual going to the doctor and everything that really happens. That was quite interesting for me as an actress, but what was harder for me was to see it happen to a character that I loved. I'd never seen such a strong woman with her own business and a successful marriage. David Simon first described her as a woman who crawled her way to the middle class, so to see her go from that to being a victim, it was not something I originally wanted to play.

THR: And now that it's mostly behind the character, how do you feel about it?
Alexander: I feel gratified that she's regaining a part of herself. There's nothing worse than having a very strong female character and then suddenly having it go away. There's nothing worse for an actress, because there's nowhere to go. It was nice to find her way back to some semblance of strength. I had the good fortune of speaking to some women who went through that experience in the aftermath of Katrina when there were no police or even hospitals set up. They were raped and left to deal with that. For them to be honest and let you know their experience and to play that out and to understand how you get to the other side of that. I'm just grateful for that opportunity.

THR: There's definitely a return to that humor Ladonna used to bring. You have some hilarious exchanges with the woman who plays the sister-in-law she's staying with.
Alexander: Oh, I love her! I forgot about that! Let me tell you about Valerie Pettifroe, who plays that role. She was a dancer, as I was, with Mr. Bob Fosse many years ago. We're both from New York, we both used to dance, and it was just a joy that they cast her. The actor who plays her husband, Vernel Bagneris, he is a dancer as well. So we just had a great a time. Vernel choreographed the movie Ray.

THR: You and Lance Nichols (Larry) seem to exist in your own bubble. What are your run-ins like with the rest of the cast?
Alexander: One of my biggest disappointments with that show is that I never work most of them. I didn't meet John Goodman until they killed him off. I mean, you're kidding me. I'm such a big John Goodman fan. What do you mean you're not coming back? I have my own little world. I never see people. Occasionally I'll see some of them in the makeup room. It's a long-standing joke that Wendell Pierce will walk around and go, "Hello, how are you? My name is Wendell." There are people I've never met. They tell me they're on the show, and I'm like, "Oh, that's nice."

THR: Who do you hang out with?
Alexander: I'm really good friends with Steve Zahn. We hang out together... a good deal in New Orleans. And I love Kim Dickens, but I never work with them.

THR: Have you ever even had a scene with Steve?
Alexander: That you've got to save for the audience. But I've never worked with Kim, and I love Kim.

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THR: You first worked with David Simon on The Corner. Did you ever talk about playing any part in The Wire?
Alexander: We hadn't even wrapped The Corner when David offered me The Wire. I was playing a woman who was so addicted. We were filming on location, and I was surrounded by the real thing. Fran [the woman Alexander's character was based on] herself was there on set with me every day. It was so hard I can't even describe the place where I had to go emotionally. When he was talking about staying, I thought oh no... oh hell no. It was one of those things where I was so deep in character, and he had no idea because it was our first time working together. He still rags me about that.

THR: You've done a lot of drama for a long time now. Do you want to go back to comedy?
Alexander: Yes, deeply. It's that Hollywood backhanded compliment. Once you do something, whatever you do, that's what they keep wanting you to do. And as much as you love it, you have to keep reminding them, "Wait a minute, you guys, I worked with Phil Hartman ... I worked with Chris Rock and Ben Stiller." I have deep comedic roots, and I want to be funny. In the case of NewsRadio, I loved that show. I loved the actors and the producers, but I was longing very much for something more to sink my teeth into me. I think it was an incredibly smart show, but I found myself on the peripheral of a lot of it. I took a big chance by asking to leave. From there, I went back to theater and did Thelma Kelly in Chicago. I wanted the opportunity to end my dancing while I still had the strength the energy and the desire to kick out eight shows a week in a leading role.

THR: There has been a lot of talk of ending Treme after four seasons. Where do you want to see the show go?
Alexander: David has made it clear that he wants a conclusion, and it is my understanding that, as of today, we're very close to being able to have a conclusion -- and I'm looking forward to that. I think, often times, it's the audience that suffers when a show isn't given the opportunity to have a beginning, middle and end. I'm thrilled to be a part of a show where the creators are prepared, and I'm very excited to be a part of a show that clearly has a beginning, middle and end. 

Treme returns to HBO on Sunday, at 10:00 p.m. ET.

Email: Michael.OConnell@THR.com; Twitter: @MikeyLikesTV

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Justice Department Drops Fox Indecency Case Over Strippers on Reality Show

The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday dismissed a lawsuit against Fox Broadcasting and four Fox-owned TV stations over a 2003 episode of the show Married By America that featured strippers.

In a filing in federal court in Washington, D.C., the government did not reveal why it is dropping the suit, which related to four Fox-owned TV stations that refused to pay a fine for showing the sexy scene. However, the dismissal is believed to stem from a July Supreme Court decision that said the FCC did not give Fox stations “fair notice” before it took action for allowing expletives to air.

In a statement, Fox said its view, “has consistently been that the FCC’s fine had no foundation within the law, and we are grateful that the DOJ and FCC have now agreed with this position. In addition, we plan to urge the FCC to dismiss its underlying forfeiture order in this case, a move that will ensure that the Fox affiliates who paid the fine upfront do not unfairly suffer any negative consequences related to their broadcast licenses in the future.”

The Fox statement refers to TV stations affiliated with the network that did pay the fine of about $7,000 each for the 2003 broadcast. The network wants the FCC to insure that these affiliates experience no additional legal problems.

This latest move leaves open the question of how the Justice Department will handle other outstanding indecency cases in the wake of the June ruling by the Supreme Court, which found that the government did not police "fleeting expletives" correctly. The ruling hinged on procedural gaffes, which could leave the door open to re-file the case.

The FCC under chairman Julius Genachowski has not been as aggressive in going after TV stations for indecency as his predecessor. He said recently the FCC is reviewing its policy on the issue, including determining whether pursuing stations is the best use of government resources. The FCC has not brought a new indecency case since 2009, when President Obama took office.

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India Chooses 'Barfi!' for Oscars Foreign-Language Entry

Ileana D'Cruz, Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra in "Barfi!"

NEW DELHI – India's official entry for the 2013 Oscars is Barfi!, produced by Disney UTV Studios.

The announcement was made by the Film Federation of India. Barfi! (the name refers to an Indian sweet) stars top actor Ranbir Kapoor in the title role of a deaf and mute young man and his love for an autistic girl (top actress Priyanka Chopra) while upcoming South Indian actress Ileana D'Cruz completes the love triangle.

Kapoor's performance as a fun-filled character has shades of Charlie Chaplin with some scenes even paying tribute to gags from his comedy classics. Budgeted at an estimated $6 million (330 million rupees), the film is a departure for director Anurag Basu, whose previous films such as Life In A Metro and Gangster tackled mostly dark themes.

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“I try and make films which are different from each other and yes, Barfi! is my first U (Universal) certificate film which is more friendly for family audiences. I wanted to make a film which talks about celebrating life,” Basu told THR in an interview.

Since its Sept. 14 release on 700 screens in India, Barfi! has grossed an estimated $10 million (550 million rupees) with the film also receiving critical acclaim. The Film Federation of India shortlisted 17 entries for the Oscars which included 11 Hindi language films along with regional titles. These included the two-part Gangs of Wasseypur (which premiered at Cannes this year), South Indian Telegu language film Eega (one of the year's biggest critical and commercial hits) and Marathi language title Deool, which shared a best feature win at India's National Awards in March.

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“We are honored that Barfi! has been selected to represent India as its official entry to the 2013 Academy Awards. Barfi! is very close to the hearts of all of us at UTV and it gives us great satisfaction that a film we have developed and nurtured from its inception has met with so much love from audiences and critics worldwide. An added source of pride is that this is the fourth UTV film in the last seven years to have been selected to represent India at the Academy Awards, our earlier selections being Rang De Basanti (2006), Harishchandrachi Factory (2009) and Peepli Live (2010),” said Disney UTV Studios MD Siddharth Roy Kapur.

Barfi! will screen at the Busan festival on Oct. 11, after which it will travel to the Marrakesh festival.

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Box Office Report: 'End of Watch,' 'House at the End of the Street' Tie on Friday

In a surprise twist, Jake Gyllenhaal-Michael Pena's cop drama End of Watch tied with Jennifer Lawrence horror pic House at the End of the Street for No. 1 at the Friday box office, each earning $4.6 million.

Clint Eastwood's new baseball drama Trouble with the Curve followed with $4.2 million. From Warner Bros., the film is hoping for a Saturday boost as older moviegoers become available. Otherwise, it could lose the weekend race to End of Watch, which is projecting a $13.5 million debut. House at the End of the Street will likely earn $12 million for the weekend.

Heading into the weekend, Warner Bros. was expecting a $14 million debut for Trouble with the Curve. It's unclear how Eastwood's recent speech at the Republican National Convention is impacting the film's performance.

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Trouble with the Curve, about an aging baseball scout who goes on one last trip with his daughter, is directed by Rob Lorenz, Eastwood's longtime producing partner. It's the first film that Eastwood has starred in, but not directed, since In the Line of Fire in 1993.

Directed by David Ayer, End of Watch received an A- CinemaScore. Open Road Films is distributing the film.

House at the End of the Street, from Relativity Media, earned a B CinemaScore.

Box office observers also are tracking Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master, which expanded into a total of 788 theaters on Friday, grossing $1.4 million.

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Fiona Apple Speaks Out on Arrest for Hashish Possession

Two days after getting arrested for possession of hashish in Texas, Fiona Apple seized the opportunity at her Houston concert to give her side of the story.

The "Criminal" singer-songwriter's bus was stopped in the town of Sierra Blanca on Wednesday; police discovered the hash as well as a small amount of marijuana. Apple, 35, was then taken to Hudspeth County Jail, where she had a not-so-great experience.

In a verbose, rambling monologue at her Houston concert on Friday, Apple -- appearing simultaneously amused and angered by the situation -- told the audience that she wanted to apologize to "the guy who runs the jail," who she dubbed "a real decent guy," for "being attitude-y and saying that I didn't trust him. Because I didn't then but by the end of the day I did."

STORY: Fiona Apple Arrested in Texas

TMZ has posted video of Apple's mea culpa, which then turned into a rant against a quartet of other jail employees whom she alleged behaved badly toward her and did things that were "probably illegal."

"There are four of you out there, and I want you to know that I heard everything you did, I wrote it all down with your names and everything you did and said, stupidly thinking that I couldn't hear or see you," she said, adding: "I then ripped the paper up, but not before I encoded it."

Apple went on to explain that she was keeping what she knows in a pair of metaphorical "lockboxes," and, her voice rising in anger, threatened, "I'll make you f--king famous, anytime you want, and I'll open up those boxes."

Yeah.

Back in June, Apple released her fourth full-length studio album (full title: The Idler Wheel is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Words Will Ever Do) to positive reviews. She embarked on a national tour afterward.

Twitter: @ErinLCarlson

Email: erin.carlson@thr.com

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TV Ratings: Dipping 'Shark Tank' Wins Night, ALMA Awards Down From 2011

Though ABC's Friday lineup was down from last week's premieres, the network still pulled an easy victory with adults 18-49, averaging a 1.5 rating for the night. Shark Tank, the night's strongest performer across the board, came in two tenths of a point shy of last week's showing with 1.6 adults rating. Also down two tenths, Primetime: What Would You Do? earned a 1.5 adults rating and 20/20, taking the steepest drop, was down four tenths of a point for a 1.4 rating with 18-49-ers. ABC brought in 5.2 million viewers.

Encores of Undercover Boss, CSI: NY and Blue Bloods averaged a 0.9 adults rating and a dominant 5.4 million viewers for CBS. And repeats of Bones and The Mob Doctor both posted a 0.8 rating with adults 18-49 and averaged 3.1 million viewers for Fox.

NBC's one-hour broadcast of the Alma Awards pulled a 0.6 rating with 18-49-ers, down a tenth of a point from last year's score. Following an encore of Grimm, Dateline was up a tenth of a point from last week with a 1.0 adults rating. The network brought in a 0.7 adults rating and 2.99 million viewers.

America's Next Top Model was down from last week's cycle high, averaging a 0.6 rating with adults 18-49. The network brought in a 0.4 adults rating and 959,000 viewers for the night.

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Ben Stiller Sells Semi-Autobiographical Comedy to ABC

Ben Stiller is bringing his life to the small screen.

The actor-writer-produce, through his Red Hour Films, has Please Knock, a single-camera comedy loosely based on his life to ABC.

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Kevin Napier -- who wrote Stiller's 2009 Fox drama pilot The Station, is on board to write the script and executive produce alongside Red Hour's Stuart Cornfeld, Debbie Liebling and Stiller.

The project hails from ABC Studios, where Stiller and his Red Hour inked an overall development pact in November. Universal Pictures' Liebling, who produced Stiller's Tower Heist, was brought in at the time to oversee Red Hour's new television shingle at the time.

Loosely based on Stiller's life, Please Knock revolves around Mitch Fuller, an A-list actor who realizes he's losing touch with reality and his family who moves back to the same New York building he grew up in -- where his parents still reside.

STORY: Four Big Trends of TV Development Season

For Stiller, the project marks his latest foray into television -- the medium where he started his career on MTV/Fox's sketch effort The Ben Stiller Show. Stiller and Jonathan Safran Foer have family comedy All Talk set up at HBO with the multihyphenate attached to star.

The Stiller project marks the latest in semi-autobiographical comedies to sell this development season, with Community's Donald Glover's untitled effort set up at NBC, Justin Halpern's I Suck at Girls (from his memoir) at Fox and Adam F. Goldberg's How the F--- am I Normal? in the works at ABC.

Stiller is repped by WME and Gang Tyre.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

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PSY's 'Gangnam Style' Tops LMFAO for Most 'Liked' Video on YouTube

PSY has officially gone viral.

The South Korean phenom has surpassed LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" with his "Gangnam Style, securing the Guinness World Record for most liked video on YouTube. As of press time, "Gangnam Style" had a whopping 2,282,049 likes on the site merely three months after its July 15 release.

PHOTOS: VMAS 2012: Best and Worst Moments

PSY also surpasses Justin Bieber's "Baby" and Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" for the honor, though "Baby" still holds the record for most watched video of all time.

"Having been the 'have you seen this?!' video of the last two months across the web, it’s great to be able to award a record for this tremendously popular video," Guinness World Records Community Manager Dan Barrett said in a statement, obtained by EW. "In years past, it was unthinkable that something would be viewed a hundred million times, and now 'Gangnam Style' has achieved more than twice this figure in just three months on YouTube. PSY – your certificate is waiting here at our office, come pick it up any time!"

The news comes just a few weeks after PSY appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to teach X Factor judge Britney Spears how to do the popular moves.

VIDEO: Pop Star PSY Joins The Wanted on Stage at VMA Pre-Party

"The mindset of this dance is dress classy and dance cheesy," he said to the pop star.

Though PSY has not made his own statement regarding the honor, he did acknowledge the news on Twitter by linking to an ABC News story on the subject.

Coincidentally, the news also comes on the heels of reports that LMFAO would be calling it quits -- temporarily, at least. The uncle-nephew duo will be taking some time to work on other projects, but are not yet closing the curtain on LMFAO for good.

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Fox Finalizing Deal for Layoff Reality Show

Fox is in final discussions to pick up Does Someone Have To Go, a reality show in which employees at a troubled office are asked to choose whether to give a coworker the axe, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

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In 2009, the network floated a similar idea for a show, which would have seen a struggling business dismiss one employee every episode. That project, called Someone’s Gotta Go, was criticized as insensitive at the time, and its pilot never aired.

The revamped project is said to be gentler, with letting an employee go optional. In addition, the businesses are said not to be economically distressed, as was the case in the 2009 project.

The order is confirmed to be for four episodes.

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'Hobbit' Poster Reveals a Sword-Wielding Bilbo (Photo)

Peter Jackson has been treating fans to new Hobbit footage this week, but this new poster has all you really need: Bilbo, Sting and the Shire’s finest overcoat.

Martin Freeman’s Bilbo looks determined enough to slay a dragon in this promo for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of three films adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's classic book.

PHOTOS: Meet 'The Hobbit's' Key Characters

The sword--which Frodo (Elijah Wood) wielded in The Lord of the Rings films, will undoubtedly come in handy on Bilbo's journey, which involves the Hobbit joining a band of Dwarves on a trek to retrieve their treasure. But it's no simple task, as that treasure is guarded by the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch).

The film hits theaters Dec. 14. 

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Emmys Telecast Revealed as Producer Don Mischer Takes THR Backstage

During rehearsals on Saturday, veteran producer Don Mischer gave The Hollywood Reporter a sneak peek at the 64th Prime Time Emmy Awards, which will be broadcast on ABC from the Nokia Theater on Sunday.

In an interview at the auditorium control both, Mischer -- who is leading the Emmys' production team this year — revealed that the show again is being split into "genres" — with comedy opening the evening.

PHOTOS: Emmy Icons: THR Photographs TV's Most Celebrated Legends

Social media will play its biggest role yet, said Mischer, with host Jimmy Kimmel live-tweeting the show. Some nominees will be introduced via video interviews, and the set will feature five giant, rotating video screens that flash graphics and video. "The screens will allow us to change the mood in the room electronically," Mischer said.

It's not easy to change up the format of a venerable awards show, but Mischer — a 15-time Emmy award winner himself — is trying.

"These shows can get too neat or too pat sometimes," Mischer said.  "As producers we hope we have surprise winners. We hope for really emotion heartfelt acceptance speeches."

PHOTOS: Emmys 2012: 15 of the Biggest Snubs

What's the line-up?

Mischer said the show again will be divided into five genres:  Comedy, reality, drama, variety, and miniseries/movies. "It just makes the whole thing more coherent," Mischer said. "I remember many, many years ago, we just scattershot the show. We would have supporting actress in a mini-series and then do the award for directing in a comedy. It was OK. But it was hard to get a sense of what happened in one genre in television. We are trying to celebrate the best of television."

Q&A: Jimmy Kimmel Says 'I Will Cry Like a Baby and Soil Myself' If I Win

But if you're hoping to find out early in the program which show will win best drama series or best comedy series, you'll have to wait. Those awards will still be given out last. 

What does Kimmel have planned for his monologue? 

"He's going to be very much in the moment," said Mischer, slyly avoiding the question. "When the awards are being presented, he will be back stage with his writers in a room. Everything that happens, every win that happens, they are going to try to react to it, give a point of view. He's quick on his feet." 

PHOTOS: Emmys 2012: Tim Goodman Picks Who Will Win (and Who Should)

Any political jokes? 

"No, I've said to everybody we'd like to kind of avoid that," Mischer said. "But these shows can sometimes take off in their own direction. I was sitting in the audience as a nominee once when someone went up and made a Dan Quayle joke. The evening became a Dan Quayle bashing ceremony. There may be some winners who come up and make political statements this year. That's one thing we have no control over. I can tell you there's no politics in the presenters' comments."

How will this show differ from previous shows?

"When it comes to announcing the nominations, the options are to list the names or show clips of the show," Mischer said. "This time, we've attempted to mix it up by doing little video pieces where the nominees themselves say something." 

For example, some of the nominees were asked to respond to questions like "what makes a great comic director?" or "Do you ever get writer's block?" 

"With the stars, you can show their work, but it's harder when you're trying to give the viewing audience a sense of the writers and producers," Mischer said. "We're trying to give them a little personality."

PHOTOS: Emmys 2012: 'Mad Men,' 'Downton Abbey' and More Nominees

What about the set?

"We decided we needed a screen-heavy look," Mischer said. The stage was fashioned with five giant moving screens.  "Each genre will have a particular look. The screens will allow us to change the mood in the room electronically."

And your plans for social media?

"We're trying to really engage people in the viral community to talk and tweet," he said. "Jimmy will be tweeting during the show and who knows what else. I'm afraid to think..."

ABC also is planning to broadcast hashtags where viewers can tweet their congratulations to the award winners during the show, Mischer added.

Any surprises?

 "I wish I knew," Mischer said. "Gil Cates, who did the Oscars for so many years, used to say, 'The awards show gods either smile down on you or they don't.' What he meant by that is if you have amazing wins and unpredictable wins, it makes the evening more exciting."

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Netflix Loses Rights to Stream 800 Hours of Content From A&E Networks

Netflix confirmed that dozens of shows from A&E Networks disappeared from its streaming service on Friday.

Deals that gave Netflix the right to stream Storage Wars, Pawn Stars, Hoarders, American Pickers and several more expired Friday, insiders said.

STORY: Netflix CFO: Company Won't Need to Raise Money Near-Term Despite Content Spending

In all, about 800 hours of content is gone from A&E as well as its History channel, while 300 hours remain, at least until an agreement expires in about the middle of next year.

STORY:Netflix Stock Drops on Epix Streaming Deal With Amazon.com

"A number of titles expired today, that is true, but we have titles coming on and off all the time," Netflix spokesman Joris Evers said on Friday.

Sources close to the situation said the two negotiated over a couple of weeks and, in fact, are still talking  but so far have failed to strike an agreement. The issue isn't only money, but also that Netflix is seeking some level of exclusivity that A&E is unwilling to grant.

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Emmy Party Diaries: Inside Saturday's Events with Edie Falco, Jason Ritter and 'Breaking Bad's Vince Gilligan

Emmy weekend continued Saturday with ICM Partners first ever Emmy brunch at West Hollywood's Fig & Olive. Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan greeted guests, while other bold faced names from Edie Falco, Marg Helgenberger and Busy Philipps (and daughter Birdie) made the rounds.

PHOTOS: What the Emmy Nominated Stars and Execs Are Saying

Later, Showtime celebrated its nominees with an intimate party at Sunset Tower on Saturday night. Guests included Claire Danes, Michael C. Hall and House of Lies'  Don Cheadle. Ten blocks west, NBC talent, including Matthew Perry and New Normal producer Ryan Murphy, toasted each other at Boa Steakhouse. Upstairs, Kevin Costner and the cast of mini-series Hatfields & McCoys gathered at Soho House for History's first Emmy bash.

ICM Partners:

12:15 p.m. Gilligan accepting congrats from party-goers at the entrance to Fig & Olive. Lots of talk about whether the Academy would be willing to award a show about a meth dealer. He shifts the conversation to talk about the final season, which he is busy writing now. Among the many questions: how will he keep the series finale under wraps?

STORY: Emmy Party Diaries: Friday Night

12:30 p.m. Philipps trotting young daughter Birdie around the party (a few others have brought children too), while Helgenberger and Topher Grace post up separately at tables nearby. Partners including Chris Silbermann and Ted Chervin circle the room greeting guests, including nominee Falco.

1 p.m. Book of Mormon-turned-1600 Penn star Josh Gad makes his way into the party. Parenthood's Jason Ritter is mingling with guests near the paella station.

Showtime:

7:35 p.m. House of Lies' Glynn Turman and Dexter's Hall have a long chat at a corner bar, hiding out from the rapidly growing crowd. Later, Hall finds Showtime entertainment chief David Nevins for a chat by the bar.

7:50 p.m. John Legend arrives near the main stage. He'll perform later in the evening.

PHOTOS: Emmy Icons: THR Photographs TV's Most Celebrated Legends

7:55 p.m. Homeland's Damian Lewis gets some prepping on a who's who from a Showtime publicist. His co-stars Claire Danes and Morena Baccarin find a seat on the couches in the corner.

8:00 p.m. Nevins touts Homeland's achievement as the most-nominated freshman show in his introduction of Legend. The packed room cheers loudly for the series, with the entire cast, including Mandy Patinkin, on hand to hear it.

8: 12 p.m. Legend covers Bruce Springsteen's “Dancing in the Dark” with a ballad that has most of the room entranced. Before his next song, he declares himself a big fan of Homeland. Co-creator and showrunner Alex Gansa makes his way closer to the stage.

8:15 p.m. Ben Schwartz says that his pick for best comedy series is between two shows that were overlooked and a long-ago fave:  "Tie between House of Lies, Parks and Recreation and ... Dinosaurs." CBS CEO Leslie Moonves and Lionsgate CEO, Jon Feltheimer and Homeland co-creator Howard Gordon sit on the couch and take in the performance by Legend. 

8:25 p.m. Ryan Murphy, fresh from the NBC bash at Boa 10 blocks away, arrives at the Showtime party. He and 20th Century Fox TV chairman Dana Walden weave through the crowd in seach of fellow chairman Gary Newman. Later, Murphy and Gordon catch up.

PHOTOS: Emmys 2012: Tim Goodman Picks Who Will Win (and Who Should)

8:30 p.m. Hall leaves the party, stopping to sign autographs for the small throng waiting out in front of the hotel. Nevins chats with Helen Hunt, while Cheadle makes his way toward him to say hello. Homeland co-creator Alex Gansa catches up with his young star Morgan Saylor, who "still can't believe all of this is happening."

8:45 p.m. CBS Studios chief David Stapf catches up with Showtime CEO Matthew Blank as Murphy makes his way for the exit. He's greeted by paparazzi looking for him to sign autographs.

NBC:

9:45 p.m. Go On's Matthew Perry is flanked by chairmen Bob Greenblatt and Ted Harbert, while Biggest Loser's Alison Sweeney makes small talk nearby. Over in the corner by the Sushi Roku bar, one of Parenthood's youngest stars, Savannah Paige Rae, plays with a gaggle of other children.

10:10 p.m. Parenthood's Sam Jaeger, Rae's on-screen dad, says he hopes this is the year that co-star Monica Potter earns a nomination. "Especially after Tuesday's episode, which is very intense," he said. Jaeger directed the hour.

History:

10:48 p.m. Costner is surrounded near a corner booth at Soho House, where he's been holding court for well over 30 minutes. Meanwhile, History chief Nancy Dubuc and her husband are making the rounds, while Lionsgate's Sandra Stern and A&E Networks CEO Abbe Raven both mingle nearby.

11:10 p.m: Costner and the cast of Hatfields & McCoys gather in the front corner of Soho House greeting parade of execs.

11:50 p.m.: Idris Elba, a nominee for Luther, is toasting a couple hundred friends at a private party at David Arquette's Bootsy Bellows club across the street from Soho House.

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