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She Made Me Watch This: Mingling with the stars at ABC's Summer Press Tour Party

by
Sarah Warn

The first segment of our video blog this week is a rundown of the glitzy ABC Summer Press Tour Party Lori and I attended Thursday night, in which we eavesdropped (unsuccessfully) on Miranda Otto, admired Dana Delany's power walk, met Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller, had a run-in with Anne Heche's publicist, and chatted with Bonnie Somerville. Among other things.

Before we get to the video, here are a few photos from the party:

Dana Delany and Lucy Liu

Bonnie Somerville and Miranda Otto

Angie Harmon and Christina Applegate

Anne Heche and Saffron Burrows

Now on to the vlog, with one caveat: we didn't have time to add many captions to this one, because we're just plain exhausted and we're already squeezing this in between dinner and a trip to the airport (hence the lovely hotel room lighting :). Sorry! We'll try for more snark next time, when we've caught up on our sleep.

She Made Me Watch This: The ABC Summer Press Tour Party (July 27, 2007)

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The next segment of She Made Me Watch This! will be posted late Saturday night.

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    • Submitted by
    Sarah Warn
    on July 28, 2007 - 4:16am.
    TAGS :: 
    TheWeyrd1's picture

    Love the commentary...

    Submitted by
    TheWeyrd1 (395 posts)
    on July 28, 2007 - 11:18am.
    Funny observations all around. But I'm curious...isn't Anne Heche an OUT BI actress as well? Or does that only count if she's dating a woman?
    sarahwarn's picture

    Yes, Anne counts as an out

    Submitted by
    Sarah Warn, Editor in Chief (3242 posts)
    on July 28, 2007 - 12:49pm.
    Yes, Anne counts as an out bi actress, I just forgot to include her on the list of out actresses on TV because "Men in Trees" hasn't been on the air for so long. There's also no intention on this site to only count bi women if they're dating women (as some users have implied in the past in comments like this), it's just easy to forget some women are bi if they haven't dated women for a long time and haven't talked about that aspect of themselves for many years.
    TheWeyrd1's picture

    Thanks for the clarification...lol

    Submitted by
    TheWeyrd1 (395 posts)
    on July 28, 2007 - 11:35pm.
    I kind of figured it was an oversite.  And I, too, like Anne's show and consider her to be a very good actress.  Thanks for the fun vlogs!
    browne's picture

    You Mingled with Saffron

    Submitted by
    browne (260 posts)
    on July 28, 2007 - 8:44am.

    You Mingled with Saffron Burrows! *envies*

    Really interesting that she and Anne Heche know each other... I can't think of anything they've been in together. Maybe there's just some sort of global bisexual actress network to which they both belong?

    Great segment, anyway, I really enjoyed it :)

    Gargy's picture

    And Lori

    Submitted by
    GargylovesWolfy (149 posts)
    on July 28, 2007 - 10:30am.
    gets comfortable and makes Sarah look like a fool with the "uh" and "ums" LMAO!! :)
    ufos_are_real's picture

    whoa!

    Submitted by
    ufos_are_real (171 posts)
    on July 28, 2007 - 12:22pm.
    i loved Jesse! ... i didnt think anyone else even watched that show.. good call ladies.. good call indeed.
    Rada's picture

    Loved the commentary

    Submitted by
    -rada- (56 posts)
    on July 28, 2007 - 1:21pm.

    I just love the way Lori kind of does her slight eye roll...classic

    On the other hand, I don't really understand the constant "Angie Harmon is way too thin" observation. I think she's physically pretty perfect and there were quite a few other actresses out and about that evening that were thinner. Just my opinion :)

    I didn't see you at all at the party, if I had I would have made up for not saying hello when I saw you rushing by in the lobby with some dude! haha

     

     

    onemorehour's picture

    !

    Submitted by
    onemorehour (110 posts)
    on July 28, 2007 - 1:24pm.
    i'd be interested to know what anne heche said about the site being called "after ellen!"
    the S O V's picture

    re: anne

    Submitted by
    Sarah (38 posts)
    on July 28, 2007 - 1:28pm.
    Wait, Sarah - was it really awkward when you told Anne you were with Afterellen? I always thought for Anne to talk about Ellen was sort of taboo. How did she respond when you explained the reference to the name of this website? What did she say exactly?
    sarahwarn's picture

    It was kinda awkward

    Submitted by
    Sarah Warn, Editor in Chief (3242 posts)
    on July 28, 2007 - 2:02pm.

    It was kinda awkward, but not too bad. After I introduced myself and we chatted a bit about Men in Trees, I explained that I represented a lesbian entertainment site (she didn't blink, and said something encouraging, although I can't remember what) and I didn't mention the name of the site until last (sort-of wincing to myself as I said it), and then quickly added "but it's not an Ellen DeGeneres fan site." Anne reacted very well, was still friendly and interested in hearing more about the site (she asked something like "what's the name in reference to?" and seemed genuinely interested) but then her publicist came up and whisked her away before we could talk much more.

    Another lesbian couple who was there (probably the only other one) asked me why I was interested in talking to Anne at all, given what happened with Ellen, and I explained that unlike most other celebrities who've had a one-time or highly public relationship with a woman and then dated men, Anne has never tried to distance herself from it, or say that she's straight (in fact, she said the opposite, telling The Advocate when she was engaged to Coley Lafoon, "I have been very clear to everybody that just because I'm getting married does not mean I call myself straight") and she has publicly denounced her mother's attempts to use Anne's name to raise money for the ex-gay movement. No one really knows what happened betweeen Anne and Ellen but them, and I appreciate Anne's consistent and outspoken support for gays and lesbians.

    I also just think she's a good actress. She even made Volcano fun (Lori's always making me watch disaster movies - but I'll save that rant for a future vlog!).

    the S O V's picture

    a new light

    Submitted by
    Sarah (38 posts)
    on July 28, 2007 - 2:28pm.
    That's so interesting!     <<Another lesbian couple who was there (probably the only other one) asked me why I was interested in talking to Anne at all, given what happened with Ellen>>          I was thinking the same thing too when I first read your blog entry. I've always disliked Anne Heche because of Ellen but what you've just explained has changed my views and I guess I have more respect for her now (alien abduction aside, of course.) 
    eyethinkforme's picture

    Anne Heche Lesbian Social Pariah

    Submitted by
    eyethinkforme (21 posts)
    on August 21, 2007 - 8:03am.

    I agree with you Sarah.

    Sometimes we make negative judgements about people and situations that are erroneous and unwarranted.

    Yes, I, like every other lesbian, preferred that Anne be exclusively a woman's woman. But, unless I am mistaken, and please correct me if I am, she never labeled herself as such, so I don't view her as being morally bankrupt.

     In the final analysis, as much as we all adore Ellen, she is in the end just a human being, too. We will never know the entire story behind their relationship and subsequent breakup and it really is not our business to pry. This is something they have chosen to keep private and I respect that.

    Anne has handled herself with dignity and honor, as has Ellen, in this regard and I admire them both for refraining from the public mudslinging displayed by so many other celebrities.

    As you point out, Anne is a classy woman who  in reality has not retreated into the cozy safeness of the heterosexual closet. She is out and proud and I support her no matter how she chooses or not chooses to label herself.

    eyethinkforme's picture

    Wild Side

    Submitted by
    eyethinkforme (21 posts)
    on August 21, 2007 - 8:30am.

    While on the subject of Anne, I personally think she is simply beautiful. So, Sarah, I was intrigued to hear you say that she is even more so in person.

    Some of the most beautiful, tender and erotic lesbian scenes in films that I have ever seen, and I have viewed most that exist, were done between Anne and Joan Chen (herself a great actress/director who is openly bi) in the movie "Wild Side".  An otherwise forgettable film, it is worth its weight in gold just for the scenes with Anne and Joan. There's an incredible chemistry between the two and it is intense.

    All this circa 1995 and long before she met Ellen.

    gali's picture

    I don't get this whole "hate

    Submitted by
    gali (not verified)
    on July 29, 2007 - 12:40am.

    I don't get this whole "hate Anne Heche" thing. Unless you are Ellen Degeneres what business does any one have judging?

    And I just want to applaud Sarah Warn for not jumping on these bandwagons but to judge someone by her own standards and on the merits of the whole person!

     

    "call me old fashioned but I prefer feminism that leaves a little something to the imagination!"

    emmon's picture

    About Anne

    Submitted by
    emmon (4337 posts)
    on July 29, 2007 - 2:02am.
    I have to admit to not having much of an interest in Anne Heche.  Actually, it's more like not one shred.  I think perhaps that's due more to a feeling of being protective towards Ellen rather than disliking Anne.  I do feel Ellen was surprised and hurt more by the events that happened.  It was also rumored that perhaps Anne was toying around with Lafoon while she and Ellen were still together.  The protectiveness is probably because Ellen's here in CA.  I remember when Ellen and Anne moved to Ojai; it's just 20 min away.  Now Ellen is in Montecito and commutes on the 101 just like me.  Except she's in a cool black Porshe, and I'm in a crappy old SUV.  Before Ellen started her daytime talk show, she also put together a comedy show that I went to see in Santa Barbara.  In the end, I felt that Anne made excuses and interviews.  Ellen simply had class.
    notshane's picture

    Anne Heche and Saffron Burrows

    Submitted by
    notshane (183 posts)
    on July 29, 2007 - 2:51am.

    You know - like the lesbian community and what my friends and I call the 2 degrees of separation (!), I reckon in the acting community, there's bound to be circles of lesbians and bisexuals who know each other, go to the same parties etc. So I don't think they have to have acted together to know each other.

    I'm definately looking forward to seeing Saffron in Boston Legal. I remember seeing her eons ago on British TV, long before she came out. She was in her early 20's and very hot!

     

    mollyblooming's picture

    Yet again, a fab segment.

    Submitted by
    mollyblooming (55 posts)
    on July 29, 2007 - 11:09pm.

    Yet again, a fab segment. Thank you, Lori and Sarah, for your diligence in 'scanning the women'. Dana Delaney, fantastic! I have loved her since China Beach (which needs to come out on DVD already). And Saffron Burrows is terrific as well, lovely voice...

    If you're looking for a 'handler,' I volunteer!

    cakeordeath's picture

    Damages....

    Submitted by
    cakeordeath (37 posts)
    on July 30, 2007 - 9:04am.

    Darn y'all anyway for touting "Damages." I'd already Tivo-ed it, but was determined not to get hooked on another TV show.

     ***********spoiler alert*****************

    It is absolutely fan-frickin-tas-tic!!! I just love a show that can keep you asking questions (why is she covered in blood? who killed the dog? is ted danson's character really evil?). The only drawback that I can see is that Rose Byrne is a little flat. Of course, it's difficult not to look flat when Glenn Close is chewing up the scene in a larger than life character. And I did get a bit tired of  Tate Donovan's sycophant schtick. Last, but not least, is it me, or does Noah Bean (Rose's fiance) bear a striking resemblance to Christopher Reeve? 

    sapphistafricana's picture

    Switching Places

    Submitted by
    sapphistafricana (151 posts)
    on July 30, 2007 - 5:56pm.

    I was watching the vlog, and though the background is a little different, I didn't pay too much attention to it.

    The thing that really struck me was that you gals switched positions.  That took some time to get used to.  I had to instruct my brain to focus my attention diffently than the way it usually focuses my attention when I am watching the vlog.

    Well, I got to see your faces from different angles.

    clg's picture

    nice shirt!

    Submitted by
    cris (70 posts)
    on July 30, 2007 - 9:00pm.

    i love lori's shirt i have one just like it... it's funny, it's not the first time i see her wear stuff i have, like the white nike jacket :p lol! which means we share an awesome taste in clothes...

    lifebyosmosis's picture

    I loved Wonderfalls

    Submitted by
    lifebyosmosis (16 posts)
    on October 8, 2007 - 10:17pm.
    and the lesbian character in it. Best scene was when the family was playing charades. I love crazy families. Great show. So I'm defintely going to tune into 'pushing daisies' when it comes out.

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