Celebrity Dish: Serving up the gossip you should know!

The big stars of the small screen have been in the spotlight this past week.

The 61^st annual Primetime Emmy Awards, where the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honors the past year’s best in comedy, drama, mini-series, made-for-TV movies and more, were held Sept. 20 in Los Angeles. And the red carpet had all the glamour you would expect.

Christina Applegate looked stunning in dark blue. Debra Messing looked ravishing in red. Kristin Chenoweth was glowing in a short, sequined number. And, of course, the men – Simon Baker, Keifer Sutherland, Jon Hamm – looked dapper in their tuxes.

There were, in my opinion, some fashion misses as well, but aren’t there always at these events? Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively and Leighton Meester were good, but not great. Lively’s red dress didn’t seem to fit exactly right, and her braid seemed too big. Meester’s white dress and pale makeup also didn’t do her justice. And I know Mary Louise Parker can do better than her purple number suggested.

But the biggest accessory of the night was, without a doubt, glasses, of all things. There was, of course, Amy Poehler’s glasses gag with her fellow supporting actress in a comedy series nominees (which Vanessa Williams did not partake in). But many TV stars took the Nokia Theatre stage wearing spectacles to help them read the winners in the envelopes – Simon Baker, Michael J. Fox, even Dana Delany. It made them look smart and casual and sophisticated all at the same time.

There were some pleasant surprises as the winners were named – particularly in the supporting actress and actor in a comedy series categories. It was lovely to see Kristin Chenoweth and Jon Cryer get their due. And my fingers were crossed for Jon Hamm, but if you haven’t seen Bryan Cranston in AMC’s Breaking Bad, you really should – his performances are phenomenal.

Also phenomenal was Neil Patrick Harris. He was edgy, he was funny and he guided the show properly, just like any good host should. And it must have paid off; the ratings for the broadcast were up 6 percent, much like Harris did for the Tonys earlier this year. Hopefully CBS is paying attention to that trend as well.

But the Emmys weren’t the only reason to be excited about television this week. After a summer full or reruns and reality TV, our favorite serials are returning to the screen. The first week of fall TV is kind of like returning to school each year. There are the people (or shows, in this case) you’ve been looking forward to seeing again all summer (Oh, Grey’s Anatomy, how I’ve missed you). And there are the new faces you’re curious about and want to meet. For me, that new face was definitely FlashForward. And I wasn’t disappointed. I hope we become good friends, Joseph Fiennes!

One TV star’s return didn’t last long, however. Mischa Barton’s The Beautiful Life, a CW show, was the first casualty of the new season. It was canceled after two airings.

But on a brighter note, Heather Locklear will indeed be reprising her role as Amanda Woodward on the CW’s new incarnation of Melrose Place on Nov. 17. Between this and its 90210, the CW is making me feel like a junior high student all over again!

And I hope that you continue to tune in to Celebrity Dish each week. Same time, same Web site!

Krista Richmond is a journalist and pop culture enthusiast. Have a question, suggestion or hot gossip tip? Send them to her at krista@killerfilm.com.