SHOW BITS: It's Emmy party time

(AP) - Show Bits brings you the 65th annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles through the eyes of Associated Press journalists. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.

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KERRY WASHINGTON BIG DRAW AT HBO BASH

Kerry Washington didn't make Emmy history, yet it didn't stop the "Scandal" star from celebrating at HBO's after-party.

Washington was a popular target for partygoers' photo requests and she graciously obliged at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, Calif. Had she triumphed Sunday night, Washington would have become the first African-American to win for best actress in a drama series.

She perused the long dessert table but didn't take any before moving on to the bar. While Washington waited for her drink, she munched on three green olives stuck on a toothpick and presented by the bartender.

Michael J. Fox and wife Tracy Pollan, Emmy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus and husband Brad Hall, Emmy nominee Alfre Woodard, Tom Arnold, Hamish Linklater of "The Newsroom" and Emmanuelle Chriqui of "Entourage" were among the stars at the crowded outdoor party.

Seth McFarlane, who hosted the Oscars in March, took a drag on a cigarette stub while leaning on the bar talking to pals.

Partygoers munched on Chinese stuffed bao with Cantonese duck, prime rib eye with wild mushroom scone and béarnaise, and paper wrapped halibut with heirloom tomato.

_ Beth Harris - Twitter http://twitter.com/bethharrisap

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HAVING A BALL AFTER THE EMMYS

Claire Danes, Jeff Daniels and Ellen Burstyn were among the happy winners toting their trophies to the official after-party following Sunday's Emmy Awards.

A section of the Los Angeles Convention Center was transformed into an "Enchanted Forest," complete with trees sprouting from the floor, for the Governors Ball celebrants.

Hungry and thirsty guests indulged in filet mignon, short ribs and a special Emmy cocktail that tasted something like spiked lemonade. A rotating circular stage featured live bands and DJs playing dance music.

Winners had an extra incentive to hit the party: They could get their new Emmy statuettes engraved with their names at the "winners circle." They also received engraved bottles of wine.

_ Sandy Cohen - Twitter http://twitter.com/apsandy

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WINNERS PAY UP AT LOSERS LOUNGE

Emmy "losers" had a party of their own across town. Ten-time nominee Amy Poehler and nine-time nominee Jon Hamm hosted a private Losers Lounge at Soho House in West Hollywood.

Nominees including Jimmy Kimmel, Zooey Deschanel and Elizabeth Moss were welcomed freely, but winners such as Tina Fey (who sported a statuette for comedy writing) were asked to give to charity before joining the festivities.

Poehler and Hamm toasted the losers and recognized the winners, who raised more than $30,000, with personally engraved bottles of Johnnie Walker Scotch.

_ Sandy Cohen - Twitter http://twitter.com/apsandy

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TWITTER DUBS THE EMMYS WEIRD

With its big dance numbers, surprise winners and extended montages honoring departed actors, Sunday night's Emmy Awards show wasn't exactly conventional.

Twitter came up with a name to reflect that: (hashtag)weirdemmys.

A search of the term turns up images of Kevin Spacey slapping at a camera with an index card and Merritt Wever's surprisingly short speech.

In the site's usual snarky vibe, users made fun of the program's death montages and the backstage interviewing skills of actor Shemar Moore.

But most seemed to enjoy Michael Douglas' raunchy acceptance speech after he won an Emmy for playing Liberace in "Behind the Candelabra" and offered to split the trophy with co-star Matt Damon, who was nominated for playing Liberace's lover.

"Is it me or is this show really really really weird?" Access Hollywood host Billy Bush posted toward the end of the three-hour program that was nearly delayed by a football game.

_ Anthony McCartney - Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/mccartneyAP.

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ANNA GUNN IS MISSING NEW MEXICO

Anna Gunn has New Mexico on her mind.

The actress filmed five seasons of "Breaking Bad" in Albuquerque. She told reporters after her Emmy win for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series that she's from Santa Fe and her parents still live there.

Now that "Breaking Bad" has finished filming and its final episode is set to air next week, Gunn says there are things about working in New Mexico that she'll miss.

"I'm going to miss the sky, the colors, the mountains, the people," she said, holding her award. "That's part of the heartbreak of the show being over."

_ Caryn Rousseau - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/carynrousseau

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DID SOFIA VERGARA JINX HER VERA WANG GOWN?

Sofia Vergara's red lace Vera Wang dress couldn't stand up to the pressure of Emmy night.

It ripped.

The actress was seen fussing with the lace on the left side of her gown as her "Modern Family" co-stars were taking questions from the media backstage. When she stepped back, she revealed a tear.

Vergara said someone stepped on her dress but it could be she jinxed herself.

Asked on the red carpet before the show what she was wearing, Vergara quipped that she had on underwear from the "Kmart collection."

"But," she added, "you can't see that unless you rip the dress."

_Caryn Rousseau - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/carynrousseau

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QUICKQUOTE: BRYAN CRANSTON

"What a way to go out." _ Bryan Cranston on the outstanding drama series win for "Breaking Bad," which airs its series finale next week.

_ Caryn Rousseau - Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/carynrousseau

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LOTS TO PONDER IN DOUGLAS SPEECH

There was a lot to ponder in Michael Douglas's acceptance speech _ BESIDES those sexual double-entendres lobbed at co-star Matt Damon.

Douglas, winner of the trophy for best actor in a miniseries or movie for playing Liberace in HBO's "Behind the Candelabra," closed his speech with a reference to his 34-year-old son, Cameron, who is serving a lengthy prison term for various drug crimes. Douglas said he hoped "they allow me to see him soon."

Backstage, the actor said it will be another year before he can visit him.

"I'm questioning the system," he said. "At first I was certainly disappointed with my son, but I've reached a point now where I'm disappointed with the system."

Cameron Douglas was convicted in 2010 of selling methamphetamine. A judge nearly doubled his sentence after he was found guilty of repeatedly breaking prison rules by arranging to get drugs. He is scheduled for release in 2018.

"If you happen to have a slip, they punish you," the elder Douglas said. "In my son's case, he has spent almost two years in solitary confinement."

Douglas said he's optimistic Attorney General Eric Holder might change laws involving non-violent drug offenders.

From the stage, Douglas also thanked his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones.

That was an attention-getter following the announcement last month that the couple was taking "some time apart to evaluate and work on their marriage."

Zeta-Jones did not accompany her husband to the Emmys. She was in China this weekend.

_ Beth Harris - Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/bethharrisap

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AARON PAUL _ BACKSTAGE EMMY HOST

Aaron Paul is not just the star of a hit TV show.

In a pinch, the "Breaking Bad" actor can even double as the guy who hands out the backstage Emmy Awards.

The producers of "Breaking Bad" warmed the trophy table to collect honors for TV's best drama, the actor began passing them out.

"If there's one remaining, I'm taking the extra one," quipped Paul, who was nominated for best actor in a drama series but didn't win.

_ Sandy Cohen - Twitter http://twitter.com/apsandy

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JULIE BOWEN CALLED THAT ONE

Claire Danes got a warm congratulatory hug from Julie Bowen when the winner of this year's Emmy for best dramatic actress in a TV series bumped into one of the stars of the comedy "Modern Family" backstage.

"No great surprise," said Bowen, herself a nominee for supporting actress in a comedy series and a past two-time winner of that award.

"Are you going to rush home to baby?" she asked Danes.

"Baby's asleep!" Danes said before collecting her Emmy.

_ Sandy Cohen - Twitter http://twitter.com/apsandy

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QUICKQUOTE: STEPHEN COLBERT

"Look, I'm in the future!" _ Stephen Colbert, juggling his two Emmys backstage as he tries on a Google Glass a show worker was wearing.

_ Sandy Cohen - Twitter http://twitter.com/apsandy

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WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THIS _ WE LIKE NEWHART

Inside the Nokia Theatre, there's been some notable reaction to some of the tributes and surprise wins and losses, including cries during the Cory Monteith remembrance and a few gasps when Jeff Daniels and Bobby Carnavale collected Emmys.

Pretty much everyone rose in unison, however, when TV legend Bob Newhart came on stage.

Jimmy Kimmel and "Modern Family" co-star Eric Stonestreet were among the first celebs on their feet for the standing ovation.

Newhart has had one popular show after another over the years, from "The Bob Newhart Show" in the 1970s to "Newhart" in the 1980s to "Bob" in the 1990s.

But the 84-year-old actor hadn't won an Emmy until last week when he snagged one at the creative arts Emmy ceremony for his guest role last season on "The Big Bang Theory"

_ Derrik J. Lang - Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang.

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COLBERT'S ROMANTIC SHOUTOUT

He may play a pompous you-know-what on "The Colbert Report," but Stephen Colbert just may win this year's prize for the most romantic shoutout to a spouse by an Emmy winner.

In his own way, of course.

As he collected the first of his two Emmys, Colbert thanked his wife, Evelyn, or "Evie," for being "so cruel and sexy."

We didn't know exactly what he meant about the "cruel" part, but we didn't really need to.

Colbert also gave a shoutout, albeit not as romantic, to another partner of sorts _ Jon Stewart of "The Daily Show," thanking him for "setting the standard and giving us inspiration."

_ Jocelyn Noveck - Twitter http://twitter.com/JocelynNoveckAP

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STARS REACT TO MONTEITH TRIBUTE

The inclusion of young "Glee" actor Cory Monteith among individual salutes at the Emmy Awards was a tough topic on the red carpet.

Monteith, who was 31 when he died in July of a drug overdose, was chosen by show producers over such veteran actors and Emmy nominees as Larry Hagman of "Dallas," Charles Durning of "Evening Shade" and Jack Klugman of "The Odd Couple."

"Cory had a very special place in our cultural history this year," said Mayim Bialik of "The Big Bang Theory." "It's such a hard thing to handle either way. Different people are honored for different reasons."

Veteran actress Margo Martindale of the new show "The Millers" called Hagman, Durning and Klugman "icons for me."

"Everyone should be included," she said. "Is it that there could only be so many people and so little time?"

The individual segments were in addition to the traditional "in memoriam" piece that groups together industry members who died in the past year.

Monteith was by far the youngest of the individuals singled out and had never been nominated for an Emmy.

Others honored individually were "The Sopranos" star James Gandolfini, Jean Stapleton of "All in the Family," comedian and actor Jonathan Winters and "Family Ties" producer Gary David Goldberg.

_ Beth Harris - Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/bethharrisap

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SIR ELTON REMEMBERS LIBERACE

Upon being introduced by Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, the stars of HBO's Emmy-winning Liberace biopic "Behind the Candelabra," Sir Elton John spoke both of the performer's influence and his great dress sense.

Then he added, "What I was not aware of years later was his lifestyle."

And then came the punch line: "Yeah right."

Noting the longevity of Liberace's career, John added, "What a difference those 25 years have made to people like me... and me."

_ Jessica Herndon - Twitter https://twitter.com/SomeKind

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HARRIS FINALLY SINGS!

Neil Patrick Harris didn't disappoint. It just took him a while to get to the song-and-dance number everyone was waiting for.

It came right about the middle of the Emmys show _ and it was most aptly titled, "The Number in the Middle of the Show."

In it, the Emmys host addressed the expectations _ unmet _ that he was going to open the show with a musical number.

"Opening numbers are so old hat," he sang. "Even Hugh Jackman does stuff like that."

Some "really sexy dancing," in the host's words, ensued.

And the many fans of Harris's terrific Tony-hosting gigs breathed a sigh of relief.

_ Jocelyn Noveck Twitter http://twitter.com/JocelynNoveckAP

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QUICKQUOTE: JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS

"It means a ton because I've actually lost many, many more times than I've won. I've lost 10 times in fact. It's delicious to win." _ Julia Louis-Dreyfus backstage after winning the Emmy for outstanding actress in a comedy series.

_ Caryn Rousseau - Twitter http://www.twitter.com/carynrousseau

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FROM DIAHANN CARROLL TO KERRY WASHINGTON

Diahann Carroll happily passed the torch to Kerry Washington as black actresses starring in their own TV series and nominated for Emmys.

The 78-year-old actress just wishes it hadn't taken 45 years to happen.

"I feel we're a little behind, we need to catch up," Carroll said on the Emmy red carpet.

Carroll was the first black actress to star in her own show who didn't play a domestic worker. Her role as a nurse in "Julia" earned her an Emmy nomination in 1969.

Washington stars in "Scandal," and was nominated in the lead actress category in a drama.

"We're all very grateful to the Emmys because they've been on our side," Carroll said, referring to the award show's recognition of African-Americans. "At the same time, we'd like it to be a little more with what's going on in the world."

_ Beth Harris - Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/bethharrisap

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QUICKQUOTE: TONY HALE

"Was I fine? Because I totally blacked out." _ comedy supporting actor winner Tony Hale of "Veep," inquiring backstage about his Emmy acceptance speech.

_ Sandy Cohen - Twitter http://twitter.com/apsandy

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SHORTEST EMMY SPEECH EVER?

The agent remained unthanked. So did the family, and actually everyone else, when Merritt Wever won best supporting actress in a comedy series.

In fact, Wever, of Showtime's "Nurse Jackie," spoke so briefly that we can report the entire thing here: "Thank you so very much," she said. "Um, I gotta go, bye."

Wever said backstage she made a quick exit when she realized she was about to cry. She added she wished she had given a shout out to her show's star, Edie Falco.

Still, her brief words were a hit with the Emmy audience _ and the show's host, Neil Patrick Harris.

"Merritt Wever, best speech ever," Harris noted.

Was it the shortest speech of the night, if not Emmy history? The race is on.

_ Jocelyn Noveck _ Twitter http://twitter.com/JocelynNoveckAP

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KEEP THOSE SPEECHES TIGHT

With NFL football threatening to delay the telecast of the Emmy Awards, the show's executive producer comes on stage to show the Nokia Theatre audience a bloody clip from "Game of Thrones."

That, Ken Erlich warns Emmy nominees, is what will happen to the winners if they don't keep their acceptance speeches short.

Fortunately for the long-winded, the game ends just as the show is scheduled to begin.

That leads Erlich to make one additional announcement: The New York Jets won.

_ Derrik J. Lang - Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang.

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EDITOR'S NOTE _ Show Bits brings you the 65th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles through the eyes of Associated Press journalists. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)