Emmy winners make Governors Ball their first party of the night

After the Emmy Awards presentation wraps, the first stop of the rest of night is the Governors Ball, held this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center, just a few hundred feet from the Microsoft Theater in downtown L.A.

Show attendees filed out of the show and made their way into the muggy evening -- “It feels like the Caribbean out here,” one lamented -- to rush over to the air-conditioned bash.

This year’s theme was “Reigning With Radiance,” and although we’re not sure exactly what that means, it involved a lot of Swarovski crystals -- 45,000, to be precise. Curtains of bling swathed the event, which included a seated meal for 4,000 guests.

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And unlike at the Golden Globes, where dinner often remains untouched because the A-listers hit the red carpet late, the food is cleared before the broadcast starts and folks nibble later at a hidden buffet, this party’s attendees were ravenous and ready to eat. That’s because the Emmys take place inside the Microsoft Theater, which usually serves as a concert venue. There’s no food available inside save for the hot dogs, pretzels and beer at a few concession stands. (That’s right, no open bar, either: During the event, thirsty stars have to shell out for $14 Coronas like the rest of the plebes.)

Prepared for the hordes of hungry partygoers, the Governors Ball’s tables were already laid out with a fancy salad when guests arrived. Then came some beef tenderloin, a brownie with popcorn on it and a lot of Penfolds wine. Fun facts: 1,500 pounds of beef, 4,000 black mission figs and 150 pounds of popcorn kernels were trucked in for the event.

Almost everyone remarked on how stunning the room was, with its cherry blossom trees and cascading orchid stems. The refined setting seemed appropriate for the evening’s entertainment: a performance by Andrea Bocelli and David Foster.

There were plenty of winners stopping by -- this is, after all, where their trophies get engraved -- not that many famous faces made it to the tables right away. By 8:30, a half-hour after the telecast ended, most seats were still empty.

Amy Schumer and her sister, Kim Caramele, were just making their way inside the room around that time, clutching their new trophies, as was “Veep” winner Tony Hale. Spotting his gold trophy, excited security guards asked what he’d won for. “Supporting actor in a comedy series,” his wife said.

Inside, Jon Hamm and his long-awaited Emmy got a lot of attention from people wanting pictures; the newly single actor also spent some time with “Mad Men” costars John Slattery and January Jones.

Tracy Morgan brought wife, Megan Wollover, and host Andy Samberg had wife Joanna Newsom on his arm.

Also spotted in the room or on their way over: winners Regina King, Jon Stewart, Jeffrey Tambor, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bradley Whitford and Mark Burnett, as well as Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Naomi Campbell, Zac Posen, John Stamos, Bradley Whitford, James Corden, Trevor Noah and Gaby Hoffmann.

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