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Al Roker’s backstage pass to the Golden Globes

The ‘Today’ show weatherman describes the competitive spirit between the evening entertainment magazines to score the star interviews

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TODAY
updated 10:58 a.m. ET Jan. 17, 2006

Al Roker

Well, I just got back to my hotel room after covering the Golden Globes for the “TODAY” show and I must tell you — It was a blast!

Backstage at the Beverly Hilton, we had a one-on-one room attached to the “Access Hollywood” room with a sliding door between the two. I'm gonna let you in on a little backstage intrigue.

You've heard about the competition between the morning news shows?  Well, it's a walk in the park compared to the cutthroat competition between the evening entertainment magazines.

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In this corner are our pals at "Access Hollywood” — a scrappy show that's run by Rob Silverstein, a tenacious bulldog of an executive producer. In the other corner is the behemoth "Entertainment Tonight,” “The Insider” and “Inside Edition” combo. In the final corner we had "Extra."

We had an inside track that the "Access Hollywood" complex was the first room backstage. So the producer would get first crack as the stars came into the area fresh from their Golden Globe triumphs. The producers would whisk the stars into their area, complete with karaoke machine and Billy Bush and Nancy O'Dell would have their way with them.

Outside, watching all this through sliding glass doors were the producers from all the other shows, waiting and watching. As the interview with Nancy and Billy would end and the competing producers were waiting to pounce, our connecting door would slide open and we would spirit the star away to our little bailiwick.

Granted, there were no exclusives — everyone got their shot at the stars. But we got 'em first. By the time they made it down to the other entertainment shows, they were spent!

MAN, IT WAS FUN!!!!

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