FYC/20K
How to win an Emmy(?). Rusty's Electric Dreams :: Issue #370
Showbiz!
I didn’t plan to end up deep inside Emmy campaign season, but thanks to a dear college friend who works in casting, I got to experience the whole For Your Consideration extravaganza.
She’s a member of the Television Academy (the Emmys people), which means she gets access to events I wouldn’t even know existed. Members-only screenings, panels, and industry shindigs.
A few weeks ago, she texted:
“What are you doing Tuesday, June 10”
Then: “I got into a panel for the White Lotus. The entire cast is going to be there. I have a plus one.”
I had plans. I moved them.
Then she invited me to another one, for a Paramount+ show called Landman. I said yes, even though I’d never heard of it and had no idea what I was walking into.
Turns out, both were FYC events which I had never heard of before. FYC stands for “For Your Consideration.” FYC events are elaborate, star-studded, catered affairs put on in hopes of earning Emmy votes from Academy members.
Landman was the first one we went to together. We waited in a long line outside before entering the TV Academy’s lobby that had been transformed into a Texas roadhouse. There was a working jukebox, a vintage photo booth, and Texas Pete hot sauce on the tables. L.A. was cosplaying as Texas, and I immediately started sending photos to my brother in Austin.
Eventually we were ushered into the theater and settled in. They screened the season finale of the show, the one I had never even heard of. I hadn’t seen a single episode, but there I was, watching the big finish in a packed theater on a Sunday morning. Honestly, it was kind of fun trying to reverse-engineer the whole season as it played out. The show stars Billy Bob Thornton and is set in the gritty world of the Texas oil business. It was good. Well-acted and compelling. But a little too violent for me to watch on purpose.
When the lights came back up, several cast members took the stage for a panel. Billy Bob, Demi Moore, and Andy Garcia were there, which gave the whole thing an extra layer of Hollywood glitz and glam.
Afterward, we went back out to the lobby, which was now buzzing. Between the indoor and outdoor areas, there were four fully-staffed buffet stations serving cheesy cornbread and other Texas-y food, two espresso carts with custom drinks, trays of appetizers, bite-sized desserts, and a fake oil derrick parked next to the Academy’s giant golden Emmy statue.
A few days later was the White Lotus panel. We hustled to the Academy Museum (different venue) to arrive by 4:45 p.m. so we could queue up in time for the 7 p.m. finale screening. Luckily, we were in the shade and, for our effort, ended up snagging third row center seats. This panel was so big it had to be split into two, and it included nearly the entire cast.
Once the lights went down, a humorous video popped up of the Mike White, filming from his car. He apologized for not being there, explaining he was on his way to be a contestant on Survivor…again.
Then the moderator walked out: Paul W. Downs, co-showrunner and star of Hacks. I’m a big fan of Hacks, so this was a thrill already.
Both panels were great fun, and I can now officially brag that I’ve been in the same room as Parker Posey. At one point, Paul asked her, “You have a whole new army of gays. What will you do with them?” She said she had just been in Provincetown, where they threw a Parker Posey Pajama Party. It wasn’t a party in the traditional sense, more of an in-person interview where everyone was encouraged to show up in vintage sleepwear. She said she wore a ‘70s Halston robe she found at a Memphis estate sale. LOVE.
After the panels, we made our way to the rooftop for a massive afterparty. There was tons of Thai food, themed cocktails, mannequins wearing actual costumes from the show, and plenty of people-watching.
On the way out, Paul was mingling with the general population and I couldn’t resist saying hello. He was lovely. It was a real thrill to meet a creator of one of my favorite shows face to face.
That night, though, I couldn’t sleep. I kept replaying our interaction, worried I had fangirled a little too hard. Mostly I was haunted by the fact that pretty much all I managed to say was, “I just LOVE Hacks,” when I knew I had more interesting things in me. Ah well.
I may never be an Emmy voter, but I do know how to say yes to a weird, glitzy, deeply L.A. experience. And I’m always glad when I do.
— Rusty Blazenhoff
P.S. Goodbye to my 19000s. Tomorrow I hit 20,000 days old. Send cupcakes & cosmic insights.
Real thing you can actually buy: yes, way!
Featured Events
BAY AREA, CA+
[Bay Area :: ongoing] Go get lost in an Explorers Guild event. Make weird art with Raining Chainsaws or just show up for the spectacle. Ooo, head to the Aftel Archive, it’s open again. If it’s low tide, TEPCO Beach is calling. For a steady stream of fantastic and affordable happenings, Richie Rhombus’ Cool Happenings list is your go-to (beautifully described as an “in-the-know guide for intimate, quirky, thoughtful events as well as ridiculous parties and larger gatherings outside the mainstream”). Also worth keeping an eye on: State of Play, Artists Television Access, City Arts & Events and The Marsh.
[Oakland :: 7/19 +7/20] Mosswood Meltdown 2025. DEVO/John Waters/etc.
❤️ [Woodside :: now through November] Thomas Dambo Trolls: Save the Humans at Filoli Gardens
LOS ANGELES, CA+
[L.A. :: ongoing] There’s always something happening in L.A., often steeped in pop culture and entertainment. Here are a few spots worth knowing: Vidiots, 1iota.com, Groundlings, Largo at the Coronet, Dynasty Typewriter, Cinespia, Puppet Up, Bob Baker Marionette Theater, The Elysian, Freak Nature, Lodge Room, Lucky Tiki Speakeasy, Magic Castle, Black Rabbit Rose, Stash House, “Unique and Unusual” museums, Davey B. Gravey’s Tiny Cinema, Hollywood Forever, New Beverly, “secret stairs,” archival, Off the 405, 2220 Arts, Descanso Gardens, Whammy! Analog, and Philosophical Research Society. My personal favorite? The Los Angeles Breakfast Club
❤️ [L.A. :: 6/26] Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush: “This special screening will take place the evening of June 26, 2025, on the exact 100th anniversary of the comic masterpiece’s world premiere at the Egyptian Theatre in 1925.”
❤️ [L.A. :: 7/1] For the love of Jill (Sobule) - A tribute to our Sunshine Gal: Margaret Cho, John Doe, Jane Wiedlin and more! 8 p.m. at Largo at the Coronet
❤️ [San Diego :: 8/6-8/10] 25th Anniversary of Tiki Oasis
[San Diego :: Now] Ari Bird’s Flower shop at Burn All Books in San Diego
ELSEWHERE
[New York :: Ongoing but random] Shadow Traffic
[Several U.S. Cities :: Ongoing] Fou Fou Ha!
[Worldwide :: Now] Choir! Choir! Choir!
❤️🤞 [Multiple Cities :: Tour] Cake Picnic
[From Japan to L.A. :: June-Sept] Sparks is on tour. Thx, @Fritinancy!
❤️= I plan on attending!
Proof the Internet still has a soul
You made it to the bottom. Here comes your present.
[Link Code: TT=TikTok, IG=Instagram, YT=YouTube, SS=Substack, SP=Spotify]
:: 😻 First, the story. Then, the playlist. (IG, SP)
:: 🌿 First, the story. Then, the playlist. (SP)
:: 🦆 First, the story. Then, the tartan. (TT)
:: No story, just weird playlists.
:: Ditch the timer, listen to these playlists instead.
:: 🛹 Blind leading the blind in the coolest way possible (IG)
:: Art teachers ftw (TT)
:: 🟪🏠 (TT)
:: Squirrel! (TT)
:: A bit off the rails (IG)
Hello, is this still available?
I'm at 38,969,280 minutes and counting. The 43 minutes preceding looking at Rusty's Electric Dreams kind of sucked but thanks to you the recent minutes have been a pleasure. Thanks!
I am working on 27.3k days for me this year. So that.