Emmys 2013: 'Modern Family' cast celebrates at the HBO party

Marcia Gay Harden, left, Jeff Daniels, Jane Fonda and Daniels' best actor Emmy Award attend HBO's post party at the Pacific Design Center.

By Jessica Gelt

Sept. 23, 2013 3:59 PM PT

The cast of “Modern Family” was jubilant and seemingly everywhere at HBO’s annual post-Emmy bash at the Pacific Design Center on Sunday night.

The ABC sitcom was riding high thanks to its fourth consecutive Emmy win for best comedy, and star Ty Burrell, who plays oddball son-in-law Phil Dunphy, was in an upbeat mood.

“I think my favorite Emmy moment was when Judy Greer ran and jumped in front of a photograph, and then if it’s possible to photo-bomb a phone interview she did that,” he joked.

“My favorite moment was when Ty Burrell didn’t win,” said the friend he was with.

“At home you literally jumped out of your seat when that didn’t happen,” Burrell said gamely.

Burrell’s costars Ed O’Neill and Eric Stonestreet mingled nearby while around them swarms of partygoers sipped Champagne and nibbled on tiny gourmet Popsicles underneath a clear outdoor tent.

Stonestreet struck a more serious tone, saying, “We tell family stories people can relate to. Until somebody decides we’re not the best comedy, we’re going to continue to win.”

Winning was also O’Neill’s favorite part of the night.

“Believe me, four is better than three,” he said of the show’s newest statue. “We’d like to get five, we’d like to tie ‘Frasier.’”

Until Sunday night, “Frasier” was indeed the most honored show in Emmy history, but the venerable variety show “Saturday Night Live” bested its record with Don Roy King’s directing award (which made 40 statues for the NBC mainstay).

“SNL” producer Lorne Michaels was definitely pleased with that situation as he stood in a quiet corner toward the back of the elaborate party talking with a friend.

“I was happy that our director won, I was happy that Stephen Colbert won and everything else,” Michaels said. “You like what you like. Sometimes you’re in sync with the academy and sometimes you’re not.”

Michaels said that overall he had been in sync with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on Sunday night.

“There were a few surprises,” he said, but wouldn’t elaborate on what they were for him. He said he was just looking forward to the new season of “SNL,” which kicks off with Tina Fey as host and Arcade Fire as the musical guest.

The massive party was loud and full to bursting with a who’s who of the entertainment industry, including Emmy winner Jeff Daniels, Will Arnett, Seth MacFarlane, Lena Dunham, Judd Apatow, Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas (who won an Emmy for his portrayal of Liberace in HBO’s biopic “Behind the Candelabra), and many more.

There was a modestly sized dance floor and table after table of salads, pastas and dainty finger sandwiches. Spirits and wine flowed freely from the many bars throughout the room.

One of the liveliest conversations was happening between “The Office” co-creator Stephen Merchant and Bobby Cannavale, who won the Emmy for supporting actor in a drama series for his work on “Boardwalk Empire.”

The pair were standing with Cannavale’s girlfriend (and “Damages” star) Rose Byrne, joking about where Cannavale put his statue.

“Where is your award?” asked Merchant, who also stars in the new HBO comedy “Hello Ladies.”

Cannavale looked around and frowned.

“I had it on the table earlier,” he said. “The kid was like, ‘Do you wanna check it?’ and I just said, ‘Nah, I’ll just leave it here.’”

“I would say keep your eye on it,” Merchant said. “I heard someone say their award had been stolen, not tonight but in the past.”

“How am I going to take it on the plane tomorrow? That’s the question,” Cannavale said, adding that winning the Emmy was completely surreal.

“It was all in slo-mo,” he said as Byrne nodded in agreement beside him. The win was also completely unexpected.

“I always expect it,” Merchant chimed in with a sly smile. “I wasn’t even in the ceremony and I thought I was gonna win an award. They should give me an award just for my contribution to TV.”

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