Emmys a great excuse to party

AFTER Sunday night's Emmy ceremony had wrapped, supporting actor in a comedy series winner Jeremy Piven took center stage at HBO's party at the Pacific Design Center. Quite literally. He hopped onto a platform to jam out on drums alongside Bret McKenzie from Flight of the Conchords and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Fellow bling bearers at the South American-themed bash -- just one of many award celebrations happening across town Sunday -- included Laura Linney, Tom Hanks and legend Don Rickles, the latter of whom surely would have been appreciated by Sarah Silverman and Stephen Colbert at the more intimate Comedy Central shindig at STK.

Also keeping it cozy: the cast of "Damages," which gave lead actress in a drama series winner Glenn Close a standing ovation when she walked into the show's soiree at West Hollywood hot spot Foxtail.

But no gold was needed to sample the sushi and caviar at TV Guide's affair at Hollywood hangout the Kress, where Samantha Ronson manned the turntables for nominees including Kyra Sedgwick (with hubby Kevin Bacon), Jon Cryer, Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson -- just as she had for "30 Rock's" Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan at NBC's Spago pre-party the night before.

Bryan Cranston, who won for lead actor in a drama series ("Breaking Bad"), showed up sans statue at the People/"Entertainment Tonight" fete at Disney Hall, where Brooke Shields and Neil Patrick Harris rocked out to Billy Idol's set. But "Mad Men" creator Matt Weiner made up for it by carrying one trophy in each hand as he headed inside to toast his cast members before they retired to the Chateau Marmont rooftop to watch the sun rise.

Jenny Sundel