Restaurants, Caterers Feel the Pinch as Emmy Parties Called Off

In another nod to the toned-down Emmys, networks have canceled their private, post-awards celebrations. The parties, increasingly an important element in promotion of shows and their casts, are not considered appropriate in the light of the terrorist attacks. Instead, nominees and other guests have been encouraged to attend what is being called a “unity dinner” directly after Sunday’s show at the Shrine Auditorium.

“With the whole tone the country’s in right now, everybody, collectively and individually, came to the conclusion that a party didn’t feel right,” said HBO spokesman Quentin Schaffer, whose network has canceled a party at Spago that had been expected to draw up to 2,000.

Party planner Jeffrey Best, who had spent six months preparing for three Emmy parties, estimated that catering and event planning companies in Los Angeles have laid off 30% of their employees since Sept. 11.

For restaurants and caterers, the loss of revenue is significant. Party hosts usually spend between $100 and $400 per person.

“When you look at all the recent award shows, parties have become a very elaborate affairs, involving a significant amount of money,” said Jack Kyser, chief economist with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.

Few restaurants wanted to disclose their exact losses but said they were considerable. At Crustacean in Beverly Hills, 300 people had been expected to attend a now-canceled Emmy party.

“This is a significant loss,” said one of the restaurant’s owners, Elizabeth An. “It does put you in a situation where you’re sitting with extra food, inventory, staff counting on working that day. It’s a domino effect.”

Kyser said the cancellations hit those already suffering. Restaurants and their staffs “are suffering as much as airline and hospitality industry, and often these are smaller types of businesses.”

Crustacean subsidizes its staff when an event is canceled, said An. “Some of our wait staff live from hand-to-mouth and cash income is really important.”

But, perhaps in a reflection of the post-attack spirit, few are complaining. At Morton’s in West Hollywood, for instance, 600 people were expected to attend a party thrown by the Fox network. General Manager Pamela Morton said it was important to keep perspective. “We’re all established places. In the greater scope of things, I can’t be too upset. It’s worse for the smaller businesses ....Ultimately, we’ll be fine.”

Her sentiment was echoed at Spago in Beverly Hills.

Feeling Grateful Despite the Lost of Business

“Everybody’s getting a hit,” said Spago spokeswoman Janis Swerman. “Certainly, there’s a lot of business loss but you have to feel really grateful in the scheme of things. Eventually, you’re going to make it up.”

Since many nominees whose shows are produced in New York were not comfortable traveling to Los Angeles for the ceremony, they have been invited to an NBC studio in New York for a simulcast. Members of the cast and production team of HBO’s “The Sopranos,” nominated for 22 awards, will be among those in the New York studio.

“Partially, they’re downplaying [celebrations] but I think a lot of it was also strategic--that it would be really difficult to bring everybody out to Los Angeles,” said Swerman. “It would been too complicated in terms of travel.”

The planning for HBO’s now-canceled bash for 2,000 at Spago had begun six months ago. Because the restaurant had enough advance notice about the cancellation, however, it’s been able to take reservations from the public for Sunday night.

At Granita in Malibu, “The Late Show With David Letterman” canceled its traditional celebration. “They’re not coming out for the same reasons as [HBO],” said Swerman, also a spokeswoman for Granita.

Party planner Best lost a $20,000 pre-Emmy party for Women’s Wear Daily magazine. He also lost two major Emmy parties, including one at Mr. Chow by Alliance Atlantis, a Canadian production company, for about 100 people. He didn’t want to disclose the cost of those parties or his losses.

“It’s a crazy market out there,” Best said. Earlier this week, he said, he was asked by a bankruptcy attorney to bid on a failed party planning company.

The buoyant mood is gone, and that may be reflected not just this season, but in post-awards party seasons to come. Television networks and movie studios now want intimate dinners rather than extravagant events, said Best. “The $100,000 parties that people would come and attend for 30 minutes, those are done, over and dead.”