Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson swap tips

Emma Thompson, left, and Gaia Romilly Wise arrive at the 71st annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014, in Beverly Hills, Calif. AP

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. –  Show Bits brings you Sunday’s 71st annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills through the eyes of Associated Press journalists. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.

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STREEP, THOMPSON EXCHANGE ACTING TIPS

Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson each could give a master class in acting.

But as the pair chatted and held hands during a break in the Golden Globes show, Thompson had a different tip to offer.
“Slim,” she told Streep, striking a pose and pretending to pull her already flat tummy in.

Streep let out a knowing laugh.

— Lynn Elber — www.twitter.com/lynnelber

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WHERE’S THE BEEF?

Most of the guests you see on TV at the Golden Globes are hungry — and not just for awards.

Never mind the food sacrifices made for fashion and those body-hugging dresses. Although the Globes is ostensibly a dinner party, the waiters remove all the meals before the curtain rises. Get there fashionably late and you don’t eat.

Platters of sandwiches and cold cuts are served in an adjacent room off camera.

By the first commercial break, only crumbs remained.

— Sandy Cohen — Twitter: www.twitter.com/APSandy.

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CELEBRITY BROMANCE

Jonah Hill and Bradley Cooper shared a brotherly hug and a mutual “I love you” during the first commercial break at the Golden Globes show.

Then Cooper introduced Hill to his Golden Globes date for the evening, his mother, Gloria.

— Sandy Cohen — Twitter: www.twitter.com/APSandy.

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TRAFFIC JAM

With just minutes left to get inside the Beverly Hilton Hotel’s International Ballroom for the Golden Globe Awards, there was nearly a chain-reaction celebrity pileup at the front door.

Kevin Spacey did some fancy footwork to avoid running into Matthew McConaughey. Then he slapped his fellow actor on the shoulder of McConaughey’s green velvet tux and said, “What a year you’re having, buddy.”

McConaughey, nominated for a best actor award for “Dallas Buyers Club,” grinned.

“Thanks,” he said. “It’s good!”

— Sandy Cohen — Twitter: www.twitter.com/APSandy.

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QUICKQUOTE: ROBIN WRIGHT

“Ugh, these dresses. Everything’s always falling out.” — Robin Wright in a sleek silver gown, with nothing falling out.

— Sandy Cohen — Twitter: www.twitter.com/APSandy.

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NERVOUS? NOT AMY POEHLER

Nerves? What nerves?

Less than an hour to go until show time, Golden Globes co-host Amy Poehler was all smiles as she walked the red carpet, pausing to exchange greetings with Emma Thompson.

“So great to meet you!” said Poehler, offering a hug to Thompson’s date for the evening — the actress’ daughter.

— Sandy Cohen — Twitter: www.twitter.com/APSandy.

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LENDING A HELPING HAND

Navigating a crowded red carpet sometimes requires a lifeline.

After posing for photographers, Elisabeth Moss of “Mad Men” joined hands with two other women to make it through a crowd of people.

Similarly, actress Zosia Mamet of “Girls” required a steadying hand to guide her to a TV interview.

For actor Bruce Dern, his guiding hand came from daughter and actress Laura Dern. She held onto her father not only while walking the red carpet but also during a joint interview.

— Anthony McCartney — Twitter: https://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

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KELLY OSBOURNE’S RED CARPET RUN

Kelly Osbourne had to make a dash down the red carpet earlier than most – rushing past cameras as fast as her high heels could carry her.

Osbourne, who is providing fashion coverage on E! Entertainment Television, had begun a celebrity stroll down the carpet as she headed toward the position where the photographers are stationed.

But as other stars started arriving, and it got closer to the start of the pre-show events, she had to hoof it, paying more attention to her footing than the fans screaming her name.

— Anthony McCartney — Twitterhttps://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

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LET THE SUNSHINE IN

Overcast skies parted to let the sun shine on the Golden Globe Awards red carpet moments before the stars started arriving for the telecast.

Although there wasn’t a threat of rain for the awards extravaganza, some of the red carpet got drenched when a lighting rig set off a fire sprinkler a few hours before show time.

A video posted on the Los Angeles Fox affiliate Instagram account showed the sprinkler dousing an area where crews later used vacuums to dry up.

— Anthony McCartney — Twitterhttps://twitter.com/mccartneyAP