The view from inside the Emmy Awards

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Outside the Nokia Theatre, the red carpet is sizzling with temperatures reaching 81 degrees — but it always feels a good 10 degrees hotter on the carpet. Stars stayed cool by drinking bottled water, being fanned by their publicists and stripping off their clothes. "Survivor" host Jeff Probst ditched his tie and Ricky Gervais proclaimed he'd rather be wearing a toga.

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As the show is about to begin, celebrities and audience members have slowly begun to file inside. Most are mingling in the lobby while a few have entered the house to take their seats in front of the stage, which is bathed in gold light and has the control room tucked into one corner — like being able to look in on the kitchen at a restaurant. So far it's an "Office" party. Among the first to take their seats from the NBC comedy: Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith and Ed Helms.