LA.COMFIDENTIAL > CELEBS.

Byline: >By JOEL STRATTE-McCLURE/SPYWITNESS

Everybody wanted a piece of "The Sopranos" at HBO's Thai-themed Emmy after-party at the Pacific Design Center. The only thing bigger than James Gandolfini, who showed remarkable concentration as he chowed down fried string beans, were two gigantic gold-tinted Buddahs standing back-to-back on a pedestal in the center a sprawling purple-hued tent.

Most guests, from Al Gore and Katherine Heigl to the casts of "Entourage" and "Big Love," speculated about what Tony Soprano might do for an encore.

"We're going to miss 'The Sopranos' at parties like this," "Entourage's" Kevin Dillon said as Jeremy Piven, Sally Field, Ray Romano, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Minnie Driver and Glenn Close lingered nearby. "But we'd love to get Mr. Gandolfini, or any of his mob, on our show."

"It's a tragedy that they're gone," added Mary Kay Place of "Big Love" as she chatted with Lily Tomlin and Leslie Jordan about their upcoming HBO series "12 Miles of Bad Road." "Unfortunately, I don't really see any of those guys showing up in Utah."

And what did Gandolfini plan to do?

He moved on to the dessert tray and ate like there was no "Sopranos" tomorrow.

City of party lite: There's no free Paris

Where, should her probation officer really want to know, was Paris Hilton at 11 p.m. following the Emmy Awards? Who was she with, what was she drinking, how was she behaving, and how much was she being paid to do it?

Hilton was easily the hottest celeb in a gigantic white hot air balloon that DIRECTV inflated on the West Hollywood Park baseball field for its first-ever Emmy party. Dressed in a short silver dress that sparkled like shimmering fish scales, Hilton left her nonalcoholic pineapple drink on the bar and gyrated solo to pal DJ AM's excruciatingly loud jailhouse rock music. Accompanied by a girlfriend, she somehow managed to keep texting while dancing with one arm above her bobbed hair a la John Travolta and posing for cell pix for anyone who asked.

What was Paris, who usually picks up big checks for showing up at corporate and charity events, getting to appear at a party sponsored by NBC Universal, Disney/ESPN, Fox, Playboy and other networks?

It's hard to fathom, but a DIRECTV spokeswoman insists it was a pro bono appearance, though "she might be given a new flat-screen television."

There's no free Paris.

'Grey's Anatomy' star still operates on stress

Don't think it's easy coping with the Emmy weekend party circuit. T.R. Knight may have put the Isaiah Washington hullabaloo behind him but the "Grey's Anatomy" supporting actor nominee was still slightly stressed.

"I've moved on, and it's all good on the set," Knight said when he arrived at a private party thrown by the Gersh Agency and hairstylist Frederic Fekkai on Friday night. "But anytime I have to dress up, it's outside my comfort zone. I always forget my cuff links and have to use paper clips or safety pins."

Debra Messing, who showed up at the poolside Terrace Bar at the Sunset Tower Hotel wearing one of the vintage hippie costumes from "Starter Wife," wished cuff links were her only problem.

"I've got to be head-to-toe perfect, so it's a haircut, hair coloring, eyebrow plucking, manicure, pedicure, dress picking, and jewelry and shoes selection," said the lead actress nominee as she chatted with Elizabeth Perkins, Kate Burton, Judith Light, Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart, Kim Delaney, Mary Kay Place, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Joely Fisher. "But I didn't want to work at all after 'Will & Grace' and this is a real celebration."

Doesn't sound too painful.

Lining up incognito for fish 'n' chips

Minnie Driver, Helen Mirren, Hugh Laurie, Ricky Gervais, Samantha Morton and other well-known British Emmy nominees didn't completely boycott the British Academy of Film & Television Arts/Los Angeles tea party on Saturday afternoon.

Some sent co-stars to the Wattles Mansion to represent them.

"I'm actually Hugh Laurie in drag," said "House's" Lisa Edelstein, who showed up with her mum to munch on fish and chips. "Hugh wanted to come as his female self to avoid all the attention."

"He's a bit of a demigod, our Ricky, and demigods don't appear in person at events like this," explained Ashley Jensen, who's in "Extras" with Gervais.

Many other tea partiers -- including Elaine Stritch, Nigel Lythgoe, Joely Richardson, Fionnula Flanagan, Evan Handler and Brian Cox -- formed a line to get predictions from a psychic. But Stritch claimed she already knows the future.

"(Expletive) the psychic," said Stritch, who picked up a "creative" award last weekend for her guest appearance in "30 Rock." "I've already won. What's she doing here? Who needs her?"

CAPTION(S):

5 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Paris Hilton

(2 -- color) Debra Messing

(3 -- color) James Gandolfini

(4 -- color) Lisa Edelstein

(5 -- color) Elaine Stritch

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