Red-Hot Fashions Sizzle At Emmys

Debra Messing, Stockard Channing and Molly Shannon shimmered in red satin dresses on the red carpet at Sunday's Emmy Awards. Camryn Manheim defied the sizzling temperatures in gray flannel.

No one color or style dominated the pre-Emmy fashion parade that runs second only to Oscar night as Hollywood's biggest excuse to dress up.

Messing, nominated for leading comedy actress in Will & Grace, accessorized her strapless red ball gown with new husband Daniel Zelman. She showed him off as much as other actresses displayed their borrowed million-dollar jewelry.

Manheim, star of The Practice, worked her way through the gridlock of celebrities and publicists outside the Shrine Auditorium in a long gray flannel dress and matching wrap by Ralph Lauren.

"I like to be cutting edge," Manheim said. "I put this on at 2:45 and I was here at 3:30. Time management."

Newlyweds Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, a first-time Emmy nominee for Friends, drew screams from fans in the couple's first major Hollywood appearance since their July wedding.

Aniston chose a long salmon satin gown and wore her long hair straight a change from last year's piles of curls.

Megan Mullally of Will & Grace, winner of the Emmy for supporting comedy actress, wore a jeweled butterfly ring that covered most of her right hand. Wearing a crinkled navy dress with a plunging V-neckline, Mullally joked she needed a towel to mop up the sweat.

Patricia Heaton hardly resembled the housewife-mom she plays on Everybody Loves Raymond. Heaton's body-hugging, low-cut dress featured yellow stitched flowers and silver beading with black bra straps. A platinum-and-diamond cross hung around her neck.

"I dress this way when I go to rehearsal and I have to take it off when we tape," she joked.

Kim Cattrall, a supporting comedy actress nominee for Sex and the City, set off her gray matte jersey long skirt with a gray beaded top with cap sleeves by Randolph Duke.

"What I wanted was to feel really comfortable and relaxed," she said.

Sarah Jessica Parker, Cattrall's co-star on Sex and the City, floated in a short dress with a full skirt accented by pale pink feathers.

Jane Leeves of Frasier, who is expecting a baby in January, wore a simple deep-purple long dress held up by a single spaghetti strap that formed a V.

Three cast members of Survivor arrived separately and received some of the loudest cheers. Rudy Boesch, Gervase Peterson and million-dollar winner Richard Hatch strode the red carpet wearing more clothes than they ever did during their island adventure.

"It was a madhouse," said Boesch, the ex-Navy Seal who was accompanied by his wife Marge. "I never seen nothing like it."

Peterson wore a black tuxedo, but pointed out that his silver hoop earring and silver watch were his own.

"Im just soaking up the festivities," he said. "Who would've ever thought I could be here?"

Andre Braugher of Homicide had the best perspective on his fashion role at the Emmys.

"This is an evening for the ladies," he said. "We men are the backdrop to the stunning outfits."