TCA: LAST DAYS

The red eye cross-country can suck the life out of you. I should know.

It's how I made it back from my last day at TCA in sparkly Beverly Hills to the gritty, sticky, crowded streets of New York City, the place I gladly call home.

As I settle back into my studio apartment that I'll have to clean on my own (oh, sweet housekeeping at the Beverly Hilton, I'll miss you!), there are moments from my first TCA I'll never forget. Here are my most memorable highlights from NBC Universal's two days of presentations.

• Having host Deborah Norville, who is celebrating 20 years of Inside Edition this year, pointing out that I'm the reporter "giving out hugs" at her luncheon. 

• Listening to Chuck's Zachary Levi extol the praises of his new iPhone 2 at the NBC party Sunday night. "I'm a little crazy with it," he admitted. "I've got my Sudoku and crossword puzzles on there. It's great."

• Swapping workout tips with Adrianne Palicki of Friday Night Lights (the new season debuts on DirecTV Oct. 1). "I do this one class in Los Angeles called Yoga Booty Ballet. It kicks your ass. It's great," she said.

• Discovering my mutual love of bar-b-que soy crisps with Saturday Night Live's Will Forte. Let's split a bag soon!

• Spotting Gary Busey chowing down on oatmeal at the Sports Club LA in Beverly Hills.

• During the Deal or No Deal syndication luncheon, watching host Howie Mandel ask a reporter if he "wanted to get a room," as set journalist kept pestering the pretty Deal or No Deal model wielding the question microphone.

• Getting a one-on-one with Coolio from the new Oxygen series Coolio's Rules and in the middle of the conversation, him blurting out, "I like the way you're shaped." Guess that morning workout paid off.

• Watching Kath and Kim star Molly Shannon, who wore booty shorts at the series' presentation, strut her long, lean legs in Christian Louboutins to get into her town car. I wanna work out where she's working out.

No wonder I slept Tuesday away!

Until TCA next summer,

TV Fanatic