Friday, May 16, 2008 Alan Robert's Hotel, 10.10 pm: Today was my third day at Cannes. Also my last. A personal emergency back home. I have an early morning flight out on Friday. I will miss watching films-I can't believe I only saw one this time. I will miss gazing at the stars of the new Indiana Jones movie as they make their way up the red carpet on Sunday and head into the Palais for their premiere. I will miss the opportunity of meeting Madonna when she's here next week with her documentary I Am Because We Are. I will miss so much about Cannes. But I know if I don't go back, I'll regret it. It's the most important decision I will have made recently. And one I know I will be proud of. After a long night standing on my toes so I could crane my neck above the hundreds of popping flashbulbs and gawk at the lovely...

Wednesday, May 14 2008 Alan Roberts' Hotel It wasn't the way my day was meant to start. Woke up to some disturbing personal news that pretty much had me stressed all day. But the good part is, I know things are getting better. Spent the early part of the morning waiting for Aishwarya Rai to show up. Or Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as she reminded me when I forgot to add her last name in my on-air introduction. Met Aishwarya at the L'oreal suite on the 7th floor of the Martinez Hotel. I tell you, that suite has one great view, overlooking the Croisette, looking down at the revelers, and across to the wide expanse of clear blue, never-ending sea. Aishwarya was late. Almost an hour and a half late. But that may not have been her fault as much as it was the fault of the scheduling guys at L'oreal. The interview was DULL. As most interviews with Aishwarya usually...

13 May 2008, Tuesday
8.24 pm, Palais Press Room After what seemed like a never-ending journey one finally landed at the Cote d'Azur airport in Nice with all my bags in place (believe me, that's a huge achievement considering eight out of every ten people who attend Cannes each year will tell you their bags almost never make it on the same flight that they do). My bags did make it and I rushed with them to my hotel (much closer to the Palais this year, much more expensive as a result). In less than 15 minutes, I dumped my stuff, splashed some water on my face and rushed to the Olympia, a seemingly small little cinema tucked away in one of the lanes behind the big shopping district in Cannes. At 6 pm the lights dimmed and a roomful of complete strangers (press guys from across the world) laughed and cheered in unison as the overweight panda outshone himself and emerged the...