‘24’ star Gregory Itzin drinks to his Emmy nom at a Beverly Hills gift lounge

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Once a slimy politician, always a slimy politician.

Which is just fine for Gregory Itzin, whose turn as the devious and doomed President Charles Logan on ‘24’ landed him a 2010 Emmy nom. As he put it, ‘I’ve always enjoyed visiting the dark side.’ Not to mention the nifty wine-tasting bar at the GBK & Tic Tac Gift Lounge at the SLS Hotel, where another nominee (and double Creative Arts Emmy winner), Neil Patrick Harris, scooped up baby bibs and bags for the twins he and David Burtka are awaiting.

Itzin’s high-profile performance won him gigs on two current shows -- USA’s ‘Covert Affairs’ and HBO’s ‘Big Love.’ ‘I play a Utah state senator,’ he said Saturday as he cruised the lounge with his designer wife, Judy. ‘Go figure.’

For all his political clout, even Itzin didn’t know about his ‘24’ character’s dramatic demise -- he sustained serious brain damage after a suicide attempt -- until he got his last script. ‘I was surprised when it went there too,’ he said. ‘That’s what’s fun about ’24.’ ‘

Even though it was Emmy weekend, Itzin couldn’t have been more relaxed -- he’d already lost the guest actor in a drama award to John Lithgow, who won for his killer performance in ‘Dexter’ at the Creative Arts Emmys on Aug. 21.

‘When I saw him do it ... I said, ‘Give him the Emmy now,’ because he’s so brilliant,’ Itzin said. ‘I have little problem with it. None. It’s all good.’

-- Irene Lacher

Photo: Emmy nominee Gregory Itzin at the GBK & Tic Tac Gift Lounge in Beverly Hills on Aug. 28, 2010. Credit: Chelsea Lauren