What does it take to book two hot actors from competing networks for  a USA WEEKEND cover shoot? About 100 emails, a similar number of phone calls, a flurry of texts and lots of frustration. At least that's what it took to get 24's Mary Lynn Rajskub and Lost's Michael Emerson on our Innovations cover, at left.

Our main problem wasn’t that the two stars from hot, hip shows on ABC and Fox had no particular reason to appear together, which has been an issue on other occasions. This time it was all about timing and location. 24 and Lost are filmed on opposite sides of the country, Lost in Hawaii and 24 — at least for this season — in Washington, D.C. 24 was wrapping its season about the time we wanted to do the shoot, but Lost was still going full tilt. So we planned the session in Los Angeles, knowing Mary Lynn is based there, and that Lost stars are used to travel between Hawaii and L.A.

All looked good when we set the date a few weeks before our deadline, but it was twice rearranged thanks to last minute changes in Lost’s shooting schedule. After plenty of late night phone calls (you’ve got to love the time difference), and just when it looked like we should go in a different direction (as they like to say in Hollywood), Emerson got clearance and hopped a flight to the mainland. With two stars in the studio happily chatting and smiling for the camera in early December, we got our cover.