The one in which we wonder whether it is bad form to introduce oneself to the staff?

At a recent play date/party our intrepid reporter was flummoxed by the number of staff she had to plough her way through prior to accessing the hostess of the party itself. Now I know we have landed in Stepford, but surely when throwing a party the host still awaits at the entrance to the event, ensuring the age old etiquette of actually being present when guests arrive. Not so in this case it seems, as we are finding it is de rigueur to employ (even in times of recession) a cluster of staff or maybe even an entourage to keep themselves from reality. Having waded through the first 3 introductions our Broad had managed to ingratiate herself with a cook a nanny and a personal assistant before alighting on the jewel in the crown - the hostess in the flesh. But on reflection there may be a lot to be said for an entourage, having been an avid fan of the Emmy award winning HBO series with Vince & Ari displaying the spoils of today's success - a seemingly endless array of fawning sycophants... perhaps my buddy and I are simply missing the point and should embrace the new age of staff abundance in the spirit that it is displayed. Applications for boot licking toady's gratefully accepted herewith...