Variety On the Town

Headline News Revisited

Legal firebrand Nancy Grace and nice-guy conservative Glenn Beck were on hand to give Time Warner's "Home to the Future" another workout Tuesday night to fete the second anny of "Headline News'" metamorphosis.

It’s been two years since topper Ken Jautz tore a page from the Fox News handbook, taking a just-the-facts news service and stocking it with opinionated hosts talking about the news.

In its second year, the net is distancing itself further from CNN mothership, dropping the name of big sister net from its tagline and branding around "Headline Prime."

The net's aud is younger and more downmarket than CNN, skewed heavily to the southeast, in no small part to the appeal of Grace, the former Atlanta prosecutor.

Her flacks were on hand to peddle the angle that its been 10 years court TV founder Steve Brill discovered Grace and plucked her out of Atlanta. Grace arrived in New York, she said, with an overnight bag and $200.

On a hot night on the crime-and-justice beat she can take down CNN’s Paula Zahn in the ratings. But perhaps a bigger measure of her cultural impact is she's providing regular material to “Saturday Night Live.”

But unlike MSNBC’s Chris Matthews or the senior George Bush, Grace has yet to embrace her tormentor. Amy Poehler was not on the guest list. (M. Learmonth)

More SAG Rag...

Jeremy Irons isn't afraid to do some heavy-lifting. He carried his own swag bag out of the party.

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Just before the show ended, it was a meeting of the HBO minds as "Entourage" regular Debi Mazar schmoozed with "Sopranos" creator David Chase and series regular Michael Imperioli, introducing him to her hubby.

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Showtime entertainment prexy Bob Greenblatt was glad to have nominations for "Weeds" and "Dexter." Latter skein ended up on a slew of critics' year-end top 10 lists, and Greenblatt said it should return for its second season around September.

Eavesdropping at SAG

Some things overheard at the SAG Awards:

Man talking into cell phone: “I’m on my third drink and the show hasn’t even started.”

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“Oh, please. Was this an award for acting or for overacting?” An agent after a winner was announced.

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“Did I look rude just then? I was flipping through the program when she was talking to me. Is that bad?”

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“I was on my way to get a cocktail and then I stopped to talk to you. You’re better than booze!”

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At commercial breaks there was always a line in the men’s room. One actor spotted another in line, went over to give him an embrace then stopped himself: “Wait, is it OK to hug you in here?”

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“Which way?” Paramedics to a security guard, looking for a man who’d collapsed at the party.

Grand Central Design

It takes a lot to catch the attention of New Yorkers during their daily commute, but somehow Bravo managed to do it.

Net hosted a Monday morning launch press party for their latest reality competition series "Top Design" at Grand Central Station's 42nd Street Shuttle platform.

Series features 12 aspiring interior designers competing to create the best looking room. While two trains rolled in and out of the station, series top judge and designer Jonathan Adler introduced 11 of the skein's competitors while simultaneously unveiling three of his interior design vignettes/lounge areas open to the public.

Whether or not commuters will choose to chill in the underground mod sprawls, which include plug-ins for iPods and cell phones, is highly questionable. Adler's designs may be sleek but even the most elegant couch isn't appealing when placed in the rat infested Gotham subway. (A. Morfoot)

SAG's Kind Souls

And the SAG Award for most gracious pre-show performance goes to ... Mariska Hargitay, Nicollette Sheridan, Emilio Estevez and T.R. Knight.

Red carpet arrivals began at 3:30 (L.A. time) for the 5 p.m. show and nominees were dragged - sorry, escorted - from one interview to the next by publicists.

"ET," "Access," TNT-TBS, E! and others had little sta ges, waiting for a few magic moments with the celebs, who were then brought to TV new cameras then the still fotogs. Most stars smiled and posed and charmed. But a few, like the trio mentioned, broke ranks to go over and greet the fans in the bleachers and sign autographs.

Needless to say, the crowds went wild. Commended for the nice gesture, the gorgeous Hargitay looked surprised and shrugged, "These are the people who made the show a hit." (T. Gray)

'Hannibal' Hijinx

At The Weinstein Company’s Saturday screening of "Hannibal Rising" at the Pacific Design Center, producers Dino De Laurentiis and wife Martha celebrated alongside stars Gaspard Ulliel, Gong Li and helmer Peter Webber ("The Girl With the Pearl Earring").

Li professed her love for horror movies and psychological thrillers, admitting that her respect for the genre helped get her through so many gruesome scenes.

“That’s what I like about films like these. You never know what’s going to happen and why it’s happening this way. It’s fun to follow it one step at a time and slowly find out more,” she said.

Li also helped illuminate her character for those who haven't yet read Thomas Harris’ latest novel of the same name. “Lady Murasaki wants to help Hannibal stop his violent behavior and in the end, she doesn't quite want him to do that, but at least she tried.”

And what about the hard to ignore fact that there seems to be some serious sexual tension onscreen between Li, 41 and Ulliel, 22. “Well they start out as relatives but on top of that, it turns out they share a lot in common. Both of their families had a bad experience during the war, so it draws them closer together and they develop a kind of rapport. A very special kind of love develops between them,”
explains the actress.

Careful there Gong, you don't want to make Clarice jealous. (J. Sneider)

Variety's 10 Directors to Watch

Variety's 10 Directors to Watch party in Sundance was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Monday night. Judging from the crowds that lined up for entry at the dot of seven, that was not a moment too soon.

It was one of those nights that made you wish that the festival had a centralized social registry. Indiewire, Cinetic Media, William Morris Independent, ICM, BenderSpink and Netflix, among others, also chose this evening to get their Park City ya-yas out. Variety had consistency on its side -- we've had its 10 Directors party at Sundance for 10 years -- but there was some stiff blowout competition.

Variety publisher Charlie Koones, Heather Graham
and her "Adrift in Manhattan" helmer Alfredo de Villa

As it turned out, people behaved as if the only other thing angling for their attention was a "Murder, She Wrote" rerun. By 7:30, the ballroom was at capacity.

Part of the credit, to be fair, goes to the food; five flavors of macaroni and cheese and a dim sum bar go a long way toward luring festgoers who don't often get the opportunity to consume a full meal. However, in a Sundance party scene often ruled by corporate sponsorship, it's also one of the events reliably dominated by filmmakers (eight of the 10 DTW, "Zoo" director Robinson Devor), industry figures like Lakeshore Entertainment's David Dinerstein and Endeavor partner Phil Raskind, as well as actors John Cusack and Heather Graham.

"Grace is Gone" producer-star John Cusack,
who came out to support "Grace is Gone"
helmer and DTW James C. Strouse

By 9 p.m, the lights were on and people were still reluctant to head back down the mountain. "If it were five years ago," said helmer and party straggler Doug Liman, "this would be the kind of party that I'd be licking the back of my hand to get me and five of my friends in." (D. Harris, S. Swart)

Channeling van Gogh

Saturday night, actor-director Steve Buscemi and Sienna Miller were guests of honor at a small dinner to celebrate their Sundance Film Fesival entry "Interview," an English-language remake of a film by the late Dutch helmer Theo van Gogh. (He was killed in 2004 by a Muslim extremist.) Miller stars as a soap actress and Buscemi as a political journalist reluctantly assigned to profile her.

Addressing his collaborators, Buscemi said, “Theo set a high bar,” finishing his speech by picking up a cactus from the dinner table’s decor and kissing it. (Van Gogh, who also hosted talk show “Een Prettig Gesprek” (A Nice Chat), used to make his guests kiss a cactus after engaging in a prickly discussion.)

Katja Schuurman, the Dutch actress who had Miller's role in the original pic, initially thought the cacti had been deliberately chosen for the "Interview" event; actually, they were intended to underline sponsor Desert Essence body products. “Oh, it's a coincidence," she said.

“No, this is Theo, so it's definitely not a coincidence,” Buscemi said. The outspoken van Gogh, while no longer on earth, still made his presence known. (Sharon Swart)

Fox Shows Flair

FFox gets the Party of Press Tour award if only because it was the only broadcast net to bother with a bash held somewhere other than the Ritz-Carlton in Pasadena.

Net’s bash, held on the closing night of the semiannual TV Critics Assn. press tour, unfolded at Villa Sorriso in Old Town. In keeping with the Fox press tour theme of Winter Wonderland, there was some very convincing fake snow and a giant ice sculpture.

Kiefer Sutherland showed up a few minutes before the party’s official start, and was predictably mobbed by scoop-seeking scribes.  He confirmed reports that the planned “24” feature film has been pushed back at least a year, something seconded by exec producer Howard Gordon.

“The OC” creator Josh Schwartz joined some of his cast in what will likely be his last ever Fox press tour party. He’s just turned in the script for the series finale, which begins lensing Wednesday, and is in the early stages of casting his new pilots for NBC and the CW.

Also on schmooze patrol: Fox Entertainment prexy Peter Liguori and FX topper John Landgraf. Latter exec, a former partner in Jersey TV, is prepping for the release of the feature film version of Jersey’s “Reno 911!” (J. Adalian)

C-Dub Cocktails

First, there was the “Lady in the Water.” This weekend, the CW gave the nation’s TV critics a (green-haired) lady in... a martini glass.

This month’s round of bashes linked to the semiannual TV Critics Assn. press tour had been decidedly dull, but that changed Friday at the CW’s event. While it still took place at a staid ballroom at the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel in Pasadena, the C-Dub made an effort to entertain the assembled press corp. by paying a model/actress type to spend the night lounging in a giant martini glass at the center of the room.

It was a very Standard Hotel-type move, but it gave reporters something else to talk about other than McG’s press conference earlier in the day. Helmer, there to promote his upcoming Pussycatt Dolls reality skein, started a lively debate with his talk linking the Dolls to a new third wave of feminism.

Stars from CW shows such as “Veronica Mars” and the upcoming “Hidden Palms” mingled with behind the scenes types such as “Smallville” co-creator Al Gough (psyched about the great numbers for Thursday’s well-reviewed “Justice” seg) and “America’s Next Top Model” exec producer Ken Mok. CW Entertainment prexy Dawn Ostroff said she though the CW’s first press tour since launch went well, while Warner Bros. TV Group topper Bruce Rosenblum showed up just hours after getting back from NATPE. (And yes, that was the studio’s communications guru Scott Rowe sporting a full beard). (J. Adalian)

PGA Party Hopping

The producers were indeed the stars at Saturday night’s Producers Guild Awards, held at the Century Plaza Hotel. The pre-show cocktail hour was notably devoid of first-name-only stars such as Angelina, Leo, Marty or Clint. Instead, the heavies were Ron Yerxa, Brian Grazer, Doug Wick, Laurence Mark and Ron Meyer, who was mobbed early on in the evening by an army of screenwriters trying to get face-time with the Universal honcho, who was on hand to receive the event’s Milestone Award.

The attack led Meyer’s phalanx of handlers to keep a more watchful guard as they escorted him through throngs of well-wishers and paparazzi. Meyer looked understandably weary before the show even began, but gamely answered -- for the billionth time that night -- the question of how it felt to be honored. “I’m amazed I was chosen,” he said. He said a little more and then was ushered on.

The scene over by the bar led one to conclude that either security was light or there are far more producers in Hollywood than is possible to imagine. (Or, perhaps, they just have a lot of friends.) Groups of people hobnobbed, traded table numbers (“I’m at a hundred, where are you?”), and snuck curious glances at the new, gray, giveaway Volvo parked by the wall. (N. LaPorte)

New Neighborhood

CAA, you're not in Beverly Hills anymore.

On first glance, the "premiere" party of 2000 Avenue of the Stars on Thursday night was perfectly suited to its marquee tenant, CAA.  Two white clothed avant-guard models swayed to a live band while caterers ushered canapés and bubbly to and fro.

But on closer inspection, one noticed a decided lack of denim and many more suits than at regular industry events. In fact, few agents or even new tenants roamed the glistening halls, but financiers, realtors, architects and politicians, including Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa abounded.

Then there was the small talk. One curious banker asked, "What is Variety?" While another young buck, gleefully informed me, "There's a modeling agency upstairs." Outside a group of older gentleman touted the buildings proximity to Los Angeles Country Club.

You can take the agency out of the city but can you take the city out of the agency? Probably not, but when the dust settles CAA culture is bound to energize the building. And won't those bankers be surprised when they figure out just who that agency upstairs represents. (L. Repstad)

Cause and Effects

Many of the top talents in the visual effects biz gathered for the annual visual-effects "bake-off" at the Academy Theater Wednesday night and the traditional pre-party at Kate Mantilini. Once an intimate sit-down dinner, the party has grown as the vfx field has exploded, and now Kate's is SRO.

The bake-off had its unexpected highlights. "Casino Royale's" Steve Begg was almost giddy to even be included, explaining in his presentation that the producers had originally wanted no visual effects in the film. "X-Men: The Last Stand" vfx supervisor John Bruno said he'd tried for weeks to get Hugh Jackman to shoot his climactic battle with Famke Janssen in the buff, convinced him to strip to his underwear, then wound up having to digitally paint his clothes back in to preserve a PG-13 rating.

But the line of the night came at the very top. Boyd Shermis, presenting "Poseidon," got a big laugh when he told the gathering "Wolfgang Petersen told us he wanted to out-Titanic 'Titanic' and out-storm his own 'The Perfect Storm.' He wanted to raise the bar. Unfortunately, I didn't realize I would have to do all of that without the benefit of credible story or characters." Ouch. (D. Cohen)

826LA: Tongue in Cheeky

Why can't all charity dinners be like this one?

826LA held its biggest-ever fundraiser Tuesday night with the (I hope) inaugural Best Intentions Award, which was presented to Seth Rogen "in honor of the philanthropic work that he may do one day."

Translated, it was a fine excuse to sell tables for $10,000 (or $1,000 per seat), earning more than $250K -- enough to allow the Venice-based 826LA to open a writing and tutoring center in Echo Park. And while 826LA founder Dave Eggers said he had nothing to do with the evening until he showed up at 5 pm, the night had the same sensibility that informs his other enterprises, The Believer and McSweeney's.

There's something about 826LA that draws in the A-list while siphoning off the attitude. A disorganized guest check-in meant everyone from Rogen to Ron Meyer stood in the Vanguard's black asphalt parking lot for half an hour without so much as a heat lamp. (Ted Danson made an ill-fated attempt to get in early.) No one complained, or even seemed to mind; Mary Parent and Scott Stuber chatted with Meyer, who was standing back-to-back with porn stars Stormy Daniels and Tera Patrick.

Once inside, the chicken wasn't rubber; it was fried, with volunteers handing each guest a still-warm two-piece box of KFC (original recipe; mashed potatoes and coleslaw). A Golden Globes cocktail napkin was at each place setting; on the table, guests could choose from bottled water or a DIY 90210 trashcan punch - room-temperature Absolut and diet Red Bull.

As emcee, Apatow told the audience to "prepare for a night of severe technical difficulties." Instead, the audience saw Brad Pitt, Jack Black and Jim Carrey make tongue-in-cheek dedications to Rogen, Will Ferrell and Dave Grohl sing a "Leather and Lace" duet and performances by Aimee Mann and Loudon Wainwright III that should establish them as the bards of Los Angeles. Ben Stiller plowed through the audience in search of items to sell at charity auction. (Andy Richter offered his lip balm.)

And no charity dinner would be complete without one actively painful moment; here, a performance by the 1970s' squishy rock act Ambrosia did the honors. (No amount of irony can save "How Much I Feel.")

It was an evening that took advantage of every opportunity except one.

"I was going to offer a night with Tera Patrick," said Stormy Daniels. "But Ben Stiller didn't get to our table." (D. Harris)

Future Shock

For all the Jetsons-esque billing, Tuesday night's "Home to the Future" event at Gotham's Time Warner Center was anchored securely in the present.

The point was for Time Warner, its stock resurgent and its plans set for a public offering of its cable unit, to promote its role in the home media experience. Chairman and CEO Dick Parsons, president and COO Jeff Bewkes and Time Warner Cable president and CEO Glenn Britt welcomed a couple hundred guests into a three-story section of the mall. Gaudy orange carpets and fixtures competed with the window displays of stores like Borders Books, which stayed open for business just beyond the VIP ropes. Silver-suited ushers led guests past demos of the company's video-on-demand, high-speed Internet and digital phone service.

The wares will remain on display for the next three weeks. Rather than fiddling with gadgets, most seasoned partygoers made a beeline for the many bars and sought out desserts made by nearby Bouchon Bakery.

Gotham event maestro Peggy Siegal managed to lure a collection of media and showbiz types (among those spotted: Jeffrey Wright, James Lipton and Ben Shenkman) that was respectable by
day-after-the-Golden-Globes standards. But the low-key crowd, milling about over the drone of escalators, made an odd counterpoint to all the corporate cheerleading.

As a capper to the evening, who better to point the way to the shimmering, digital future than Tony
Bennett - or, excuse me, "Club Samsung starring Tony Bennett"?

The singer, backed by a stripped-down combo, delivered a charismatic and peppy handful of songs, including his trademark, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." As the crowd roared its approval and flat-screen monitors beamed his swinging set into the faux living room, Bennett's ever-smiling face was bracketed by two glowing Samsung signs. (D. Hayes)

Post-Globes Trotting

While millions watched the second night of "24’s" sixth season premiere, the normally all-business CTU staffers let their hair down (if possible) at the E!/EMA Golden Globes afterparty.

Fan favorites Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe O’Brien) and Eric Balfour (Milo Pressman) joined series newcomer Carlo Rota (Chloe’s bald ex, Morris) on the dance floor as Grammy-nominated singer KT Tunstall kept the crowd moving long after the E! cameras on the red carpet shut down.

Rajskub reserved praise for Globe-winners Forest Whitaker and Sacha Baron Cohen, and joked about the HFPA’s decision to stop giving swag bags to presenters, saying “as long as they keep handing me money and jewels, I have no problem with it.”

When asked what environmental issues she supports, the comic deadpanned, “I support any and all environmental causes. Whatever cause you think I might support, I’d appreciate you talking about it.”

Checking out the décor of the party, Rajskub added, “I like it. It’s kind of cold though.”

Borat director Larry Charles echoed those sentiments, saying, “I support all environmental issues, but I think it’s obvious that global warming is becoming a real problem because we’re all freezing our asses off. Something’s definitely wrong here,” the former Seinfeld producer joked.

Sounds like a case for Jack Bauer. (J. Sneider)

Post-Globes Trotting, part 2

Did anyone get into the Warner Bros. party post the Golden Globes? After 20 minutes of getting nowhere in the congested line– a plight made more amusing by witnessing fabulous people, dressed to the nines, ducking under the velvet rope, and pushing and shoving like  the rest of us –mission was aborted.

Kudos to Frances Fisher, though, whose strategy was to schmooze – hug, kiss, and in the process hop the rope – with ultra-A-listers who were given the right-of-way to the front of the line. There went Frances on the heels of Jamie Foxx, Justin Timberlake and Eddie Murphy.

And so it was off to the Paramount party, where guests first stumbled over Steven Spielberg and Sacha Baron Cohen in an intimate kvetch before landing in a sea of proud Par execs savoring the wins of “Babel” and “Dreamgirls.” Brad Grey, John Lesher, Rob Moore, Brad Weston et al were all on hand, and word is that Gail Berman stopped by early on – a move that one Par exec admiringly called “cool,” considering the recent drama she’s endured at the studio.

“Dreamgirls’” Jennifer Hudson, in a coppery ensemble that matched her lipstick, was already displaying diva-ish behavior just hours after her best supporting actress win, flanked by a posse of handlers and well-wishers. Hey, if you got it, flaunt it. (N. LaPorte)

Tea With Brits

Even if there was no getting near Kate Winslet (or Helen Mirren or Forest Whitaker) at the BAFTA/LA tea party at the Four Seasons, most everybody else was approachable.

Valerie Faris, co-director of “Little Miss Sunshine,” talked about how easy it was to make her film. It was five years in the making and once they got the financing and cast it was remarkably easy to complete production, she said. She also told us about how both she and co-director (and hubbie) Jonathan Dayton once had vehicles like the VW minibus that needed a push to start each time.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agebaje (“Lost’s” Mr. Eko) told us about how he didn’t know from day to day who his character was on the ABC drama. “I thought I was a priest, but now I see I’m a drug dealer.” As for his untimely end, he said he should never have talked to the press about how things would be OK as long as he didn’t have anything to do with the polar bear.

The next thing he knew, the scriptwriters had him mauled by the polar bear.

“Heroes’” Indian hero Sendhil Ramamurthy, raised in Chicago and who doesn’t really have an English accent, said his only link with England was going to drama school there…and an English wife. But when the producers of “Heroes” asked him to say his lines with an English rather than a Midwestern accent he was happy to oblige. (S. Dore)

All About ABC

If you want to see stars in their natural environment, you need only drop by a press tour party.

Every January and July, all of the major broadcast nets throw bashes connected to the semiannual TV Critics Assn. press tour. Unlike movie premieres or awards show soirees — where the big names sometimes hide in VIP sections--  the whole point of the press tour party is to connect celebs and execs with ink-stained wretches from the fourth estate.

And so it went Sunday night at Pasadena’s Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa, where ABC held its  not-so-gala event (bringing along talent and execs from sister nets ABC Family, SoapNet and Disney Channel). Braving the near-arctic air outside, Sally Field patiently took questions from gaggles of journos, while her “Brothers & Sisters” castmates — including a no-longer media shy Calista Flockhart — also accepted some grilling from reporters. Later in the night, Flockhart and her new TV pals seemed like a real group of brothers and sisters as they huddled around a small table in the back of a (heated) outdoor tent.

ABC Entertainment prexy Steve McPherson was in an upbeat mood, while boss Anne Sweeney seemed positively giddy — and with good reason. She’d just seen the numbers for Disney Channel musical “Jump In,” and the ratings turned out to be even higher than those for “High School Musical.”

Brian Frons, head of ABC Daytime and SoapNet, was also in a good mood — despite another week of heavy shelling over at “The View,” thanks to the Rosie vs. Donald war. Frons thinks things have settled down, and he’s beyond happy over the strong ratings boost Rosie O’Donnell has brought to “The View.” (J. Adalian)

Cruz Confidential

A pair of Oscar winners mingled with a contender Saturday night as Los Angeles Confidential magazine hosted a bash in honor of cover girl Penelope Cruz.

Kevin Spacey and Cuba Gooding Jr. were late arrivals at the Westwood W Hotel’s overflow soiree that had the fire marshal closing the front door by 8 p.m.

Being told they had stand to stand in the chilly temperatures didn’t go over well with the dozens of folks hoping to come inside and warm up. Those lucky enough to make into the lobby received a ray of heat from the flash bulbs going off when Cruz came down the red carpet .

Others in attendance included Harvey Weinstein, Sony Picture Classics topper Tom Bernard and Michael Barker, Virginia Madsen, NBC stars Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”) and John Stamos (“ER”), and, from the music world, rapper Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and former teen queen Debbie Gibson. (S. Levine)

Flying 'United'

Aside from his talents as a director, writer and producer, Paul Greengrass seems to have another, less-heralded ability: immunity to jet-lag.

In the middle of an ambitious European shoot for "The Bourne Ultimatum," Greengrass flew into Southern California for 48 hours to accept his award from the L.A. Film Critics for "United  93."

Universal honchos Ron Meyer, David Linde and Marc Shmuger were on hand at Lucques restaurant in West Hollywood to salute the filmmaker, with Shmuger speaking briefly (and eloquently) about the landmark film, praising Greengrass for his talent, generosity and professionalism.

Among the co-workers on the film (which was also honored by the N.Y. Critics as pic of the year) was Ben Sliney, who's terrific in the film playing himself: The chief of air-traffic control at FAA headquarters who made the unprecedented decision to halt all U.S. flights on 9/11. The lively and funny Sliney seemed surprised at compliments for his performance ("I was just playing myself") and reminded with a shrug that 9/11 was his first day on the job. (T. Gray)

Chez Shaye

Nothing beats the view from New Line honcho Bob Shaye's
Beverly Hills estate, but everybody at his Saturday night Golden
Globes party was instead talking about the weather.

On one of Los Angeles' coldest days - ever - the gatherers tried to cozy up to a few (but hardly enough) heat lamps...and instead had to rely on the "hot" quotient of some of the celebs who showed.

The party was held in honor of New Line contenders "Little Children" and "Pan's Labyrinth," and their respective directors, Todd Field and Guillermo del Toro, braved the elements to be seen.

Field's leading lady Kate Winslet was not around, supposedly coming just in time for the BAFTA event on Sunday and, of course, the big GG night come Monday.

Not everyone in L.A. is afraid of the cold: Robert Duvall, Emmy Rossum, Brett Ratner, Neil Jordan, Brendan Fraser and the "reborn" Jackie Earle Haley came, while an exec contingent including HBO's Chris Albrecht and Picturehouse's Bob Berney dined as well. (M. Speier)

AFI Does Lunch

It was a primo schmooze-athon with healthy food, some sharp film clips and a fast-paced salute to some great work — what’s not to like?

On Friday afternoon, the American Film Institute luncheon paid tribute to notable work of 2006 (10 films, 10 TV shows). And, as a bonus, the afternoon at the Four Seasons in L.A. ended early.

AFI had named the honorees in advance, so the gathering was stress-free: No winners, no acceptance speeches. Just a few sentences extolling each work and a brief film clip.

While there was nobody singled out, arguably the big winner of the day was “United 93.” It was saluted as one of the 10 most notable American films, and earlier in the day, received a BAFTA nomination as outstanding British film of the year. Apparently when you’re good, everybody wants to claim you.

The film clips drew a lot of laughs (especially a raunchy “South Park” moment). And while all the work on display was impressive, so was the guest list: Elizabeth Gabler, Jim Gianopulos, Brian Grazer, Brad Grey, David Linde, Ron Meyer, Tom Rothman, Marc Shmuger, Stacey Snider, Steven Spielberg, to name a few.

Directors repped eight of the honored films, including Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel); Larry Charles (Borat); Bill Condon (Dreamgirls); Spike Lee (Inside Man) and Clint Eastwood (Letters From Iwo Jima). Helmers also were there for three of the TV shows.

Oh, yeah, there were stars too.

Paparazzi outside the hotel with their telephoto lenses seemed most excited at the arrivals of Eastwood and Spielberg (both former AFI Lifetime Achievement honorees), Lee and Sacha Baron Cohen, but also getting plenty of attention were Jennifer Hudson (looking very tall and glammed out), Ryan Gosling, Helen Mirren and Steve Carrell.

AFI honcho Jean Picker Firstenberg made a breezy host, and the afternoon ended with Mirren saluting Robert Altman. (T. Gray)

Foodies Feast on Feats

Judging from the Food Network's cocktail party for new skein "Dinner:
Impossible," no mission for host Robert Irvine -- with regards to food -- is impossible.

In the spirit of the new series, which puts Irvine to weekly culinary tests, the food maestro whipped up twelve plates in the course of five hours for Net execs and media invited to the event.

Trays heaped with herb-crusted lamb with lingonberry dipping sauce; Peking duck enchilada with Asian sauce; salmon mille feuille; and cucumber relish caviar were served throughout the evening at Net's headquarters in Gotham's Chelsea Market. To wash it all down Irvine devised a red concoction he called Aston Martin (gin, Campari and Chartreuse).

"He had us before he chopped his first onion," senior VP of programming Bob Tuschman joked before showing clips from the show. "He worked for the Royal Family, four presidents (both Bush administrations, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton), but all that was preparation for Impossible' because what we make him do in this show, no chef should really have to do."

Irvine quickly responded: " I agree!" (A. Morfoot)

Newbies Nail Nat'l Board Kudos

Without the upstarts, award ceremonies would be a tough slog.

While heavyweights like Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg and Oliver Stone kept their speeches dry at the National Board of Review kudos in Gotham Tuesday night, newbies like Ryan Gosling and Jason Reitman opted to shake and stir things up.

Gosling riffed about how his career playing ne'er-do-wells was breaking his mother's heart--"She watched ten minutes of (his role as a skinhead in) 'The Believer' and locked herself in the bathroom"--and mocking the expectations for his film "Half Nelson." "We were swinging for the fences when we made it. The fence was distribution."

Reitman, getting the breakthrough director nod for "Thank you For Smoking," told of how a tech glitch that morning had caused every email he had sent over the last six years to be re-delivered to its original recipient. "You can't imagine the surprise of my post-production supervisors (at the fact) that there were still deliverables that needed to be looked at. Or my ex-girlfriend (at the fact) that I still love her so much."

Even Parker Posey, doing her usual daffy-downtown schtick, set up layups for the presenters: e.g., "I'll have two of whatever Parker Posey is having."

Perhaps the greatest shock of the night was of the follicular kind--that is, Kevin Kline's long, white hair and thick beard, which gave him an eerie resemblance to Walt Whitman. Given the tendency of kudofest honorees to celebrate themselves and sing themselves, it seemed kind of appropriate. (S. Zeitchik)

Performance Anxiety

"If you build it, they will come"

Well, not always.

Premiere magazine threw a sophisticated soiree last night at the Sunset Tower Hotel's Terrace to honor 2006's great performances, but while the list was made up of 24 stars – the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio ("Blood Diamond), Will Smith ("The Pursuit of Happyness") and Ben Affleck ("Hollywoodland") — only Adam Beach, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Adrianna Barraza showed. No Sacha Baron Cohen, Cate Blanchett or Penelope Cruz.

But everyone partied anyway. Instead of walking away with a bronze statuette or a big piece of glass, all honorees were made into graham cracker cookies, with their photo from the mag's upcoming issue printed onto white icing and surrounded by green sprinkles.

Party kicked off right at 7 p.m. with delighted and delightfully unjaded "Babel" actress Barraza leading the red carpet festivities. She talked to everyone, smiled for countless pictures and when asked to pose with her husband, shouted in unrestricted and unmedia-trained fashion, "Of course, I love my husband!" Though most thesps were unable to claim their cookie kudos, the common folk thrilled in finding the perfect Diane Lane or Edward Norton cookie. (L. Repstad)

Echo Chamber

Drink tickets.

It was that kind of Tuesday night at the Echo, which hosted a book party celebrating the publication of Neal Pollack's fatherhood memoir, "Alternadad."

Pollack's got Hollywood cred - his Anonymous Content manager, Shawn Simon, helped him develop "Alternadad" and sold the movie rights to Warner Bros. and Billy Gerber - the same team that picked up feature rights to his last book, "Never Mind the Pollacks: A Rock and Roll Novel."

However, the Echo isn't the kind of place that John Lesher or Billy Gerber go to; they may not even know where it is. Located on an easternmost stretch of Sunset Boulevard, past even the gentrified environs of Silverlake, it's a club known for hosting acts like one-time Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, Pitchfork favorite the Ponys and worthy local bands like I See Hawks in L.A. They also host the city's most eccentric wine tasting.

However, this was not a night for nice wine. It was a night for drink tickets, which Simon happily handed to a luminary-free crowd (unless you count Defamer editor Mark Lisanti. Nice to put a face with a name.). You could buy something to eat from the Echo kitchen or you could step behind the counter and help yourself to some free gelato, courtesy Pazzo Gelato.

And that was fine. The DJ played sets that would put Brent Bolthouse and all the rest to shame: the Hollies' "Long Cool Woman" (as sung in Mandarin), Velvet Underground's "Temptation Inside Your Heart." Pollack read, to good effect. And he signed his funny book. (D. Harris)

Edwards' Hollywood Endeavor

Former Sen. John Edwards spoke before a packed conference room of agents, industry executives and celebrities at the Endeavor agency on Tuesday, raising money for his presidential campaign in one of the first Hollywood fund raisers for a declared 2008 presidential candidate.

His white short-sleeves contrasting with the dark-suited tenpercenters, Edwards vowed to do "anything I can" to oppose President Bush's plan for an increase of some 21,000 troops in Iraq. Edwards invoked the term he has used to describe the new policy -- "the McCain doctrine" -- becaus e it has strong support from Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), who may soon join him in the field of 2008 contenders. He also sounded some of his campaign themes, like universal healthcare and alleviating poverty.

Among those who attended the event, hosted by Endeavor's Adam Venit and former MCA and iFilm executive Skip Paul,  were Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, Diane Keaton, Tracy Ullman, Delroy Lindo and Mike White. Edwards also met with other potential donors on the trip and planned to make an appearance this evening on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

The coming months promise to be a vigorous period of '08 fund raising in Hollywood circles. Laying the groundwork for a possible run, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) spoke at a meet-and-greet event last month at the home of another Endeavor partner, Ari Emanuel.

In fact, Los Angeles could be of even greater importance if Hillary Clinton gets into the race, given that she would have a lock on a lot of support in her home state of New York, another big destination for campaign money. (T. Johnson)

Frogs Fete Film

Tuesday night's screening of "Avenue Montaigne" -- France's official foreign film Oscar entry -- at the DGA was packed with members of L.A.'s Gallic community, with helmer Daniele Thompson receving many felicitations at the dessert reception after the pic, which was originally dubbed "Fauteuils d'Orchestre" ("Orchestra Seats"). The film's name was changed for its upcoming U.S. release in February via ThinkFilm.

The charming comedy of manners is somewhat of a departure from the typical weighty period French Oscar hopefuls, and was also a hit at the Palm Springs Fest where it screened twice over the weekend.

Sydney Pollack, who was honored in Palm Springs, has an amusing turn in "Avenue Montaigne" as an eminent American director casting a biopic of Simone de Beauvoir, and his French isn't half bad. (P. Saperstein)

'Factory' Flurry

At Endeavor’s soiree Monday night for “Factory Girl,” pic’s title star Sienna Miller sweetly hugged well-wishers — Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and clan included — and intermittently got teary eyed upon being praised for her fierce perf as Andy Warhol’s celebutante muse Edie Sedgwick.

Miller, whose British tones melted away in the smooth, Holly Golightly lilt she created for her character, said she “bloody well” hoped she’d nailed Edie’s voice. Confirmation came from the late Sedgwick’s husband, who was in attendance on Monday. Miller said he told her he thought he was hearing his former wife when she first spoke in the film.

It must have been all music to Miller’s ears — it’s no secret she’s hoping Academy members will see what other kudo orgs so far have missed.

Pic’s producer Holly Wiersma also held court in Endeavor’s futuresque cinema lobby in Beverly Hills, along with a small army of PR mavens hovering nearby. Wiersma, who normally has a more frenzied air, seemed rather relaxed. Then again, awards season is probably a comparative breeze given her usual schedule. On top of “Factory Girl,” Wiersma also produced Golden Globe nominee “Bobby” (hence, the Moore-Kutcher presence) and production of the two films overlapped for three weeks.

For “Bobby” and “Factory Girl” distrib Weinstein Co./MGM, the kudo cajoling is now hitting top gear. The Endeavor soiree was part of a recent “Factory” flurry whipped up by the Weinstein machine: Miller was on hand last Friday for another unspooling at MGM in Century City, she presented awards at the Palm Springs Intl. Film Festival on Saturday, and was back in Los Angeles for Monday’s intimate agency gathering as well as a lunch hosted today [TUESDAY, Jan. 9] by filmmaker Chuck Workman, who helmed “Superstar: The Life and Time of Andy Warhol” and is also a longtime Oscar telecast editor. Billy Friedkin will host another luncheon for Miller on Thursday, among potential additional last-minute “Factory” fetes before Acad ballots are due to hit mailboxes on Saturday. (S. Swart)

History channeled

"Is civil war still going on in the Sudan?"

Brad Pitt looked at me with something between dismay and horror. "Oh, come on. You're smarter than that. It's worse than ever."

We were at the reception for "God Grew Tired of Us," Newmarket Films' Sundance award-winning documentary about the "Lost Boys" - children, separated from their families, who walked for five years to escape civil war-torn Sudan. They found safety in Kenya - but after a decade in the refugee camp, they remained there with no future, little food and less hope.

GGTOU follows the journeys of three Lost Boys (now men) who get the opportunity to relocate in America (namely, Syracuse and Pittsburgh). It's a great film that deserves lots of tickets. Baffling as to why it didn't make the Academy's documentary short list. Pitt was there as an executive producer, as was Catherine Keener and Dermot Mulroney.

Keener and Nicole Kidman (she did the narration) had already left, but Pitt and Mulroney stayed on - as did Angelina Jolie, Edward Norton and, uh, Johnny Knoxville - in the Pacific Design Center's cramped Silverscreen lobby.

The 85-minute movie began around 8 pm; three hours later, the waiters were packing up the bar and the party was still going strong. However, I'm burying the lede. The life force wasn't the gaggle of celebs left unprotected by the likes of Kevin Huvane and Cindy Guagenti (though the hulking fellow in black who kept close tabs on Jolie could probably crush your thorax with a flick of his thumb).

The evening's stars were John Dul Bau, Panther Bior and Daniel Abul Pach - the film's subjects who received a standing ovation and spent the reception deluged by new fans. It was, in fact, easier to have a five-minute conversation with Pitt.

And Googling proved he was right - I am smarter than that. The second Sudanese civil war (north vs. south) began in January 1983 and ended with the signing of a peace agreement in January 2005. Now Sudan must contend with the genocide in Darfur, located in westernmost Sudan, as well as war with the neighboring state of Chad. (D. Harris)

Winds Whip Up Palm Springs FF

    Gale-force winds and chilly temps didn't dissuade hardy partiers during Palm Springs Film Fest's opening weekend. Last Friday evening House & Garden magazine sponsored a cocktail party at Frank Sinatra's onetime desert hacienda, complete with piano-shaped swimming pool and a cracked bathroom sink where Frank famously threw a champagne bottle at Ava Gardner. Guests including Variety's Peter Bart, New York Times film reporter and PS jury member Dave Kehr, fest honchos Darryl Macdonald and Earl Greenburg and House & Garden contributing editor and "tastemaker" Paul Fortune admired Frank's original stereo system as well as vintage copies of Daily Variety tastefully scattered on a coffee table.

Meanwhile, Saturday's awards gala -- like most kudos ceremonies -- weathered some longeurs, but a moment of drama ensued when an interloper was ejected from the men's room with trousers at half-mast.

Kate Winslet read a charming awards speech consisting of two letters to God -- one written when she was 12 and one contemporary. "Dear God, let me always wear corsets so that my boobs look big, and let me always want to be an actress," read the first. The latter missive confided, "Dear God, please let my co-stars have good breath, and please, let me always want to be an actress."

The after party at the hipper-than-thou Parker Palm Springs hotel was impeccably art-directed (as always), with tiny caramel apples and mini cotton candy cones for late night snackers. Honorees Brad Pitt, Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett beat a hasty retreat back to L.A., while director honoree Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and "Little Miss Sunshine" cutie Abigail Breslin and helmers Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton hit the after party. (P. Saperstein)

Arthur Gets a Sugary Soiree

Blue concoctions filled with marshmallows and Twizzlers replaced the usual glasses of wine and champagne at the Gotham preem of Luc Besson's "Arthur and the Invisibles" on Sunday.

A slew of kids, including pic's star Freddie Highmore, who attended the live-action, fantasy pic were caffeinated not only with blue juice but with sundaes and a candy bar at Providence - the posh, tri-level, after-party venue.

Older revelers, including Besson, Mia Farrow (who stars in the pic) and Weinstein Company co-topper Harvey Weinstein, gathered in the upper level of the bar. While Farrow entertained a group of children in one corner of the room, a casually dressed Weinstein and Besson chatted in another.

The Gallic helmer's response to the question of whether he would retire after this film (something that's been rumored) was characteristically French -- philosophical, grandiloquent, wearied and less than definitive. (And, naturellement, with a mention of cigarettes.)

"After thirty years in the business and ten films, I have started to feel tired," Besson said. "It's difficult for me to conceive a film without giving it everything I can. I am not very talented, not very intelligent, so I have compensated with my blood and my energy. So after ten films it's a little tough. It's not a decision like: I won't drink or smoke anymore." (A. Morfoot)

Maslin's Borat Moment

Though he may have dropped character, “Borat” mastermind Sacha Baron Cohen has not lost the ability to wind people up in an interview.

New York Times vet Janet Maslin discovered that after gamely agreeing to interview Cohen and Borat producer Jay Roach at a Golden Globes stump event Saturday night in Gotham.

Maslin asked Cohen if he thought he had “hurt anyone’s feelings” with riffs on anti-Semitism, particularly in the film’s notorious bed-and-breakfast scene, in which the proprietors transform into cockroaches.

“I recently got a note from the Jewish couple in that scene,” he said. “They saw the movie and really liked it, which I was glad to hear.”

Pressed Maslin: “Did they say they liked that scene?”

Countered Cohen: “Well, they couldn’t really write that much with their skinny little insect legs.”

That exchange, typical of the hour-long Q&A session, drew a big laugh from the near-capacity crowd that stayed after a screening on the Upper East Side and a cocktail party at Le Cirque.

When Maslin took questions from the audience, one hand that went up belonged to Court TV anchor Ashleigh Banfield.

“With all the litigation surrounding this film, will you have to change your methods in the future?” she asked.

There was a long pause as Cohen and Roach shifted in their seats.

“It’s a pickle,” said Roach finally.

“It’s been so warm in New York, I didn’t even wear a coat,” added Cohen, in a non-sequitur he used all evening whenever the subject of lawsuits, release signatures or the filmmakers’ methodology was broached.

As to the announced plan for a movie based around his Bruno character, Cohen said he’s “exploring it, but it’s not a definite thing at this point." (D. Hayes)

Flight Patterns

Universal gave "United 93" a kudo push on Saturday night at Gotham's Four Season's restaurant.

The reception, hosted by the studio, producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner and Tribeca's Jane Rosenthal, was disguised as a celebratory dinner for their New York Film Critic Circle's best picture honor, which helmer Paul Greengrass will pick up at tonight's event.

But with press and photogs invited to the "intimate" dinner, U's production prexy Donna Langley, who flew in from LA for the two-hour soiree, couldn't deny that the event was an attempt "to continue to create awareness as we move closer to award season."

Despite not receiving any Golden Globe nods, the exec still has hope for the Academy. The always-curious Hollywood Foreign Press Association didn't surprise her. "We have had some conversations with members of the HFPA and they indicated that the film wasn't for them," Langley explained. "It didn't seem to fit into their roster." (A. Morfoot)

Cedric Faces Fans

Luckily for New Line, Cedric the Entertainer fans took up more seats than industryites at Thursday's Gotham preem for the latest Cedric laffer “Code Name: The Cleaner."

Despite having the worst seats in the house (the nose bleed section and the super-upfront rows at the AMC Empire Theater in Times Square) the Cedric posse was the only section of the audience heard laughing during the 90 minute comedy.

Fans weren't just amped about the movie -- they mobbed pic’s Lucy Liu with their cell phone cameras causing a 45 minute start time delay (which might have been behind the low cackle count of some aud members).

Enthusiasm wasn't enough, however, to land them invites to the after-party at club Pacha in Hell’s Kitchen, where Cedric, Liu and Nicollette Sheridan hammed it up for the cameras, and "Code" producers Jay Stern, A.J. Dix and Mark Kaufman mingled and milled. (A. Morfoot)

Big Toast to Little Children

Among those sipping Chianti and nibbling on arancini and mini pizza margaritas in the subterranean dining room of Madeo’s last Wednesday evening in Los Angeles, in honor of New Line’s “Little Children,” were the film’s producers and hosts Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa, director Todd Field, novelist Tom Perrotta, New Line bigwigs Toby Emmerich, Rolf Mittweg, Russell Schwartz and David Tuckerman, and CAA agent Hylda Queally.

The general mood was one of either resigned reacclimation to the vagaries of awards season after brief holiday sojourns, or the sighs of fatigue from overworked handlers who won’t be able to come up for air until after the Oscars. But certainly congratulations were in order, not only for the film’s three Golden Globe noms but for the recent Producers Guild nom for Berger and Yerxa — only it was for their other “Little” film, “Little Miss Sunshine.”

Clearly the producers take the most pride in Field’s suburban drama, and still hold out for additional recognition before all is said and done.

A relaxed-looking Field had flown in from Maine for an event that conveniently coincided with a Saturday night gala at the Palm Springs Film Fest, where he, Winslet and Cate Blanchett are being honored.

The Madeo soiree also served as a sort of prelude to an SRO event at Book Soup at which Field and Perotta signed copies of Perotta’s novel and their just published joint effort “Little Children: The Shooting Script.” (S. Chagollan)

SAG Wake-up Call

It’s impressive how completely civilized everyone looked at dark o’clock on Thursday for the 6:05 a.m. (six sharp would be so unfashionable) announcement of the SAG Awards noms, which took place at the Pacific Design Center. There was no scrambling for pastries, no grumbling over the request to turn off cell phones. Even the TV crews -- they who, later in the day, are sometimes inclined to demand for you to get the hell out of the way -- demonstrated uber politesse.

Publicists were their cheerful selves, and warm greetings were served by SAG Awards publicist Rosalind Jarrett and Paramount Vantage’s Lea Yardum.

The announcements came off without a hitch with Sandra Oh, Elijah Wood and SAG president Alan Rosenberg delivering their lines for live television flawlessly.

Only smudge on the proceedings was a slipped-in “correction” sheet clarifying that “The Sopranos” has previously won one Actor award for the show’s ensemble cast, not none, as originally printed. (D. McNary)

Tots Mosh in Gotham

Not many hipsters could get up at 10:30 a.m. for a rock show on a college campus -- and not many did. Most of the people in the mosh pit Thursday at Gotham’s John Jay College were under the age of five.

The hour-long toddlerpalooza was staged by Nickelodeon's Noggin preschool channel to mark Saturday's debut of the second season of "Jack's Big Music Show" – a show in which guest musicians such as Buddy Guy and Lisa Loeb rock out with a garage band of puppets.

Sharing the stage were violin-hip-hop duo Nuttin But Stringz, pigtailed Brooklyn pop outfit AudraRox and the Laurie Berkner Band. (The latter is considered, along with Dan Zanes and the Wiggles, one of the platinum draws in the burgeoning preschool music scene.) Boldfaced names weren’t exactly the point, though Nickelodeon Preschool chief Brown Johnson and "Jack's" creator David Rudman did take to the stage and mingle with mini-fans.

Johnson knew better than to pontificate to a squirming crowd. "What do you think, guys, do you want to hear them play some music?" she demanded. A loud cheer rang out as several dozen wriggling, hopping kids let off steam in the aisles, on the floor, on laps and especially down front, where the pit recalled a less-pierced version of a Blag Flag set. (D. Hayes)

Young Doggs Strut Stuff at Alpha Preem

Tucked away in Hollywood’s hidden, warehouse-esque Ivar Studios, the premiere of Universal’s “Alpha Dog” Wednesday night was all about the after-party. It may have been Justin Timberlake’s presence (for those wondering if the fave SNL guest can really act – he can!) or that of helmer Nick Cassavetes (whose rep for eliciting star-making perfs from young ingenues was yet again confirmed in "Alpha") or the liquor-chilling ice sculpture, but Young Hollywood turned out in spades.

Timberlake credited Cassavetes with drawing him into the project, but on one condition: “I remembered saying to him, ‘Can I be funny in this movie? Cuz otherwise this movie [the true story of the murder of a 15-year-old boy at the hands of Jesse James Hollywood] is a real drag."

The crowd included Emile Hirsch, Shawn Hatosy, Anton Yelchin and Olivia Wilde. Paris Hilton was also on hand to put her “That’s hot” stamp on the event. (Though apparently it wasn’t that hot – she left early.) Also working the room were Kim Kardashian, Scarlett Johansson, Kevin Connolly, Beau Garrett and a slew of “who they?” working actors.

Nudging up the median age past twenty-something were Sharon Stone, Harry Dean Stanton, Gena Rowlands, Hank Azaria, Jon Voight and producers Sidney Kimmel and Chuck Pacheco. 

DJ Qualls spun as guests – old and young -- rubbed past each other to get from one side of the “talent” room to the other, while the larger, less-VIP room remained virtually empty. In Hollywood what's hot and what's not is never, alas, left ambiguously. (L. Repstad)

Happy Times at Borat Bash

If Wednesday’s “Borat” bash at the sort of newish, still pretty hippish Beverly Blvd. boite Jar was any indication, Hollywood is far from hung over from the holidays. Instead, they (we) apparently were raring to get the kudos season going all in the spirit of – as Borat would say -- “Happy times!”

The party, which kicked off promptly at 6 pm (a tad early by Hwood standards), was the third honorary event in honor of our favorite, wily Kazakh – the first being the film’s premiere, the second being a party in Fox co-chairman Jim Gianopulos’ sprawling backyard, where guests huddled under heat lamps for warmth.

At Jar, however, there was plenty of heat – both literal (thanks to a packed-to-the-gills room) and the kind generated during Awards Season (the event was proceeded by a “Borat” screening at the DGA and a panel with Sacha Baron Cohen (as, for once, himself) which was hosted by Variety editor in chief Peter Bart).

The Jar party had a surprisingly low HFPA headcount, considering that Fox is vying for a best comedy, and even best actor, Globe, and instead was populated by A-ish list Hollywood types: the party’s host Richard Zanuck (and the rest of the clan – Lili and Dean); Garry Shandling; Fox head honchos Gianopulos and Tom Rothman; Isla Fisher (Cohen’s lady friend); Jon Favreau; "Borat" producer Jay Roach and Robert Forster. (N. LaPorte)