Variety On the Town

Elton's Big Night

Sir Elton John and partner, David Furnish, played host to nearly 700 guests at the 15th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at the Pacific Design Center on Sunday night.

P. Diddy, Jon Bon Jovi and event co-chair Sharon Stone were seated at the host’s table while nearby Kid Rock sat flanked by a pair of bombshell blondes. Guests dined on their choice of filet mignon or filet of sole and chocolate mousse with saffron sauce for dessert.

Dinner was followed by an auction hosted by Jamie Niven of Sotheby’s. Items up for bid included an invitation to John’s very exclusive 60th birthday party in New York and two tickets to his sold-out show at Madison Square Garden. When the bidding reached a quarter of a million dollars, guest emcee, Stone, negotiated with John before telling the second bidder, “Elton would like to invite you as well at $250,000.”

Not to upstage the evening’s host, the second bidder accepted the invitation allowing the foundation to reach its goal of $4 million, which prompted the crowd to give John a standing ovation.

“Elton used to give these parties and they were very small so we only raised a few hundred thousand. But now we’re raising millions and it’s because of you, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart because I do believe there will be a cure one day,” said Stone, who took the mic and never let go, even after a few drinks. “I was sitting at a table with P. Diddy and Jon Bon Jovi and I got a little messed up. It’s not my fault really. Shit happens. Cause I’m a bad girl. When you get to town, you get to pick an image for yourself and I picked the bad one.”

Eventually John was joined on stage by Grammy-winner James Blunt and his four-piece band. After opening with a Blunt tune, the “You’re Beautiful” singer suggested to the host “we should do one of yours.” Quipped John: “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” before the two launched into “Tiny Dancer,” which got the crowd singing along. The duet was followed by a strictly-Blunt set as Sir Elton bid farewell to his guests, who included Sheryl Crow, Dita Von Teese, Cheryl Tiegs, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Eddie Izzard, Vincent Gallo, Eric McCormack and the Osbourne family. (J. Sneider)

Liveblogging the Oscars: In which we take it from the top

(At right: Jennifer and the Official Unfortunate Jacket of the 2007 Academy Awards)

10:25 So that's all, folks. It's been a long night and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. Me? I'm already thinking about next year: How can I get the Academy to issue jumpsuits to the press? Make them prison orange, I don't care. But this business of wearing chiffon and schlepping a laptop has gotta stop.

10:19 So I finally asked a question of Graham King, the producer of best picture winner "The Departed:" What did he think about the Brad Grey controversy, the fact that the Paramount Pictures head was denied a producing credit? "I think he deserved the credit on the picture, but I don't make the rules." No, he doesn't, but as the sole credited producer, he did give the speech at the Kodak -- and Brad Grey wasn't in it.   

10:09 Scott Rosenberg is a menace to society. His fawning, self-referential questions cause the NYT's David Halbfinger's head to pitch forward, nearly deleting his story.

10:04 Lotsa applause for Marty. Are his glasses getting bigger? And does he dye his eyebrows? After eight hours in this room those are my burning questions, but I don't think they would be appreciated.

9:55 Yeah, that Helen Mirren's a hottie. And she's drinking a Rose's Lime vodka gimlet. I am jealous.

9:46 Hours later, his Oscar win growing cold, we get Alan Arkin. He's talking about the futility of declaring better/best films. "I don't keep score." Yes, especially when "The Departed" won. But at least he's honest: "Everyone thinks I'm gonna keel over." For those keeping track: Arkin had to wait a long, long time between good movies. "Slums of Beverly Hills" was in 1998.

9:41 Forest came back! And for questions like, "What's it been like, the journey, your acting?" But what the hell, he just won an Oscar, so he'll play along.

9:29 We're in the home stretch now: The show's over, but we're still waiting for the good ones back here. Forest Whitaker's talking about finding the humanity in Idi Amin. But could we ask for a ban on the press prefacing their questions with "Congratulations?" After four hours, it starts to sound like "Gesundheit."

9:18 Hudson's still up there, but at least she's not talking about herself in the third person. She was struggling with that at some of the pre-Oscar parties.

9:13 Best picture at last. It's "The Departed." Damn. Never thought in a million years. Graham King's up there at the mike, by himself. And yep, he's got a little list.

9:11 It's Jennifer Hudson, in yet another dress, this one without the OUJ. And this brings on the onslaught of goofball questions. How will you stay the same sweet girl? What will you do to celebrate?

9:07 A Three Amigos joke, ho ho ho, it's Lucas/Coppola/Spielberg. Lucas calls Stephen Frears "Fears." Scorsese, please? This is his only shot... YES! Sorry, forgot myself. Press room goes nuts. Scorsese corrects the Academy with the source of "Infernal Affairs" -- it's Hong Kong.

9:02 Waiting for Forest.; Waiiting, waiting... and yep, there it is. And he's got a little list, he's got a little list! And for once, it's for a good cause, although the NYT's David Carr is not amused.

9:01 I don't know how Reese Witherspoon takes her chin through airport security.

8:57 Melissa Etheridege: "The Oscars are kind of like a gay holiday." and "This is the only naked man that will ever be in my bedroom."

8:56 Gun tumblers! This is messing with my head.

8:55 Best Comment Award goes to Pam Teagarden, who asked: "Where was Anna Nicole in the memorium?  Didn't she star in a movie about blonde aliens?" Indeed she did: Look for "Illegal Aliens" coming to a DVD box near you. However, more noteworthy is "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult." I might recommend the organization of a formal protest if it weren't for the fact that she died two weeks ago -- I think the Oscars include only those who died in the prior calendar year. However, if she's not up there nexy year, you'll see me at the barricades.

8:52 Hey, it's Phillip Seymour Hoffman! Looking like he combed his hair with a mackerel! But's that's OK, because it's time for the Helen Mirren Wins An Oscar category, which means our long national nightmare is almost over.

8:49 Michael Arndt plays the modesty card: "It hasn't really been that successful," he says of "Little Miss Sunshine." "It's only made $60 million."

8:45 Yep, time for the official Oscar Deathmarch. I always like this bit -- there's always someone I've forgotten. This time, it's Maureen Stapleton and Jack Palance.

8:42 Best film editing goes to Thelma Schoonmaker for "The Departed." I fear it's another psychological sop for Scorsese -- best pic's gonna go to "Sunshine."

8:35 Will Smith is up - what's he introducing? Morricone's still talking. It's something political aand well meaning, only now there's clips from Superman and Talledega Nights. Truly baffling. Turns out to be Michael Mann's view of America.

8:30 Biggest press room applause of the night goes to Morricone.

8:28 And does all that hard work pay off? Nope - it's Melissa Etheridge, who found a way to rhyme "Inconvenient Truth." Al Gore and Davis Guggenheim watch her acceptance from backstage, their arms around each others's shoulders. Jennifer and Beyonce call off their BFF truce.

8:27 Damn, the "Dreamgirls" songfest is still going. Cate Blanchett's beginning to look a bit twitchy.

8:24 Gore fires off a contender for the night's best quote: "William Hung was a rock star; I just have a slide show."

8:21 Our girl is singing and then Beyonce rises from the floor. There's no hard feelings, especially since she gets to take the lead on the second song.

8:12 OK, original screenplay. "Little Miss Sunshine," right? "Pan's" doesn't have a chance, which is too bad; Tobey Maguire did a great job with the script reading. Yep, it's "Sunshine," but I don't care because Team "Inconvenient" is back here. And there's six of them, including someone I know, Scott Burns. In fact, he's holding the Oscar while Al's talking. That's a little weird. Al's still not wooden, either, although people keep calling him "Mr. President." He's talking about how the Academy's gone green and how the industry's stepping up... and how no, he's not gonna run. He's all climate, all the time.

8:08 "Babel" gets some love in the form of best score. It's the only category that the Three Amigos (directors of "Pan's," "Babel," "Children of Men") faced any head-to-head competition.

8:06 I go in search of water and discover that the hotel has run out. And I've cut my finger on the brad that holds the program together, leaving my keys a little sticky with blood. How much longer is the show going on?

7:55 Back on the broadcast, Ennio Morricone is receiving an honorary award; Celine Dion is singing. I am very grateful that the sound is down. 

7:53 Whooping and hollering for "The Lives of Others" director and the first question is in... German! One more reason to be grateful that I'm not responsible for backstage notes. All I understood was "Vanity Fair party."

7:47 OK, time to give it up to Al Gore, let the "Inconvenient" lovefest begin... the best documentary feature goes to -- yep. "We were inspired by this man," says Davis Guggenheim,  who's up there with Al Gore, Laurie David, Lawrence Bender and I think someone else. Hey! They get five people up there and the best picture only gets three? I'd like to see the Academy body-block Oscar-accepting wannabes... get the Tito Ortiz crowd to tune in.

7:43 To the surprise of no one, documentary short winners are seated in the very back of the theater.

7:39 Sherry Lansing comes backstagreallye in a cool dress, sort of like Cruella De Vil hosts a garden party. She says she had no idea who was going to give her the award, but that it explains why Tom Cruise was giving her the cold shoulder at the Oscar parties. Her prediction: Cruise will win an Oscar for producing and/or directing in the next five years.

7:34 OK, another good award, for supporting actress. Jennifer Hudson, right? Hey, our mascot got it! She's walking away with an Oscar in one hand and George Clooney in the other. Simon Cowell can rot in hell.

7:32 Yay, tumblers! I think it's "An Inconvenient Truth"... no, it's "Snakes on A Plane." It's a little like cloudwatching.

7:29 Clive Owen and Cate Blanchett prepare to give the best foreign language film: "Pan's Labyrinth" for four?  If it weren't for "Pan's," I'd say "The Lives of Others." Yep, got one: It's "The Lives of Others." Chalk one up for Michael and Tom at Sony Pictures Classics. Meanwhile, the "Pan's Labyrinth" cinematographer comes back to gamely take more questions in Spanish.

7:25 Milena Canonero, the winner for best costume design, is backstage; this time, questions come in Italian. I've never heard so many foreign languages at the Oscars. And no sooner did I type that than she said, "The Oscars are American and America speaks English. I'd like to speak to the audience in English." The press obliges.

7:20 Robert Downey, Jr. makes a self-deprecating drug abuse joke in the name of the best visual effects award, which goes to "Pirates of the Carribbean." The more interesting question remains unanswered: did anyone vote for "Poseidon?"

7:16 "Little Miss Sunshine" tumblers!

7:14 "Pan's Labyrinth" goes three for three with best cinematography. New Line has what's probably it's worst year ever until the two days of December, when Picturehouse releases this weird little Spanish-language anti-Fascist fantasy that becomes the best-reviewed/most-awarded film of the year. Go Bob Berney.

7:12 A vague William Monahan backstage takes questions. As he said in his acceptance speech, Valium works.

7:05 Tom Cruise on stage, without Suri and with the bangs out of his face. He's giving the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian award to Sherry Lansing which, as Nikki Finke pointed out, is something of an inside joke since both Cruise and Lansing were kicked out of heaven/Paramount by Jehovah/Sumner Redstone. They walk off stage together, no doubt to plot their revenge.

7:02 Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt give the costume Oscar to "Marie Antoinette." I've never heard two presenters giggle so much.

7:00 pm Meryl Streep gets a bigger laugh giving a steely glare behind sunglasses than Ellen De Generes does wearing an ill-concieved Oscar-Bjorn.

6:53 William Monahan wins for best adapted screenplay with "The Departed;" the Academy embarasses itself by calling "Infernal Affairs," the original film, Japanese. 

6:45 Fracas in the press room!

The "Iwo Jima" "Dreamgirls" mixers were hating on "Apocalypto" sound mixer Kevin O'Connell who is, according to the winning mixers, little more than a whiny bee-otch.

"Maybe he should just go away after 19 wins and let it stand as a record," said one third of the mixer team. "I just wonder what he's trying to prove. He's an OK mixer, but enough's enough. Maybe he should  take up another line of work."

One of his partners (sorry, I don't know their names) was a little more mellow. "I think Kevin's time will come," he said. "He should just relax."

Who is this Kevin? Is he the Sally Kirkland of sound mixers?

6:44 Heh. "Happy Feet" won.

6:43 Sharon Waxman at the New York Times: "That's how they introduce Cameron Diaz? 'The voice of Princess Fiona?' "

6:40 The "Dreamgirls" sound mixers come backstage to a smattering of applause. I have to think the press room looks like something to be endured. We're all on deadline and no one's looking at them, not even the people who ask questions.

6:38 Al Gore and Leo Di Caprio. Gore looks more comfortable onstage at the Oscars than he ever did stumping for votes.

6:31 Back at the Oscars, Randy Newman is at the piano for the "Cars" theme while James Taylor sings and plays acoustic guitar. Has anyone noticed Taylor now looks just like the creepy chiropractor in "Ed Wood"? Probably not.

6:29 The first English-language question, for the Danish winner of best animated short. Unfortunately, it's not a very interesting answer. She doesn't have any plans for features and wants to make more short films.

6:26 More scrim tumblers! What the -- oh. They're penguin-shaped.

6:22 The first real category of the night, for supporting actor. It's Eddie Murphy, right? And this is where it gets tough: while they're announcing the winner on stage -- it's Alan Arkin, I'm dead wrong -- and I can't hear a thing. Backstage, the achievement in makeup winner is answering more questions in Spanish and I have no idea what Arkin's saying. Not that it matters, probably. The Oscar's sitting on stage so he can read his thank-you notes.

6:19 Sound mixing goes to "Dreamgirls," thereby cutting "Apocalypto" out of the race. Bob Iger was right. And more speechreading! More orchestral drop-kicks!

6:15 "Letters From Iwo Jima" gets best sound editing, bringing us the first prepared thank-you list for the night. He reads it verbatim, thereby depriving his partner the chance to speak.

6:14 Steve Carrell and Greg Kinnear make a sound editing joke that incorporates both masturbation and prostitution.

6:12 For the sound editing category, we have a presentation that resembles a choir performing bird calls.

6:11 Ellen apologizes for insinuating that Penelope Cruz is from Mexico.

6:04 Questions for the "Pan's Labyrinth" art director team. Five out of six questions are in Spanish. I have a feeling that will happen a lot tonight.

The Oscar camera pans on what appears to be an entirely bald Jack Nicholson. He appears truly terrifying.

6:00 The first awkward stage patter, between preteens Abigail Breslin and Jaden Smith. Innocence lost.

5:57 The "Apocalypto" shutout begins: "Pan's Labyrinth" wins for makeup. And it's the first overrun -- the orchestra kicks them off the stage.

5:53: Will Ferrell and Jack Black get the first real laughs of the night, although John C. Reilly may have been redundant -- Ferrell looks more like him every day.

5:50: "We do want the art direction, winner, right?" A woman at the front of the room wants us to specifically request each Oscar winner for questions. What the hell? Can you imagine winning, only to be told "Uh...  nevermind. Hey! Wolfgang Puck's got some great snacks!"

5:49 pm Again with the inscrutable acrobatic tumblers, this time behind a scrim.

5:45 pm I'm sitting next to the AP reporter from Venezuela, which means I have a good seat. "Pan's Labyrinth" won the first award (the uh-huh category of art direction). She's been busy collecting Oscar stats on Mexican and Spanish-language filmmakers. They'll probably be put to good use.

Ready or not, we have sound.

It's the official Oscar preshow.

What I've learned:

Yves St. Laurent can make bad fashion choices.

According to Steve Carrell, Greg Kinnear has intense body odor.

According to Kate Winslet, shooting a nude scene is like giving birth.

The Oscars are "very exciting." (Jennifer Hudson, Penelope Cruz)

They are also "so great." (Cameron Diaz)

Six Mexican directors equal one Scorsese.

Mark Wahlberg enjoyed making his costars miserable.

"I even like 'Pluto Nash." -- Eddie Murphy, on liking all of his movies.

Everyone Andre Leo Talley interviews has "such style."

Oscar red carpet: Don't you know who I am?

Although the Oscar press room is inside the Renaissance Hotel, maybe 100 yards away from the red carpet, we have have no idea what's going on out there. The live feed goes to four flat-screen TVs at the front of the ballroom, but our camera is on a mission all its own. Crowd shot! Shaky crowd shot! Extreme zoom, followed by closeup of red-carpet photographer's bald spot!

And since we don't have the benefit of sound, it's amazing how many celebrities (here, defined as someone deemed worthy of having a microphone shoved in front of his or her face) are rendered anonymous. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, sure. Catherine Denueve and Felicity Huffman, fine. And there's Phillip Glass and Jennifer Hudson and Sherry Lansing.

But a blonde in a purple gown becomes The Chick with the Scapulas That Could Double As Coat Pegs. And a couple dressed in head-to-toe black become The Viggo Mortensen Wannabe Whose Date Has A Tattoo. (I have no idea what those people in the blue leotards were doing on the red carpet, either, but I suspect that was true no matter where you were.)

"Apocalypto" nominees: Send the hotel bills to Mel Gibson

Best story I've heard this Oscar weekend comes courtesy of Variety's part-time priest and peripatetic partygoer, Bill Higgins.

Friday night he chatted with Vittorio Sodano, who, with Aldo Signoretti, shares a Best Achievement in Makeup nomination for "Apocalypto." It's one of three noms claimed by Disney's controversial Mel Gibson pic (the others are in sound -- mixing and editing).

Miramax aside, Disney's never been big on Oscars. However, its Academy Awards enthusiasm may have reached a new low. The studio's Oscar-night "Apocalypto" expenses appear to be limited to the nominees' coach plane tickets. If Sodano wanted a hotel, much less a limo, he was on his own.

"Someone on the phone (from Disney) tell me," he said, shrugging. "I'm 32. I'm happy to be here. I would have paid twice for the limo."

This is the Oscars. This is your Variety reporter at the Oscars.

Note the lovely evening bag.

My name is Dana Harris, I'm the editor of Variety.com and I'll be your well-groomed guide backstage at the 2007 Academy Awards.

I apologize for the utterly un-Oscarish photo, but the Academy has made their position abundantly clear: Take so much as a Polaroid backstage and you, too, shall be drawn and quartered. So I'm leaving the camera at home.

What you will get is near-constant updates of the weird world that inside the Oscars' press room. I'll provide everything from the winners' speeches to the snarky asides that result when you force 300 journalists into formalwear so they can spend six hours watching television and writing on a laptop. I'll need a drink afterward, but for now I'm your blogger. (Except for my sister-in-law Betsy, who thinks I'm a "flogger." And who am I to tell her differently?)

The Cool Crowd

The indie film world gathered at Chateau Marmont Thursday for a late-night shindig thrown by producers Jamie Patricof ("Half Nelson") and Gary Gilbert ("Garden State").

Celebs like Marisa Tomei and Djimon Hounsou turned out, as did a host of indie pros. In many case that gave the opportunity for New Yorkers to talk with...other New Yorkers.

Gotham mainstays Dana O'Keefe of Cinetic, Josh Braun of Submarine and Ryan Werder of IFC mixed with cast and crew from "Half Nelson," including writer-director team Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden and star Ryan Gosling.

ThinkFilm U.S. topper Mark Urman had an, um, realistic view of Gosling's chances of winning best actor on Sunday. "Ryan was a winner the second they announced his nomination," he quipped.

Any indie party worth its salt seems to require plenty of beer, an abundance of scruffy haircuts and an appearance by Zach Braff. And right on cue, the actor showed up just before midnight. (S. Zeitchik)

Music Mag's Gotham Bash

Paste Magazine, the heavy-stock tunes-and-flicks pub for those who can read without actually having to move their lips, flexed a little music star power in Gotham Thursday night. Williamsburg BoHos and record flacks mingled peacefully with Sony and Columbia Records execs as Son Volt provided an outstanding live soundtrack to much of the evening.

Mag editor Reid Davis, looking like an expecting father, nervously peered over his guest’s shoulders looking for his recent issue covergirl Norah Jones. Alas, Jones was no show (Bad Norah!). “I was wandering around looking for Norah and opened a door and there was Brandi Carlile. Total surprise.” Kaki King delivered a set that enthralled a room full of jaded hard-bitten industry types. Carlile floored the aud with a surprise set highlighted by a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” MTV’s Bill Flanagan and Fountains of Wayne bandmembers mingled through the crowd beneath the blood-red stage lights smoke effects.

We caught up with Phish lyricist Tom Marshall, who we haven’t seen since some mid-1990s show in the band’s backstage inner sanctum, cheekily named Betty Ford Clinic. Life after Phish? Not bad, he says. “But we don’t stay in five star hotels anymore. It’s more like 1 ½-star hotels.” No matter, Marshall, Lenny Kravitz and guitarist Anthony Krizan have founded a new label, Thunderburn Entertainment. The first album out will be “Skip the Goodbyes,” the sophomore effort by Marshall’s Beatles-influenced band Amfibian, which features Marshall on vocals, Krizan on guitar, John Korba on keys, John Hummel on skins and Kevin Hummel handling the bottom. Phish? Phish who? (J. Clarke Jr.)

Macy's Mission

Leonardo DiCaprio showed class Thursday night by not stealing the limelight from Macy Gray at Vanity Fair’s Amped soiree at Boulevard3.

Despite being a pre-Oscar event, Amped had all the earmarks of a pre-Grammy party including a benefit performance by Gray for her NoHo music school and a hefty crooner guest list with will.i.am and Bobby Brown.

DiCaprio’s late entrance post Gray’s stage time with fellow “Blood Diamond” nominee Djimon Hounsou, reminded the crowd that Amped was in fact Oscar related.

Prior to belting out her standard “I Try,” Gray revealed her intentions for attending Elton John’s weekend Oscar bash.

“Hopefully, I meet someone at the dinner and get laid,” quipped the songstress, “That’s the only reason why I go. Everyone there is good-looking, famous and rich.  So if you want to get laid, it’s a good place to go.”  (A. D’Alessandro)

Miramax's Royal Affair

It was a British bash at the Sunset Tower Hotel Thursday night where Miramax’s “The Queen” and “Venus” were celebrated.

At the soiree, Oscar nominees were able to sit back and relax before the big night. Helen Mirren chatted with Peter O’Toole, while across the room “Queen” scripter Peter Morgan and Michael Sheen, who portrayed British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the pic, shared a laugh.

“I am hoping to enjoy the Oscars like a tourist,” Morgan said. “I was just at the Golden Globes and at tables next to me were Will Smith and Steven Spielberg and Rupert Murdoch. It was extraordinary.”

Guests mingled about while nibbling on mini-burgers with brie cheese and sipping champagne in a room that smelled of orange blossoms thanks to British fragrance house Jo Malone who provided hundreds of candles for the party. Amongst the crowd was one of America’s royal couples, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck. Garner said she was a huge fan of “The Queen” but that her admiration for Mirren began long ago.

“The first job I ever had, I was an understudy in a play in New York and Helen was the lead and I watched every performance,” said Garner. “I thought she was brilliant. I don't even know if she remembers me. She was such a goddess to me then." (M. Sulpor)

Harbert's Words of Wisdom

The Museum of Television and Radio welcomed Ted Harbert, President and CEO of Comcast Entertainment Group on Wednesday night as part of the fourth season of its Industry Forum, the Museum’s executive speaker series for the next generation of media, entertainment, and business professionals.

An exclusive group of fewer than 50 guests ranging from network execs to William Morris agents to CAA mailroom employees schmoozed while sipping Hypnotiq cocktails and dining on bruschetta-wrapped breadsticks, Vietnamese noodles and lobster paste cakes. Gary Newman, President of 20th Century Fox TV, introduced Harbert, who spoke about current industry trends and business models including the Comcast brands of  E!, Style Network and G4TV.

The effects of new media can be seen clear as day, even in Harbert’s own home. “My son, who sits upstairs in his room watching television on his laptop, isn’t seeing advertising and that’s bad news for the networks. If he was a good American, he’d be downstairs watching network TV. What the public is supposed to do is make me rich by watching advertisements. But advertisers need to make more executions of a spot. They should treat commercials like programming and try harder to entertain the viewer. If they don’t, this place (the MTR) could get really dusty if we’re not careful, because we’re in the brand, content and experience business. We have to push a firm brand, otherwise we’re up the creek in a boat captained by Britney Spears, who I might add, has been giving us fantastic ratings. I hope she keeps the insanity up,” Harbert quipped. (J. Sneider)

Stars See Green

Does eco-alcohol deliver a kinder hangover? Not exactly. Still, spirits were high at the Global Green USA party last night, held at Avalon in Hollywood. The party caste system was in full effect, as guests were meted out wrist bands in white (not so important) and green (VIP). Upstairs, Orlando Bloom and Penelope Cruz shared a booth, while James Blunt and girlfriend/super model Petra Nemcova worked the room. Leonardo DiCaprio was waylaid on the stairway by fans eager to discuss sustainable energy.

As Maroon Five performed, it was refreshing to revel with earnest, floppy-haired politicos, rather than slick agents. The party felt more like a peace rally than a pre-Oscar fete. Upon exiting, this reporter overheard a young man say: “I wonder if all these Oscar parties going on this week are recycling? Or donating extra food to shelters?” Aw. (M. Corcoran)

Hollywood's Curtain Call

Oscar, smoshcar. A few blocks away from the red carpet barricades at the Kodak Theater, a legit crowd turned out for the latest production of “Wicked” to blow into Hollywood.

Tony Shalhoub, wife Brooke Adams, Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner, along with a raft of NBC Universal execs, took in the tuner Wednesday night at the Pantages, but only the hardy trekked to the bash some three hours later in a portion of the Hollywood & Highland complex not yet cordoned off for Sunday night’s kudocast.

Among those on hand to sample salads and a baked potato bar: Marc Cherry, fresh off his mega deal with ABC, Patricia Heaton, sporting an emerald frock in homage to the tuner’s Wizard of Oz theme, and Marc Platt, who’s producing in association with Universal Pictures and several other folks, including David Stone.   (D. Garrett)

Law and Disorder

To the audience's delight,  Par-Fox big screen version of Comedy Central's, "Reno 911!: Miami" cast members conducted a Q&A in character following the pic's preem at Tribeca Cinemas on Wednesday.

"I would like to make one general comment," pic's Thomas Lennon joked. "We did not edit the film. They shot us 24 hours, seven day a week and handed the footage over to Danny DeVito (who had a cameo in the film). He was drunk on Limonchella. He cobbled it together with his little flippers into this web of lies. If you believe what you see in this picture you would believe we are a grossly incompetent group of horny retards and to let you all know, we are not that incompetent."

The lighthearted Q&A ended on a somewhat serious note when Lennon introduced and thanked Comedy Central topper Doug Herzog, who expressed gratitude to the cast and went on to invite guests to the party. (A. Morfoot)

It's All About Vanity

As if owning Oscar night with its legendary party weren’t enough, Vanity Fair has managed to mightily muscle its way into the week’s social calendar. Last night, at the home of Mitch Glazer and Kelly Lynch, a tony crowd of about 100 toasted the mag's Hollywood issue.

The eclectic crowd—including Rose McGowan, Kevin Costner, James Caan and Angelica Huston—swilled Dom and admired the panoramic views from the couple’s John Lautner house. (Watching social wit Fran Lebowitz socialize sans a cigarette was like watch-ing a declawed cat.)

Tonight, the mag hosts a photog show with The Herb Ritts Foundation at Area and tomorrow night, there’s AMPED: a music benefit with a live   performance by Macy Gray at Boulevard 3. Does Graydon ever sleep? (M. Corcoran)

Thornton's Lift Off

Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen, Bruce Dern and Bruce Willis were joined on the red carpet by astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Leroy Chiao and Rick Searfoss for the "Astronaunt Farmer" premiere at the Cinerama Dome Tuesday night.

Madsen, said there was immediate camaraderie between her on-screen husband Thornton and herself. "We were around for a long time before we went to the Oscars — Billy Bob with ‘Sling Blade’ and me with ‘Sideways.’"

The Warner Bros.preem force included Alan Horn, Jeff Robinov, Lynn Harris and Dawn Taubin. On hand were exec producer Geyer Kosinski and producer Paula Weinstein (S. Swart)

Costumers Get Kudos

The 9th Annual Costume Designer' s Guild Awards took place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Saturday night. The evening began with a cocktail reception followed by a three course meal surrounding the elegant crystal centerpiece by Swarovski as a big band played well know tunes until the award's part of the ceremony was underway.

Sandra Bullock, received the Swarovski President's Award saying costume designers are like "talented architects," while Helen Mirren was recognized for her work on "The Queen." Taking top honors were designers for  "Curse of the Golden Flower," Pan's Labyrinth," "Rome" and "Ugly Betty."

Other celebrities in attendance included: Peter Fonda, Patrick Swayze, and John Landis. Bruce Willis added to the star filled evening after being spotted on the hotel's outside steps. (E. Stitt)

Not So Tasteful Art Awards

It's a good thing the Annual Art Directors Guild's Excellence in Production Design Awards Saturday night weren't televised, otherwise someone would surely have been slapped with an FCC fine and the nods would have been unbearably dry.

Guild members arrived in their finest to toast their own but presenter Charles Durning arrived already toasted. After a humorous yet somewhat long winded monologue by host Steven Weber where he spoke of the virtues of the adult film industry before "realizing" the audience was far too clothed to be porn stars and that he must be at the wrong awards ceremony. "Okay... Art Directors... How hard can that be?" he concluded after "figuring out" where he was.

Tastefully tributing the scene makers proved rather tricky. Warren Beatty, Annette Bening and Goran Visnjic managed it. Weber kept venturing into slightly risque adult innuendos but it was Durning who left the Beverly Hilton Hotel ballroom speechless with his unsolicited advice to Weber, "If you're ever gonna have sex with an animal, make sure it's a horse... that way, when its all over, you'll at least have a ride home," he advised. (L.Repstad)

Ricci Debuts "Moan"

Monday’s national holiday and bitter cold weather didn’t stop "Black Snake Moan” cast and crew from celebrating pic’s Gotham premiere. Everyone except for pic’s Samuel L. Jackson, who did the obligatory red carpet prior to the screening at Chelsea West Cinemas but was a no-show at the post party at Honey.
Co-star Justin Timberlake wasn’t able to attend either the screening or the party due to tour obligations.   
However, pics Christina Ricci, who brought her boyfriend Adam Goldberg, and Epatha Merkerson braved the weather and the crowded venue.
Merkerson said it was director Craig Brewer who drew her to the role.
“I wanted to meet the person who was responsible for ‘Hustle and Flow’ and I was quite surprised when I met a very young white boy,” Merkerson joked.
Brewer, who donned a cowboy hat, mingled with 'Snake' producer John Singleton in the VIP area, which was just as crowded as the main venue.
“It is such an effort to get a film made that you could really just die,” Brewer said. “Then when you have the possibility of making another one you start thinking in terms of a body of work and that is something I had never thought of. With that comes fear but also now is the only time I can explore my obsessions. I think later in my career I can probably do a buddy picture or a summer blockbuster but I really have these music movies inside of me so I am really trying to hold to that.” (A. Morfoot)

Bookworms hail "Children of Men"

The USC Libraries gave their 19th annual Scripter kudos Sunday night to the writers of "Children of Men." Author P.D. James -- that's Her Ladyship Baroness James of Holland Park to you and me -- accepted by a videotaped message, but screenwriters Alfonso Cuaron, Timothy Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby were very much in attendance. In a private reception before the ceremony, presenter and "Children of Men" cast member Danny Huston, MC Henry Winkler and eminence-emeritus Hal Kanter mingled with the honorees and the selection committee, including Naomi Foner (with hubby Steven Gyllenhaal), Leonard Maltin and Howard Rodman.

It was Fegus & Ostley, now writing "Iron Man," who had first crack at the adaptation. Fergus said "Our idea was to make this 'Casablanca.' It’s about sacrificing yourself for some greater good, for someone who hurt you in the past." Sexton said that he and Cuaron didn't find a way into the story until after the Sept. 11 attacks. "The infertility became a metaphor for the hopelessness that the world experienced after 9/11," said Sexton, who said of the Scripter honors "This is gravy. This is unimaginable. Because Alfonso and I basically broke this in an apartment in London six years ago. And we spent three months holed up, no phone, winter, London, which is, London in winter is a good place to contemplate what the end of the world looks like. And we felt we had something but this is as good as could have imagined."

In accepting the award, Cuaron listed an impressive array of authors who provided fodder for the film's dystopian vision, including James Lovelock and his Gaia theory, journalist Naomi Klein and her warnings about utopias, John Gray and "The Myth of Progress," Jared Diamond's "Collapse," Tzvetan Todorov and his essays on humiliation and fear, Richard Dawkins and "The Selfish Gene," and others. Music to the ears of the USC Libraries and bookworms everywhere.

At the end of the night, Winkler was surprised with a special award. Named a Friend of the Libraries, he will be forever immortalized by his name on a plaque on one drawer of the library's card catalog. But Winkler may be even happier to know that there was such a run on copies of his own book from the "Hank Zipser" series that there weren't enough for all the gift bags.

Cage Rides into Gotham

At long last, Nicolas Cage starrer “Ghost Rider” had its U.S. premiere in Gotham.

Pic, based on the Marvel comic book, was originally skedded for a summer 2006 release.

“We spent the last year working on the film’s visual effects,” helmer Mark Steven Johnson explained at the pic’s deafening after-party at Marquee.

"Also, we thought, ‘We don't want to go out with ‘Pirates 2,’ so we decided we would take the 'Daredevil’ February slot.” (Johnson also helmed "Daredevil.") "That worked out well for us last time."

Although there was no VIP room at the club, there was definitely a VIP couch. As Cage chatted with Sony Corp. topper Howard Stringer, thesp’s body guard made sure the hordes of guests vying for a seat didn’t come near the wide open cushion space near the star.

Pic’s producer Avi Arad explained how Cage got involved with the film.

“I knew that Nic is a big big fan of all comics, and I knew that he was specifically a big fan of ‘Ghost Rider,’ so I had a conversation with CAA. It was a Friday afternoon and one, two, three, and we had a deal. It was a real good day.” (A. Morfoot)

Oscar Feasting in Gotham

Despite the Oscars being an L.A. event, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will take care of their Gotham members come Feb. 25.

East Coasters will watch the kudofest at the St. Regis Hotel's Versailles Room while feasting on a Chef Richard Brown gourmet meal and sipping Sterling Vineyards Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, and Laurent-Perrier champagne, all created exclusively for the Academy.

Org also managed to take care of a few members of the media on Wednesday afternoon at the St. Regis' Maisonette Room.

Press, alongside event co-chairs Bud Rosenthal and Arlene Dahl, as well as 2007 Academy red carpet greeter Robert Osborne, were served the official New York Oscar dinner menu, which included Colorado lamb, Maine crab salad and a slew of desserts inspired by best pic noms.

In between discussing "Journey to the Center of the Earth" co-stars James Mason and Pat Boone, Dahl tasted desserts including "Little Miss Sunshine” lemon chiboust with coconut bisquit, "The Queen" royal blueberry clafoutis and crown of chocolate, and "The Departed" smokin' gun caramel chocolate fondant. (A. Morfoot)

Teen Tunes "Lyrics"

If you think today’s Justin Timberlake or Beyonce-obsessed teens wouldn’t know rock relic Flock of Seagulls from Spandau Ballet, think again.

The spot-on “Dance with Me Tonight” -- a “Careless Whisper”-like, supposed-1980s hit in “Music & Lyrics” -- which Hugh Grant’s washed-up crooner belts out at an amusement park in the pic -- was penned by none other than “Music” helmer Marc Lawrence’s 13-year-old son, Clyde.

“He’s a great blues piano player, too,” said Lawrence of his son (and soundtrack contributor) at the pic’s post-preem bash at Gotham sushi mecca Nobu 57.

“He’s a freak,” added the proud papa.

Other tunes on the pic’s soundtrack – including the centerpiece duet “Way Back Into Love” -- come from Fountains of Wayne tunesmith Adam Schlesinger, who previously penned the insanely-annoyingly catchy title track to Tom Hanks’ “The Thing You Do.” Also on the sashimi-laden scene were stars Grant, Drew Barrymore and Haley Bennett. (I. Mohr)

Effects experts salute their own

It was a happy night for George Lucas and his Industrial Light & Magic crew at the 5th annual Visual Effects Society Awards at the Kodak Grand Ballroom.  Not only did "Pirates of the Caribbean" sweep six awards, and ILM's eight-time Oscar winner Dennis Muren get the VES's lifetime achievement award, but the final awards were presented by a former ILM hand, "Heroes" star Masi Oka, who thanked ILM "for not letting me be a starving actor."  Oka said afterwards that when he worked in vfx, he used to get very excited when an actor would come to see a shot, and now that he's on a show, even the old hands at ILM treat him a little differently. "I wanted things to stay the same, but..." he said.

The gathering included Lucas himself, who presented Muren's lifetime kudo. Lucas said that he considers Muren a peer but that Muren's hair had grown white from all the times Lucas had beaten him up to get what he wanted. On which movie did he beat him up the worst? "The first 'Star Wars,'" said Lucas after a pause. "I beat him up pretty bad on that one."

Also in attendance were "Pirates" helmer Gore Verbinski, vfx legend Phil Tippett, Pixar's Andrew Stanton, JibJab's Evan Spiridellis and even Apple computer co-founder Steve Wozniak. "Pirates" vfx supervisor John Knoll talked Macintoshes with Woz, and later told Variety that "(Wozniak) is a hero of mine from way back. My first exposure to a real live computer was in 1978. My Dad bought an Apple II and it changed my life." Woz, for his part, said "I'm almost trembling" to meet so many vfx pros. "Their movies have affected my life more than the computer has affected theirs," he said.

Muren and the older presenters, including Lucas and Landis, noted how different the huge and elegant gathering was from their early days, when there was no visual effects industry, only a handful of "special effects" people who shared their work in hole-in-the-wall theaters. Presenter Landis got perhaps the biggest reaction of the night, noting that when he started in movies, most exploitation films were pretty good until the monster or spaceship showed up. Now, he said, the effects are brilliant; "the difference is the movies are shit." Afterward Tippett sought out Landis to call the speech "music to my heart." Landis, tongue firmly in cheek, said of Tippett "This guy's an asshole, but he's one of the most brilliant guys I know. It doesn't make up for him being an asshole, but he truly is extraordinary."  (D. Cohen)

Saturday Night with Clive

Justin Timberlake took ill and was a no-show at Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy party Saturday that was capped off by Jennifer Hudson's first public performance of her "Dreamgirls" showstopper, "And I am Telling You I'm not Going."

Timberlake, who performed at a pre-Grammy party Friday night at the Avalon in Hollywood, reportedly had a 103 degree temperature and was told to rest for Sunday's kudoscast. Timberlake's appearance is a must: The Recording Academy has sponsored an online singing contest in which the prize is the opportunity to perform with the former 'N Syncer.

Filling in for Timberlake were Black Eyed Peas and Smokey Robinson on a bill that also included Christina Aguilera (who delivered the evening's most striking set), Carrie Underwood, Pink and the rapper Akon.

The Peas' set had a a potent punk energy as they went with the original version of their smash, "Let's Get Retarded," and "Pump It," which featured the band's guitarist romping through the surf classic "Miserlou" and a trumpet seg that echoed Herb Alpert's work with the Tijuana Brass.

Hudson, who has been inked to Davis' Arista imprint, received a hearty ovation midway through the signature song of "Dreamgirls." Her version was powerfully sung, with not a hint of screaming.

As usual, Davis introduced luminaries during breaks between acts in the two-hour concert portion of the night. Schmooze-fest also has a cocktail party that runs about 90 minutes and a dinner service of about an hour.

Charles Goldstuck, the president and chief operating officer of BMG North America, introduced Motown founder Berry Gordy who in turn introduced Davis, the chairman and CEO of BMG North America.

Known for rambling and purpling his prose with superlatives to describe artists and execs, Davis kept his intros relatively short this year. He dedicated the evening to the memory of Ahmet Ertegun, the Atlantic Records founder who died late last year and was a regular attendee. (P. Gallo)

Acad Fetes its Geeks

The Motion Picture Academy held its Sci-Tech Awards Saturday night at the Beverly Wilshire , a new venue for the kudofest, which has bounced around for several years. New mom Maggie Gyllenhaal hosted, looking radiant in a pewter dress while beau Peter Sarsgaard watched from a front table. Academy prexy Sid Ganis kept the couple company at the couple company along with Scientific and Technical Awards committee chair Don Rogers. Other luminaries in attendance included Ed Begley Jr., Walter Murch and Bob Rehme.

As usual, the honorees included more than a few cutups. "An award like this is a rare and beautiful thing. An award like this to a geek... is the square of that" quipped Industrial Light & Magic's Colin Davidson from the podium. Earlier in the evening, Josh Pines of Technicolor Digital Intermediate got a big laugh when he picked up his Technical Achievement Award -- a paper certificate -- and said "This thing is heavy, they're right." He thanked the Acad for recognizing TDI for "preserving our movies so future generations can see them, even if they are 'Norbit.'"

Gyllenhaal warned everyone at the outset that "I fulfilled my college science requirement by taking earth science and dinosaurs," then ploughed gamely through monologues about densitometers, optical flow-based image manipulation and lossy compression. More of a problem, she said, was her contact lenses, which need a new prescription and weren't strong enough for her to see the script on her teleprompter. "I couldn't even read 'I-L-M,'" a chagrinned Gyllenhaal told Variety afterwards. Still, she kept the aud on her side and got a big hand at the end. As for Sarsgaard, he said "I just love watching her talk. Especially in a nice dress." (D. Cohen)

Henley Takes it to the Limit

Don Henley was honored Friday as the MusiCares person of the year and with so many industry reps assembled, he just couldn't help but take a few swipes.

He started to talk about musicians and songwriters of yore who indeed died penniless, specifically Stephen Foster and Woody Herman. Then the jokes started about the cause of musicians' indigence, suggesting Mozart and Saliere would have been robbed blind if they were signed to Universal Music Group or Warner Bros. (Henley, obviously, has recorded for both and is still under contract with Warner.)

The staying power of Henley's music with the Eagles was in evidence as the majority of the audience of nearly 2,500 stayed put past 11 p.m. as Henley and his band rolled through four tunes, among them a bracing "Hotel California."

MusiCares is the Recording Academy's branch that deals with musicians in need. The annual dinner-auction-concert raises a significant amount of money --a record $4 million is expected this year -- is an annual highlight of academy events held during Grammy week and attracts the upper echelon
of industry brass.

Night, held at the L.A. Convention Center, was one of the better MusiCares concerts. (They have had 17 and all have featured artists performing the songs of the honoree). Highlights on Friday were the Dixie Chicks performing "Desperado" and Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave fame) soulfully rendering "The Long Run."

After an introduction from Mayor Villaraigosa and the auctioning of a custom car and a handwritten copy of Henley's lyrics to "End of the Innocence" -- it fetched $25,000 -- John Mayer opened up with a blues reading of "Dirty Laundry." Keb' Mo' switched "One of These Nights" from a disco to acoustic blues foundation; Shawn Colvin stripped down "End of the Innocence," removing the drum-machine rhythm and giving it an acoustic guitar base; and Michael McDonald, delivered a reading of "Heart of the Matter" that had a number of music execs buzzing after the performance. Trisha Yearwood delivered a straightforward "Take it to the Limit" and Seal had some nice horn backing on "Best of My Love."

Timothy B. Schmit, the lone Eagle to appear, apparently didn't get the memo and performed his lone Eagles hit, "I Can't Tell You Why."

The one non-performing artist attracting attention was Garth Brooks, who was tagging along with wife Yearwood. Odd to think that the two biggest sellers in the room -- Henley via the Eagles and Brooks - are joined at the hip via exclusive deals with Wal-Mart. (P. Gallo)

Italy Trumps Paris!

Helen Mirren has nothing on Donatella Versace when it comes to playing a queen.

Thursday night at the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style party, held inside a tented City Hall, the perpetually blond and bronzed designer sat on a long, white bench and received Hollywood’s finest like a royal. “Hello darling!” she purred left and right, as fans like Demi Moore, Drew Barrymore, Penelope Cruz and Jennifer Lopez swept in.

“Welcome to my event, where I smoke and I look good,” she later announced.

Versace and her late brother Gianni were feted with the award this year for their contributions to fashion. Anyone recall the metal mesh dress from his 1982 collection? 

The video tribute to the designer, who was fatally shot ten years ago, was really the only somber moment during a night fueled by a fantastic live performance by Elton John (Red hair! Red glasses! Red pants!) and gallons of Champagne.

Sharon Stone, known for her antics as an auctioneer, managed to eke $500,000 out of a seemingly sober guest for a Lamborghini when she announced: “Get this car and young women will want to %$#@ you all the time.”

When Guns N’ Roses took the stage at 10:00, it was even wackier to watch Bev Hills matrons sway and belt out “Oh! Sweet Child of Mine.”

While the guest of honor held court, another platinum blonde who’s prone to parody pouted in the bathroom. Paris Hilton spent almost fifteen minutes in front of the mirror, fiddling with her gold head band. One couldn’t help but wonder if she resented ceding the spotlight to a diva twice her age. Nary a paparazzi lurked outside the loo. (M. Corcoran)

80's Nite for Warner

Tiffany has a healthy sense of humor or just needed a gig. Maybe both.

The thirty-something poptart, who built her fame performing at malls in the late 1980s, took the mike at Wednesday’s after-bow bash for “Music and Lyrics,” Warners' romantic comedy about a former pop star reduced to performing at high school reunions and state fairs.

Hugh Grant’s Alex Fletcher cheerfully embraced his has-been status, gamely shaking his hips for the middle-aged gals in the aud. But the party planners for the Hollywood & Highland bash wanted to have it both ways — or spare Tiffany’s feelings — insisting their guest of honor was no has-been in their intro.

Like her bigscreen counterpart, Tiffany gamely took the stage and started performing her best-known hits.

Meanwhile, partygoers nibbled on retro fare mostly skewing toward fried foods — were build-your-own-taco and potato-skin bars really signature fixtures of the period? — and eyed Lite-Brite displays (no confusing them for bombs here), quaintly simplistic videogames and signature ‘80s puzzler Rubik’s Cube. Besides Grant and co-star Drew Barrymore, crowd included various Warner execs, Paul Weitz, Kyle MacLachlan, Eva Longoria, Adam Brody, “The Daily Show’s” Aasif Mandvi and T.R. Knight. 

Tiffany wasn’t the only performer to warble for hardy partygoers. Around 11, Jimmy Fallon hit the stage with helmer-scribe Marc Lawrence for a few ditties, accompanied by Fountain of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger, who did the composing honors for the pic, and Haley Bennett, the movie’s Britney-Christina songbird. (D. Garrett)

Google Goes Hollywood

Google invited Hollywood to come meet its geeks on Monday, but the two groups didn't exactly interact smoothly.

Looking to up awareness of its presence in L.A.., Google opened the doors of its Santa Monica office to a wide array of industryites for a cocktail party and a technology panel featuring several writers and directors.

Search giant has a fast growing but little-known office of about 200 people in Santa Monica where it is working on the Google Video service and a variety of other projects, mainly focused on media.

Company just moved into new digs a few blocks from the beach and opened up the roof for their first ever Hollywood party.

But execs from companies like MTV, Lionsgate, and NBC Uni mostly kept to themselves. It was rare to see someone with a Google ID clipped to their belt talking to someone with a visitor pass around their neck.

Perhaps not too surprising given the host, there was an disproportionately high presence of visitors from the geekier side of Hollywood, including effects houses like Rythhm and Hues and Digital Domain, as well as vidgame publisher Electronic Arts.

Following the party, Variety.com editor Dana Harris hosted a panel discussion with screenwriters Jim Uhls and Ted Griffin, writer/director Craig Brewer, and photographer and documentary maker Lauren Greenfield.

One of the main topics of discussion: how difficult it can be to avoid the temptation to constantly Google themselves in order to get work done. "You've wasted so much of our time," said Griffin to the Google-ites in attendance. "Now it's our turn." (B. Fritz)

Love in the Air

Cosmopolitan threw an early Valentine's Day soiree Monday night for Felicity Huffman's "Practical Handbook for the Boyfriend."

Huffman and co-author Patricia Wolff chatted up guests as well wishers sipped Belvedere Vodka creations like "Love Hurts" and "Boy Meets Girl." Huffman's co-stars Brenda Strong, Eva Longoria and Andrea Bowen walked the red carpet - yes, there was a red carpet for this - in support as did "Studio 60's" Sarah Paulson.

Trendy Iconology boutique's entrance was ensconced in red velvet, giving the intimate gathering a feminine backstage burlesque feel. But in keeping with the book's male-friendly attitude, mini-manly grub (French fries, pigs in a blanket and grilled cheese) were served. (L. Repstad)

Stars, They're Just Like Us

Non-noteworthy but still cool things seen/heard at the Oscar luncheon...

• Will Smith running down Helen Mirren for a "now we're best friends" hug
• Tiny Abigail Breslin sitting next to larger than life Peter O'Toole
• Huge applause for Scorsese, O'Toole, Whitaker
• Todd Field forgetting where he was seated
• "Pan's Labyrinth" cinematographer Guillermo whats-his-name getting large applause...because everyone thought it was director Guillermo del Toro
• Everyone wanting to get next to Penelope Cruz
• Steven Spielberg introduced to composer Philip Glass and quickly noting, "We've never met and I've always wanted to meet you!"

Glass More than Half Full for Water

What a journey. Seven years after being burned in effigy, "Water" director Deepa Mehta strolled the red carpet in Toronto last Thursday as industryites raised a glass in honor of "Water's" Oscar nom for best foreign language film.

"The fact that this film even got made is testament to Deepa's passion," said Hussain Amarshi, the film's Canadian distributor. 

Famously, protestors in India destroyed the "Water" set in 2000 and forced the filmmakers to scrap the project, which was later revived and shot in Sri Lanka with a pseudonym and an "anti-publicist" mantra.

Also at the shindig at a Toronto nightclub, "Water" producer David Hamilton and star Ronica Sajanani, TIFF co-director Noah Cowan, Cineplex Entertainment helmer Ellis Jacob and CBS Television topper Richard Stursberg. (T. Tillson)

"Beat It, Wally!" With pleasure.

You never know what to expect from benefit concerts. Sometimes bands don’t show up. Sometimes bands do and you wish they didn’t. And then there’s nights like "Beat It, Wally!" at Glendale's historic Alex Theater, where everyone makes good and you’re lucky to be there.

The occasion was for the benefit of Wally "Llama" Ingram, a cancer-battling, insurance-deprived drummer who has worked with Sheryl Crow, Jackson Browne, Garbage, Crowded House, Keb’ Mo and Bonnie Raitt. And that’s (among those) who showed up, which probably means that he’s more reliable and steadfast than many drummers I’ve known.

Show highlights: The Section Quartet, performing Led Zeppelin’s "Heartbreaker" on violins and cello; the mind-bendingly growly smooth blues performance by Keb’ Mo’, the appearance of Crowded House (a surprise add, having arrived that morning from New Zealand) and Shirley Manson holding forth like the 21st-century torch singer that she is.

Also more than worthy were the Martinis, a band lead by Joey Santiago, the Pixies’ (former? At this point, not sure) swirly sound guitarist and Linda Mallari, who bears an odd resemblance to a sunnier Kim Deal, with a special appearance by Pixies’ drummer David Lovering. A bonus round followed with Santiago, Lovering and guitarist Eric McFadden performing "Gouge Away."

The inevitable closing jam went on a little too long, but it was kicked off with the appearance of a gray-bearded George Clinton, who stomped around the stage demanding "We want the funk!" Sheryl Crow did her best to comply.

Amped at AmfAR

AmfAR (the Foundation for AIDS Research). Good cause, right? Of course it is. But by the fifth speech at the org’s Gotham event at Cipriani on Wednesday night, the warm glow of the exit sign never looked so welcome. A much-needed moment of levity came shortly after a narcolepsy-inducing speech by Richard Gere, when we found ourselves eavesdropping on our neighboring table.

Affected Matron with Wine Glass: So, what’s your stance on AIDS?

Smiling, Silver-haired Man: I’m against it.

Speeches were, for the most part, good.

“I was always surprised with their tastes,” said amfAR presenter Woody Allen of Dr. Mathilde Krim and husband Arthur. “I found out they have a ranch in Texas. And these are Upper East Side, sophisticated New Yorkers.

"What the hell were they doing in Texas? I couldn’t think of what they would do there or why they would even be there. Were they herding cows? Their tastes were very, you know, Catholic. They enjoyed their home on the Island. They enjoyed New York their cultural life with show people and the political life. Apparently they could even find what to do in Texas.” (John Clarke, Jr.)