Variety On the Town

The Rocket Man's Party Takes Off

Elton John took the stage for his annual Oscar party benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation on Sunday, performing a full set including classic hits such as Rocket Man, Benny and the Jets, Tiny Dancer and Crocodile Rock. Dozens of celebs including Stevie Wonder, Russell Simmons, Quincy Jones, Tom Wilkinson, Tim Allen, Jeremy Piven and Seal and Heidi Klum poured into the Pacific Design Center after the Oscar ceremony just in time to catch a lively duet between John and special guest Mary J. Blige.

And despite his film being shut out at the Oscars, Sean Penn was still in the mood to celebrate with date Petra Nemcova. “Tonight’s not about disappointments,” said the “Into the Wild” writer-director. Guests filed out just before midnight when John and his entourage snuck out the back door to avoid the red carpet en route to Madonna’s after-bash.  (J. Sneider)

Essence Mag's Power Lunch

The event: Essence Magazine's first annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon

The details: Thursday at the BevHills Hotel

The guest list: Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Kerry Washington, Jurnee Smollett, producer Suzanne de Passe, Ruby Dee and Quincy Jones

The talk: "I know how difficult it is to be a woman in this game, and in this life," said an emotional Pinkett Smith, who was honored with the Power Award.  "If you look at my story and the statistics, I'm not supposed to be here."  (L. McCarthy)

Getting Into the Spirit

"Never have so many people, who made so little money shooting a movie, gathered in such a fancy place," thesp Patricia Clarkson noted during the Spirit Awards nominees reception at Santa Monica's swank Hotel Casa Del Mar on Thursday. "What the hell, chandeliers?" she said of the ballrooms lavish decor. The party gave the indie crowd, including Film Independent topper Dawn Hudson, Marisa Tomei, Jason Reitman and Tamara Jenkins, a chance to sip some wine and nibble on mini veggie burgers before the Spirit Awards on Saturday. Rainn Wilson, who will be hosting Saturday's event, briefly spoke at the reception saying, "I have about 17 or 18 funny things to say on Saturday so I am not going to say anything funny now and spoil the mojo."                        (M. McNiece)

Evans Flexes His Specs

Surrounded by a bevy of nubile young things — plus his lil’ buddy Brett Ratner — producer Robert Evans opened his BevHills manse for a luncheon Thursday to launch a new eyewear line for Oliver Peoples. But it wasn’t just about eating and eyeglasses. Guests including Emmanuelle Seigner, Russell Simmons, producer Beau Flynn, Marley Shelton and Oliver Peoples CEO-prexy David Schulte gathered under the tent draped over Evans’ dark oval pool to watch the U.S. Olympic synchronized swim team splash around a bit too. As the white-capped, red-lipped swimmers exited the pool, late arrival John Stamos offered them a hand and his jacket. Later, bespectacled and surrounded by still more specs, Evans received well-wishers from his infamous bed… Disappointingly, it wasn’t covered with the furry throw you’d expect. But Evans was devilishly charming as ever. (S. Swart)

McMullan's Glamour Girls

Celebrity photographer Patrick McMullan wasn't quite sure what side of the camera to be on Tuesday as he celebrated the launch on his new book "Glamour Girls" at the Sunset Tower Hotel. While McMullan spent half his time jumping in front of the camera to pose with guests like Kathy and Tom Freston he never put his camera down and was busy snapping his own shots of the soiree. Leviev diamonds sponsored the event, which would explain the many models mingling with guests while dripping in diamonds. "I have a million dollars on my wrist alone," one said. McMullan praised the socialites who fill the pages of his book saying, "without you all there would be no style here in L.A." (M. McNiece)

Snoop Dogg Gets His Wings

You may be able to get Snoop Dogg to go to your party, but don't expect him to eat your food. At a swank dinner at Citrus at Social Hollywood on Thursday celebrating the launch of Nicole Khristine Jewelry, Snoop skipped the lobster, short ribs and potatoes au gratin and opted for some chicken wings that were brought in for him on the sly. While grooving to a performance by musical group, Paddy Casey, Snoop nibbled on his wings, while guests such as Cheryl Hines, Jerry Rice, Joey Fatone and Jane Kaczmarek stuck with the night's culinary cuisine. Jewelry designers Nikki DeBartolo and Khristine Williams proved they know how to throw a good party when following the dinner, they invited guests to a private bash at Social where DJ AM had the packed crowd dancing late into the night.                          (M. McNiece)

Alba's Tech Support

The Scientific and Technical Academy Awards are usually a lighthearted affair, and this year Saturday's ceremony at the BevWilshire was no exception. By tradition, the evening always kicks off with entertainment. Wags wondered beforehand what it might be: A magician? A mime? Awards administration director Rich Miller surprised by choosing Danny Cole, who is a magician and a mime. Cole's slight of hand impressed even this tech-savvy crowd.

Host Jessica Alba, very pregnant but game nonetheless, dove into the technical jargon of fluid simulation software with determination, winning applause from the crowd. Two winners used their time to appreciate their lovely host. Duncan Brinsmead, one of three honored for the Maya Fluid Effects system, said "For a computer geek like me it's really sexy to hear Jessica talk about semi-Lagrangian fluid dynamics." While Stanford professor Ron Fedkiw, who moonlights at Industrial Light & Magic working on their fluid simulation system, finished his thank-you's in less than the allotted minute, so he added "I'm going to spend the last 15 seconds noting that I'm ten feet away from the most beautiful woman on the planet. And no restraining order this time!" (D. Cohen)

Grammys Get the Parties Started

The Grammy festivities kicked off in full swing as Sunday's big award show draws near. will.i.am and Fergie lit up the stage at Avalon Hollywood Thursday for the Peapod Foundation benefit concert hosted by the Black Eyed Peas and the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Fergie wowed the crowd with multiple one-arm cartwheels while will.i.am demonstrated that a foot cast didn’t hinder his dance moves. Prior to the show, the Peas front man expounded upon this year’s leadership honoree, Paradigm chairman Sam Gores, as well as the grand opening of the groups' Peapod Music and Arts Academy at the Watts/Willbrook Boys and Girls Club. “Sam believes in us outside of our music and pushes us to do other things. His life story of coming from nothing and becoming something has inspired us and that’s exactly what the Peapod Academy is trying to do with younger kids.” (A. D'Alessandro)

Meanwhile, over at Goa DJ siblings Samantha and Mark Ronson hit the Fuse TV party where they were joined by Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz. Nearby, at Area Nightclub, Eric Benet sang at the Lexus Listening Lounge event honoring Cathy Hughes. At a sophisticated soiree at the Getty Center, Grammy nominated classical pianist Lang Lang and musical child prodigy Marc Yu celebrated Lang being named Intl. brand ambassador & chairman of the Montblanc de la Culture Foundation. Earlier in the day, singers Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli were at the Staples center rehearsing for the show while No Doubt's Adrian Young picked up some swag at the Grammy Style Studio at Smashbox Studios in Culver City. On Friday night, People and Verizon Wireless hosted a pre-Grammy party at Avalon where guests were treated to a line-up of performances that included: One Republic, Missy Elliot and Taylor Swift.

Photos credit: WireImage

Fashion Week's Front Row

Photos: WireImage

Schnabel and Shriver's Salute

The 10th annual amfAR Gotham gala attracted the film, fashion and music crowd to Cipriani, 42nd Street on Thursday. Product(RED) co-founder, Bobby Shriver, French Vogue editor-in-chief, Carine Roitfeld and Julian Schnabel were honored at the event.

Upon receiving his kudo, Shriver joked about being recognized: "My father established the Peace Corps, so I was known as Sargent Shriver's son. Then my mother started The Special Olympics so then I became Eunice Kennedy Shriver's son. Then my sister Maria got a big reporting job at CBS so I became Maria Shriver's brother, which is when my brothers and I got together and said, 'It's not that bad - it can't get any worse.' Then Maria got married. Now I will forever be known as Arnold Schwarzenegger's brother-in-law." (A. Morfoot)

Eastwood's Face Time With Jolie

From the roar of the crowd outside Santa Barbara's Arlington Theater Saturday night, one would have thought Led Zeppelin had rolled into town, but alas it was Brangelina. Angelina Jolie was honored at the fest where she was presented her kudo by "The Changeling" helmer Clint Eastwood. “When I think of Angelina, I always think of Gloria Swanson playing Norma Desmond who said, ‘We didn’t need sound, we had faces.’  Angelina has a perfect face that the camera loves," said Eastwood. "I've never worked with anybody who the camera romances as much as it does her.”  (A. D'Alessandro)