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Although they canceled their Oscar party, Vanity Fair proved they still know how to throw a lavish fete Tuesday night as Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal, Jerry Seinfeld, Lorne Michaels, Harvey Keitel and Edie Falco arrived at the State Supreme Courthouse bash to help kick-off the 7th annual Tribeca Film Festival, which starts Wednesday.
(pictured: VF's Graydon Carter and Larry David, Jessica and Jerry Seinfeld/ WireImage)
While you were sleeping, stars were partying and promoting projects all over Los Angeles Thursday night.
At the Mann's Chinese Theater, David Arquette and Courteney Cox celebrated the bow of "Nosebleed." Director Jeff Vespa is the man behind the ten-minute short that was shot in black and white with no dialogue. "Nosebleed" centers around a man (Arquette), seemingly in the aftermath of breaking up with a girl, whose lonely life is interrupted one evening by, what else, a nosebleed.
In Beverly Hills, stars such as Justin Kirk, Elizabeth Banks (pictured left), Isaiah Washington, Rosario Dawson, Nicole Richie, Brooke Shields and Minnie Driver gathered for a fashionable fete at the Prada store for their "Trembled Blossoms" event. While over at the ArcLight Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla, (pictured right) celebrated at the premiere of "The Hammer." Carolla co-wrote the pic and plays an amateur boxer who decides to get back in the ring after a twenty-year hiatus. Watch a clip from the film below.
Photo credit: WireImage
It was better late than never as L.A.'s top sound facility Todd-AO and Soundelux celebrated their Oscar wins for "The Bourne Ultimatum" last week at Santa Monica's Hotel Casa Del Mar. At the bash, producer Frank Marshall mingled with re-recording mixer Scott Millan and supervising sound editors Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers. The Oscar winners arrived with their kudos so that guests could take pictures with the golden statue. Noting that the 45 seconds allowed during an Oscar acceptance speech was simply not enough time to get out all the necessary thank yous, Hallberg and Landers introduced over twenty co-workers to the crowd so that they too could be recognized for their work. (M. McNiece)
Left: Per Hallberg and Frank Marshall (photo credit: Andreas Branch)
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)
"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)
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)
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)
The event: The BAFTA/LA tea party
The details: Saturday at the BevHills Hotel
The guest list: BAFTA/LA chairman Peter Morris, Allison Janney, Hal Holbrook, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan, Scott Rudin, Paul Webster, David Cronenberg, Julian Schnabel and Brad Bird.
The talk - the Writer's Strike: “I’m very disappointed at the same time I’m in total sympathy with the writers’ position. I would’ve preferred them to do it next year,” quipped “Into the Wild” composer Michael Brook. “Juno” director Jason Reitman said, “I made a small movie, my hope was that some people would see it, now a whole bunch of people have seen it. We’re nominated for all these awards I never expected. You hope in your career to achieve what I’ve done on this film and it’s happened so early to me that my only fear is nothing to do with asterisks, it’s having to living the rest of my life and trying to feel this once again.” (S. Dore)
The event: A dinner celebrating helmer Ridley Scott and "American Gangster"
After nine years in Hollywood, Motorola is hardly starting to phone in its anniversary parties. Cell phone maker celebrated its entertainment efforts with Moto 9 last week at The Lot in West Hollywood, that converted a soundstage into a lavish two-story venue decked out completely in white. Event, hosted by David Pinsky, Motorola’s director of entertainment marketing, has become a hot ticket for young Hollywood, with this year’s guest list including Justin Long, Scott Speedman, Brittany Murphy, Seth 
MacFarlane, Molly Sims, Emily Van Camp, Dave Annable, Matthew Rhys, Clifton Collins Jr. and JC Chasez who nibbled on mini burgers and mini quesadillas. Kelly Clarkson capped the night with a performance of several of her hits. “In the past nine years, Motorola has truly become a member of the entertainment community," Pinsky said. "Through our marketing efforts, we have created relationships with all aspects of the industry. Each year, we host this event to celebrate our success and to say thank you to those who have helped us along the way." (M. Graser)
TV Guide’s after-party got off to a royal start as Hollywood’s Les Deux was transformed into a miniature version of the Palace of Versailles. Guests Adrien Grenier, America Ferrera, Vanessa Williams, Ellen Pompeo, Debra Messing and Simon Cowell were greeted by a host of Marie Antoinettes gracefully swinging in individual gazebos, while a French artist drew guests’ portraits and costumed champagne girls served bubbly and TV-tinis.
The ET/People mag party at the elegant Disney Concert Hall was the first stop for many Emmygoers heading from the Shrine to the Westside. The change to the bigger venue helped accommodate more guests who took advantage of the garden and two levels of 
the concert hall. Duran Duran kept guests like Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy dancing all night long while others, like "Entertainment Tonight" executive producer Linda Bell Blue and co-executive producer Brad Bessey as well as thesps Ellen Pompeo, Jeremy Piven and Ali Larter mixed and mingled.
DirecTV transformed West Hollywood Park into a high definition wonderland at their first ever Emmys after-party Sunday night. Countless flatscreen TVs flashing HD images from Showtime, MTV and ESPN lit up the entrance and illuminated plush seating areas scattered throughout the party space. Guests munched on mushroom ravioli under heat lamps while a crystal clear projection of the Emmy award spun on a rotating giant hot air balloon. Inside revelers shook their tailfeathers to a soundtrack of techno and mash-ups courtesy of DJ AM. Outside near the portable restroom trailers, suits hobnobbed seemingly waiting for more important people to get there. Things started a little slow and some worried that the competition from HBO's bash across the street at the Pacific Design Center might be too much to handle for the fledgling event. But by the end of the night the party was in full swing. Heck, even Paris Hilton showed up. (B. Perry)
Emmy fever kicked off at the L.A. Confidential party hosted by Ellen Pompeo at One Sunset on Tuesday in Hollywood, drawing Natalie Cole, Rex Lee, T.R Knight, Eric Dane, Sandra Oh and 
Justin Chambers. "Entourage's" Lee reminisced about the show's very beginning. "My very first scene ever was with Adrien and I had to giggle like a teenage girl and pretend that I was attracted to him, so I just looked into his eyes and lost myself there," he said of the show's leading man. "Adrien has the most beautiful eyes." (E. Bertet)
The Hamptons lived up to its reputation as the place to be and be seen this past weekend as Gothamites flocked to the beach-side town to escape the city heat. Brooke Shields had a ball at the Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge on Saturday, while later that night Kelly Ripa and husband Mark Consuelos took in a Billy Joel concert during the Social @ Ross concert series. The next day, Christie Brinkley saddled up for a Hampton hoedown benefiting Einstein College of Medicine at Diamond Ranch. For more on the Hamptons high life click here.
Perhaps Jim Carrey was just doing a bit of research for his new role in "Yes Man" this past weekend. In the upcoming comedy, he plays a man who tries to change his life by saying yes to absolutely everything that comes his way and it appears he and girlfriend Jenny McCarthy took the role to heart by saying yes to every invitation that came their 
way this past weekend. First up, was the HollyRod Foundation's annual DesignCare on Saturday night in Malibu, where Carrey was front and center during the evening's charity fashion show. The following night, the duo attended the Beckham's "Welcome to LA" bash at the MOCA where they mixed and mingled with the likes of Tom, Katie, Will and Jada. After a whirlwind weekend like that, hopefully Carrey can say yes to a nap.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes along with pals Will Smith and Jada-Pinkett Smith hosted a lavish "Welcome to America" bash for David and Victoria Beckham on Sunday at the MOCA in Los Angeles. The guest list included Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Forest Whitaker, Brooke Shields and just about everyone else in Hollywood. The Beckhams recently purchased a 13,000-square-foot, six-bedroom, Mediterranean-style Beverly Hills mansion with a screening room, tennis court and pool for $22 million.
Like any prospective buyer, finding a home was all about location, location, location for Mrs. Beckham: "I had quite a lot of things to get my head around," she told W Magazine. "What was the nicest area? I was very much like, 'Okay, the seaside is down there, training is there, school is there, and I think Barneys is over there."
At the closing night of the Jewish Federation's 9th Annual Master Class in Cinema and Television on Saturday at X Bar in Century City the participants and organizers were able to let loose and celebrate a successful program.
“I think that the melding of the two communities is not only important but it’s really giving tangible results and I think a lot of business, real literal business, has come out of these meetings on this ten day experience," said producer Danny Sussman.
Master class co-chair, Joan Hyler, (pictured with Sussman and Federation Prexy John Fishel) provided an apt summary of the week's events, which helps up-and-coming Israeli filmmakers connect with the Hollywood community: “I got the extreme pleasure of having to steer the ship. We created a very vibrant program where Alfred Molina came to dinner and Henry Winkler came to lecture; Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun gave us the tip about the Pepsi merger before anybody, Nina Tassler at CBS was very generous, we had an agent panel with William Morris and Endeavor and CAA agents. So we gave them a guided tour of Hollywood and it was extraordinary.” (J. Marks)
Not all of Hollywood's leading ladies were at the Women in Film awards gala on Thursday eve. Kristin Davis and Kerry Washington cooled off during a Yves Saint Laurent hosted pool party at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
They were joined by close to 400 guests including Barbara Walters, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, who not only enjoyed a water ballet performance but also indulged in a lavish three-course lobster dinner, all while raising $550,00 for Los Angeles' Center Dance Arts.
Garry Shandling's lips are sealed. The stand-up comedian along with cast members from "The Larry Sanders Show," like Jeffrey Tambor and Bob Odenkirk gathered Tuesday night for the DVD release party of “Not Just The Best of The Larry Sanders Show” at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Shandling refused to fess up on who the show was really making fun of. "We’d write an episode one week and then hear that a certain host thought it was about him. In fact, most of the time it wasn’t," Shandling told On the Town. "All talk show hosts share certain traits, like not knowing what to say to a guest off-camera. However, I wouldn’t want to divulge what was taken from whom." Thankfully, Shandling’s protégé, helmer Judd Apatow who cut his teeth as a scribe on “Sanders” was a little more forthcoming. "There’s a sketch that Dana Carvey did on ‘Saturday Night Live’ where he did a brutal impression of Garry. Dana called to apologize, but Garry said that he’d just talk about it on the show,” recounts Apatow, “Then he had the writers create a episode about Dana doing an offensive impression of him. Reality kept dipping into the show." (A. D’Alessandro)
Malibu denizens and a smattering of neighborhood celebs -- including Merv Griffin, Emilio Estevez, Jane Seymour, James Keach, Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber -- hit the beach for the fourth annual Malibu Wine Classic on Saturday. Guests sampled wines from California's Central Coast in a two-sesh benefit aiding child abuse charity ChildHelp (ChildHelp.org). Held in a big white tent next to Zuma Beach's Sunset Restaurant, the winefest raised $100,000. The daytime affair featured taster-sized pours from more than 60 wineries such as Arcadian, Fess Parker, Tablas Creek and Linne Calodo, plus gourmet bites from local eateries (including Geoffrey's, Michael's, Duke's, Moonshadows and Water Grill). Event founders -- entertainment attorney Michael Barnes and Malibu wine merchant John Selman -- and charity director Tony Griffin added tables for the more exclusive nighttime event, which featured larger portions (of food, not vino) and Griffin senior belting out a few tunes. (S. Swart)
HONG KONG-- Variety hosted its first ever Filmart cocktail Thursday at the Dragon Lounge on the market floor. Guests were welcomed by a sea of orange — Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre staff — who could have been mistaken for security the way they surrounded people and asked for invites as they came in. Asia Editor Patrick Frater stood post at the door giving individual verbal OKs for the orange sea to roll back. Once drinks were in hand and dim sum morsels consumed, Variety Director of International Sales Alberto Lopez and Frater both thanked the crowd for coming and mentioned the new Web site geared toward Asia: http://www.varietyasiaonline.com, as well as the experimental Variety Filmart e-Dailies that had gone out since Monday, the day before the confab started. Event was attended by the creative and business sides of the industry.
Attendees included Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa ("Purse," "Bright Future"); Venice Film Fest head Marco Mueller; Colette Koo, producer with Hippopotamus Films; Lee Beasley, director and head of media and entertainment at Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong; and Fortissimo duo Michael Werner and Wouter Barendrecht. (V. Rothrock)
"This is better than March Madness,” exclaimed AFI President and CEO Jean Pickler Firstenberg upon entering Spago on Thursday, where over 80, mostly female, peers greeted her with a hearty "Surprise!" The American Film Institute and its Directing Workshop For Women, along with the Alliance of Women Directors and AFI Associates honored Firstenberg, who will retire later this year, for her illustrious career as well as her birthday on St. Patrick's day.
After accepting a memory book containing various photos and letters, including a touching note from Maya Angelou, Firstenberg, who has been AFI prexy since 1980, took the podium. She said that the idea for the directing workshop came from Mathilde Krim, an Israeli research scientist who worked at the Rockefeller Institute in New York. Krim started the program in 1974 with a $30,000 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. “I’ve always tried to carry on her work,” said Firstenberg. “I will cherish this day and I am thrilled with this award,” she said, referring to AFI’s creation of the Jean Picker Firstenberg Award for Excellence, which will be given annually to one DWW participant. Only eight women a year are accepted into the prestigious program.
The luncheon ended on an inspirational note. “If you have stories you need to tell, there are stories we need to hear. Artists are the ones who will lead the way, lead us out of this darkness and help us help each other. I’m honored that my name is at the end of your movies,” said a proud Firstenberg. (J. Sneider)
Paul Allen opened his Beverly Hills home to the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games on Wednesday night. Event was part of Los Angeles’ bid to host the 2016 Olympics. The U.S. Olympic Committee will decide next month between L.A. and Chicago, while the International Olympic Committee won’t make its final decision until the summer of 2009.
Approximately 150 guests took a ride in Allen’s sideways elevator to his state-of-the-art recording studio for a private screening of “Battle Olympia,” a kinetic short film created to attract a younger audience to the Olympic games. Directed by Jesse Davey and edited in his Oakwood apartment in Burbank, the film was produced by Grammy-winner Dave Stewart (The Eurythmics). Peter Facinelli (“Can’t Hardly Wait”) and former Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale star in the short, which utilizes various LA neighborhoods to showcase a series of Olympic feats, from a rooftop long jump to a high dive into a kiddie pool of shallow water.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa took the stage to thank Allen and introduce the film. “People have tried to pit this city against Chicago but that’s not what this is about. Los Angeles is the city of America’s hope, the city of its promise. It is the creative capital of not just America but the world."
In line with an admission from an Allen staffer that “things have been changing all day,” it was indeed, a wild night by all accounts, especially after On the Town was asked to leave following the screening. Nikka Costa performed a short set and witness reports confirm Allen played a spectacular cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze.” Rocker Mick Jagger was also rumored to be in attendance. Surely he would’ve been impressed with Allen’s recording studio’s soundboard, which featured so many knobs and buttons that only an astronaut (or a veteran sound engineer) could make it work. “Up is louder,” the engineer said, confirming On the Town’s suspicions. (J. Sneider)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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.)
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)
A pair of Oscar winners mingled with a contender Saturday night as Los Angeles Confidenti
al 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)
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)
Nothing beats the view from New Line honcho Bob Shaye's
Beverly Hills estate, but everyb
ody 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)
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)
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)
