Showbiz411

The one standing ovation in the Nokia Theater last night was spontaneous–and it was for Michael J. Fox. Anyone who knows anyone with Parkinson’s Disease (and everyone does) knows just a little of what Fox has suffered and conquered in the last fifteen years–and at a young age, far earlier than most. That he’s persevered and worked through brain surgeries and endless obstacles, and has done good work, is simply amazing.

LEAH SYDNEY reports that at the HBO gala–which was really a blockbuster built on the back of the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood- Fox arrived with wife Tracy Pollan and son Sam, accepting congrats for his win as a special guest star on “The Good Wife.”

Meanwhile, Ricky Gervais washead over heels, telling Mel Brooks that he’s his hero. Even Nicole Kidman came over to Mel Brooks and told him what a fan she was.

LEAH reports: ”Nicole told me that, “I didn’t expect to win. I came to support the movie.”  Keith Urban told me that , “I’m excited about American Idol.  I literally just met Nigel Lythgoe last week in New York.  I’m looking forward to spending more time in Los Angeles.”

This event garnered the most celebrities, from the whole “Game Change” crowd, including Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Jay Roach and Susanna Hoffs, Julianne Moore, Jeremy Davies, James Gandolfini, Claire Danes, Sofia Vergara, Julianna Marguiles, Chuck Lorre and more.”

And Keith Urban is already getting accolades from Fox on “American Idol.” With all the hoopla surrounding Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, look for Keith to be the sea of tranquility when Idol re-starts on the air. So says Mike Darnell, the genius behind all the reality programming on Fox. He says Keith is already proving to be a success as he meets the potential candidates.

Roger Friedman

Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News. Friedman previously wrote the Intelligencer column at New York Magazine, He writes for Parade magazine and has written for Details, Vogue, the New York Times, Post, and Daily News and many other publications. He is the writer and co-producer of a film about R&B Music called “Only the Strong Survive,” which was released by Miramax in 2003 and was a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals.