I’ve been going to the Elton John famed Academy Awards party for years, to benefit his AIDS Foundation. Last night was the 24th under a swanky tent at the Pacific Design Center. Near the stage, the rockin’ 68 year old Elton pounded the piano so hard playing like he was like a 20-year-old upstart. The floor shook like it was a typical LA earthquake.

Sir Elton, in a jewel studded, glittering jacket emboldened with the words, “Captain Fantastic,” on the back, started with hits of old, including: “The Bitch is Back,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Rocket Man,” Levon,” “Philadelphia Freedom,” “I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues,” and “Your Song,” as well as some tracks from his excellent new album, “Wonderful Crazy Night.”

Elton ended with “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.” Some of the celebs, including Sheryl Crow, who was cuddling platonically with pal Steven Tyler throughout the night. Tyler also canoodled with his very young girlfriend. Other guests at the event– which raised $6.2 million– included  Caitlyn Jenner, Melanie Griffith, Hilary Swank, (who modeled a Bulgari diamond ring that sold for $40,000 at the auction) Mariah Carey, Heidi Klum, Beck, Zooey Deschanel, Vince Vaughn, Brandy, Sarah Hyland, Jeffrey Tambor and Lana Del Rey.

Charlie Sheen arrived after the Oscar telecast and told anyone who’d listen: “Hey, I’m bringing my HIV to the party.” To keep the narcissism going, he wore a t-shirt with his face on it saying, “stay positively negative.”

Most of the aforementioned stars left after the telecast ended, probably to head over to Vanity Fair, but the adoring crowd could have cared less. They stayed to watch Sir Elton rip the roof off the place. I asked Steven Tyler about his good pal Diane Warren– who wrote Aerosmith’s Oscar nominated song from “Armageddon, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” –what he felt about her surprising and shameful loss for her eighth nominated song, ’Til It Happens To You,’ sung by Lady Gaga.

“Diane completely deserved it. Still can’t believe it. She’ll get one; she’s one of the best songwriters ever. Shocking really.” Elton said about the event that “This started off as 150 people at a little restaurant around the corner and now we have 950 people for dinner. We used to go around to every table, but my legs ain’t what they used to be.” I asked Mariah as she was leaving why she didn’t go on stage with Elton.  “I have a cold” she explained, but gamely added, “I just love Elton. His commitment to charity is amazing. I strive to be like him always.”

Speaking of diamond rings, you could be blinded by Carey’s  35 –carat ring from billionaire Aussie James Packer. Boy George left because he needed to get back to his “Celebrity Apprentice” gig with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He told me, “it’s high speed crazy.” Steven Tyler hung around and greeted Mary J. Blige who came in while Elton was singing “Bennie and the Jets,” which they warbled together in the back of the room. Lady Gaga made a drive by appearance, before she went to the Vanity Fair party, where she was joined by Elton and his husband David Furnish after Elton finished his set. This famed event raised 6.2 million. Bravo Sir Elton. On to the 25th!

photo c2016 Showbiz411

Basically, Vanity Fair’s annual Oscar party was rocking when I arrived at 11:30pm from the Oscar show and Elton John’s amazing $6.2 million fundraiser. And the Vanity Fair party was still rocking when I left at 2:30am. For all I know, every A list star in Hollywood is still inside the gi-normous single room tent on Santa Monica Boulevard next to the Annenberg Center, dressed in formal wear, eating In and Out Burgers, vaping, gossiping, and hooking up.

The first people I saw had arrived almost simultaneously and I was sucked into their vortex: show host Chris Rock, who looked he had PTSD, and Leonardo Di Caprio, who was very Gatsby as everyone in the room rushed over (you could feel it tilting) toward him to see his long awaited Oscar. His mother and her husband were with him. You can see them (sitting) in the photo I took of Chris and Leo meeting after leaving the Rome Colosseum– er, Dolby Theater.

After a bit of mugging (male hugging), Chris sat down on one of the modular white sofas in our area, eyes wide shut and hollow. He’d just come from the Governors Ball and looked shell shocked. Are you alright, I asked? He nodded. I assured him the night had gone well, and that the reviews would be good. (They were but the ratings were terrible– but that had to with the movies, not the Oscars show.)

What was his favorite part, I asked? He said, “Once I made it past the monologue, nothing else mattered. It was all a blur.” Indeed, he handled the whole massively complicated enterprise with aplomb and still came off very funny. I said, “Jada [Pinkett] can take it,” referring to his joke about her. Chris said, “Well, it’s true he got $20 million for Wild Wild West!”

I like Leo’s style when juggling his long ago divorced parents, by the way. He parked his mom at the Vanity Fair party, and gave his dad and his wife tickets to the Oscars. I walked the red carpet with George DiCaprio, who told me: “I think Leo will take a break now and focus n environmental issues. He deserves a break.”

Just to give you an idea of how bizarre it is to see 500 famous people at the same time: into this little Leo scrum came someone I recognized but hadn’t seen in some time: magician David Copperfield. And then the famed director of “The Insider” and “Heat” Michael Mann.

The Vanity Fair party is the only place where you will see Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, who are divorcing, as well as Matt Damon (and his wife Lucy) all talking together like nothing is amiss. I ran into Justin Timberlake (who put me in headlock) and Jessica Biel, Anthony Mackie and his super manager Jason Spire, and then sort of a flood of people from all corners of show biz including Sean Puffy Combs, turned out in a tuxedo (he is the David Dinkins of hip hop) to the very pregnant friends Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt, who became famous as co-stars in “The Devil Wears Prada” and are still best pals.

“Look at us!” exclaimed Anne, who is ready to go in May. “You didn’t know what strong women we are!” The two gals cracked up laughing. Oh boy!

Back in the main room there were plenty of reunions, celebrating and some grieving. The latter came as Lady Gaga, fiance Taylor Kinney, and songwriter Diane Warren rolled in after inexplicably losing Best Song to the watery James Bond theme sung  by Sam Smith. Gaga was philosophical– her performance, with Veep Joe Biden and fifty rape survivors sent a powerful message. But after 8 nominations, Diane Warren would like her statue already.

Then  there was Sylvester Stallone, who everyone, including me, thought was going to win his Oscar after 40 years. He lost instead to Mark Rylance, Britain’s most famous theater actor. There I was consoling Rocky Balboa. “I have my theories,” he said. We agreed, on to bigger and better things. But I’m told Stallone didn’t feel he had the financial support from MGM in ads or screeners, and that he paid for a lot of his Oscar campaign himself.

Yes, I did listen in while Roger Federer and Serena Williams talked tennis. And I did sit and chat with 87 year old Martin Landau about all the movies he’s making now. Nick Jonas told me he’s starting to plan his new album. So did Mr. Timberlake. I ran into a crush of New York types (Paul Dano, Jon Hamm, Hamish Linklater) and hung out with Sissy Spacek and her legendary production designer husband Jack Fisk. I asked Fisk if he really knew Terence Malick, who he’s worked with since the 70s. “Do you ever actually see him?” I asked. He laughed. “Oh yes! He just doesn’t like the press.” No kidding.

photo c2016 Showbiz411

Is Sylvester Stallone going to bring home the Oscar tonight for his poignant performance in ‘Creed?” His loyal brother seems to think so. I caught up with actor Frank Stallone at Doris Bergman’s Eighth annual Valentine Romance Oscar Style Lounge & Party at Fig & Olive. Frank told me: “I think my brother has good fighting chance. He sure deserves it.”

Ernie Hudson, and Eva La Rue, Marilu Henner, were among the celebs perusing disnapback.com’s hip hats and clothing line, Samiah Hinton’s Fine Clothing, Sue Wong. Spongelle, Purador hair care, Fit For A Belle fun stylish gym wear, Mahankirn Yogi, Author, Hillel Rzepka’s handmade wearable glass art. Single fashions are always uber popular. Other highlights were Art Lewin’s bowties, socks and pocket squares. Art is the go to guy for custom suits, shirts, anything for Hollywood’s elite well dressed men. My Saint My Hero, Gift of Blessing Bracelets, Marisa Marshall is the talented designer to come up with these affordable, meaningful bracelets. Twisted Silver is hands down the coolest jewelry ever. Described as distinct, chic and timeless, Twisted Silver hits on all counts. Frank and George Chakiris, from “West Side Story,” hung out together in the presenting sponsor Maserati car that was on display. Doris Bergman’s suites are always so plugged in and oh so Hollywood!

The Irish Film Board and IDA celebrating the Irish showbiz peeps at Laurel Hardware. Colin Farrell and Chris O’Dowd, along with Oscar nominated director Lenny Abrahamson all confabed. A shout out as well to The Artisan Group, an elite collective of way talented artists of handcrafted products, including a unique and lovely assortment of jewelry, hair accessories, clutches, candles, photographs, cards, stuff even for your pets and way more. They are a truly talented bunch of gifted artists. Check them out at: issuu.com.

Patricia Arquette for Prez and Jennifer Lawrence as her VP?

That’s a showbiz likely scenario from the looks of it Friday night at the Ninth Annual Women In Film pre-Oscar Cocktail Party at Hyde Sunset Kitchen + Cocktails.

WIF’s President Cathy Schulman hosted the soiree attended by more than thirty Oscar nominees including songwriter Diane Warren, who wrote “Til It Happens To You,” plus Best Actress nominee Charlotte Rampling. ’The Danish Girl” star Alicia Vikander (a surprise guest), and “Joy” Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence.

Schulman, addressing the lack of women in the industry, told the A list crowd that, “Women have been leading this movement with courage that it takes to stay, stop it.”

The great Patricia Arquette– Oscar winner last year for “Boyhood”–  gave an impassioned speech and told the crowd, “Pay inequality affects 98% of women in this industry and women all over the country. Karma is coming home to roost. Black lives matter, the environment matters and ending pay inequality matters. We need to clean up our roost. “

Arquette described the other inequalities that affect women and gave a dig to the recently departed Supreme court Justice Antonin Scalia. “Scalia said that women do not have equal rights under the constitution. So just talking about pay inequality is bullshit. Millions of women need it to stop. “ Patricia urged the room to sign the petition she is sponsoring on Change.org, supporting the resurrection of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Schulman  called up surprise guest Jennifer Lawrence, who wrote an essay for Lena Dunham’s newsletter talking about her own experience with pay inequality that garnered worldwide attention. Jennifer first paid homage to Arquette. “I’m a huge fan of Patricia Arquette. I actually played a younger version of her once, and I love that she stood up. We’re starting a conversation; we’re getting a dialogue going. I didn’t know I was going to be speaking. “ Jennifer ended with a fist bump to the air, exclaiming, “equal pay for women!”

The room cheered– and that included everyone from Michelle Monaghan to Mickey Sumner, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Lake Bell, Maria Bello, Adepero Oduye, and even Oscar winning director Tom Hooper.