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Vanity Fair Oscar Party: Tarantino Quizzes Jane Fonda, Who Meets Paul Haggis

Roger Friedman
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Vanity Fair Oscar Party: Tarantino Quizzes Jane Fonda, Who Meets Paul Haggis

Vanity Fair’s annual splashy Oscar party got the cold shoulders last night: they had to tent in the backyard of the Sunset Towers Hotel and even that didn’t completely help keep out the frigid night. One young starlet said, “Why is it so cold in here?” and then spotted the huge open space between the two party rooms. She answered her own question: “Because we’re basically outside.” But still the stars and the hot kids came, from all the Oscar winners and nominees (only one missing: Christian Bale, who wasn’t seen again after the show) to famous artists, comedians, and media types. On the official guest list, clues were delivered like messages from a pyramid wall. For example, Anderson Cooper’s companion for the evening was someone named Benjamin Masiani. The whole guest list will follow this story but I will stick to just the people here I saw and talked to like Josh Brolin, who is the wisest and funniest man of his generation in Hollywood. “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner and his wife toured the party with Aimee Mann and husband Michael Penn. Jane Fonda and Richard Perry — Jane after two performances of her play “33 Variations”– made the rounds.Jane met director Paul Haggis, and they hit it off immediately. Then Jane came across Quentin Tarantino and they had a disagreement about a film she was sure she was in. It was “Period of Adjustment” with Tony Franciosa and Jim Hutton. “It was the only comedy Tennessee Williams ever wrote,” Jane said. Quentin got mad at me for using the IMDB. Quentin’s pal, Eli Roth, told me he’d just that minute arrived home from three months in China shooting a martial arts movie with Russell Crowe. Richard Perry, by the way, just returned from New York where the Floyd Mutrux musical he’s been supervising for the last couple of years, “Baby It’s You,” opens at the end of April and looks like a hit. Peter Fonda was there, too, with girlfriend, Parky. What else? When I first stepped into the square tented area, it was choked full of people, mostly big stars. Larry David was in one corner, Sacha Baron Cohen was in another. I missed Madonna, but the photographers told me she came just for a photo op and left so she could set up her annual party for people who will never win Oscars. Liv Tyler, looking smashing, arrived with her dad, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith-no “American Idol” fame. Kerry Washington and I talked about the upcoming Sidney Poitier tribute at Lincoln Center. And there were the stars of tomorrow, too: Anthony Mackie, Benjamin Walker, and the latter’s fiancee Mamie Gummer, the talented daughter of Meryl Streep. No one does it like Vanity Fair, particularly when they cater In N Out burgers. Very comforting on a cold night!

VANITY FAIR OSCAR PARTY

Hosted by Vanity Fair Editor Graydon Carter

February 27, 2010

Oscar Winners in Attendance

Best Director: Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech)

Best Actor: Colin Firth (The King’s Speech)

Best Actress: Natalie Portman (Black Swan)

Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo (The Fighter)

Documentary Feature: Charles Ferguson (Inside Job)

Original Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network)

Adapted Screenplay: David Seidler (The King’s Speech)

Costume Design: Colleen Atwood (Alice in Wonderland)

Best Documentary Short: Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon (Strangers No More)

Live Action Short Film: Luke Matheny

Animated Short Film: Shaun Tan (The Lost Thing)

Best Animated Feature: Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3)

Cinematography: Wally Pfister (Inception)

Best Foreign Language Film: Suzanne Bier (In A Better World)

Makeup: Rick Baker and Dave Elsey (Wolfman)

Art Direction: Robert Stromberg and Karen O’Hara (Alice in Wonderland)

Music (Original Score): Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network)

Sound Editing: Richard King (Inception)

Visual Effects: Andrew Lockley (Inception)

Special Academy Awards, Honorary Recipients

Mr. & Mrs. Francis Ford Coppola

Actor

Ms. Amy Adams & Mr. Darren Legallo

Ms. Dianna Agron

Ms. Elizabeth Banks & Mr. Max Handleman

Ms. Ellen Barkin

Mr. Jason Bateman & Ms. Amanda Anka

Ms. Kate Beckinsale

Ms. Jessica Biel

Mr. Russell Brand

Mr. Adrien Brody

Mr. Josh Brolin

Ms. Joy Bryant

Ms. Sandra Bullock

Mr. Gerard Butler

Ms. Helena Bonham Carter & Mr. Tim Burton

Mr. Sacha Baron Cohen & Ms. Isla Fisher

Mr. Chris Colfer

Ms. Joan Collins & Mr. Percy Gibson

Ms. Lily Collins

Ms. Abbie Cornish

Mr. Chace Crawford

Mr. & Mrs. Billy Crystal

Ms. Claire Danes & Mr. Hugh Dancy

Mr. Larry David

Ms. Rosario Dawson

Ms. Zooey Deschanel

Ms. Cameron Diaz

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Downey, Jr.

Ms. Vera Farmiga & Mr. Renn Hawkey

Mr. Ralph Fiennes

Mr. Colin Firth & Mrs. Livia Giuggioli

Ms. Jane Fonda & Mr. Richard Perry

Mr. Peter Fonda & Ms. Parky Devogelaere

Mr. Jamie Foxx

Mr. Brendan Fraser

Mr. Andrew Garfield

Mr. Willie Garson

Ms. Selena Gomez

Ms. Ginnifer Goodwin

Ms. Mamie Gummer

Mr. Jake Gyllenhaal

Mr. Michael C. Hall

Mr. George Hamilton

Mr. Jon Hamm & Ms. Jennifer Westfeldt

Mr. Armie Hammer & Ms. Elizabeth Chambers

Mr. Colin Hanks

Mr. Tom Hanks / Ms. Rita Wilson

Ms. Anne Hathaway

Mr. Garrett Hedlund

Mr. Chris Hemsworth & Ms. Elsa Pataky

Ms. Bryce Dallas Howard & Mr. Seth Gabel

Ms. Jennifer Hudson

Ms. Anjelica Huston

Mr. Max Irons

Mr. Hugh Jackman & Ms. Deborra-Lee Furness

Ms. Scarlett Johansson

Mr. Joe Jonas

Ms. Rashida Jones

Ms. Anna Kendrick

Mr. Jude Law

Ms. Jennifer Lawrence

Ms. Melissa Leo

Ms. Juliette Lewis

Mr. & Mrs. Delroy Lindo

Mr. & Mrs. Rob Lowe

Mr. Josh Lucas

Ms. Jane Lynch

Ms. Kelly Lynch

Mr. Anthony Mackie

Mr. Steve Martin & Ms. Anne Stringfield

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew McConaughey

Ms. Eva Mendes

Ms. Lea Michele

Mr. Matthew Morrison

Mr. Dermot Mulroney

Ms. Catherine O`Hara & Mr. Bo Welch

Ms. Anna Paquin & Mr. Stephen Moyer

Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Poitier

Ms. Natalie Portman & Mr. Benjamin Millepied

Mr. Jeremy Renner

Ms. Emma Roberts

Ms. Anika Noni Rose

Mr. Eli Roth

Mr. Paul Rudd & Ms. Julie Yaeger

Mr. & Mrs. Mark Ruffalo

Ms. Zoe Saldana

Ms. Naomi Watts

Ms. Amanda Seyfried

Mr. Martin Short

Mr. Kevin Spacey

Mr. David Spade

Mr. Jason Statham

Ms. Hailee Steinfeld

Ms. Emma Stone

Ms. Hilary Swank & Mr. John Campisi

Jessica Szohr

Ms. Charlize Theron

Ms. Marisa Tomei

Ms. Liv Tyler

Ms. Gabrielle Union

Ms. Brenda Vaccaro & Mr. Guy Hector

Ms. Sofia Vergara

Mr. Eli Wallach & Ms. Anne Jackson

Ms. Kerry Washington

Ms. Mia Wasikowska

Ms. Jacki Weaver & Mr. Sean Taylor

Mr. & Mrs. Forest Whitaker

Ms. Michelle Williams

Ms. Reese Witherspoon & Mr. Jim Toth

Arts

Mr. Francesco Clemente

Mr. Paul Fortune

Mr. Larry Gagosian

Mr. Michael Govan & Ms. Katherine Ross

Mr. Nicholas Haslam

Mr. Tobias Meyer & Mr. Mark Fletcher

Ms. Ingrid Sischy & Ms. Sandy Brant

Mr. Richard Prince

Mr. & Mrs. Ed Ruscha

Mr. Francesco Vezzoli

Business

Mr. & Mrs. Jake Bloom

Mr. Jack Calhoun & Mr. Trent Norris

Mr. Robert A. Daly & Ms. Carole Bayer Sager

Mr. John Demsey

Mr. Barry Diller

Mr. & Mrs. Eric Eisner

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Freston

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Gelfond

Mr. Mike Moritz & Ms. Harriet Heyman

Mr. Vivi Nevo

Ms. Gwyneth Paltrow

Mr. Mario Palumbo & Mr. Stefan Gargiulo

Mr. Jay Penske

Mr. & Mrs. Mark Pincus

Mr. Brian Roberts

Mr. Russell Simmons

Sir Howard Stringer & Dr. Jennifer Patterson

Ms. Nadja Swarovski

Mr. & Mrs. John Sykes

Mr. & Mrs. Donald Trump

Mr. Philipp Wolff

Comedians

Mr. & Mrs. Eric Idle

Mr. Jimmy Kimmel

Mr. & Mrs. Don Rickles

Mr. David Steinberg

Ms. Sarah Silverman

Condé Nast

Mr. & Mrs. John W. Bellando

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Sauerberg, Jr.

Director

Mr. Darren Aronofsky

Ms. Kathryn Bigelow

Mr. Danny Boyle

Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Bruckheimer

Mr. Joel Coen

Mr. & Mrs. Roger Corman

Mr. Alfonso Cuaron

Mr. & Mrs. Pete Docter

Mr. Richard Donner & Mrs. Lauren Shuler Donner

Mr. Charles Ferguson

Mr. Stephen Gaghan & Ms. Minnie Mortimer

Ms. Debra Granik & Mr. Jonathan Scheur

Mr. Paul Haggis

Ms. Karen Harley

Mr. Tom Hooper

Mr. & Mrs. Ron Howard

Ms. Rory Kennedy

Mr. David O`Russell

Mr. Brett Ratner

Mr. John Singleton

Mr. & Mrs. Oliver Stone

Mr. Quentin Tarantino

Fashion

Ms. Tory Burch & Mr. Lyor Cohen

Mr. Tom Ford & Mr. Richard Buckley

Ms. Diane von Furstenberg

Mr. Valentino Garavani

Mr. Giancarlo Giammetti

Mr. & Mrs. Reinaldo Herrera

Ms. Donna Karan

Mrs. Tamara Mellon

Ms. Kate Mulleavy

Ms. Laura Mulleavy

Ms. Rachel Roy

Ms. L`Wren Scott

Mr. Jason Wu

Film – Creative

Mr. Michael Arndt

Mr. Simon Beaufoy

Mr. A. Scott Berg & Mr. Kevin McCormick

Mr. Stuart Blumberg

Mr. & Mrs. Alexandre Desplat

Mr. Mitch Glazer

Mr. Akiva Goldsman

Mr. John Goldwyn

Mr. Andres Heinz

Mr. Sebastian Junger & Ms. Daniela Petrova

Ms. Fran Lebowitz

Mr. Walter Mirisch

Mr. & Mrs. Scott Silver

Mr. Aaron Sorkin

Mr. Matt Weiner

Mr. Chris Weitz & Mrs. Mercedes Martinez

Restaurant & Hoteliers

Mr. Tom Colicchio

Mr. Jeff Klein

Mr. Peter Morton

Mr. Jamie Oliver

Ms. Alice Waters

Literary

Mr. Robbie Baitz

Ms. Jackie Collins

Mr. Dave Eggers & Ms. Vendela Vida

Ms. Robyn Todd

Media

Mr. Kurt Andersen & Ms. Anne Kreamer

Mr. & Mrs. Peter Bart

Mr. & Mrs. Steve Burke

Mr. Andy Cohen

Mr. Anderson Cooper & Mr. Benjamin Maisani

Mr. & Mrs. Philippe Dauman

Ms. Arianna Huffington

Mr. Ryan Kavanaugh

Ms. Gayle King

Mr. & Mrs. Andy Lack

Mr. & Mrs. Greg Maffei

Mr. Bill Maher

Mr. Piers Morgan & Ms. Celia Walden

Mr. & Mrs. Rupert Murdoch

Ms. Sue Naegle

Mr. Lawrence O`Donnell

Ms. Desiree Rogers

Mr. Norman Pearlstine & Mrs. Jane Elizabeth Boon

Mr. Sumner Redstone

Mr. Paul Steiger & Mrs. Wendy Brandes

Music

Mr. Justin Bieber

Mr. & Mrs. Leslie Bricusse

Mr. Jon Brion

Mr. T-Bone Burnett & Ms. Callie Khouri

Ms. Suzanne de Passe

Mr. George Drakoulias

Mr. Cee Lo Green

Mr. Curtis `50 Cent` Jackson

Sir Mick Jagger

Sir Elton John & Mr. David Furnish

Ms. k.d. Lang

Madonna & Lourdes

Ms. Aimee Mann & Mr. Michael Penn

Mr. & Mrs. Trent Reznor

Mr. Bruce Roberts

Mr. Atticus Ross & Ms. Claudia Sarne

Mr. Rick Rubin

Ms. Taylor swift

Mr. Justin Timberlake

Mr. Steven Tyler

Mr. Rufus Wainwright

Model

Ms. Brooklyn Decker

Ms. Selita Ebanks

Ms. Elaine Irwin

Photographers

Mr. Jonathan Becker

Mr. Russell James

Mr. & Mrs. Norman Jean Roy

Mr. Steven Meisel

Mr. Phil Stern

Mr. Art Streiber & Ms. Glynis Costin

Mr. Bruce Weber  & Nan Bush

Producer

Mr. & Mrs. J J Abrams

Ms. Darla K. Anderson & Ms. Kori Rae

Mr. Judd Apatow & Ms. Leslie Mann

Mr. Lawrence Bender

Ms. Dana Brunetti

Mr. Iain Canning

Mr. Bruce Cohen

Mr. & Mrs. Michael De Luca

Mr. Sandy Gallin

Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Goldberg

Mr. Samuel Goldwyn, Jr.

Mr. Brian Grazer & Ms. Chosan Nguyen

Mr. David Hoberman & Mr. Todd Lieberman

Mr. Dan Jinks

Mr. Mike Judge

Mr. Laurence Mark

Mr. Seth McFarlane

Mr. & Mrs. Mike Medavoy

Mr. Brian Oliver

Ms. Mary Parent & Mr. Javier Chapa

Mr. Brett Ratner

Ms. Anne Rosellini & Mr. Eric Hedbloom

Mr. & Mrs. George Schlatter

Mr. Josh Schwartz

Ms. Jennifer Todd

Ms. Suzanne Todd

Mr. Gareth Unwin & Ms. Rosie Ellis

Mr. & Mrs. Irwin Winkler

Representative – Agent

Mr. Dan Aloni

Mr. Jeffrey Berg

Mr. Jim Berkus

Ms. Boaty Boatwright

Ms. Carol Bodie

Mr. John Burnham

Mr. & Mrs. Ari Emanuel

Mr. Charles Finch

Mr. & Mrs. David Gersh

Mr. Kevin Huvane

Mr. Bryan Lourd & Mr. Bruce Bozzi

Ms. Elyse Scherz

Mr. Jeremy Zimmer

Society

Mrs. Wallis Annenberg & Kris Levine

Ms. Fabiola Beracasa

Mrs. Betsy Bloomingdale

Mrs. Barbara Davis

Ms. Vanessa Getty

Ms. Alexandra Kotur

Mr. Jean Pigozzi

Julianna Smoot

Mrs. Lynn Wyatt

Sports

Mr. Mike Fisher

Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Jones

Mr. Shaun White

Ms. Serena Williams

Studio

Mr. Chris Albrecht & Ms. Montana Cody

Mr. Michael Barker

Mr. Tom Bernard

Mr. & Mrs. Jon Feltheimer

Mr. & Mrs. Jim Gianopulos

Mr. & Mrs. Steve Gilula

Mr. Brad Grey & Ms. Cassandra Huysentruyt

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Katzenberg

Ms. Donna Langley & Mr. Ramin Shamshiri

Mr. & Mrs. John Lasseter

Mr. & Mrs. Ron Meyer

Mr. Leslie Moonves & Ms. Julie Chen

Mr. Jeff Robinov

Mr. Rich Ross

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Rothman

Ms. Stacey Sher & Mr. Kerry Brown

Mr. Chip Sullivan

Mr. Tucker Tooley

Mr. Harvey Weinstein & Ms. Georgina Chapman

Mr. Jerry Weintraub & Ms. Susan Ekins

Tech

Mr. Jeff Bezos

Mr. Jack Dorsey

Mr. & Mrs. Elon Musk

Mr. Sean Parker

Mr. Christopher Poole

Mr. & Mrs. Eric Schmidt

Mr. & Mrs. Terry Semel

Mr. Peter Thiel

Bryce Dallas Howard To Direct First Feature Film

Roger Friedman
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Bryce Dallas Howard To Direct First Feature Film

Exclusive: With all the Oscar stories and people swirling around this weekend, I did run into one of my favorite people, Bryce Dallas Howard, the talented and beautiful daughter of director Ron Howard. Coincidentally I’d seen Ron at lunch one day last week at the Grill on the Alley in Beverly Hills. But Ron–who’s prepping Stephen King’s “The Dark Tower,” didn’t tell me Bryce’s news; she did. Bryce is getting ready to direct her first feature and follow in her dad’s steps. T

he film, called “The Originals,” was written with her writing partner Dane Charbonneau. Previous reports suggested Ron might direct the film but they were inaccurate.

Bryce told me: “It’s like a “Breakfast Club” for my generation.” Bryce turns 30 next week, so she’ll be inviting some actors her age to be in the film which, of course, will be distributed by Imagine/Universal. Any actors in mind? “So far, I wrote a part for Zoe Saldana. But there are so many good choices out there.” Bryce is not giving up acting. She’s in the “Twilight” film series, but keep an eye out for her in “The Help” coming in April. The buzz is very strong.

Exclusive: Charlie Sheen’s Publicist Stan Rosenfield Fires Star

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Charlie Sheen’s Publicist Stan Rosenfield Fires Star

Stan Rosenfield, a beloved and honorable press agent, is quitting Charlie Sheen this morning. Rosenfield has worked for Sheen for eight years, masterfully guiding him through his divorces from both Denise Richards and Brooke Mueller. Stan –whose other clients include Robert DeNiro, George Clooney, and Kelsey Grammer–has also had to deal with Sheen’s public misbehavior over the years. But the last couple of weeks spelled the end of their relationship. Sheen has run wild, ignoring Rosenfield and booking TV and radio interviews without him. As I wrote last week. Stan–a new grandfather–was on a plane from LA to NY for Kelsey Grammer’s wedding when Sheen went ballistic and took on CBS. By the time the plane landed, “Two and a Half Men” was cancelled and Sheen was labeled an anti-Semite. Sheen can blast CBS, Chuck Lorre, and anyone else, by the way. But Hollywood knows and loves Rosenfield.

Meantime, Sheen’s public nervous breakdown continues. It hasn’t helped that plenty of people have decided to exploit him and enable him. ABC News, The Today Show, and of course, TMZ are complicit in the exploitation of this sad men with sunken eyes ranting incoherently. The Today Show interview with Jeff Rossen is particularly painful. The TMZ interview, conducted at Sheen’s fake baronial Hollywood palace, is a total embarrassment. And Sheen rants on and on about “violent love” and :”violent hate.” He’s advocating drug use, attacking AA, and creating a miserable legacy for his four small children and his adult daughter.

BTW, and this is funny: Rosenfield sent out a short statement about quitting. TMZ described as something sent just to them. It was sent to everyone. And Rosenfield didn’t quit because of the TMZ interview. He happened to text Sheen his resignation not knowing that the former TV star was doing his live interview.

Billy Crystal Oscar Cameo: “I Did Three Hours Prep for a Minute and a Half”

Roger Friedman
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Billy Crystal Oscar Cameo: “I Did Three Hours Prep for a Minute and a Half”

Billy Crystal turned up with his family at the Governors Ball following the Oscars and got star treatment. In the 1930s themed nightclub setting, Crystal was seated right among the nominees. He told me thought James Franco and Anne Hathaway were just great, and that they well represented young Hollywood. Billy, who would be a welcome host next year or any year, said his little cameo in the middle of the show still required a lot of work. “I prepped for three hours a minute and a half on screen,” Billy said “But it was worth it.” We love him. Next year, Academy, Billy please…

The Governor’s Ball should have been called “Meet the Parents”: Tom Hooper’s mum and dad, Helena Bonham Carter’s mum, the Franco and Hathaway families. Anne Hathaway’s mom, a stage musical actress, only found out she was going to be on the show at 1am on Sunday. Mitzi Verne, James Franco’s spunky grandmother, had a few hours’ more notice, by the way. David O. Russell’s dad was sales director at Simon & Schuster for Simon & Schuster for about 30 years. We reminisced about publishing; he worked with Carly Simon’s dad, the founder of the company. He told me that David’s mom didn’t speak to him for three years after “Spanking the Monkey,” Russell’s first film, about a mother -son fling…

A lot of people stayed late at the Governor’s Ball and never made it anywhere else. Warren Beatty and Annette Bening made it their only after show stop. Warren got into a heavy looking discourse with James Schamus, Annette was busy discussing the magnificent jewelry she’d borrowed with two friends. Meanwhile Natalie Portman and her family held court very low profile away and to the side of the main action. Sony’s Sir Howard Stringer commanded “The Social Network table where Justin Timberlake was fighting a cold. Later I saw JT with Jessica Biel at the Vantiy Fair party. Sir Howard nixed the idea that Sony had some how given up on “The Social Network.” “We really wanted to win,” he said wistffully. “But the Academy is older, and many of them may not have known what Facebook was.”

Sidney Lumet: Thinking of A Film Great Who Never Won an Oscar

Roger Friedman
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Sidney Lumet: Thinking of A Film Great Who Never Won an Oscar

When Steven Spielberg mentioned on last night’s Oscar show a few great movies that never won the Academy Award, I got to thinking about Sidney Lumet–especially because his one time mother in law Lena Horne was honored in a tribute during the show. Lumet received an honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 2005.

At 86, he is now facing some health issues;  I couldn’t help but think of his towering contribution to the film canon when Spielberg was talking. As recently as four years ago, Lumet made a shocking masterpiece called “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead.” The film would have been an Oscar contender except for the fact that its distributor had no money and failed to follow through at all. It was heartbreaking. Under Lumet’s guidance, “Devil” actors Philip Seymour Hofffman, Ethan Hawke and Marisa Tomei gave Oscar calibre performances. But the whole thing remains a hidden classic.

Lumet’s better known gems are just that: “Serpico,” “Q&A,” “Prince of the City,” and “Night in Manhattan” are the blueprints for any director who wants to make a police procedural with New York verisimilitude. “Daniel,” “Running on Empty,” and “Dog Day Afternoon” have the feel of cultural landmarks. “Fail Safe” was the first and still the scariest of all doomsday movies, with Henry Fonda’s voice still ringing in your ears long after the film is over. It was Lumet who found Michael Jackson’s film presence in “The Wiz” and brought it to life for the first time.

And then there are two films I think of together: “Network” and “12 Angry Men.” In his excellent speech last night, Aaron Sorkin referenced Paddy Chayefsky’s screenplay for “Network.” Lumet turned Howard Beale and “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore” into transcenders of the gestalt. And think of it: “Network,” with all its cynicism and anger, came just as Richard Nixon was forced from office. Howard Beale, sweating in his trench coat, spoke for everyone.

And did I mention that Lumet is a great guy, one of the most beloved New York figures, and father of Jenny, much awarded screenrwiter of “Rachel Getting Married”? She told me the other night that she and director Jonathan Demme were working on a new film, and that Sidney had helped fix a problem in the second act of the script.

This is a ‘get well’ card, Sidney, and know that film lovers would be bereft without your amazing work.

Oscar Exclusive: Penelope Cruz Names Baby; James Franco in NYC

Roger Friedman
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Oscar Exclusive: Penelope Cruz Names Baby; James Franco in NYC

Here are a few notes from last night’s Oscars. More will be coming this afternoon. Exclusive: Penelope Cruz says that her baby son with husband Javier Bardem is named Leonardo. I don’t think it’s for DiCaprio. “He is so beautiful,” Penelope told just as the Oscar show ended; she and Javier were among those meeting and greeting after the show, in the Kodak Theater just below the stage. Penelope says she’s not going back to work any time soon…James Franco was back in NY and heading for New Haven by 7am eastern time. He took the 10:40pm flight from LA, right from the Kodak Theater. He had to get back to class…Michelle Williams did battle a cold or virus all day yesterday. “I’ve been in bed five days and all I feel like doing is sleeping,” she told me. “I did everything to make this day good.” Her bff Busy Phillips was one of her guests…Sandra Bullock, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner and Kevin Huvane hung out in the little bar by the stage, where everyone complained that there was no TV. (There used to be.)  Ruffalo also got into a big talk with “Animal Kingdom” nominee Jacki Weaver… “Inception” director Chris Nolan got a Champagne toast from his friends and family…”Restrepo” filmmaker Sebastian Junger also hung out…so did Wendi Murdoch…Anne Hathaway sang with the deejay at the Chateau Marmont for the Weinstein Company after party…

Calling the Oscars a “Snorefest” Will Get You Punished

Roger Friedman
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Michael Fleming worked at Variety as a highly regarded reporter for 20 years. He’s always covered the Academy Awards. He doesn’t much like even going to parties, but he does it. Now his new boss, Nikki Finke, has made a big mistake. And the result is that Fleming will not be at the Kodak today.

Finke managed to get press credentials for Fleming pulled by the Academy. Why? She not only printed the entire list of the planned Oscar broadcast, but she then labeled it a “snorefest.” The story got picked up on the Drudge Report, which is like skywriting it all over the world and putting up billboards in every major city.

Finke finked out on the Oscars. It makes no sense–why does she want to destroy the main event of the business she covers? Yes, she is vicious and angry all the time, makes fun of people on her blog, calls them names. That isn’t “power.” That’s just making noise. Loud, obnxious nose. It’s also not journalism. There was no “scoop” in printing the entire rundown of the show. What’s the point? But even worse was her mocking of the show. FiInke pisses all over everything, then says she’s surprised no one likes her.

The sad part is that Fleming, a most likeable guy, has been drawn into her misery. I will miss seeing him at the Kodak Theater (although he’ll go to after parties). But it’s disheartening certainly for Fleming, who’s a real journalist, to miss the most important event of the year for the industry he covers.

Meantime, Finke hasn’t had such a good week. HBO wisesly cancelled plans for a show loosely based on her. And she sent a “cease and desist” letter to Sharon Waxman at The Wrap.com. Waxman used to crib from my Fox News column all the time. Now Finke is claiming she steals from her. It’s funny, because Finke’s other people often help themselves to stories from this column and others. Her London guy, Tim Adler, is a major recycler of what he’s read in the UK papers.

Helena Bonham Carter: She May Wrap Herself in the Flag Tonight

Roger Friedman
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Helena Bonham Carter–Oscar nominee–won’t be wearing the usual designer dress tonight at the Academy Awards. No Prada, Armani, Dior, Gucci for her. HBC, who is an original herself, will be wearing a costume designed by Oscar winner and nominee tonight Colleen Atwood. Atwood does all of Tim Burton’s costumes for his films. What will it be like? I asked Helena. Colorful? “Widow’s weeds,” she told me at Harvey Weinstein’s SoHo House party last night. We were sitting in a booth with Tim, HBC’s mum, and our pal Melody Korenbrot. Helena said: “This whole thing has become about the fashion industry. I want to bring back to movies.” And this wasn’t even her original plan. HBC wanted to wear “a flag–the British flag and it drapes around. But everyone said it was too much!” She laughed. “I may wear it to the after parties. It would be a shame to waste it.” Yes, it would!

Barry Diller’s Senior Picnic: Maureen Dowd Gets Shot Down

Roger Friedman
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0

Ok. so while the “kids” at the Independent Spirit Awards were handing out statues down on the beach in Santa Monica, Barry Diller was having his annual picnic for Hollywood elders. Oprah and Gayle, Ellen DeGeneres, Valentino, Shirley Maclaine, Anderson Cooper, Jessica Alba, plus all the media heavyweights like Eisner, Katzenerg, Murdoch. Brad Grey, Ron Meyer, Harvey Weinstein everyone was there who wasn’t involved in a current movie. My favorite story, about Dani Janssen, who’s the smartest person in town. Dani gives her annual Oscar party. No press, and you must have won or been nominated for an Academy Award. Penny Marshall is first at the viewing party, Clint Eastwood and Jack Nicholson are usually there, and Dani serves her famous homemade monkey bread. Former superagent Sue Mengers tells Dani she must bring New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd. “Don’t worry,” Sue says, “no one will recognize her.” Says Dani, who once found Andy Warhol’s tape recorder under her couch cushions the morning after she’d allowed him into her party: “You know what, stay home, see you another year!” Dani stands her ground, Hollywood remains safe. We love Dani Janssen!

Arianna Huffington Posts Nicole, Keith, Moby for Veggie Book Party

Roger Friedman
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Considering how carniverous Hollywood is, a lot of celebs made it to Arianna Huffington’s party on Friday night for Vegan crusader Kathy Freston (“Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change The World”).  Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban even put in an appearance because their friend Wendi Murdoch co-hosted.  It does seem like Kathy and Arianna have a friend’s pact to throw each other respective book parties– Kathy in New York  and Arianna in LA. They’re very prolific.

What a party it was.  Our Leah Sydney reports that the big names like Candice Bergen Rob Reiner, Moby and Saturday Night Live’s Lorne Michaels huddled in a corner. Manager Dolores Robinson chatted up CBS Leslie Moonves and his  wife  Julie Chen. Kathy’s media mogul husband Tom Freston,  Paramount’s Brad Grey and Imagine’s Brian Grazer confabbed with Oliver Stone, who brought his lovely daughter Tara as his date and told us he’s in the editing room-still working on his ten hour documentary-’Oliver Stone’s Secret History of America’- editing it-and working on the script for ‘Savages,’ his next thriller.

And more: Alana Stewart chatting with Barbara and Nancy Davis,  comedian and director David Steinberg and his lovely producer wife Robyn Todd., Frances Fisher chatting with singer Jimmy Demers and Marla Maples, New York refugee Richard Johnson. Manager John Carrabino, Bob Daly, Jeff Bezos, Lawrence Bender, Tracy Ullman, Jim Wiatt,  Robert Iger and Willow Bay, Rick Nicita and Paula Wagner, Kimberly Brooks (wife of Albert), and Agapi Stassinopolous, Arianna’s writer-sister.

PS How many of these people headed to In N Out Burger right afterwards, I cannot say accurately. But we should really listen to Kathy!

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