April 23-24 – Madonna took some time off from publicizing her new album to celebrate Yehuda Berg’s new book, The 72 Names of God. Rabbi Berg is co-director of The Kabbalah Centre, of which Madonna is a disciple. The overbooked party was a less-than-serene madhouse, with many guests kept waiting outside. Inside, sipping red cocktails amidst blaring rock music were Maddie’s husband Guy Ritchie, fashion designers Roberto Cavalli, Catherine Malandrino and Mark Bouwer, Michael Douglas’ son Cameron, Molly Sims, Padma Lakshmi and Damon Dash. Sandra Bernhard, also a Kabbalah adherent, sported a denim jacket with sequined Jewish Star on the back. Kabbalah may offer just the message its celebrity followers need: in the gift bag, along with the colorful coffee-table-style book, was a long-sleeved black t-shirt bearing the phrase “no more ego”.

Sean Lennon and girlfriend Bijou Phillips showed up for the opening night of Dream a Little Dream, the play about 1960s pop group The Mamas and the Papas. Actress/musician Phillips is the stepdaughter of Michelle Phillips, a member of the group.

Independent film types were feted at the Risk Takers in the Arts Gala. Glenn Close, Kenneth Cole and author Walter Mosley lent their support at the event, hosted by the Sundance Institute.

Back to Madonna, she reportedly left Tower Records after signing CD’s for only about half of the 300 fans who had camped outside for days, but she mustered up enough energy to attend an after party.