May 16-22 – Open All Night gave Irishman Bono a lesson in American-style equality in Philadelphia, the birthplace of liberty. After a rally for The One Campaign on Sunday, we asked to photograph the U2 front man with Independence Hall, the place where the Declaration of Independence was signed, in the background. Parks Department officials preferred instead to allow the rocker/humanitarian (and us) into the Liberty Bell Pavilion just across the street, even though it was now closed for the day. When we asked about metal detectors, officials said that wasn’t necessary. A few minutes later, a female Parks executive rescinded, saying no press would be allowed inside, and called it a “first amendment issue”. Having just listened to Bono wax eloquently on the importance of equality, we objected strongly, asking why a celebrity should be granted special access to the Liberty Bell after closing hours without being searched for weapons, when nobody else could. We pointed to Independence Hall and quoted from the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal. The Park official asked if we realized that because of our objections, Bono would not be able to see the Liberty Bell. We understood, and when the car pulled up slowly the official waved it on. We mentioned that Bono was welcome to see the bell the next day during regular hours, along with everyone else.

The following evening at the Whitney Museum, most of the guests - including Donald Trump and various fired Apprentice types - had left the Operation Smile 2004 Couture benefit by the time Mariah Carey got there. We'd just left a screening of Shrek 2, where Julie Andrews and Antonio Banderas hosted Melanie Griffith, Susan Sarandon, Joan Rivers, James Gandolfini and William Baldwin. Heather Harlan brought her two children, and, sadly, her husband Tony Randall passed away that same night.

At the Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, fans screamed, “We love you Martha!” to Martha Stewart, whose TV show has been dropped by many outlets due to her legal troubles. “Oh sure, you say that now!”, she joked.

In Beverly Hills, David Arquette left his pregnant wife Courtney resting at home when he and siblings Alexis, Rosanna and Patricia got together at the Southern California Counseling Center’s City Lights Gala, where their late mother Mardi was honored. David said that they are not expecting twins, haven’t chosen a name and wouldn’t reveal the baby’s sex. He said he thinks it’s sweet that Gwyneth Paltrow named her daughter Apple, and his brother Alexis joked that David plans on calling his child Mango. Alexis, often dressed in drag, then broke the news that he is pregnant.

With Jen Lowery in Los Angeles