Los Angeles, November 8 – It stopped raining before Louis Vuitton’s United Cancer Front gala got underway, but Mother Nature left an elegant calling card in the form of stained carpeting. Held outdoors on a Universal Studios back lot, we were perplexed as to why they didn’t just put the party into one of the massive soundstages nearby. The backdrop of the familiar LV logo material was completely waterlogged. Ah well, since everyone else will probably airbrush out the mess underfoot, we thought we’d show you the ugly reality, in photos at left.

Sarah Jessica Parker was one of the hosts of the event, and she’d just flown in from New York, where the night before she was on the town for the opening of hubby Matthew Broderick’s new play, The Foreigner. Sarah was sporting a gigantic ring on her finger, and said she had to lose weight just to get it on.

Dustin Hoffman, another co-host, was playful, showing a TV reporter his socks, blowing raspberries on the shoulder of Access Hollywood’s Nancy O’Dell, and switching places with some paparazzi, pulling them onto the red carpet and jumping into their ranks himself.

Jamie Foxx, whispering Oscar with his just-out biopic Ray, was the event’s third host. How come we never noticed that tattoo running across the back of his head before?

Photos by Jen Lowery

New York, November 8 – Note to self: must get subscription to Glamour magazine. Those people are doing something right, their annual their Women of the Year Awards is glutted with stars. This year’s honorees included Kate Winslet, Alicia Keys and Kelly Ripa as well as brave soldiers, businesswomen, journalists,activists and fashion designers. The awards were on Monday at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, and for the first time, will be broadcast nationally beginning on November 13.

Predictably, the question flying around among all the serious journalists was about Tara Reid’s recent exposure mishap; and Kelly Ripa deadpanned, “If that had happened to me, they would have thought it was a fly and swatted at me.”

Sarah Michelle Gellar, riding high on the success of her hit movie, The Grudge, presented the award to Ripa. Others doling out the trophies included Susan Sarandon, Natalie Cole, Pierce Brosnan, Jon Stewart, Ethan Hawke and Katie Holmes.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson dashed over to the gala after working the red carpet at the premiere of his new Christmas-themed movie The Polar Express. And the couple must have been having a great time at the Glamour bash; they decided not to show at his movie’s after-party at Rockefeller Center, leaving Bruce Willis, director Robert Zemeckis and a lot of gossip columnists disappointedly sipping hot chocolate and skating on the famous ice rink.

October 28 - November 4 – We figured out how Johnny Depp and Angela Lansbury got the Actors’ Fund of America to honor them for their artistic achievements. Both actors pulled on their right ears at the non-profit’s gala at the Waldorf on Saturday. We’re tugging on our lobes – if this works we’re golden for next year’s awards.

We’re big fans of Chucky, and the slasher series’ human star, Jennifer Tilly, led this year’s Greenwich Village Halloween parade, to usher in her newest flick, Seed of Chucky. Jennifer did Chucky proud, chain-smoking and drinking her way (note the funny color of that Poland Spring water in the photo at left) along the parade route, stopping, naturally, for frequent makeup touchups.

One more Hollywood star to blame the Kerry loss on. Election day eve we found Uma Thurman at BLVD, a club down on the Bowery, urging folks to get out and vote. Uma, those drunk partiers at the club probably didn’t even get out of bed to vote the next day. Showing up at the polls and frightening off any republicans with your Kill Bill sword skills would have been far more effective. Not to mention more entertaining for those stuck waiting in line.

L.A. Fashion week was celeb-lite this season, but we met up with Tara Reid, shirt fully intact, a few days before her infamous breast spectacular. Also running around ogling models were Samaire Armstrong, U2’s The Edge, Carmen Electra and mother of Britney Spears’ stepchildren, Shar Jackson.

Yep, that was Colin Farrell at Barney’s in Beverly Hills, unveiling a window display of the costumes from his upcoming film, Alexander (but unfortunately not wearing one). While Farrell was there, Brit pop star Robbie Williams came outside of the store for a smoke, but asked us not to take photos of him. And we listened, can you believe it?

With Jen Lowery in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, November 4 – While it was a bit odd that American Tom Hanks received a Britannia Award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, even more odd was rapper 50 Cent presenting director Jim Sheridan (In America) with a trophy at the Beverly Hilton bash. Mr. Cent was there because he’s working with Sheridan on a film about his life, Eminem/8 Mile-style. The notoriously tough Mr. Cent - famously riddled with nine bullets one night – was in a great mood, laughing and joking, telling Open All Night that he’s not fond of walking red carpets, preferring to sneak in through the back door. Psst: 50 Cent told us he will appear at next week’s Vibe Awards.

Speaking of sneaking in the back door, Meg Ryan, Kate Winslet and Colin Farrell did just that at this BAFTA soiree, brilliantly avoiding us.

Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson were also giddy and joking. While Rita was being photographed, Tom took on the role of tabloid reporter, asking her who she’d be sleeping with that night. She then grabbed her husband and said, “Oh, let’s do prom pictures”, slipped her arm through his, stood erect and turned toward the press. Michael Caine and Jeremy Irons, both presenters, talked and laughed together, and British actress Helen Mirren also received an award.

Photos by Jen Lowery

New York, November 4 – P. Diddy didn’t run naked down Wall Street at his birthday party as he promised the other day, but Tara Reid did. We thought it was intentional when the starlet dropped her dress strap, popped her left breast out and then posed, smiling for photographers. When a handler tiptoed over and tugged the loose strap back into place, a look of horror crossed Reid’s face, and we realized it was a mistake. Reid drew all the attention, outdoing Paris Hilton, who kept sweeping up her long gown, letting us know she wasn’t wearing undies. Expect major fireworks from Paris; she doesn’t take not being the center of attention lying down.

The theme of the bash was royalty, complete with trumpeters playing from a balcony, and rose petals strewn along the entrance to Cipriani Wall Street. A gigantic ball of red roses bore the inscription “PD” topped by a crown, so we can apparently return to addressing the host as P. Diddy, rather than as Sean Combs, as he demanded earlier this year.

More drama on the set of Life & Style. Co-host Cynthia Garret told us that a couple in Thursday's audience was ushered out of the studio because, er -how can we put this delicately - a guy's girlfriend was pleasuring him by using her hand.

Sean Lennon and Milla Jovovich arrived late, and were all couple-ish. Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri were even later, and we’ll skip the wardrobe malfunction jokes.

Boston, November 2-3 – We went up to Massachusetts for one of those new-fangled same-sex weddings. Yes, Tuesday night is kind of an off time for a wedding, but how very modern. We hate to stereotype, but these guys really know how to throw a party. They took over Copley Square in the middle of Boston, and forget DJ’s – the entertainment was Sheryl Crow, Jon Bon Jovi, The Black Eyed Peas, James Taylor and Carole King all performing live. Everyone stayed up all night partying, but sadly, the happy couple – John Kerry and John Edwards, who are both involved in politics or something – gathered guests in Faneuil Hall the next day and announced they were splitting up. Anybody need a toaster?

New York, October 31 – That dented silver Rolls you see around town is Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’. Combs was in rare form at Mariah Carey’s very, very private Halloween party Sunday night at the brand new club Cain. “Call me Trojan”, Combs joked upon arriving around 1 a.m., dressed as a Roman soldier. He went into the club, then back outside a few minutes later, jumped onto the trunk of his car, and from there jumped up to the roof.

“Who’s the best?” Diddy repeatedly said to the crowd around his car; “You are”, we collectively responded. We demanded that he take his mask off, and he obliged, and then offered an irresistible invitation to his 35th birthday party. “This Thursday down at Cipriani Regent, you're all invited. I’m going to walk down Wall Street butt naked, with it all hanging out.“

At one point, Diddy looked down at the car he was standing on and said, “Geez, I’m probably scratching the hell out of it.” He returned to the sidewalk just as Mariah Carey’s car pulled up, and only her entourage poured out. After a while, Diddy peered through the car window and said, “She’s taking too long”, and out popped Carey, dressed as a sexy bride.

Los Angeles, October 29 – Victoria Beckham may be the first designer in history to sit in the front row of her own fashion show. Halfway through the Rock & Republic Spring 2005 show, which included the former Spice girl’s line of jeans, Victoria was led backstage so that she could come out for the end-of-show bow with the other designers.

Now over five months pregnant and starting to bloat, Victoria said she’s expecting a boy, her third, but will not name him until she meets him. Her husband, soccer superstar David Beckham, did not join her in L.A.

Paris Hilton drove herself to the show in a Bentley. Interesting, since Paris was in New York a few days before, shooting her reality show, and supposedly traveling only by Greyhound bus. Does she get weekends off from The Simple Life?

‘N Sync’s J.C. Chasez was solo, as was his rumored new love, Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria, the night before, at the Night of Stars in New York.

Photos by Jen Lowery