New York, August 30, 2007 - For the most part, only the New York-based stars of Romance & Cigarettes made it to the movie musical’s New York premiere on Thursday, and it was still a pretty star-studded evening. Susan Sarandon, James Gandolfini, Steve Buscemi, Aida Turturro and Bobby Cannavale turned out with assorted family members in tow. However, director John Turturro’s stellar cast also included Kate Winslet, Mary-Louise Parker, Mandy Moore and Christopher Walken. (Walken is becoming Mr. Musical, having just appeared in Hairspray.)

At the premiere, Turturro pointed to the movie poster, which features Kate Winset’s breasts, and said, “They’re real, you know.” Stunned onlookers asked how he knew this. “She was breastfeeding on the set”, he explained. (Winslet’s son with Sam Mendes, Joe, was just a few months old during the 2004 film shoot.)

The cast on Bobby Cannavale’s wrist is the result of a fall from his motorbike. “Everybody thinks I have carpal tunnel syndrome!” he said. “I don’t know what’s worse – that I fell off my Vespa, or that I look like I have carpal tunnel syndrome”.

Gandolfini photo: Joy E. Scheller/LFI

New York, August 28, 2007 – We never expected a protest rally at a screening of Death Sentence on Tuesday – this was a very low-key event at the tiny Tribeca Cinemas in lower Manhattan.

But the protesters matched the evening’s mood – just a few very polite folks from United Students Against Sweatshops gathered in an orderly fashion outside the theater. Their beef is with Hanes, which they claim exploits workers in the Dominican Republic in the production t-shirts for star Kevin Bacon’s charitable organization, Sixdegrees.org. Their large banner that said, “Kevin – tell Hanes to end the exploitation of workers” seemed to work; when Bacon arrived, he walked directly over to the protesters and listened to their spiel, spoke earnestly with them and shook hands with each before hitting the red carpet. We couldn’t overhear the conversation, but the protesters told us later that Bacon said he’d look into the situation now that he’s been informed.

Another surprise at the screening was John Travolta, whose wife, Kelly Preston co-stars in Death Sentence. People were buzzing that Garrett Hedlund resembles a young Brad Pitt; in fact, you can see Pitt and Hedlund together (in skirts) in 2004’s Troy.

New York, August 28, 2007 – Ashton Kutcher has it pretty good, leaving Demi Moore at home in the morning and heading off to work with Cameron Diaz, with whom he’s currently filming What Happens in Vegas. We found the comely co-stars shooting scenes outside a lower Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday, and Diaz, who infamously raged at paparazzi during her relationship with Justin Timberlake, seems to have calmed down and embraced her fame now that they’ve split.

At one point, the blonde-again star flipped the finger toward the gaggle of paparazzi gathered at the movie set. Once the scene was finished, however, she went over to the photographers and told them that the gesture was not aimed at them. “That wasn’t meant for you guys; it was for someone else”, she said. She was actually...nice.

Los Angeles, August 26, 2007 – This year’s Teen Choice Awards ceremony was undeniably star-studded, but an odd contingent of pseudo-celebrities also attended. While American Idol winners Jordin Sparks (sporting a new hair style) and Kelly Clarkson hit the green carpet at the Gibson Amphitheatre, so did first season runner-up Justin Guarini and last season’s hair sensation Sanjaya Malakar.

Jessica Alba said that she was in a rush and wouldn’t spend much time on the carpet, and then posed up a storm with anyone in her vicinity, including her Good Luck Chuck co-star Dane Cook. Hilary Duff did rush through, but she had an excuse – she co-hosted the show along with Nick Cannon.

Avril Lavigne had pinkish streaks in her hair, and the pint-sized rocker hasn’t lost her taste for ultra-heavy eye makeup. Avril and her man Deryck Whibley came in separate cars, she solo and he with his Sum 41 band-mates.

Lovebirds Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens also declined to walk the carpet together. Zac was surrounded by young female fans demanding photos and autographs while Vanessa marched over to Kelly Clarkson and introduced herself, right in front of us.

Eve wore pants, but we could still make out the ankle monitor that she wears thanks to her DUI case. Early on it seemed as though rain would spoil the arrivals, but Mother Nature cooperated, leaving us dry as the winners paraded their surfboard trophies backstage.