The Atkin Report

February 28, 2007
DEPARTED, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
It’s all over but the huge DVD sales for The Departed. Oscar Week 2007. Let out sigh of relief here. After the hands-off non-campaign that paid off big time for Marty Scorsese (finally, after six nominations!) and screenwriter William (“Valium does work!) Monahan, Brad Grey can still tell everyone he produced the film.
Was Jack Nicholson taking a page from the Britney Spears songbook? His riveting turn in the film as Irish mob boss Frank Costello didn’t rate with the Academy this time, but it turns out his new ‘do is actually for another role--in Rob Reiner’s The Bucket List, in which he plans a cancer patient livin’ life to the fullest before the inevitable end. We should all do that.
Ellen Degeneres’ line, “Without blacks, Jews and gays, there would be no Oscars—or anyone named Oscar,” will go down in Academy Awards lore. Take that, red states, along with almost-president Al Gore’s anointment as the biggest politico turned huge movie star since….never. Sacha Baron Cohen turned down a presenter’s gig, leaving his Golden Globes acceptance speech to evoke the warm fuzzy memories of Borat this awards season.
Speaking of, co-star Ken Davitian, fresh off a glowing Los Angeles Times feature that revealed him to be an American-born restaurant owner (The Dip in Hollywood and in Sherman Oaks) spent Oscar night greeting well-wishers at the fabulous AIDS Project LA bash at the Abbey. Hosted by Jennifer Love Hewitt, the SBE Entertainment Group created a magnificent viewing dinner atmosphere under a see-through tent with sparkly lights and stunning floral arrangements by Gabriel Pacheco for the 650 invited guests. Fresh off the stage of the Kodak theater, the Pilobolus dance troupe made a surprise entrance to perform for the crowd.

CATCH THE SPIRIT
With AMPAS blowing off its celebrated $100k gift bag because the tax man cometh, there wasn’t exactly a shortage of swag around town. Backstage at the Independent Spirit Awards Saturday in a tent at the beach, On 3 Productions hosted a presenter gifting lounge that attracted the likes of Sharon Stone, Robert Downey, Jr., Matt Dillon, Minnie Driver, James Franco, Rachel Bilson, Lucy Liu, John Waters, Zach Braff, Rosario Dawson and Sally Kellerman. Each was given a red or black rolling Kipling bag to load up with goodies including two nights in an executive suite at a Thompson hotel, a $5,000 gift certificate for Lasik, a Dior Beauty flight kit with a killer white leather-encased mini-makeup palette (Stone loved it), stunning Melamed Italian leather belts (Dawson grabbed two), Ugg sheepskin thongs (sandals, folks, they haven’t ventured into lingerie yet) Invicta rose gold diamond-encrusted watches and round cufflinks made of moving parts, which Dillon wore on stage. Oh, and a Palm Treo smartphone and organic body products from Desert Essence.
Alterna’s TEN Shampoo and Conditioner Collection, made with VOSS® Artesian Water, given to Spirit presenters, along with $25,000 to the WaterAid Foundation

FEKKAI, LIBERACE, ANASTASIA AND SONYA DAKAR
Oscar Week is about nothing so much as getting gorgeous, from a brilliant blowout by Frederic Fekkai to a masterful pedicure from Melissa Bozant. The big beauty guns and makeup houses with their top artists were all in town, set up in salons, hotel suites and houses in the hills, providing the primping for days and nights on the town. Laura Mercier was loving winged eyeliner, and either gold or silver shimmer on the face. But with red lipstick, “no shimmer, no gloss,” she admonished. “Red lipstick makes you instantly beautiful, glamorous and chic. It gives you elegance, femininity and sexuality, but you have to wear it with confidence. It will make you look like a million bucks.” Go for it, girls.

You’re beautiful! Cosmetics queen Laura Mercier (center) with company makeup artists Jerry Johnson and Barbie Laurino at Frederic Fekkai

Superstar facialist Sonya Dakar was working with long-time client Gwyneth Paltrow at her eponymous Beverly Hills salon, while the building buzzed with a top-tier swag suite featuring sexy silk pleated dresses from ABS, trendy makeup by Tarte and Flux Nouveau clothing--and an upstairs lounge space designed by Carrie Zack, where the Supreme vodka martinis were free-flowing .
Brow diva Anastasia opened her home up to VIP guests (and camera crews) who noshed on sushi, shrimp cocktail and fresh-squeezed juices as she and Prive’s Laurent D. worked their beauty magic as other guests snared lingerie from Wendy Glez, Backlace necklaces and Kaenon sunglasses. Supporting actress nominee Rinko Kikuchi, trailing a retinue of handlers and admirers, took a cigarette break out by the pool.
At the Liberace rooftop/poolside venue hosted by Primary Action, Isla Fisher (funny, Sasha Cohen Skater was there but not her Sacha Cohen Borat) was intrigued by the Pucci-like swimwear from Barcelona’s Maji Beachwear, Paul Haggis and his wife were entranced with the eco-friendly and cruelty-free products from Eminence Organics and Neve Campbell was all smiles as she was given a gold charm bracelet from jeweler Simona Rosato. Other guests ate up Kama Sutra products (literally--they’re edible) and checked out House of Petro Zillia, Tigi Bed Head’s new cosmetics, the Krol Vodka bar and Peruvian cigars.

Table for six:
The view from the SoHo House

SAFE HAVEN/SOHO HOUSE
Private lunches and dinners kept the week-long SoHo House humming with a parade of black Cadillac Escalades dispensing guests to a home off of Doheny. Along with untold quantities of Perrier Jouet, guests grabbed Earnest Sewn jeans, Cowshed body products, Mac cosmetics, Hugo Boss apparel and Mulberry leather goods.
At the nearby Haven House, swag suite by day also turned into parties every night, including a fete for Signature International, showcasing the photographs from celebrity photographers including Jessica Alba, Forest Whitaker, Laura Harring, Michael Madsen, Natalie Portman and Susan Sarandon. They’ll be auctioned off to charities of each photog’s choice. Yes, often it is so much better to give rather than to receive…..

Swarovski Rocks:
Over the top costumes like this fanciful get-up, paired with wild makeup on the models (green lipstick, anyone?) wowed the crowd at the Ace Gallery Bev Hills soiree last Tuesday

SAD, BUT TRUE
Overheard at the Independent Spirit Awards afterparty Saturday at Shutters from a partygoer clearly very pissed (in both the British and American senses of the word) at a Fox Searchlight executive: “You didn’t return my calls. Blow me. I’ll see you at Patrick Whitesell’s party—maybe.”

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