Okay, I admit it. When I first heard about the Oscar-winning hunk getting icky cozy with his "Ocean's Thirteen" co-star - an over 50/double divorcee/mother of two - I got a little creeped out.
I mean, this guy could 'date' (and I mean 'date' in precisely the way you think I mean it) any woman in Hollywood. Oh, let's be honest and say it, George could easily get any woman in the world. Twice.
But their new May-December relationship makes a perverse sort of sense. George is always dating gorgeous women younger than his 45 years. And after a while, all the hot young babes start to make those annoying "Where is this relationship going" and "I want a family" whiney noises.
But with Barkin, a good seven years Clooney's senior, there's no biological clock ticking. Heck, it's not even plugged in anymore. So there's no need to keep stalling that dreaded walk down the aisle.
Finally, someone the eternal Hollywood bachelor/hunk can have steamy "Sea of Love" escapades with and not worry about when she'll hit him with an inevitable marriage ultimatum.
Besides, George is not her first younger man. After her divorce from
Gabriel Byrne and before her marriage to Revlon magnate Ron Pearlman, she dated David Arquette. At the time, he was 23 and she
was 40. You go, girl. Anyway, it's not like she's robbing the cradle for George, the way Demi Moore did with poor Ashton Kutcher.
And despite reports of Barkin hawking her jewelry given to her during her five-year marriage to billionaire ex-hubby Perelman, she did get a fairly sizeable settlement - something like $20 million. So she can even afford to 'Go Dutch.'
Can't beat that with a stick, huh, George?
Photo Credits: Newly single Ellen Barkin still knows how to party like a rock star, seen with pal Rebecca De Mornay at Amy Sacco's "Cocktails" party at the Chateau Marmont in July, 2006. But can she keep George Clooney's interest once "Oceans 13" has wrapped? WireImage/Michael Caulfield
In response to my query about what the double finger salute from by the perpetually partying and late-to-the set actress Lindsay Lohan and her "I scowl, therefore I'm tough" DJ pal Samantha Ronson at the Entertainment Weekly pre Emmy party really meant...
Turns out It's not a new millennium Peace Sign or a modern V for Victory double digit flash.
An HB reader writes "The "peace sign" Lohan's friend is giving you is the British version of the finger, meaning "Get Stuffed" or, translated, "Up Yours."
Just to refresh, here are the girls flipping us off. Gosh, their mothers must be so proud.
Neither Prince nor Pink performed at the lavish HBO Emmy bash at the Pacific Design Center. They were busy at their respective gigs – the ET/People party at the Mondrian hotel and the TV Guide bash at Social Hollywood.
But some of the dancers gyrating to the pulse-pounding, percussion-heavy disco tunes (think “Jungle Boogey”) at the HBO Emmy bash were reportedly pros hired to get the party started.
And it worked. Aida Turturro, who plays Tony’s sister on “The Sopranos,” was the first to do a victory dance for HBO’s 26 Emmy wins. She also tried (unsuccessfully) to drag Olympic figure skater Sasha Cohen on the floor but the adorable Skater Girl was too busy doing HBO star-gazing.
And there were plenty of luminaries, honchos and Emmy winners to watch in the clear plexi-tented sprawling patio party, decorated with starfish squiggled carpets, pinky orange lights, bubbling water fountains and buffet tables piled high with beet salad, chicken, pork chops, spicy seafood, and dessert tables littered with tiny crème brulees and baby brownies.
A red-gowned Edie Falco was enthralled with a man performing sleight-of-hand magic tricks at the “Sopranos” table while Lorraine Bracco –in glittery gold - chatted with a pal from Miami, where the show has - and will continue to be – shooting. Stevie Van Zandt – not a bit surprised that “24” won big and pleased about “The Office” acclaim - chowed down at a table next to his jovial "Sopranos" co-starJames Gandolfini. Warren Beatty looked engrossed in deep conversation with New York Times film writer Sharon Waxman while his “Mrs. Harris” Emmy nominated wife Annette Bening talked about her daughter’s fashion sense with a friend she’d not seen since Carrie Fisher’s birthday party.
A few folks looked up briefly when cameras flashed as Paris Hilton slithered by the “Sopranos” table, but they quickly went back to celebrating. Candy Spelling and her son Randy arrived together but quickly seemed to go their separate ways.
Lisa Kudrow didn’t get a gold statue but she still reveled in the validation from her nomination for “The Comeback.”
“It does feel sweet that we got three nominations and so much good press,” she admitted. As she thanked a People scribe for complimenting her black Valentino dress, Kudrow’s handsome French hubby Michel Stern piped in, “It is the back that is even more gorgeous. That is why I wanted her to get onstage, not to pick up that silly thing, but to show the gorgeous back!”
Okay, sweet. But no more Moet & Chandon pink bubbly for you.
“Ray” director Taylor Hackford congratulated an overwhelmed Kelly MacDonald ("The Girl in the Café”) while his Emmy-winner "Elizabeth" wife Helen Mirren, heavenly in a white chiffon Morgana Le Fay gown, hugged her Emmy-holding co-star Jeremy Irons. And it's not easy to hug when holding an Emmy. You could easily put someone's eye out with that sharp winged thing.
Across the room, HBO’s other Jeremy - Jeremy Piven - was literally holding court, his “Entourage” Emmy safely standing on his table. Wearing his now loosened up ascot, Piven was getting high fives, backslaps and hug-it-outs from Kevin Connolly and Nicky Hilton, Adrian Grenier, Perrey Reeves, friends and fans while his Emmy date – his exhausted mom – sat staring at her empty plate with her hands cupped over her ears.
There’s only so much disco a mom can take. Even for her Emmy-winning, ascot-wearing actor son.
The only person enjoying Piven’s win more than Piven was Ari Gold’s assistant Lloyd, played by Rex Lee. So is he worried about Piven’s ego explosion after getting a shot of Emmy gold?
“Oh, I don’t think so,” Lee confided. “And even if the worst thing happened and he got a big head and became insufferable, I could still – if I wanted to – avoid him when we weren’t working. But I get the best of him at work. He’s brilliant and kind-hearted and it’s a blessing to have such great onscreen chemistry.”
At midnight, the party was barely beginning to thin out. Exhausted Emmy host Conan O’Brien was outside talking with Megan Mullally, holding her Emmy and talking about her new talk show, natch. O’Brien’s wife had taken her high heels off and was teetering in her bare feet waiting for their car at the backed-up valet.
Grenier - without any entourage at all – ran down the street and hopped into a small car, probably to whisk over to a hotter party around town. But Lee ran outside to tell departing pals, “You go on. I’m staying here at HBO.”
Wise move, Lloyd.
Photo Credits: Adrian Grenier's only faux pouting about Jeremy Piven's Emmy win at the HBO shindig. I think. WireImage/John Sciulli Lisa Kudrow arrives at HBO's bash with husband Michel Stern. And he's definitely watching her back!
WireImage/Mark Sullivan Photo Credits: The queen and her consort - Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons - put their heads together at the HBO Emmy party WireImage/John Sciulli
Even counterterrorist agent Jack Bauer would have had trouble with the nuclear explosion of congrats showering “24” star Kiefer Sutherland Sunday night.
The actor, still clutching his winged Emmy victory statue for Outstanding Actor in a Drama, sounded overwhelmed, using words like “humbling,” “grateful,” and "thankful,” when he finally made it to the Fox party at Spago in Beverly Hills.
But everyone at the bash agreed: the Kiefer Kudo Attack was long over-due. Sutherland was nominated for the role for five years and rumors were floating around town early Sunday afternoon that this could be the actor’s big night.
After hugging the actor, even Jon Cassar, the Emmy-winning director of “23,” admitted that he’d felt pretty darn sure Sutherland would take home a gold statue.
Inside the packed party, guests including Dennis Haysbert, Jaime Pressley, and Wentworth Miller, who had waited patiently for Sutherland to make his way from the Shrine, had been feeding like locusts on Wolfgang Puck’s spread of seafood, sushi, spring roles and platters of pizza.
Photo Credits: Emmy winners Kiefer Sutherland and "24" director John Cassar have two big shiny gold reasons to smile at the Fox Emmy Party Sunday night. WireImage/Alexandra Wyman
A few stray stars showed up for the Academy of Televison Arts and Sciences party to honor the Emmy nominees at the Pacific Design Center Friday night.
"Rescue Me" star Denis Leary wandered in with his wife Ann. The couple looked around horrified and grabbed a quick nibble from the seafood bar. Cloris Leachman did a longer seated chow down and Jane Kaczmarek ran in and out at the last minute.
This made the highlight of the party the official Emmy sponsor Dove Chocolate display – spinning chocolate trays and a box that opened like a snapping treasure chest – complete with bags for guests to scoop up lotsa chocolate and take it home to stuff their faces.
The far more star-studded affair that night was the Gersh Agency’s annual Emmy nominee bash at the Sunset Towers, sponsored by the numero uno high-end tequila Grand Centenario.
Held out by the pool overlooking the twinkle lights of LA, the movers-and-shakers mixer honored Gersh’s big E nominees Debra Messing, Chris Meloni, Elizabeth Perkins, Kyra Sedgwick, Megan Mullally, Kelly MacDonald, and Jeffrey Tambor, along with several "Project Runway" designers such as Nick, Santino, and Raymundo.
Also enjoying the view:, Mary McCormack, Holland Taylor, James Vanderbeek, Balthazar Getty, Kevin Bacon, Jeff Goldblum, Kevin Nealon, Jonathan Silverman, Robin Tunney. Blythe Danner, who’s not even with the agency, came by to catch up with Messing. Which makes sense. Remember she played Will’s Mom on “Will and Grace” and they’ve both won Women in Film Lucy Awards.
Messing, chatting with Santino, introduced the fledging fashion force to Warren Littlefield, former head of NBC, saying, “And now I want you to meet the man who responsible for my entire career.” At which point, a grateful Santino hugged Littlefield.
Gosh, moments like those are just priceless.
"The Girl in the Cafe" nominee MacDonald ("Nanny McPhee") told me that her dress that night - a sweet, old-fashioned beige frock - cost just $9.99. Turns out it was purchased in a little clothing shop in New Mexico and reworked by costume designer Mary Zophres on MacDonald's just-wrapped Cohen brothersfilm, “No Country for Old Men.”
The film, based on a Cormac McCarthy novel, stars Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones and Woody Harrelson. “Yeah, I know,” Kelly said, with that adorable Scottish lilt. “What a bunch of no-talents.”
At the Emmys, Kelly will wear a slightly more upscale frock from Elsie Katz Couture. “They were so lovely and showed me two dresses. The first was kind of a white flapper dress and it was very pretty but the alternate was the one I really loved.”
And no, I’m not going to spoil the surprise and give away any more details. You’ll just have to watch the show to see it.
Photo Credits: Denis Leary and wife make a pit stop at the official Emmy nominee party Friday night.Apparently, no one told that that one goes to it. WireImage/Mark Sullivan
Photo Credit: Kelly MacDonald - seen here at the London premiere of "Nanny McPhee" - will wear an Elsie Katz design to today's Emmys. WireImage/Ferdaus Shamim
Seems she was also late a lot on that film, as well as on the set of “Georgia Rule,” which also stars Macy’s wife Felicity Huffman. So yeah, let's forget about all those “dehydration” excuses.
But Miss Lohan was all smiles - clad in leggings, loose white top and multiple bracelets - arriving with her pal Samantha Ronson, who was actually not late to work for her DJ duty that night.
“Why do they play the music so loud at a party where all people come for is to talk to each other?” wondered one guest trying to find a spot to stand without blasting ear-drum destroying speakers.
In between screaming and/or struggling to read lips, guests grabbed Revlon lipsticks (even Blythe Danner, who looked like she could use some), scads of really big TV stars, anxious publicists and happy-to-be-invited anywhere civilian guests ate ice cream, checked out the new Chocolate cell phones and grabbed EW mags strewn about the warehouse-sized club.
One issue had "House" doc Hugh Laurie on the cover. So natch, he was there. The other issue’s cover peeps were “Project Runway”’s perpetually pregnant Heidi Klum and her PR costar Tim Gunn.
Hot babes included Allison Janney, posing with Mariska Hargitay, in a brown jacket/black jeans, Lisa Edelstein, Kate Walsh,Maggie Grace, Rebecca Gayheart, Sarah Chalke and Angie Harmon.
Tina Fey, Lauren Graham and a tan and actually hot-looking Matthew Perry posed together for photos. Cheryl Hines and Kim Raver, looking tres sexy in a fitted white dress with a bit of black bra showing, were in the house, as well as Lisa (“my lips are so real”) Rinna and Harry Hamlin.
“Rescue Me” nominee Denis Leary showed up with his whole darn family. He and his wife hit the by-contrast rather subdued official Academy of TV Arts and Scienes cocktail party on Friday night at the Pacific Design Center, which was I think is supposed to be like the Oscar nominees lunch.
There’s one big difference. Slim nominee pickings. More may have showed up after I left for The Gersh Agency’s big Grand Centenario-sponsored star studded bash at the Sunset Towers pool bar. But I only spotted Leary, Jane Kaczmarek, Cloris Leachman and Alfre Woodard.
Tip: For better attendance, try throwing the official cocktail party BEFORE the awards ballots are due back, like the AMPAS does. Trust me, it works every time.
Photo Credits: Lindsay Lohan does EW's Emmy bash and she's NOT late! Okay, is that a peace sign Samantha's giving us or some new alternative lifestyle double bird? WireImage/John Shearer Photo Credits: Blythe grabs some Revlon lipstick. Let's pray the Earth Grandmother wears some to the Emmys. WireImage/Eric Charbonneau Photo Credits: Just because Heidi's preggers and Gunn may be a little light in the loafers does not mean that they cannot behave like total EW Publicity Hos. WireImage/John Shearer Photo Credits: Allison Janney takes a break from swag shopping (thank God) to squeeze her Emmy competition to death.Hey, Allison, is that a knife in my back or are you just glad to see me? WireImage/ Michael Caulfield
Top LA hair colorist Negin Zand’s clients include oh, just a few famous females with fabulous hair: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Hudson, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Scarlett Johansson and Mariska Hargitay.
So she clearly knows a little something about coloring hair but keeping it healthy. Her trademark is highlights and color that looks completely natural using Bailage, not foils.
So what’s going to look new on the Emmy carpet Sunday?
“I don’t think any actress is going to make a big change right before a big event or an awards show. It’s not the time. Plus it’s the end of summer and not yet fall so it’s a strange time for a color change.”
But Zand, who works at Sally Hershberger's Salon on Melrose Place, does suggest John Frieda’s new Luminous Color Glaze, the first and only at-home glaze treatment that adds a touch of color, a boost of shine and a smooth silky feel in just three minutes.
“It’s genius,” Zand raved Thursday at the John Frieda Pre Emmy Suite in the Roosevelt Hotel penthouse suite, where she’d been glazing Jaime Pressley, Ming Na and Tia Carrera’s hair.
“There’s never been a product like this for home use. It will keep your color fresher longer with just a hint of color and a lot of shine.”
So now you know why Pressley's hair will look so darn shiny on Sunday. She's been glazed!
Photo Credits: Jaime Pressley gets glazed by top colorist Negin Zand at the John Frieda Pre- Emmy Suite on Thursday. WireImage/Lester Cohen
I know you've all been holding your breath until you found out which actresses may wear Jimmy Choo heels to Sunday's Emmy Awards and the after-parties.
Here is your long-awaited list of Choo-Junkie nominees, presenters and guests:
Kyra Sedgwick, Ellen Pompeo, Katherine Heigl, Heather Locklear, Calista Flockhart, Evangeline Lilly, Kelly MacDonald, Cheryl Hines, Candice Bergen, Jaime Pressley, Jaime King, Megan Mullally, Jenna Fischer, Leslie Bibb, Jacelyn Smith, Tina Fey, Kelly Carlson, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Judy Reyes.
Hopefully, some of these gals will be sporting those shorter skirts we've been hearing about so we can finally see these darn expensive, sexy shoes.
Photo Credits:. Kyra Sedgwick looks elegant at the Loverboy premiere in New York in June. Bet she looks even better at Sunday's Emmy Awards. But wear a short skirt, we beg you. WireImage/Jim Spellman
It had to happen sooner or later: Lindsay Lohan is getting her very own perfume. Hey, it can't smell any worse than Paris Hilton's bottled stench.
WWD also reports that the busy, busy, busy actress/party girl/singer is also planning to open a used clothing boutique in Paris. Seems she now has so many vintage designer duds that she needs a serious recycling program.
Hey, the girl went through three dresses (Calvin, Versace and LaCroix) at the last Oscar parties. Who knows how many she may wipe out at the Emmy parties this Sunday.
And God forbid, she should start repeating herself. I say, Bravo! Sell your used vintage chic to some unsuspecting Parisians.
Photo Credits: Lindsay poses like Brigitte Bardot at Jeremy Piven's party at the Poloroid Beach House. Will she try to pawn this naughty leetle bit of peach lace off to zee French fashion folks?See the cigarette tucked in her hand? Oh, mon dieu, zat is so French. WireImage/Jamie McCarthy
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George Clooney and Ellen Barkin are dating? 
