By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts
Friday, March 14, 2008

You only turn 28 once, so naturally Caron Butler wanted to celebrate with the finest celebutante pulchritude that could be bothered to fly out to D.C. for the occasion. The official "host" for the Wizard's birthday bash at the Park at 14th late last night? Socialite turned reality TV starlet Kim Kardashian. Former "Baywatch" star turned freelance sex symbol Carmen Electra was expected as well.

Hmmm . . . how much did that cost Butler (said to be dropping $250K on the postgame party for his teammates and 1,000 close friends)? It's an open secret that many red-carpet gals get paid handsomely to show up at certain nightclubs and parties. One celebrity wrangler told us that Kardashian (daughter of late O.J. attorney Robert, stepdaughter of Bruce Jenner, girlfriend of NFL star Reggie Bush) commands $5K to $10K per appearance, while Electra starts at $25K.

But in this case, no money changed hands, insists club publicist Gloria Nauden: "They know Caron from his L.A. Laker days, so they're just coming out to kick it with him." She added that Butler did consider hiring Paris Hilton (who can command $50K, according to the wrangler, if she has to stoop as low as D.C.). "But at the end of the day she wasn't necessary because his real friends want to come."

Gearing up for those wedding toasts? With just eight weeks until Jenna ties the knot, President Bush now seems to start every speech with a nuptials-related quip: "I'm a little late because Laura had me watching 'Father of the Bride,' " he told guests at Wednesday's Kuwait-America Foundation black-tie dinner.

The president and first lady topped the list of VIPs at the "Stand for Africa" anti-malaria benefit: Condi Rice, Sam Alito, Adrian Fenty, Karl Rove, Bo Derek and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "There's nothing more tragic than a young baby dying of a mosquito bite," said the president, who in 2005 launched a $1.2 billion initiative to fight the disease. As usual, Kuwaiti Ambassador Salem al-Sabah and wife Rima brought in the big guns: Oil execs who donated $1.6 million, legendary Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour. . . and the third annual installment of what we like to call "Administration Idol": OMB Director Jim Nussle strumming a country tune as his wife sang. (In '06, Rice played a piano duet with Marvin Hamlisch; last year, Josh Bolten played guitar behind Randy Travis.) "Mrs. Bush, let me apologize in advance," said Karen Nussle. Oh, it wasn't that bad!

After months of bad news (bloated salaries, dubious spending, damaged exhibits), the Smithsonian is poised for a possible PR bonanza: a starring role in the sequel to Ben Stille' s blockbuster "Night at the Museum." The kid-friendly original was set in N.Y.C.'s American Museum of Natural History; now producers are eyeing our own Air and Space Museum for N@M2 ("Escape From the Smithsonian"). A D.C. shoot (possibly in May) would bring Stiller and Amy Adams to town; Twentieth Century Fox is now negotiating to film inside -- a rare move for the Smithsonian, but one officials seem open to. "This movie reaches an important demographic, young kids, and it's very positive" about museums, said Air and Space rep Claire Brown.

"Nothing else matters to me but my birds. . . . They're not caged, they get the best food. I don't know what I did in my life to deserve these beautiful creatures. They can live to be over 100. I say to my Gino, 'You're gonna miss me one day, Gino.' And I have my big homosexual bird, Reggie. . . . There are girls around, but he just loves the boys. I'm at peace with myself when I'm around those birds."

-- Former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss on the two dozen birds she keeps in her Nevada home, in an outtake from an interview with Newsweek, one of many she's given during SpitzerWeek. (Sure hope things work out better for you, "Kristen.")