Hollywood's Own Party Agenda: 40 Bashes

By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts
Wednesday, August 27, 2008

DENVER

Charlize Theron, long and lean in a flowy sundress and dark jacket, rested her chin on boyfriend Stuart Townsend's shoulder yesterday as the gorgeous duo basked in a senator's praise.

"An example of when Hollywood really matters," Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) gushed about Townsend's "Battle in Seattle" documentary on the 1999 World Trade Organization riots, before it screened at the Impact Film Festival, one of many VIP confabs on the convention's fringe. "It's hard to educate people about trade policy."

And Lord knows, it wouldn't be a Democratic convention without Hollywood. The beautiful people descended on the town in a big way starting Monday night, in time for such a massive lineup of parties -- at least 40, according to some cheat sheets -- that some succumbed to natural selection.

At the Rock the Vote Ballot Bash, Jakob Dylan kicked off his opening set to an almost empty Ellie Caulkins Opera House. After his first two songs were greeted by a smattering of applause, one of the VIPs whispered to our colleague Jose Antonio Vargas: "This is embarrassing. We gotta get more people in here!" (They did, by the time N.E.R.D and Fall Out Boy took the stage.)

Where was everyone? Some L.A.-to-D.C. frequent fliers like Tim Daly , Richard Schiff and Rosario Dawson mingled with the likes of Reps. Patrick Kennedy and Jim Clyburn at a GQ/Maker's Mark party, our colleague Mary Ann Akers reports.

But as of midnight, the mobs on the street were still being held back by the clipboard girls at Planned Parenthood's celebrity-studded "Sex, Politics and Cocktails" party. This was the groovy wing of the Democratic Party -- cute youngsters gyrating in pink PP T-shirts, free condoms ("Protect Yourself From John McCain (In This Election)"), the dance floor sticky with mango mojitos, the fire marshal threatening to shut it down.

Plus: pretty Hollywood people just dying to talk politics: Alan Cumming , Joy Bryant , Cyndi Lauper . Ashley Judd told us about her busy agenda -- a National Democratic Institute confab that Madeleine Albright got her into, an Emily's List event. Was she always an Obama supporter? The actress, in a 1950s-looking red cocktail dress, got a certain look on her face: She was an Edwards person. Ohhh, how do you feel about that? "Disssss . . . " Judd began. "I'd prefer to spend more time talking about Senator Obama."

Aisha Tyler loomed over us in a black ensemble with jeweled neckline and told us that she wants "to be inspired" by the political process -- "not as a celebrity, just as an American." She had spent the evening watching the convention on TV. "I'm trying to absorb as much of the experience as possible and not just be shuttled from one event to another."

And there was Fred Armisen, the "Saturday Night Live" comic who bravely took on the job of portraying Obama. What was the trick to "getting" Obama? "Watching him in the debates with Hillary, I felt like he was a good listener," Armisen told us. "He was like this" -- and he leaned forward, squinting and blinking at us earnestly through his chunky dark-rimmed glasses.

Obama visited "SNL" last year, and Armisen was blown away. "He was so charismatic and friendly --" He paused. "And tall."

Hmmm. Is it a challenge to do a caricature of a personality you're so clearly in the tank for?

"Yes, but it's a good challenge."

This Just In. . .

· Maria Pinto created Michelle Obama's turquoise wool dress for Monday's prime-time address. The Chicago designer crafted many of Obama's signature looks, including the lilac dress she wore on the cover of Newsweek and the purple sheath she sported on fist-bump night. Pinto's specialty is evening wear -- bet she's already sketching inaugural gowns.

· Bruce Springsteen will not perform in Denver tomorrow night, despite the flood of rumors that he'll appear after Barack Obama's speech at Invesco Field, reports The Post's J. Freedom du Lac. A source in the Boss's camp says he's "definitely not" performing or attending and never planned to. Then again, it wouldn't be a surprise if they confirmed it, would it?

· Washington "it" girl Ashley Taylor showed up Monday in Denver at the Distilled Spirits Council party, selling her grandmother Ann Hand's blingy Obama accessories -- $45 rhinestone pins, $175 bejeweled shades: " Oprah just called to thank us for the sunglasses." Headed to St. Paul? No, said the sometime model, recently unfianced from millionaire investor Joe Robert; she's moving to Italy next week to study gemology.

Which of These Books Gets A Convention Signing?

Simon & Schuster released two children's books yesterday: " Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope" and " Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight." Guess which one is at the Denver convention center?

The illustrated bios, aimed at ages 5-10, were written during the primaries and went to print before the historic race was decided -- so the authors fudged the endings. "Not afraid to fly, daring to compete, she decided to run for the highest office in the land," wrote Kathleen Krull about Clinton. "Was the land ready? No matter -- she was propelling her way into history."

DNC officials okayed signings today and tomorrow at the convention hall with Obama's author Nikki Grimes and illustrator Bryan Collier-- but not for the Clinton book, according to a S & S rep. And for the GOP tykes: Meghan's McCain's kids' book, "My Dad, John McCain," comes out next week -- and yes, the candidate's daughter gets to sign copies at the convention.

The Kanye Watch

Kanye West's calendar is totally open, so far as we can tell, until a concert in Los Angeles Sunday -- so we're pretty sure the short-tempered solipsist genius rapper has no excuse but to show in Denver tonight for the hot-ticket RIAA/One Campaign show. The question now: How can Hill staffers justify taking a free ticket in light of recent ethics rulings barring such gifts? Simple: the exemption that allows attendance at such events that are directly work-related, and most of Kanye's music falls under the purview of certain House committees.

· "Gold Digger" (Committee on Natural Resources, Energy and Mineral Resources subcommittee)

· "The College Dropout" (Committee on Education and Labor)

· "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" (Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, investigating steroids in MLB)