Lady Gaga, Taraji P. Henson, George Clooney, and Jane Fonda lead the top party shots of the week.
The promotional artillery for the final “Hunger Games” is gearing up. Jena Malone (“Johanna Mason”) opened a “Stand with the Mockingjay” pop-up space in NYC on Thursday night. Inside, guests can strap on the Samsung Gear VR for a 6-minute, 360-degree virtual reality trip through the franchise and also check out a “Mockingjay” app exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2. Michelle Pesce (bottom right) stood, and spun, with the Mockingjay. The film arrives on November 20.
George Clooney, Rande Gerber, and awesome Halloween party host Mike Meldman threw a London launch party for their Casamigos Tequila on Friday night. Jeremy Piven (who stars in “Mr. Selfridge”) and Cindy Crawford (who toasted her book “Becoming”) made the scene at the Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair.
“Downton Abbey” Allen Leech hung with one of the “Three Amigos” – Casamigos founders Clooney, Gerber, and Meldman. Other guests included photographer Mario Testino, Lewis Hamilton, and Joel Silver.
Lady Gaga embraces Ryan Murphy at the premiere of “American Horror Story: Hotel” downtown at L.A. Live on Saturday night.
In Chicago, Taraji P. Henson and “Empire” castmates partied at Studio Paris on Saturday night, with the club seizing the opportunity to bring out a cake despite her birthday coming nearly a month ago. The boss-sized, cheetah-print Moet is welcome in any season.
Back in L.A. Jane Fonda was the star of the night at the Bacara, picking up the Kirk Douglas award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. Fox Searchlight’s Steve Gilula, Diana Deriman, Diane Lane and Elizabeth Banks joined the party up north.
By Sunday morning, Fonda was back in Beverly Hills, supporting the Rape Foundation’s Annual Brunch at Ron Burkle’s county-sized estate.
Latina Magazine’s dual purpose release party for both their “30 Under 30” and “Hollywood Hot List” issues drew top diverse talent on Tuesday night. Dania Ramirez, Julissa Bermudez, and Adrienne Bailon were amongst the names at the London in West Hollywood. Fox Broadcasting, BMW, Caress and Unilever sponsored the bash.
Donald Trump would have a superlative for this celebrity caricature carving, one of the signatures of the “Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns” event. “X-Factor” discovery Ricky Garcia and “Dance Moms’” Chloe Lukasiak went north to the VIP night at Descanso Gardens on Sunday night, as did comic Heather McDonald (bottom left).
Meanwhile, “Nick at Nite” star Ryan Newman had a creepy carpet escort at the L.A. Haunted Hayride’s Black Carpet celeb night on Sunday.
The festival season is not over. ACL in Austin is only on weekend number one. Highlights included local hero Gary Clark Jr., Run the Jewels (bottom left), and Twenty One Pilots (right).
Echosmith singer Sydney Sierota and Timothy Simons pulled up to the Samsung Artist House backstage in a golf cart. Samsung leveraged the late festival as an opp to introduce Samsung Pay.
Ryn Weaver wants to know what Mark Zuckerberg and other tech leaders are betting is the next big thing – VR. She got lost in the Gear VR backstage.
The scene backstage in Austin.
On Friday night in L.A., Teen Vogue’s “Young Hollywood” party brought out Bethany Mota, Ariel Winter, Mackenzie Foy, Victoria Justice, and Maddie Ziegler (with host/Editor-in-Chief Amy Astley).
Richard Branson buried a time capsule with a golden shovel and showed his appreciation for “Miss D.C.’s” choice of footwear color — a direct match with his Virgin red — while breaking ground on a new Virgin Hotel in NYC.
In L.A., Silversun Pickups boosted their new album “Better Nature” at the iHeartRadio Theater on Friday night, opening their hour long set with “Nightlight.”
Alt 98.7 personality Harms introduced Silversun lead singer Brian Aubert and interviewed the band in-between songs.
Lisa Vanderpump, Paula Deen and a definite #DogOfInstagram hit Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills for the EVINE Live event.
“Effie has consistently worked with filmmakers whose voices are not often heard. I don’t know another producer out there who has more consistently sought out or supported diverse voices: women directors, directors of color, LGBT filmmakers and first time filmmakers,” Film Independent President Josh Welsh said of “Project Greenlight’s” Effie Brown while presenting her with an award at LMU School of Film and Television’s “Film Outside the Frame” festival on the Paramount lot.
The NFL’s reach is getting even wider. The league threw an “NFL Style Showdown” in NYC to reveal Super Bowl 50 apparel. The big game is in San Francisco in February.
NFL fashion ambassadors include Tika Sumpter, Erin Heatherton, Phillip Bloch, Dascha Polanco (in a Superbowl 50 shirt), Jamie Chung and former Jet fullback Tony Richardson.
Paul McCartney played more than an hour and sang nearly 20 song set for PETA at their 35th birthday party at the Palladium on Wednesday night.
Back together for a moment: Pam Anderson and Tommy Lee at PETA.
Sir Paul’s highlights included a solo “Blackbird,” “I’ve Just Seen a Face” with Beck, “Birthday”, and a singalong to “Hey Jude”. He even played an encore…at a private. show.
PETA drew from established Hollywood (Rob Zombie, Kesha) and more fringe (Lady Bunny and Courtney Stodden). They have a big tent.
Multi-generations of Cyrii: Mom Trish Cyrus and sister Noah Cyrus.
Andie McDowell showed why Channing Tatum and his dance buddies hit the brakes at her house in “Magic Mike XXL”. She lounged at the Chairs for Charity event last week.
The Foster sisters from the under-appreciated “Barely Famous” reality mockumentary also supported Chairs for Charity, aimed at Homeless Youth Services.
Shakira came to former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the UN General Assembly on September 24 with the world’s largest petition for education, #UpForSchool.
Details Mag is 15. They celebrated in New York on September 24.
Drew Schutte and Dan Peres lead the mag, and the party for Details.
On the same night in L.A., fellow Men’s publication “Men’s Fitness” brought “Game Changers” together at Palihouse. Amongst the list: Lucien Laviscount and “Expendables” star Glen Powell.
Men’s Fitness boss David Zinczenko with “Game Changer” cover star, Miles Teller.
Parties for Pavarotti, an all-English collaboration for Disclosure, and Sam Smith’s L.A. appearance top the party circuit at the start of October.
James Corden executive produced and directed Disclosure’s L.A. concert on Tuesday night, a collaboration for AMEX’s “Unstaged” concert series between the fellow Englishmen.
Sam Smith showed up for the final two songs of the night, “Omen” and breakthrough hit “Latch”. Disclosure has been on an L.A. tear, playing events the past few days including Jimmy Iovine‘s girlfriend’s birthday party with Oprah.
If a keytar shows up on “Carpool Karaoke” soon, we will know why. It was Disclsoure’s first full-set show since last Friday’s album release.
Fans filled the L.A. Sports Arena downtown as many more watched AMEX’s livestream and on their Unstaged App, where it is still available for streaming.
Jack Nicholson backstage with Veronica and Andera Bocelli as the Italian tenor performed at a benefit remembering Pavarotti on Friday night, September 25.
Goldie Hawn (with showbiz vet George Schlatter) chaired the post-concert dinner at the Chandler that raised money for Pancreatic Cancer Research at the Salk Institute. Pavarotti died of pancreatic cancer. Ogden Phipps co-chaired the dinner with Goldie and Steve Kaplan.
Meanwhile down in Miami, Scottie Pippen’s 50th birthday party at El Tucan brought out Michael B. Jordan (far left), Dennis Rodman, Diageo’s Keenan Towns, NFL villain Ndamukong Suh, Alonzo Mourning, and recent “Drinking With the Stars” guest Terrence J (right, holding cigar). Haute Living co-hosted and Hublot threw the Bull a watch as a gift.
New Miami Heat player Amar’e Stoudemire got a welcome from the Miami Beach mayor at his first local public appearance, a welcome party at staple The Forge.
Miami vets Dave Grutman, the man Grutman has made a ton of money for, Fontainebleau President Philip Goldfarb, and perennial party host Jason Binn at the bash on Thursday.
Back in Santa Monica., contemporaries Sarah Michelle Gellar and Mark-Paul Gosselaar shot hoops at Mattel’s Party on the Pier.
Family Car? Lenny Kravitz rocked a party for the new Volkswagen Passat in Brooklyn on September 21, while daughter Zoe cheered on as Lenny played the hits and kept his pants intact. Note: That is not Constantine Maroulis playing backup.
The Emmy awards weekend did not end until Monday: Recent Oscar season breakout stars Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave”) and David Oyelowo (“Selma”) were the honorees at GEANCO’s “Impact Africa” Gala at Sunset Gower on Monday night.
Macy Gray performed and LaToya Jackson appeared at the Face Forward Gala at the Biltmore downtown.