Super parties kick off weekend
PHOENIX - What Super Bowl? With all of the swish parties preceding yesterday's big game, Super Bowl XLII almost became an afterthought.
The weekend's worth of revelry began with a fancy affair put on Friday by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell amid extremely tight security. (Wonder if he was videotaping the walk-through.) Guests - including lots of league brass, former players, and a few eye-catching celebs like "Shooter" actress Kate Mara (granddaughter of the late Giants owner Wellington Mara) - had to board buses to get to the party, which was set up in an aircraft museum.
Maxim's main event was held at the Stone Rose Lounge in Scottsdale, the newest nightspot christened by Cindy Crawford's spouse, Rande Gerber. The pretty pair arrived fashionably late but looked a little nonplussed by the evening's chilly temps. Gerber, who knows a thing or two about squiring around a supermodel, was asked whether Gisele Bundchen is good or bad luck for Tom Brady. Gerber, grinning, replied: "I think she'd be good luck for anyone."
As it is every year, the Maxim bash was all about young women in black dresses, and the men who want to meet them.
"Bring a date? Are you kidding?" said former "Beverly Hills 90210" actor Ian Ziering, looking lecherously at the Patriots cheerleaders as the posse of pom-pom girls made their entrance. "I'm with my buddies tonight."
Breezing by without talking were comedian David Spade, actor Adam Sandler, "Entourage" stars Kevin Dillon and Kevin Connolly, singer Nick Lachey and girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo, and blockbuster movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
Screenwriter Scott Rosenberg, a Needham native, walked in with "October Road" actor Geoff Stults and made an interesting prediction. He said thousands of juvenile Giants would don Bridget Moynahan masks in an effort to rattle Brady.
"It'll be me and a sea of Bridget masks," said Rosenberg, who, incidentally, was Bridget's boyfriend before he was dumped for Brady.
Perhaps the strangest sight of the night was Tom Arnold trying to take down Michael Clarke Duncan as "The Green Mile" actor was talking to a reporter. Duncan quit the interview and wrestled Arnold to the ground.
"He made my jujitsu come out," Duncan said, standing up.
"He brought out my Jewjitsu, too," said Arnold, revealing a Star of David tattoo on his chest.
No, we take that back. The strangest sight was "Nip/Tuck" actors Dylan Walsh and Julian McMahon making out with the same woman at a poolside bar, just like the characters they play on the show. (Earlier the wobbly Walsh was denied access to the VIP area and didn't like it one bit.)
Also making a spectacle of himself was Spencer Pratt of "The Hills," who was carrying around a boombox and a camcorder.
"I don't know what he's doing," said his costar Heidi Montag, looking over her shoulder. "Don't pay any attention to him."
Other making the scene included Ryan Seacrest, Maria Menounos, countless current and former NFL and NBA stars - Emmitt Smith, former Bears QB Jim McMahon, who was chewing tobacco on the red carpet, Reggie Bush, Rick Fox, Grant Hill, and Steve Nash - as well as Brady's right-hand man Will McDonough, Mario Lopez, Brody Jenner, and Joey Fatone.
The after-party, at a private residence in Scottsdale, was a subdued affair, attracting a crowd that included Connolly, Seacrest, Stacy Keibler, Kristin Cavallari, and Barry Watson from "7th Heaven."
The celebs were back at it Saturday night, showing up at Super Bowl bashes thrown by Playboy, Penthouse, Sports Illustrated, Victoria's Secret, Creative Artists Agency, and Hyde, to name just a few.
Working the room at VS's party at the mod restaurant Elements were Donnie Wahlberg, Neal McDonough, Joe Montana, Sandler, Anthony Michael Hall, and talk-show type Jerry Springer. CAA's cast of characters included Boston's own Richie Balsbaugh, host-with-the-most Jim Apteker, and Fenway Recordings exec Mark Kates; comedian Larry David; billionaire developer Ron Burkle; ballplayers David "Boomer" Wells, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Cal Ripken; and Menounos.
At Hyde, actress Kate Hudson was holed up with stepdad Kurt Russell, while VIPs Justin Timberlake, Chris Rock, and "The Shield" star Michael Chiklis were also kicking back. (It was a Giants-friendly crowd, but Chiklis, an Andover native, still sported a Sox sweatshirt.) To give you an idea of the vibe, a young woman riding with us on the shuttle to the Paradise Valley venue offered to perform a striptease. We politely declined.
At the Penthouse party, Snoop Dogg rapped for celebs, including Jamaica Plain native Timothy Hutton and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson.
Thanks to the savage spinning of DJ Nick Cannon, Playboy's party was off the hook - and out of glasses. Barely 90 minutes into the evening, bartenders ran out of glassware and literally begging guests to drink beer. Guests included actor Bradley Cooper; Playmates for every month of the year and then some; Alyssa Milano, who looked out-of-sight in a strapless black lace dress; Milo Ventimiglia; rapper Common; and former Giants running back Tiki Barber, who lamented football players' lack of fashion sense.
"Guys don't wear suits anymore," said Barber, who appeared on an episode of "Project Runway" this season.
Hugh Hefner, looking a little rickety at the age of 80, showed up with "The Girls Next Door" on his arm. Hef's No. 1 girl friend Holly Madison told us that she and her No. 1 man want to have a baby in 2008, and that's keeping them very busy.
"We're doing a lot of, um, trying," Madison said.
Not far behind were "Entourage" boys Dillon and Connolly, back on the red carpet and behaving like high-schoolers.
"I'm 34 years old, and this guy is giving me a noogie like I'm 12," said Connolly. "Those crazy Super Bowl parties."
Elsewhere in Phoenix: Lenny Clarke and filmmaking brothers Bobby and Peter Farrelly got into a Fox network party Saturday. Sox slugger Manny Ramirez - who's been in Tempe getting ready for spring training - had dinner Saturday at the baseball-themed restaurant Don & Charlie's with first baseman Kevin Youkilis, their old teammate Kevin Millar, and actor Mike O'Malley. NBC entertainment chief Ben Silverman, a Tufts alum, stopped by the official Super Bowl gift suites.
Other Boston bigshots who were seen heading to the game: Scollay Square's Chris Damian, Davio's owner Steve DiFillippo, Union Oyster House's Joe Milano, Ciao Bella's Joe Cimino, former
Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.
(Correction: Because of a reporting error, actor Cuba Gooding Jr. was misidentified as a ballplayer in Monday's Names column.) 