Yes We Cannes!

Just got back from the South of France... ahhhhhh... but before you get too jealous, know this: the Cannes Film Festival is more than a day at the beach and a slice of brie on a baguette, washed down with a chilled French champagne. It's work, my friends. Granted, working there beats the hell out of, well, working just about anywhere else, but still...

Ok, highlights: the movie "Middlemen" and meeting all the cast, producers, director... and they sure know how to throw a party! The movie opens this Fall. Run, don't walk, to see this one. "Broken Embraces" -- Pedro Almadovar's new movie with, shocker, Penelope Cruz, for I think the 15th time (actually, the fourth, I believe) ... it's subtitled, of course, but the humor, drama, and nuances translate very well.

Random Cannes moments: taking a boatride to the Hotel du Cap (where all the stars stay) and seeing the paparazzi camped out on the craggy rocks trying to get shots of us, thinking we're 'somebody'. Those crazy paps. Oh, and having a police escort - SIX motorcycle gendarmes - to scoot a shuttle bus of press people to the Hotel du Cap for the annual AmFar benefit raising money for AIDS research. On the way, the motorcycle cops were so earnest in shoo'ing the traffic away in order to get us through the narrow streets of Provence to our destination, that two of the cycles sideswiped each other and got into an accident right in front of us!! (see pic) No one was hurt.

Aside from the motorcycle cop mishap, the AmFar benefit was actually an event and a half. Security crawling everywhere, on rooftops, in bushes, at the du Cap because President Clinton was one of the guests. All the stars were in rare form, including the mistress of ceremonies, Sharon Stone, who poo-poo'ed those tabloid reports that she's too thin, explaining that eating right, and exercising makes you lean and mean... imagine that... Zoe Saldana looked smashing. Rob Pattinson decided he was too big a star to walk the carpet. Hmmm. The only other person who didn't walk the carpet was Bill Clinton. Why? Bill Clinton doesn't HAVE to walk the carpet. R-Pat better not get too big for his pretty-boy britches, because one day soon, we could all be saying "Rob Who?" -- Fame is fleeting, my boy...

Lowlights? Speaking of not walking the carpet, at his own premiere party for the Tarantino movie "Inglourious Basterds" (yes, that's how it's spelled, intentionally) Brad and Angie decided at the last minute, THEY weren't walking the red carpet, and doing interviews, not even having their mugs photographed. WTF? That's why most of the American press, at least, were there, since Brad was one of the biggest stars at the festival this year. Disappointing is an understatement, but again, while Brad is in another league than Pattinson, you gotta wonder why he wouldn't want to promote a movie that, in my opinion, is going to need some promotion.

One of my personal favorite moments, was at a 'photo call' -- which means thousands (literally) of international press lined up along the Boulevard de la Croisette (the main drag) outside the Carlton Hotel (which Disney had covered in snow to stunt-promote their new Robert Zemeckis film "A Christmas Carol") Jim Carrey with Jenny McCarthy pull up in front via horse and buggy -- flashes, screams, yells, etc... and Jim eyeballs me in the huge crowd, and says "Jerry Penacoli, nice to see you.. nice to see a familiar face" Aw, Jim, you had me at "In Living Color" ... A select group of press were then treated to a 'sneak peek' of the 3-D movie... astounding!

The Santa Barbara Fires

I was called Friday night by my show, because the 'celeb-community' of Montecito was now threatened by the heinous Santa Barbara fire, that had already taken out (at this point) more than 70 homes -- it grew to more than 80. Anyway, Oprah's home, Rob Lowe's Kathy Ireland's homes were in serious danger, and they were either close to or at the point of evacuation.

The last thing I wanted to do was run up to Santa Barbara for work... I thought I had left my days of chasing fire trucks and police cars when I stopped doing local news years and years ago, but celebrities were now involved, or potentially involved, and so, being one of the frontmen of an entertainment news show, I had to go.

I'm so glad I did. Not just because of the celebrity angle. Just seeing, and being THAT close to destruction, makes one so thankful and grateful... by the grace of God go all of us... While visiting an evacuation center, and seeing people's lives reduced to one cot, with a child's teddy bear, and coloring book as their most prized possessions, makes one see things more clearly.

I had the opportunity to interview Rob Lowe and Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger, who teamed up, because Rob lives in Montecito with his wife and family, and the Gov of course was there since he had declared Santa Barbara Co. a disaster zone. They didn't just posture and spew forth the 'we're famous and we're here to make a statement' mentality. Rob was THIS close to the fire, at one point, being able to clearly see it moving closer and closer to his home. Both Rob and the Governor actually comforted the evacuees who were holed up on the UCSB campus gym. Rows and rows of cots of people just waiting to be told they could go home... not sure what they would find, however, when they did so.

We were there when they were given the 'all clear' -- the expressions of joy, the gasps of excitement from those who had been there for days, were memorable, to say the least.

Talking our way (my crew and producer and myself) into the burned out zone was a feat unto itself. But we did so, because we felt the need to show the destruction, the burned out homes, and it left me feeling sad, and confused as to how the fire could burn one home, then skip four others and burn another... The most vivid image seared into my brain, is that of a statue of the Virgin Mary, charred, yet still standing in what was the front yard of a burned out home.

I am left depleted, and still very inspired by the human spirit that seems to thrive during a natural disaster such as this.

New Movie Preview: "Middlemen"

What a treat to be part of the very first audience to see a brand-new movie debuting in Cannes called "Middlemen" -- starring Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribisi, Jacinda Barrett, James Caan, to name a few of the ensemble, directed by George Gallo, produced by Chris Mallick.

Think: "Goodfellas" meets "Oceans 11" only quicker, sharper and with performances that any actor should be proud of. Giovanni Ribisi, in particular is a standout, playing a strung out loser who essentially is responsible for "pay as you play" internet porn.

Based on a true story, "Middlemen" is non-stop fun, while probing deep into the minds and souls, really, of a group of individuals thrust together all in the name of greed.

Not to be missed.

About last night 2...

So, I was assigned to cover a President Clinton fundraiser for his very cool Clinton Foundation organization called Millennium Network, encouraging a new generation of 'givers'  and 'doers' and philanthropists.  

It was at an 'old Hollywood' haunt called Hotel Roosevelt, and I say 'haunt' with purpose.  Legend has it, the ghost of Marilyn Monroe still inhabits one of the hotel rooms.   Be that as it may, the event was being held in a small, intimate ballroom called the "Blossom Room" which was the site of the very first Academy Awards ceremony way back in the day...  If those walls could talk... and some say they do.  

Anytime there's a President coming to an event, there's obviously a massive security sweep.  We were asked to be on-location hours before the event actually started.  While waiting out in the hotel parking lot (I know, real glamourous job, eh?) an SUV pulls up and Nicolette Sheridan pops out with a new man, and she was looking mighty fine with way high heels and a way short dress on... What is she 50'-ish??  You'd never know it.  

I see her glancing over, and for a few minutes she just stood there, waiting and waiting.  Finally, we're able to go back into the hotel and I have to walk by her.  I politely said hello, and she said, "I thought that was you over there"  ... sweet.  I asked if she was going to the Clinton event and she said, no, the Star Trek premiere (which is happening literally feet away, around the corner at the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd)... but that she was waiting for her limo to come get them.  She didn't know it was THAT close... Because there were so many fans on the streets, they decided to wait for the ride, anyway.. but she was going to walk over, which would have been a treat for those tourists and fans walking the streets.  I was able to introduce her to my producer and cameraman, and she was wonderful to stand and chat with us for awhile.  She said she would try and stop by the Clinton thing... Would they let her in, she asked??

Back inside, we're waiting and waiting for people to arrive for this event.  They finally begin to trickle in.   Jessica Alba... looking flippin' fantastic, Adrian Grenier minus an "entourage" -- these two young actors were given the honor of introducing President Clinton at this event. And Jess told me she just celebrated her 28th birthday on the 28th of April -- the golden b-day -- with an '80's disco party that her husband threw for her...

Others who came:  Kerry Washington, who just came from a relative's wedding in Mexico -- she was not freaked out, though, about catching the pig flu (however, I held back giving her a kiss, is that wrong?)  A couple of "The Office" dudes, BJ Novak and Ed Helms, and Wil.i.am, who is such a cool dude... he told me he's going to put off doing music for a little while, in order to 'give back' -- and he performed after the President spoke.

So, this was a fairly intimate affair.  The President never walked the red carpet (does he have to? -- I think not).. but what a "life moment" having the opportunity to hear him speak, from the heart, about what his Foundation is doing, with HIV/AIDS, climate change, and so many other initiatives.  

A night to remember.  Oh, p.s. Nicolette  never did make it...