Parties You Will Never Get Into

In the wake of an MTV Video Music Awards show, all the madness usually spills over to the parties thereafter. The VMA held on Sept.7, 2008 was no exception.

Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood blazed in utmost star wattage for “Idols and Icons,” a VMA after party sponsored by In Touch Weekly.

Stars studded most corners of this party central, while Leona Lewis and Good Charlotte took turns on the stage. Samantha Ronson spun ditties on the deck downstairs, while rumored paramour Lindsay Lohan looked on, chugging Red Bull. LiLo later freaked out when somebody spilled a drink on her. In her panic, she barged into the men’s bathroom.

Christina Aguilera had a more sedate night watching crooner Leona Lewis. Good Charlotte’s set was comparatively a ruckus. The front row of their audience included Mischa Barton and Benji Madden’s flame, Paris Hilton, who captured the performance on cam. The vocalists later staged a little “drinking contest” for the crowd. Paris also chatted with Demi Moore and sister Nicky Hilton.

Olympics Golden Boy Michael Phelps was even present. So were a shirtless Kid Rock and handsome Ryan Philippe. Katy Perry was another prized guest, though she didn’t kiss girls that night. Twilight’s Robert Pattinson and David and Victoria Beckham kept the British Invasion alive there.

Hyde was the place to be after Château Marmont. At another side of town, JoJo, Young Jeezy, Keri Hilson and Warren G attended Pepsi’s post-VMA party at Avalon.

Pepsi, as well as Nikon, also sponsored the Official 2008 VMA After Party, which happened right after the show. It was held at the Paramount Backlot, just a stone’s throw from Studio 16, where the ceremonies transpired. By default then, its party circuit included the shows’ hot attendees, like Lauren Conrad and Audrina Patridge from The Hills, Gym Class Heroes, Travis Barker, Paramore, Jonah Hill, Kobe Bryant and Sid Wilson of Slipknot. British imports The Ting Tings gave a performance of their tune “Shut Up and Let Me Go.”

Of all the revelers that night, the happiest could be Britney Spears, who took home the Video of the Year moon man for “Piece of Me,” which was directed by Wayne Isham.

Good friends Tom Cruise and Will Smith, together with their wives Katie Holmes and Jada Pinkett, were among the first to welcome British soccer sensation David Beckham and his wife, Victoria, to Los Angeles. The Cruises and the Smiths threw a welcoming party for the couple at The Museum of Contemporary Art’s (MOCA) The Geffen Contemporary last July 22, 2007.

The star-studded gala exclusive party was attended by some of Hollywood’s bigshots. Brooke Shields arrived at the party with husband Chris Henchy while newlywed Eva Longoria-Parker went to the party minus husband Tony. Other couples who joined the celebration were Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy, former Spice Girl Melanie Brown and husband Stephen Belafonte, Alyson Hannigan and husband Alexis Dennisof, and Jim Caviezel and wife Kerri. Popular celebrities Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Quincy Jones, Wesley Snipes and Bruce Willis also showed up to welcome the newest player of L.A. Galaxy.

Wearing a red James Galanos gown, Katie flew in from Germany with Tom, where shooting for Valkyrie was ongoing. They drove to the party with Will and Jada where they gamely posed for pictures together with their guests of honor.

Guests enjoyed a menu of British cuisine (bangers and mash, or sausages and mashed potatoes) and American staples (burgers, fries, and salad). The Beckhams, Smiths, and Cruises had the time of their lives in the dance floor as the DJ spun one hot tune after another.

Since the Beckhams arrived in L.A., they have become good friends with the Cruises and the Smiths and are in fact, often seen enjoying dinners with them. Tom and Katie recently held a similar exclusive gathering of friends when they had a housewarming party for their new house in May of this year.

David and Victoria Beckham looked every bit the superstars in Hollywood as across the pond, at the party in the Museum of Contemporary Art on July 22, 2007. Their megastar pals Tom Cruise and Will Smith, along with wives Katie Holmes and Jada Pinkett, threw the party in celebration of the couple’s move to Los Angeles.

A-listers strutted on red carpet to form the couple’s star-studded welcoming committee, like Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer, who were the night’s early birds. Others included actors Eva Longoria, Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, Ashton Kutcher, Jim Carrey, Jenny McCarthy, Wesley Snipes, Brooke Shields, Adrian Grenier and Queen Latifah. Rihanna, Eve, and Quincy Jones were some of music’s chart-topping ambassadors that Sunday night.

Hospitable Americana was at play in the Geffen Contemporary gallery, made club-like just for the occasion, complete with lights, couches and exquisite flower décor. Guests dined on tall spires of chocolate cupcakes, hamburgers, chicken wings, fries, mashed potatoes, salad, and pizza from the Patina Group.

Stevie Wonder serenaded the crowd with “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” among others in a 15-minute set. Smith, a chart-topper in the 90s, followed it with a spontaneous rap that whipped the crowd into a frenzy. Samantha Ronson, Lindsay Lohan’s disc jockey chum, was on the deck. She spun the Spice Girls classic “Wannabe.”

Victoria, the “Posh” fifth of the mega-selling Spice Girls, caught up that night with their band manager, Simon Fuller. “Scary” Melanie Brown was also present to give support to her band buddy.

Before 2 AM, the Beckhams left the scene. The English couple moved to California at the behest of the Los Angeles Galaxy team, which paid David millions to be their latest recruit.