::: George Christy ::: From the Beverly Hills Courier

TodayÕs column is on Pages 6-8 Count on Peter and Bobby Farrelly, those filmmaker farceurs to stoke the hilarity, as they did with ThereÕs Something About Mary in 1998 starring Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz. As they did with their 1994 breakout feature debut, Dumb and Dumber with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, their 1996 Kingpin with Woody Harrelson, in which I had a cameo. Outrageous comedies all, and once again they crash the laugh meter with The Heartbreak Kid, which they directed and are credited among the writers. Based on the 1972 award-winning film of the same name, which starred Charles Grodin and Cybill Shepherd, the Farrellys version stars Ben Stiller, Malin Akerman (astonishingly from the same mold as Cameron Diaz), and dreamgirl Michelle Monaghan. BenÕs comedic timing is inspired, on top of every outlandish caper and those gaga sight gags with ginnormous support from Malin and Michelle in this twisted and bawdy comedy of errors. Ginormous, informs the popular New York TimesÕ wordsmith Bill Safire, is this centuryÕs collegiate replacement for humongous Ð gi for gigantic and normous for enormous. After the Dreamworks-Paramount Pictures premiere at MannÕs Village Theatre in Westwood, the Farrellys, cast and executives strolled to the Napa Valley Grille for the reception, where the healthy food was delicious. About Heartbreak KidÕs R rating, Bobby says, ÒWe had made a couple of movies that were PG-13, but weÕre really happy to be back in R-rated country where we went for broke and made a bona fide adult sex comedy.Ó As for the Mexican Donkey Show in the movie, Bobby reveals, ÒThat was a female donkey, so we put a prosthetic on her. That was our first day of filming, Steven Spielberg came by and wondered how in hell we were going to shoot the donkey scene. Well, as you see, we did it!Ó We ran into KRLA broadcaster Kevin James, who hears that Faye Dunaway is going full steam ahead with her film of Terrence McNallyÕs Master Class, based on Maria CallasÕ teachings at Juilliard. FayeÕs preferred choice for the divaÑwhich has been portrayed on stage by Zoe Caldwell, Patti LuPone and FayeÑis Natalie Dormer, who starred as Anne Boleyn in ShowtimeÕs The Tudors. Second choice is É Jennifer Lopez? ÒI participate in about twenty of these events a year, in New York and elsewhere, but, without question, this is always the best. Wolfgang PuckÕs the master, nobody does it better,Ó says Drew Nieporent about our American Wine & Food Festival. DrewÕs a global dean among restaurateurs, owning dining rooms in New York (Tribeca Grill, Montrachet, Mai House, Centrico), San Francisco (Rubicon), MarthaÕs Vineyard (The Coach House) and Nobu restaurants here and abroad, which now number 19. Weekending in Los Angeles, DrewÕs a New Yorker who loves our good food, along with the cityÕs unexpected surprises. Not long ago we contributed an introduction to Los Angeles: A Certain Style, a coffee table tome with photos by keen-eyed John Vaughan of our great houses and estates. ÒWhat you see in Los Angeles is not the whole enchilada,Ó I wrote, adding that ours is a hidden city behind garden walls and cul de sacs and breathtaking hilltop vistas. Drew gets that message. Drew mingled with the famous chefs at the 25th anniversary celebration of Wolfgang Puck and Barbara LazaroffÕs American Wine & Food Festival on the Universal Studios Backlot, where crowds savored specialties from renowned chefs and wines from California, Oregon, Australia and Spanish vineyards. ÒWhat a great night for a pig-out,Ó remarked DisneyÕs Diane Connors. Over the years, the Puck-Lazaroff Foundation raised more than $13 million benefiting our local Meals on Wheels that delivers hot foods to the homebound, disadvantaged and seniors. Last September, more than $1.4 million was raised, and this yearÕs event is anticipated to top that figure from the 2,100 guests ($300 per guest, sponsor packages began at $1,000, and several philanthropic tycoons sprinted for $50,000 tables). Wolfgang corralled 40 chefs and 70 wine and spirit purveyors to support this Lexus-sponsored evening, truly a Magical Mystery Tour of Food and Wine. Along with Wolfgang and Barbara, let us praise New Englander Joan Wrede, whoÕs relocated to California, initially planned events pro bono, and soon realized that this was a rewarding career in the making. As the Continued on Page 8