AND BENJAMIN NUGENT
Monster Ball
The most dizzyingly romantic moment of Monster arrives when real-life prostitute-murderess Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron) smooches her lesbian love interest (Christina Ricci) while roller-skating to the Journey hit “Don’t Stop Believin’. ” At Gotham’s after-party for the New York premiere at Viscaya, Journey’s Steve Perry told us the scene was “the most literal translation of what the original intent of the lyrics was about.” (Roller-skating and lesbian kisses? Well, it certainly wasn’t our first guess.) Theron said she was “really not thinking about” Oscars at the moment, and had “never dreamt when we made the movie that we would have a theater like this and a full audience.” We, too, were shocked—shocked!—that media types with free tickets would show up at a Chelsea cinema to watch Charlize Theron make out with Christina Ricci.
“I’m more famous than Bush this month.”
—Paris Hilton
She’s on the Dis List: Bensimon Barred
Photographer and Elle publication director Gilles Bensimon is famous on these shores for dating and marrying models (and for getting along with all his exes). But the French apparently still think of him as a solo player. We hear that Kelly Killoren-Bensimon—photographer, former model, and mother of his children— had trouble getting into her own husband’s book party in Paris. The door check reportedly sniffed, “We weren’t aware he was married.” Things were no better on her home turf when she was initially refused entry at the opening of Manhattan “ultralounge” Marquee. “They didn’t know who she was,” says a witness. “She was so pissed. They gave her a really hard time.” Eventually, she was allowed to join Chelsea Clinton, P. Diddy, and Q-Tip, who will D.J. there under the “edgy” new name Mr. Incognito. Meanwhile, Kathy Hilton was spied upstairs, sans daughters, in urgent conversation with dermatologic surgeon Joel Kassimir. “What should I do?” she hissed before booking a consultation. “She says she’s 45,” says a source, “but I’m not so sure.”
Bloom Off English Roses: Madonna Drama
We hear the adorable little girls in Madonna’s rookie kids’ book, The English Roses, are making grown-up mischief. A source close to Jeffrey Fulvimari, the illustrator who drew the stylish brats, says that while Madonna has been “sweet” to the artist, her “people” have urged him to avoid selling drawings too similar to the book’s, citing merchandising concerns. (So, he may draw, but not in his own style?) Fulvimari is said to be negotiating for a slice of the merchandising revenue, though, which may alleviate some of the fiscal pain. Neither he nor Madonna’s rep returned calls.
Lachlan Murdoch Unloads Loft for “Sick Price.”
Not that he needed it, but Lachlan Murdoch just made a handsome profit flipping an apartment. The hunky News Corp. scion and New York Post publisher, 32, recently sold a 3,290-square-foot penthouse at 285 Lafayette Street (home to Ian Schrager and David Bowie) to an Israeli producer for around $8 million. “That’s a sick price!” blurted one broker. Murdoch bought the four-bedroom, four-terrace loft (with koi pond) in 1999 for $3.56 million and moved in with his wife, model Sarah O’Hare. Three months ago, he closed on the mysterious 11 Spring Street for $5.25 million.