‘Slickers’ Rounds Up Big Crowd

The Scene: Premiere of “City Slickers,” the new Billy Crystal/Bruno Kirby/Daniel Stern Angst -driven comedy from Castle Rock Entertainment (in association with Nelson Entertainment, released by Columbia) held Thursday at Mann’s Chinese, with a Western-themed parking lot party afterward. About 2,000 people, including a corral of celebs, showed up for the benefit event that featured a country-Western band, dance-hall girls, cowboys performing rope tricks, some faux cacti and a few mellow cows--yes, real ones. More than $50,000 was raised to benefit Comic Relief for the Los Angeles Homeless Heathcare Project.

The Buzz: Judging from the wild reception at the screening, this is going to be a contender for the feel-good movie of the year. Or at least it might make a few people stop eating beef.

Who was there: Among cast members were Crystal, Stern, Patricia Wettig, Josh Mostel, David Paymer, Bill Henderson, Phill Lewis and director Ron Underwood; plus director Rob Reiner and wife Michele Singer, director Lucas Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Bates, David Cassidy, Rain Pryor, Lou Diamond Phillips, Howie Mandel, Danny Aiello, Mary Gross, Comic Relief President Bob Zmuda, and Castle Rock honchos Alan Horn, Andrew Scheinman and Martin Shafer.

Dress mode: It’s amazing, and maybe even a little frightening, to think how many people have closets filled with Western wear. Ten-gallon hats, bolo ties, cowboy boots, duster coats, Navajo-esque jackets, concho belts and chaps showed up on guests, some of whom are seldom seen without their Armanis.

Chow: Ambrosia’s buffet included potato skins, turkey chili, barbecued chicken, corn bread, blue-corn chicken taquitos and a decadent ice cream sundae bar. “It was a very conscious decision not to serve beef,” said Bettina Tendler, Castle Rock’s publicity/promotion coordinator and party planner, who took into consideration what a large and sympathetic role cows played in the film. “After that movie, I don’t think anyone could stomach it.”

Quoted: “Did the movie look like fun?” asked Daniel Stern. “It was. They gave us the horses and the costumes and the cows, and there we are riding away. It’s funny watching it. It’s like, ‘How I spent my summer vacation.’ It wasn’t just that, but for me there was a part of that. Three months of bliss.”

Overheard: One woman in her early 30s spotted former teen heartthrob Cassidy, gasped and said, “My goodness gracious--I feel old now.”