Guess? Who Had Them Talking

The Scene: Monday’s premiere of MGM’s “Speechless” at the Mann National theater. A party followed at the Armand Hammer Museum. Co-star Michael Keaton described the romantic comedy concerning political speech writers as “a very light, fluffy, easy, go-to-the-movies, go-home, have-something-to-eat, put-the-kids-to-bed, hit-the-lights, kind of movie.”

Who Was There: Keaton (co-star Geena Davis was in Malta filming “Cutthroat Island”); director Ron Underwood; plus a celebrity-lite crowd of 1,000 guests including Paul Reiser, Adam Baldwin, Robert Wuhl, Meg and Jennifer Tilly, Jay Thomas, Ron Meyer, Lou Pitt and studio execs Frank Mancuso, Mike Marcus and Greg Foster.

What Defines Celebrity-Lite?: One clue is when TV crews start interviewing Cathy Lee Crosby with desperation in their eyes.

Standout Guest: The party’s visual pinnacle came with the arrival of hefty Guess? model Anna Nicole Smith in a form-fitting, floor-length, green velvet gown with gold lame pumps and a matching handbag. (Her muscular bodyguard holds the purse while she dances.) Smith’s look was described by guests as “Texas zaftig ,” “Well, it’s certainly not androgynous,” and “This is one model who definitely doesn’t worry about what she eats.”

Quoted: Smith said she was in town to film “Davanci’s War II” (whose title the bodyguard spells out. “He does it better,” she explained.) In it she plays a CIA agent. An intelligence officer? “Yeah,” replied the larger-than-life model. “I’ve got to get off the bimbo route.”

When the Rains Came: MGM’s PR department rushed out and bought 100 $12 umbrellas at Bullocks to ferry guests dryly from theater to museum. The party was moved under the archways as the Hammer’s underground heated courtyard sent up an eerie steamy mist.

Topic of Discussion: In the film, reporters drink beer while doing interviews and covering stories. Certain members of the press thought this would be a wonderful idea.