A Case of Frontal Exuberance

Does an actor get a bonus for doubling as a muse? Then maybe Christian Bale qualifies for inspiring Ewan McGregor’s particularly enthusiastic performance as the Iggy Pop-like Curt Wild in “Velvet Goldmine.” One night, the boys were filming a love scene. The next, McGregor was flashing the audience as he performed onstage in Todd Haynes’ ode to glam rock.

Which wasn’t exactly in the script.

“It was written that he takes his trousers down, moons them briefly, then pulls them back up and keeps dancing,” Bale said, at a post-screening bash last week. “Ewan got carried away. He dropped his pants and turned around. He lost his inhibitions. I don’t know if he had any in the first place.”

McGregor’s, shall we say, ebullience was less inspiring to the muse-free extras who walked out. “A lot of the extras were quite offended by it,” Bale said.

We were chatting outside the Atlantic Restaurant, which was so packed with revelers it made the traffic on Beverly Boulevard sound like Enya in comparison.

Which wasn’t exactly in the script.

Kevin Koffler, editor in chief of Genre Magazine, which co-hosted the Miramax benefit for Project Angel Food, sent an angry fax to Atlantic co-owner (and Madonna brother) Christopher Ciccone accusing the restaurant of bungling the event. Koffler said Atlantic failed to clear out its regular diners for the party, leaving the restaurant so jammed that benefit guests had to be sent to Pane Y Vino across the street, leaving the charity with a hefty food bill it hadn’t expected.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Koffler wrote, urging Ciccone to pick up the Pane Y Vino tab. “Last night’s fiasco at Atlantic Restaurant was tacky, unprofessional and mind-boggling.”

Ciccone said he was “kind of shocked” to hear there were any complaints. “As far as I know, everybody had a really good time.”

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What’s more impressive than being a Fortune 500 powerhouse? Living in a Fortune power house. Art collector Eli Broad’s Frank Gehry-designed palace in West L.A. makes the grade in the Nov. 23 issue of Fortune. The magazine singles out a handful of titans who not only have money, but also know how to spend it. Also applauded is Mondrian Hotel owner Ian Schrager, for his Southampton, N.Y., digs.