A Circus to the Max-im

HYPED AS: “Circus Maximus,” the one-year anniversary party for Maxim magazine, held at The Swimming Pool behind the Hollywood Athletic Club.

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REALITY: “Beer and Broads” men’s mag Maxim, seeking to out-hip the competition (i.e. Details), enlists up-and-coming party planner Jeffrey Best. Some sure-fire party elements include the unexpected locale, the Swimming Pool, a 1920s gentlemen’s bathhouse (no, not that kind) in which W.C. Fields and Esther Williams once frolicked--but not together. Few knew the place existed, let alone had partied there. Add to that Shannen Doherty as co-hostess, various mondo bizarro carnival acts (including Jim Rose alumnus the Torture King), and a live elephant and you’ve got the makings of a memorable bash. Still, it’s an organizational nightmare. Rogue security elements inexplicably herd guests into the inner bar just as the show starts in the outer court, all done in the name of the fire marshal (who doesn’t seem to mind “The Combustible Diva” igniting herself onstage). The highlight comes when George the Giant lies obligingly on a bed of nails while Roseanne and Kelly Hu stand on him.

I’M ON THE LIST: In addition to Roseanne and Hu, “Friends” Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc, “Go” star Scott Wolf, Chloe Sevigny, James Woods, Robert Downey Jr., Wild Orchid, Jerry O’Connell, “Felicity’s” Amy Jo Johnson and assorted rock ‘n’ rollers Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Twiggy Ramirez from Marilyn Manson’s band. Plus an elephant, which never makes it into the party after being ridden for a block down Sunset Boulevard by “Surprise Celebrity” Jaime Pressly (who?). Harder to spot is hostess and Maxim cover girl Shannen Doherty. “She’s going to seriously give herself some bad press if she doesn’t come down here right now,” one publicist barks into her headset. Duly delivered, Doherty is all a-Charmed. “I got, like, ushered up into some strange area of this party and I’ve been there ever since,” she says. “I missed all the really good stuff, but I saw the elephant when I was driving up. It was very large.”

CELEB QUOTIENT: Disappeared quickly, but good head count. ****

CHOW LINE: Hors d’oeuvres-sized chili con carne in a Fritos bag, etc. Cute, but what’s for dinner? QQ

WOW FACTOR: Clowns, stilt-walkers, a guy who sticks needles through his tendons. Lollapalooza without the music.