A Prom to Remember

Two red carpets and photographers jockeying back and forth across Hollywood Boulevard--the dueling premieres of “A Walk to Remember” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and “The Count of Monte Cristo” at El Capitan Theatre--caused quite a commotion Wednesday night.

Pop singer Mandy Moore, star of “Walk,” had a ball, especially at the film’s after-party. Not very many high school seniors can boast about having a “senior prom” at the Hollywood Athletic Club, with three open bars, buffet tables overflowing with shrimp and a leading man at their side.

“I’m missing my senior prom this year, so this is my senior prom tonight. Aren’t the decorations great?” said Moore, a student at Bishop Moore High School in Orlando, Fla. The 17-year-old singer was enjoying the after-party with co-star Shane West as photographers and fans clamored around.

Moore, who is finishing high school via correspondence, said she hopes the movie’s message, “not compromising whatever you believe in, especially when others make fun of you,” will appeal to audiences.

On acting, Moore joked that her experience in “musical theater” had helped. She played Adelaide in “Guys and Dolls” in her sixth-grade school play. And she didn’t mind trading in her MTV vixen outfits for the ankle-length dresses, socks and a faded green sweater she wears in the evangelical Christian film. She plays Jamie, a Baptist preacher’s daughter unashamed of her faith, who falls in love with a troubled but popular boy (West) and wins him over.

At the premiere and party, Moore, a Neutrogena spokeswoman, looked more than clean-cut in a flesh-colored dress with a low-slung leather belt. ... You know, your average churchgoing look.

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Gossip Is Forever

Despite the post-Sept. 11 declaration by columnist Liz Smith that gossip is dead and Goldie Hawn’s plea to the National Press Club that “words do hurt,” a recent survey suggests that gossip is alive and kicking.

Consumer interest in reading about people and personalities has increased 5% since October, according to a recent survey by Knowledge Networks/Statistical Research. Company spokesman Jay Mattlin described the phenomenon as a “comeback ... of comfort food for the mind.”

More than 750 people nationwide, selected at random, answered a series of questions over the Internet as part of the company’s ongoing magazine research. Results showed that the proportion of consumers “very interested” in reading about people and personalities increased from 11% in October to 16% during the period Nov. 27-Dec. 13.

The survey also says consumers are less likely now than a year ago to report waning interest in sports, movies or travel. In October, consumers said they were more focused on news and finance than movies, travel, sports and personalities. At that time, reader interest in people and personalities had dropped 6% compared with a year prior.

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Parental Support

On Wednesday, Aaron Spelling came out to see daughter Tori Spelling at the Coronet Theater in West Hollywood for the premiere of “Maybe Baby,” in which she stars. The 78-year-old producer, who has been known to take a very active role in his daughter’s acting career, sat with Candy and Randy, Tori’s mother and brother. “Maybe Baby” runs through March 23.

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Quote/Unquote

“I’m honored. It’s not every day that your work is compared to human waste.... I’ll remember this for as long as ... I’m in North Dakota,” humor columnist Dave Barry told a Grand Forks, N.D., crowd after a sewage facility there was named for him.

Times staff writer Michael Quintanilla contributed to this report.

E-mail: angles@latimes.com.