Hits, misses on New Year’s Eve

WHERE in the world was Carmen Electra? She was supposed to host the big New Year’s Eve bash at Paramount Studios, including introducing the Killers and enumerating the all-important countdown to 2007. But after traipsing the red carpet, she was nowhere to be found. It was later revealed that Electra was too busy partying inside with her friends to fulfill her hosting duties. Not cool, Carmen. Also AWOL: the promised Dom Perignon bar in the VVIP area (that’s Very Very Important Person). Those tickets went for $1,000 a pop -- or should we say, a fizzle. 1. Down south in Long Beach, the Queen Mary weighed anchor on the new year with a gala dinner at Sir Winston’s and a fireworks show. Over at the Viceroy in Santa Monica, a Cuban-themed fiesta was crackling with a mojito bar and burlesque dancers. At the Peninsula in Beverly Hills revelers dug into roasted veal loin with parsnip mousse and truffle mac ‘n’ cheese. Careful how you mix your champagne with that.

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Samantha Bonar

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Oh, Huey, baby -- you always know how to have a good time. The Playboy Mansion’s annual Black Tie and Lingerie Gala was the party of choice for such revelers as George Lucas, Jeremy Piven and, of course, 2, Herr Hefner with his “Girls Next Door,” Bridget Marquardt, Holly Madison and Kendra Wilkinson. 3. A Ferris wheel was the centerpiece of the carnival-style Giant Maximus party covering seven acres in downtown L.A. 4. The Killers, led by Brandon Flowers, killed on an outside stage at the Paramount bash, where inside, celebs who happened to find themselves in L.A. for New Year’s Eve -- were all the hotels in Aspen and Miami booked? -- included 5, Bai Ling and 6, Noel Fielding and Courtney Love. Christopher Knight, Adrianne Curry and Andy Dick were there too. And lots of trannies.