t's the most wonderful time of the year. Sleigh bells ringing, children singing, and celebrities banking mega-bucks for doing what the rest of us have to pay for: attending a hot holiday party.
Take Paris and Nicky Hilton. One well-placed insider says the heiress sisters will haul in $500,000 for ushering in the New Year at trendy Los Angeles nightclub LAX. Lindsay Lohan had been set to host, but pulled out after her well-publicized battle with drugs and alcohol and various arrests culminated in a long rehab stay. "She'll be taking it easy with family and close friends," says representative Leslie Sloane. Good thinking, Linds.
Last year, paunchy pop-tart Britney Spears rang in the New Year while raking in a reported $350,000 for hosting at Las Vegas club Pure. Brit reportedly collapsed shortly after midnight from partying or exhaustion, foreshadowing the rest of her year. This New Year's, her rep says nothing is scheduled yet. Has her spectacular tumble from pop goddess to pop wreck put her on the Z-list even in meccas of excess like Vegas and Hollywood? "You'd think she'd be off-limits to anything legitimate," says Josh Richman, a well-known Los Angeles event director. "But everyone loves her new song, so who knows. She's like Teflon."
Less troubled stars still rake it in. Rock lovebirds Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz are reportedly going to cash a $150,000 check for appearing at the Shore Club in Miami. Pamela Anderson, who made $110,000 last year for partying at Tao in Las Vegas, should pocket about the same from Pure this year. Pam won't even need a private plane, like Tao provided for her last year, as she's already in Vegas levitating in a magic show at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.
The bottom rung of Hollywood's ladder--reality stars, beauty-pageant queens--will often show at a party for the free bottle service and, of course, the promise of paparazzi.
Regular folk can shell out anywhere from $100 to tens of thousands--depending on the desired level of VIP status--to attend a soire and hopefully get a glimpse of the famous host.
In Hollywood, everyone deserves a party. Lara Shriftman, publicist and party-giver extraordinaire (her line of party products is sold on the Home Shopping Network) throws a holiday party every year for Lulu Flynn, her 3-year-old miniature Shih Tzu, and Lulu's doggy pals, including actress Lara Flynn Boyle's Shih Tzu, Greta Garbo, and tennis champ Serena Williams' Jack Russell, Jackie.
The dogs prance around in Santa outfits from Petco, dine on doggy cakes from Three Dog Bakery, and gnaw on rawhide bones tucked into their stockings. Shriftman says there's been an uptick of Hollywood pup parties: "People are obsessed with their dogs."
Tinseltown's humans have their pick of parties during the season. Jennifer Klein, producer of "Armageddon" and "Pearl Harbor," holds her bash on the first Saturday of every December. This year, the 300-plus guests included Eddie Murphy, country crooner Kenny Chesney and "Transformers" director Michael Bay. Klein says insider parties like hers are a chance for movie people to network while they have fun, free from the prying eyes of the hoi polloi. "Eddie Murphy knows he doesn't have to worry about someone asking for his autograph," she says.
Even happier were the out-of-work writers: "They were telling me they'd spent all week picketing and were so glad to be at a party."
It wouldn't be La La Land without sexing up the season. "Sexy Santas" are popular this year.For her staff party, L.A. media consultant Christina Martin has hired a St. Nick with rock-hard abs who will "ho ho ho" in nothing but a red hat, red Speedo and black boots. "It's Chippendales meets Santa," she says.
Mid-month, the parties wind down as celebrities jet off to warmer climates like St. Bart's or Cabo San Lucas. But a star can't just frolic on the beach for the holidays. Skiing or snowboarding in Aspen or Lake Tahoe is essential, too. Trendier destinations this year include Cuba, Argentina, Costa Rica and Punta del Este, Uruguay.
One of this season's celebrity hot spots is St. Charles, Mo. That's not a typo. Ameristar Casino's Home Nightclub has booked B-listers like perennial partier Wilmer Valderrama, his former "That 70s Show" costar Danny Masterson, reality vixen Kim Kardashian and former Miss USA Tara Conner for a week of hosting duties leading up to New Year's Eve.
But New York, Las Vegas, Miami and Los Angeles remain the top places to party and, if you're a celebrity, get paid.
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