FIRST OFF . . .

Recently released from his 32-day jail stay, actor Sean Penn has been seen around town with wife Madonna. After being sighted in a Westwood restaurant over the weekend, L.A.’s fun couple showed up Tuesday night at the storied Helena’s nightclub in Silver Lake (site of one of Penn’s earlier displays of public pique). The function was a party for Los Angeles author Charles Bukowski and “Love Is a Dog From Hell” (a Belgian movie based on his work). Bukowski was sighted drinking wine at the table occupied by the Penns. Among others at the party: actors Elliott Gould and Robert Downey, Soviet emigre director Andrei Konchalovsky, humorist Buck Henry and the film’s director, Dominique Deruddere. Next up for the Penns: Sean’s lastest film “Colors” opens in February. Next up for Bukowski: his screenplay “Barfly,” which stars Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway and is being released by Cannon Films later this fall.