Sing, dance ... play

THE old Robinsons-May retail store in Beverly Hills was the place to see and be seen -- if you could get in. 1. Sony PlayStation 3 put on a young Hollywood star-studded party Nov. 8, complete with an appearance by the newly reconciled “Simple Life” stars Nicole Richie, right, and Paris Hilton. 2. The duo were just-for-the-night onstage dancers during a performance by Diddy. Half an hour after opening, the party was packed and invited stars arriving fashionably late had to cool their heels. Can you say “mortifying”? Even little Richie had to wait, although Lindsay Lohan walked straight by with her posse (of 11!). Besides the chance to play the new PlayStation 3 game, there were free toys, lots of candy and sweets, lounging spots and, natch, open bars. And if you got bored watching Paris and Nicole’s inebriated writhing, er, dancing, you could ride up (and down) the escalator.

-- Elizabeth Snead

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From Batman to birthday clown

What was George Clooney doing backstage Nov. 9 at the Kodak Theatre during Tony Bennett’s 80th birthday bash? He was sucking from a helium balloon. 5. Then he talked in a high-pitched voice to amuse kids from Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Camp, national camps for ill children. Clooney followed Billy Crystal onstage and talked about his first job in Hollywood -- as his aunt Rosemary Clooney’s driver. She often toured with Bennett, so Clooney was his chauffeur too. “The rates have gone up, Tony,” he kidded. “But I can still get you the crystal meth and the massage.”

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Mystery solved?

At the Audi AFI premiere of Darren Aronofsky’s new time-space travel love story, “The Fountain,” the writer-director told the audience: “People have been saying, ‘Hey man, that’s not a film, it’s an experience.’ ” For those who had trouble deciphering the film’s message, the decor at Republic on Nov. 11 was a hint: leaf patterns projected on walls and a giant Tree of Life (actually a dead stump with branches hammered on) in the main room. 3. Faye Dunaway -- possibly lusting after Ellen Burstyn’s roles in Aronofsky films -- made a beeline for the director, who asked her to pose for a photo and gushed, “I’m such a fan.”

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Sweet in any language

4. Rinko Kikuchi, “Babel’s” break-out Japanese star, learned sign language to play a deaf-mute teen. And she phonetically learned her speech in English to present an award to “Babel” film editor Stephen Mirrione at Hollywood Life’s Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards at the Highlands restaurant Sunday night. Later, Sharon Stone presented a Super Producer award to “Bobby” producer Holly Wiersma. Emcee Leonard Maltin was amused that “Dreamgirls” costume designer Sharen Davis wrote her acceptance speech on clothes tags fastened together with a safety pin.

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No party is complete without . . .

... Penguins! 6. After the wild success of “March of the Penguins,” you’d think people would be penguined out. But you’d be wrong. Several formally attired birds strutted the snowy white carpet Sunday afternoon for the AFI premiere of “Happy Feet.” The “jackass penguins” -- unfazed by the paparazzi -- are so named because their squawk sounds like a mule’s hee-haw.

Elizabeth Snead writes the Styles & Scenes blog at TheEnvelope.com.