THE BUZZ.

IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE GOLD ON OSCAR NIGHT: Diamonds have always played a visible role on Oscar's red carpet, but entertainers in music and film alike have been expressing concern about the human rights abuses and deaths connected to conflict diamonds in Africa. At Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony, high-profile actors such as nominees Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling and Djimon Hounsou, will be wearing a red tear-drop pin, courtesy of Amnesty International USA, to continue to push the issue to the forefront.

A reported $33 million a year is made from U.S. sales of diamonds, but the true cost of many of these diamonds has been revealed to be in hundreds and thousands of child soldiers who fight in conflicts funded by the precious stone.

After the Academy Awards, the pins will be auctioned off, and proceeds will go toward the rehabilitation of these child soldiers. Hollywood is wising up, and such partnerships as Amnesty International USA and Global Witness' support of Warner Bros.' film "Blood Diamond," and Nicolas Cage's reported donation for ground programs in Africa, are showing that the glamour of nights like Sunday can come at a greater price that some celebs just aren't willing to pay.

-- S. Debessai

WE'VE GOT SPIRIT, YES WE DO: Film Independent's Spirit Awards will be given out today. The ceremony, hosted by Sarah Silverman in a big tent on Santa Monica Beach, is the hipster equivalent of the Oscars, meant mainly to honor modestly budgeted films that don't toe the studio line.

This year's best picture nominees are "American Gun," "The Dead Girl," "Half Nelson," "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Pan's Labyrinth." Awards also will be handed out for best first film, foreign language, film made for less than $500,000, documentary, and in various acting, writing and craft categories.

There will also be a special distinction award presented to the director-actress team of David Lynch and Laura Dern.

You can watch all the action, and hear a lot of choice Silverman-isms, live starting at 2p.m. on the Independent Film Channel.

-- Bob Strauss

GRAY ROCKS THE PARTY: Vanity Fair held its sixth annual Amped Concert at Hollywood's elegant Boulevard3 in honor of Oscar week, but also to benefit a good cause. The evening's featured performer, Macy Gray, represented her namesake charity, the M. Gray Music Academy, which offers affordable music programs for L.A. youth. "It's about self-expression and teaching them how to do things like collaborate and create music," Gray said. The highlight of the abundantly catered, heavily sponsored event was definitely Gray, who, sporting an Oscar- night-inspired berry satin gown with motorcycle boots and leather gloves, performed two new songs from her upcoming album, "Big," set for release next month, and a remixed version of her popular 2002 hit, "I Try." Celebrity supporters included producer Will.I.Am, Chris Brown, Bow Wow, Natalie Cole, Lil Jon, Lance Bass, Kate Walsh and ... Bobby Brown? Yes, a cleaned-up and newly unattached Brown was suited up and in good spirits, enjoying the performance from a VIP section overlooking the stage.

-- S.D.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) It's great to be king

Forest Whitaker, Oscar-nominated for "The Last King of Scotland," speaks after being honored Thursday at the 2007 Ebony Magazine pre-Academy Awards celebration in Los Angeles.

Matt Sayles/Associated Press

(2) WILL.I.AM and GRAY: All dressed up in support of music for L.A.'s youths.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com