TINSELTOWN SPYWITNESS.

Byline: Elizabeth Snead, Jennifer Sklar and Jenny Peters

FUN ... AND FUND-RAISING: There was raucous laughter - and a few quiet tears - at the Laugh Factory on Sunset Boulevard Thursday night at the second annual ``Comedy for a Cure'' benefit for the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance. The laughs came later in the evening, when stand-up comics including Kenny Johnson, Bob Saget (whose cousin is affected by the disease) and Tom Dreeson kept the packed house roaring. Earlier, parents of children with TS, a little-known disease that causes tumors on the vital organs that lead to seizures and often cause autism, made the audience sit up and take notice; so much so that in the live auction that followed, $1,600 was pledged to buy ``absolutely nothing.'' Thousands more dollars were donated in exchange for Mediterranean cruises, a walk-on role on ``Six Feet Under'' and even a stack of cookbooks by the time the lively auction ended.

Earlier in the evening, the upstairs private room filled with heavy hitters, including event host Josh Molina (of ``Sports Night'' and ``The West Wing'' fame) and Calista Flockhart; everyone sipped Ferrari-Carrano wines and munched on chef Ben Ford's delectable appetizers, including a wonderful ``lobster spoon.''

Ford, whose dad is actor Harrison Ford (who reportedly stayed home to baby-sit girlfriend Calista's son Liam and his grandson Ethan), echoed many of the people who donated their time and money to the cause, saying, ``Being the father of a 2-year-old son, I can identify with what these parents are going through, and I wanted to help.''

THE FRENCH CONNECTION: The annual Cannes Film Festival amfAR dinner/auction AIDS fund-raiser, held in a tent outside the popular restaurant Moulin des Mougins, drew its usual array of mondo bizarro characters: Liz Taylor, Elton John, Donatella Versace, Cher and Ivana Trump.

Taylor arrived late, as usual, escorted by shoe designer Christian LaBoutain. Asked what her favorite Cannes memories are, she responded, ``I have so many wonderful memories.'' That peroxided fashion plate Versace sneaked up from behind and embraced Taylor, bussing her on the cheek and cooing for the cameras, ``There is only one Liz. You look so wonderful, dahlink!'' ``You don't look so bad yourself, babe,'' Liz cracked back, clearly unsure of just who this affectionate over-processed blonde was. Meanwhile, Taylor's well-groomed white Maltese followed close behind his mistress, carried on a velvet pillow by one of her attending valets. Now that's what we call a dog's life.

The night before, Taylor reportedly looked frail during her appearance at the screening of a restored print of ``Giant,'' her 1956 film starring Rock Hudson and James Dean. When photographers shouted to her to pose for them, Taylor snapped, ``Show me the money!'' Taylor left the theater shortly after the movie started, was stuffed in a limo and driven off. Everyone on the amfAR press line was disappointed that Cannes juror Meg Ryan, who hadn't been seen at any events since the first few days of the film fest, sneaked in the back entrance to avoid talking to reporters.

Her fellow juror Steven Soderbergh arrived with his new bride, Jules Asner, who used to be one of the red-rug rats with a microphone clutched in her hand when she worked for E! TV. But how soon they forget their roots. Asner ignored the shouts and pleas from her former carpet cronies to stop and talk to them, waving a weak apology as she let herself be dragged into the tent by an annoyed Soderbergh.

Asner was, however, gushingly polite to Susan Feniger, who, along with partner Mary Sue Milliken, makes up the Two Hot Tamales - cookbook authors and renowned chefs who own and operate the wildly popular Los Angeles restaurants Border Grill and Ciudad. Asner ran into Feniger in the ladies room at the chic restaurant Tatoo and told her how much she, Soderbergh and all their famous friends just loooove the Border Grill. Then she hot-trotted back to join Soderbergh, who was busy holding court at a large table of Hollywood types.

Feniger and Milliken were Bon Appetit magazine's celebrity chefs during the first week in Cannes, preparing their haute and spicy meals for press, guests and celebs.

STYLE DU JOUR: Emporio Armani reopened in style Wednesday night in Beverly Hills with a cocktail reception hosted by actress Milla Jovovich. The statuesque beauty greeted guests - including Bai Ling and Sarah Wynter - as they mingled and checked out the sportswear line's fabulous new digs.

``I have a green Armani suit that my sister (actress Kimberly Williams) wore on the Leno show when I was 13,'' confided ``Good Morning, Miami'' star Ashley Williams. ``That is the only Armani thing I have, and I love it!''

While noshing on veggie spring rolls and sushi from Katana and Sushi Roku, the oh-so-hip crowd seemed more New York than L.A., with most people wearing black and looking too cool for the room. Maybe not. The new space on Brighton Way is pretty cool itself and resembles a Big Apple-style store, complete with mod, minimalist decor. The evening benefited the Wildlands Project, which helps preserve wildlife and their habitats.

Impressed by the shop, Jovovich said she was happy to serve as stand-in for her pal Armani, who was not able to attend personally. ``It's wonderful to come out to these things, especially because Armani is supporting the Wildlands Project, which is an organization I really keep close to my heart,'' she said. ``I am really grateful to him for that.''

we saw U

Brittany Murphy missed her ex-boyfriend Ashton Kutcher by a mere hour at QVC's annual Cure by the Shore event in Malibu, benefiting multiple sclerosis research. Timing really is everything sometimes.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1) JOVOVICH: Stylish sensation.

Victor Spinelli/WireImage.com

(2) FORD: Chef Ben cooking for a cure.

Amy Graves/WireImage.com

(3) no caption (Brittany Murphy)

(4) no caption (Ashton Kutcher)

Michael Caulfield/WireImage.com