TINSELTOWN SPYWITNESS.

Byline: Joel Stratte-McClure

TAKING AIM AT 'HALO 3': Almost every guy in town not on the French Riviera for the 60th Cannes International Film Festival flocked to Quixote Studios in West Hollywood on Tuesday night.

But Geoffrey Rush, Josh Henderson, Dane Cook, Matt Leinart, Ryan Cabrera, Adam Rodriguez, Shawn Pyfrom, John Hensley, Channing Tatum and the rest of the gang didn't show up for a special screening of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," which premieres at Disneyland this weekend.

No, the sequel causing all of the fuss was the sneak preview of "Halo 3," the third chapter of the addictive first-person shooter video game created for the Xbox 360.

Not every gamer was busy at one of the 32 stations in the futuristic Halo-themed setting that replicated the conquered and Covenant-controlled Earth. Rush let his son James take the controls before introducing him to John Salley, one of many basketballers in the crowd. Although Henderson didn't bring Paris Hilton, who arrived after he did and sneaked in the back door to avoid the press, Aisha Tyler, Victoria Pratt and Jennifer Elise Cox were among the few women who slipped in to pose with various Halo characters.

"Nip/Tuck's" Hensley looked particularly unsteady when he took the controls, bumping into obstacles and throwing his arms into the air when he was taken out. Jack Bauer wouldn't hire him, but he's not giving up.

"I definitely got killed because I haven't got my head and hands around all the controls and moves which are different than 'Halo 2,'" Hensley said. "But keep watching because this is definitely a game that I'll get into. It's got both me and the market cornered."

Hensley plans to be among the first Halo purchasers when the game, now in beta mode, goes public on Sept. 25.

THE GOOD FIGHT: "This is such a worthwhile event that I'm attending it for the eighth year in a row," Jimmy Kimmel cracked when he arrived at the sixth annual Project A.L.S. block party on the New York Street back lot at Paramount Pictures on Saturday.

"Cancer is the star, but I'm afraid this disease is probably overshadowed by more important concerns, like hair growth and erections," countered Kimmel's girlfriend, Sarah Silverman, at the benefit for research and treatment into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the neuromuscular disorder also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

The comic couple joined Kyra Sedgwick, Laird Hamilton, Adam Carolla, Penelope Ann Miller, Dana Delany, Jeff Garlin, Marlee Matlin, Rob Morrow, Sharon Lawrence, Ricki Lake and other supporters.

Sedgwick, wearing a gigantic straw summer hat, walked past pretzel, bagel and hotdog stands to admire the Ferris wheel, while Kimmel and Silverman played with Carolla's baby twins.

Lake, whose kids played carnival games, answered questions about the media buzz that she's moving to Manhattan to take over Rosie O'Donnell's slot on "The View."

"Absolutely nobody's called me about the job -- but I might be available," said Lake, who recently appeared as a guest co-host on the show. "It's amazing how you lose 20 pounds and every door opens."

Garlin, surrounded by photographers near the stickball court in front of the Mount McKinley School, pointed to Delany and barked, "Now there's a beautiful woman. You should photograph her, not me!" Which they did.

"Lou Gehrig would have been genuinely pleased and honored by the diversity of people here today to help fight the disease that ended his career and life," said Hamilton, who autographed a surfboard for the charity auction.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) RODRIGUEZ and FRIEND: The future is now

(2) KIMMEL and SILVERMAN: Togetherness at Project A.L.S. benefit

Getty Images