TINSELTOWN SPYWITNESS.

Byline: Elizabeth Snead

RED AGAINST VIOLENCE: Red was definitely the color of the night at a star-studded fund-raiser for V-Day, a grass-roots global movement to end violence against women and girls.

Melanie Griffith, Joely Fisher, Maria Bello, Carrie-Anne Moss, Doris Roberts, JoBeth Williams, Kathy Najimy, Rachael Leigh Cook, Maria Conchita Alonso, Christine Lahti, Troy Garity (son of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden) Lesley Ann Warren, Sherry Lansing and Brooke Shields put on red feather boas, red leather pants and bright red dresses. All came to support the cause and see Rosario Dawson and Shiva Rose (Dylan McDermott's wife) read two new pieces from Eve Ensler, the acclaimed playwright/creator of the feminist performance production ``The Vagina Monologues'' and the founder of the international V-Day movement.

But it was the footage from Ensler's partially completed documentary, ``Until the Violence Stops,'' that had the audience moved to tears and to their feet for a standing ovation for the activist/artist. The film shows the impact of Ensler's awareness and fund-raising activities around the world.

HEALTHY ENTHUSIASM: Imagine a fascinating hourlong segment on the ``Today'' show in which Katie Couric asks the top health experts all the important questions about women's health issues, new developments, screenings tests and preventive measures.

That's what the Women's Health 2003 luncheon, sponsored by the Entertainment Industry Foundation and the American Legacy Foundation and held at the Four Seasons Hotel was like.

Moderator Couric, introduced by Annette Bening, looked perky and poised in a gray skirt and sweater, talking to more than 100 famous female figures in the entertainment industry, including Jessica Simpson, Maria Bello, Sherry Lansing and others.

Couric apologized for being a little groggy. ``Doing the show from out here means being on at 4 a.m., so if I do a Goldie Hawn full-frontal face plant in my salad, please forgive me.''

She prefaced her speech about crusading for colon cancer after the death of her husband, Jay Monahan, six years ago by adding a little levity.

``I just want to get these two questions about my co-workers out of the way. Al's (Roker) lost 120 pounds so far, and yes, I think Matt (Lauer) should grow it back, too.''

The issues of gender in medical diagnosis and treatment was a hot topic as Couric joined a panel of experts from various medical institutions, but the real news from the lunch was the announcement of a $5 million anti- smoking national ad campaign called Portraits. It features celebs who have been affected by the health dangers of smoking.

Among the first selected were Brooke Shields, Jessica Simpson and Cicely Tyson, whose faces will appear in magazine, billboard and TV ads.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) GRIFFITH and SHIELDS: Give me a ``V'' ... Give me another ``V.''

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage.com

(2) COURIC: No rest for the perky.

Albert L. Ortega/WireImage.com