These Are the Nights You Say Weeee!

Whoopi Goldberg, Jeremy Piven and Mrs. Sting (a.k.a. Trudie Styler) were among the boldface names to show up at the Ziegfeld theater last night for the premiere of the Monty Python documentary Almost the Truth: The Lawyer's Cut Edition. The film, produced by Bill Jones and Benjamin Timlett, stars the five surviving members of the British comedy troupe, which was founded forty years ago. Next week, the Independent Film Channel will broacast all six hours of the documentary, to be meted out in one-hour doses over six nights. The network's Python-athon will also include airings of the troupe's films, including Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Python's Life of Brian and Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl. That should be enough to woo you away from Jay Leno for a spell.

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Return of the Housewives

America's favorite housewives (you're not going to pretend that anyone actually prefers the ladies of Orange County or Atlanta to the gelid ladies of Manhattan, are you?) turned up at Gilt restaurant last night to fête the launch of their second season, on Bravo. In addition to stunning-looking "housewives" LuAnn de Lesseps, Jill Zarin, Bethenny Frankel, Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Ramona Singer and Alex McCord, the event pulled a glam crowd of women who appeared to relish the idea of starring in a reality show themselves and a smaller group of men apparently not ashamed to admit they are fans of the self-absorbed series. New episodes begin on Bravo on February 17.

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"I See Dead Buffalos"

It's a safe bet that buffalo never roamed the island of Manhattan. But don't tell that to David Mamet, the playwright who first brought American Buffalo to Broadway in 1977 and then again in 1983. The highly charged drama, which follows a day in the life of three questionable characters plotting to steal a buffalo nickel, is back on the Great White Way, this time, starring Cedric the Entertainer, John Leguizamo and Haley Joel Osment. Proving that hell hath no fury like a two-bit criminal scorned, the three characters treat one another with equal parts respect, cruelty and distrust, thoroughly plumbing the depths of the tinderbox mind. All three actors deliver highly charged performances, particularly Leguizamo, whose profane energy electrifies the stage. And the man born Cedric Antonio Kyles, who appears here in his Broadway debut, gives his character a healthy quantum of conscience to offset his character's otherwise surly ways. If you've got at least 1,330 nickels to rub together (tickets start at $66.50) and a high tolerance for vulgar language, get yourself to American Buffalo, which opens this evening at the Belasco Theatre. You'll never look at coin-collecting the same way.

A Picture You Don’t Want to Miss

Attended a screening this evening of Persepolis, an animated coming-of-age tale about a precocious Iranian girl who grows up during the overthrow of the Shah and bristles under the Islamic law enforced by the Ayatollah Khomeni. The gorgeously drawn film, which is rendered in black-and-white, has received raves at film festivals around the world, and was a jury selection at the Festival de Cannes earlier this year. Written and illustrated by Marjane Satrapi, the autobiographical movie opens in New York and Los Angeles on Christmas Day. Get an advance peek on the film's stylish web site, which includes a movie trailer and a making-of featurette.

For Those With an Iron Constitution…

New York's fooderati were out in force tonight to celebrate the launch of The Next Iron Chef, premiering October 7 on the Food Network. Always hungry for a chance to watch their favorite chefs in action, this crowd of journos and other culinary-scene regulars noshed on capapés and cocktails in the Food Network's Kitchen Stadium to wish the élite group of chefs well. John Besh (Restaurant August, Besh Steak, Lüke, La Provnce); Chris Consentino (Incanto); Jill Davie, (JOSIE); Traci Des Jardins (Jardinière, Mijita and Acme Chophouse); Gavin Kaysen (El Bizcocho); Morou Ouattara (Farrah Olivia); Aarón Sánchez (Centrico, Paladar); and Michael Symon (Lola and Lolita) are the eight masters of cuisine who will be duking it out this season, with the winner revealed on November 11. The following week, the newly crowned Iron Chef will take his or her rightful place on the new season of Iron Chef America, which premieres on November 18. Gentlemen (and ladies), start your burners. %%showphotos [setid=72157602529521049]%%

A Crude Awakening, Indeed

Attended this evening's New York premiere of "A Crude Awakening," the new documentary produced and directed by Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack. The disturbing film warns of a futureworld in which cheap, plentiful oil is a thing of the past and our economy (and our standard of living) enter a frightening tailspin, the likes of which even alternate sources of energy can not mitigate. One of the most telling comments in the film was the prediction that many of our grandchildren may never set foot on an airplane, because travel by air will become prohibitively expensive for all but the wealthiest of the wealthy. After the screening, filmgoers decamped to the chic yet eco-friendly furnishings store ABC Home, which hosted the after-party in celebration of the launch of The Green, the Sundance Channel's new programming block dedicated to the environment. Guests mingled while enjoying plentiful canapes while enjoying plentiful canapes and did their best to forget (for the rest of the evening anyway), the feelings of hopelessness engendered by “A Crude Awakening.” Still courtesy of www.oilcrashmovie.com.