PARKER: DNC firmament filling with stars

By Penny Parker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 22, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Stars on parade: Forrest Whitaker, Susan Sarandon, Ben Affleck and Spike Lee are just a few of the stars heading to the DNC festivities in Denver.

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It's getting hard to keep track of all the bold-face names emerging as possible attendees to the Democratic National Convention next month.

Here's the list so far: Tim Daly, Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee, Susan Sarandon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Neil Patrick Harris, Dana Delany, Barry Levinson, Matthew Modine, Alan Cumming, Cheryl Hines, Rachael Leigh Cook, Wendie Malick, Kerry Washington, Forrest Whitaker, Ed Norton, TV writer Tom Fontana and director/writer/ producer Sue Kramer, who will all be part of the nonpartisan Creative Coalition's team of Hollywood types coming here to witness history in the making when the first African-American gets the presidential nomination.

And we've told you that actress Annette Bening will be honored during a lunch hosted by the Creative Coalition, and that The Black Eyed Peas are the CC's musical headliner Aug. 27 in the Fillmore Auditorium.

Hot on the heels of Washington Post blogger Mary Ann Aker (who broke celeb news last week), The New York Daily News reported Sunday that Kanye West, N.E.R.D., Wyclef Jean and Usher "are in serious talks" to perform during the convention, and that Warren Beatty will accompany his wife, Bening, to Denver.

"Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons is flying out to Denver for the Yoga Health Foundation's festival, which kicks off the night before the convention. He plans to stick around for the Democratic powwow," according to the Daily News. And big Barack Obama backers Ben Affleck and Scarlett Johansson are expected.

MERRY MAYOR: Mayor John Hickenlooper and roughly 100 people from his DNC planning committee rocked and rolled during the Denver Pavilions' Hot Sounds concert Thursday night. The mayor hosted his guests in the VIP tent where they sipped complimentary cocktails from the Pavilions and sampled snacks from the Hard Rock Cafe.

After rockin' out to R&B tunes from local cover band Soul School, hizzoner took the stage to thank his staff for their extra hours in planning the DNC. Hick introduced local vocal Hazel Miller, who, I'm told, "blew the crowd away".

The free concert series takes place Thursdays through Aug. 7. More info: denverpavilions.com.

BRITNEY'S BACK: Pop star Britney Spears was spotted in Vail last week. She had breakfast Friday morning in our mountain town and graciously signed autographs, according to Spears former boyfriend and transplanted Coloradan John Sundahl, who's still recovering from quadruple bypass surgery he had in Hong Kong recently.

Sundahl lent Spears his $16 million Bachelor Gulch mansion, which has a recording studio, to record a couple of songs for her new album (or CD). "I told her to (record) before I tear out the place and turn it into a humidor," Sundahl told me. "I don't drink, but I still smoke cigars."

THE SEEN: Former Broncos QB Brian Griese and family brunching Sunday at 730 South.

EAVESDROPPING on a United Airlines flight attendant on a plane flying from Denver to La Guardia: "In case of an emergency landing, the oxygen masks will drop from the panels above your head. If you want the oxygen to flow, please swipe your credit card."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail parkerp@RockyMountainNews.com.

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