This is a pretty good week for Sir Elton John.

On Monday night, former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe told me — when I ran into him at the new Beverly Hills Soho House — that he still thinks Sir Elton is the best choice to replace Simon Cowell. “He’s absolutely it,” said Lythgoe, who also said he thinks Ellen DeGeneres is still warming up and has yet to show her full potential. And he misses Paula Abdul. “She was the glue that held it together, wasn’t she?” he said wistfully.

On Sunday night Sir Elton hosted his annual Oscar dinner and party at the Pacific Design Center. Tons of A listers filled up the tents to hear Grace Jones and rub elbows with stars like Betty White, Jamie Foxx, Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Hudson, Salma Hayek, Will.i.am, Josh Groban, Malin Akerman, Slash, John Waters, the Osbournes, Hayden Panettiere, Victoria Beckham, Heidi Klum, Alan Cumming, Serena Williams, Nick Jonas, Kara DioGuardi, Simon Cowell — who was driven around in a $540,000 Rolls Royce Phantom — Miley Cyrus, and even, as an oddity, Perez Hilton! Grace Jones was wild, outrageous, as good as ever. The party planners created an all red nightclub for her within Elton’s tents. It was quite a treat.

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Joaquin Phoenix is back.

On Thursday night at Soho House I ran into the gifted actor who’s been nominated for Oscars twice–in “Gladiator” and “Walk the Line.”

Joaquin never looked better–clear eyed and clean shaven, a 180 degree turnaround from his digression into rapping and riffing last year on talk shows.

He told me with certainty that he will likely return to acting now after a relatively short break. He’s just hoping to read some good scripts. “Why don’t you write one?” he asked facetiously.

We can’t! We’re too busy scooting around Hollywood looking for scoops!

Phoenix is much missed from the acting scene. Let’s hope it doesn’t take long to find him a good new role.

Meanwhile, Soho House was ablaze with stars last night. The evening’s official purpose was a party given by Elton John (and sponsored by RADD–Rockers Against Drunk Driving). That dinner went off without a hitch, with Jane Fonda and Richard Perry, “Avatar” director James Cameron and Suzy Amis, and Elton’s partner David Furnish in the house along with Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, Quentin Tarantino, Dustin Hoffman, and Harvey Weinstein all on the scene.

But soon after dinner Elton and Furnish vacated the room and it seemed rather sudden. It’s not known if there was cause and effect, but none other than Madonna had popped up on the magnificent Soho House terrace that’s dotted with olive trees brought in from Palm Springs. Later I was told that Elton–who famously does not get along with Madge–made a point of saying hello to her before he left. Elton is classy. Madonna is brassy.

Madonna certainly energizes a room; the weight of the Soho House crowd was suddenly surrounding her and business partner Guy Oseary. Juliette Lewis was right in there, and in time we saw former Oscar nominees Clive Owen and Clifton Collins Jr., Jason Lewis (no relation to Juliette), as well as singer James Blunt, Oscar nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emil Hirsch, Eva Longoria, Ryan Phillippe, Jason Bateman, Piers Morgan and TV powerhouse David E. Kelley.

Whew!

Also in Madonna’s orbit: hit pop songwriter producer Mikkel Eriksen without his partner Tor Erik Hermansen. The pair, as Stargate, provide half the hits were hear these days on pop radio. They’re in town working with Rihanna, and getting ready to do some work for Beyonce. Is Madonna their next client? We shall see.

And so Soho House rolls on. There are lots of other parties in town every night (the Hollywood Reporter had a nice one last night at the home of LA’s stargazing mayor) but Soho House is A List Central this week. The food is great and the chairs are the most comfortable for miles!

Elton John: In yesterday’s Parade magazine, he says Jesus was gay. That got the world’s attention, didn’t it?

His Parade interview is incredibly candid.

The actual quote is “I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving. I don’t know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East — you’re as good as dead.”

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Elton John and David Furnish are about to become Naked Angels.

The pair of partners are also Broadway producers, famously and successfully of the multiple Tony award-winning “Billy Elliott.”

But now they’re joining the upcoming Broadway production of “Next Fall,” which comes from the Naked Angels theater group.

They were both very excited last night at the Grammys when they told me they had a big Broadway announcement.

What’s interesting is that Geoffrey Naufft’s play has no music. It’s the first “straight play” that Elton and Furnish have gotten involved with. But it’s not exactly a “straight play”–to use a pun. The central story is about Luke and Adam, who have been in afive year relationship. Long time Naked Angel member Patrick Breen stars with Patrick Heusinger. “Next Fall” is also about faith, committment, and unconditional love, according to a summary provided by the company.

Rihanna is starting to get jinxed by the Grammys. Last night, she and her assistant tried to get to their floor seats at the Staples Center at the start of the show. But the show had just begun, and the security guards weren’t letting anyone down from individual gate entrances. So Rihanna had to wait and watch Elton John and Lady Gaga on a screen, just like regular people. She craned her neck back to catch the action as a crowd pressed up against her. What were the guards thinking? Not much, apparently. Also in our little crowd: George Clinton, the legendary creator of funk…

…Likewise, outside the Staples, coming up the red carpet, Usher had to show his ticket to get in. I mean, hilarious… Read the rest of this entry »

Last night, the 20th annual MusiCares Person of the Year dinner produced several memorable comments, not the least of which came from 83-year-old Tony Bennett, at whose table I was lucky to sit. Upon hearing the Red Hot Chili Peppers launch into a dissonant version of honoree Neil Young’s “A Man Needs A Maid,” Bennett told me: “Tonight proves to me there’s room for everyone.” He meant it, too. That’s a mensch!

Neil Young, who was seated with his family a few rows in front of us, must have picked up Bennett’s good vibrations. When it came time for Young to accept his award, it was Bennett — one of the few musicians in the room who didn’t perform last night — he cited. “Look at Tony Bennett,” Young told the star studded crowd at the L.A. Convention Center. “He rocks!”

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“We Are the World 25″ is a go for Monday, Feb. 1, at Henson A&M Studios, the same place where it was recorded in 1985.  Quincy Jones and AEG Live’s Randy Phillips are putting the finishing touches on the big recording session.

Among the names I’ve heard so far: Elton John, Celine Dion, Wyclef Jean, Gladys Knight, and possibly Aretha Franklin will join a huge number of younger stars.

Some of the stars from Quincy Jones’ upcoming album, “Soul Bossa Nostra,” may join in as well. They would include Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Akon, Bebe Winans, Usher, Robin Thicke, LL Cool J, and Tevin Campbell.

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This November will mark 40 years since Elton John and Leon Russell performed together at the Fillmore East in New York on November 20, 1970. This was right after Elton’s landmark live album, “11-17-70.” (Thanks to a couple of readers who pointed this out.)

Soon the old friends will make a new CD together, if Russell’s health permits. I’m told Elton, collaborator Bernie Taupin, and Russell have composed about a dozen or so new tracks together. They’re planning on going into the studio together shortly to lay them down. T-Bone Burnett, on a roll right now with the score and soundtrack to “Crazy Heart” will be the producer.

The only hitch: Russell has been in the hospital for some time suffering from brain fluid leak. He’s had brain surgery, and doctors are now considering another procedure to relieve the pressure in his head.

But the prognosis is good, and Elton is looking forward to doing the project. He told me recently that Russell had been a huge influence on him when he was starting out. You can certainly hear it in Elton’s early style of singing, and on tracks like “Honky Cat,” “Take Me to the Pilot,” “Border Song,” and the remarkable “Tumbleweed Connection” album.

So here’s a fervent Get Well to Leon Russell for a fast recovery, and release of the new album before the next Grammy deadline. This is one recording we really need, and soon!

Elton John’s going to the net tonight — and the ‘Net.

He’s playing tennis with Billie Jean King live on the Internet for his Elton John AIDS Foundation. Here’s the link. The fun begins at 8pm Eastern time.

Smash Hits 2009, taking place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, will also feature Serena Williams, Andy Roddick, Lindsay Davenport, Anna Kournikova, Tommy Haas, Liezel Huber, Jan-Michael Gambill, Devin Britton and local favorite Chanda Rubin of Lafayette, La.

They do say that Sir Elton will also participate in a doubles match. He must be feeling a lot better since his health scare last month. Forget “Take Me to the Pilot.” I just hope they don’t take him to the hospital! Good luck Elton!

Those Rock and Roll Hall of Fame shows set for October at Madison Square Garden: they’re already causing controversy.

Missing from the rosters on both nights are just about everyone important: Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Elton John, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, The Eagles, Billy Joel, Steve Winwood, not to mention the Kinks and the Who, Fleetwood Mac, and so on.

The listings omit both women and blacks with the exception of Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin. How sad, and stupid. Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Gladys Knight, Lionel Richie–all missing. Al Green, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Sam Moore, Booker T, Mavis Staples, Gene Chandler, Percy Sledge, all the doo-wop groups, Dion and the Belmonts– missing.

What this is: a Rolling Stone magazine celebration cloaked as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Otherwise, Chubby Checker would start the show with “The Twist.” But he’s not even in the Rock Hall. So there!

And where are the chicks, so to speak? Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, who made Rolling Stone so big in the 70s? Or all the punky rock groups from the Phil Spector era, or Darlene Love? Something tells me there are going to be lots of medleys led by the indefatigable Paul Shaffer, in between the big acts already announced. It will be like one of those hideous PBS singalongs from Pittsburgh.

And what of the O’Jays, the Dells, the Chi Lites, the Stylistics and Earth Wind and Fire? Blondie, the Cars, the Ramones, the Pretenders and Talking Heads? Elvis Costello? Patti Smith? George Clinton?

And Joel Peresman gets $376,000 a year. It boggles the mind.