Oscar
Envy
Buy Your Way
Onto The Red
Carpet
By Heather Corcoran
You don’t have to star in a critically acclaimed
film to make it to the Academy Awards. Believe
it or not, even mere mortals can walk the red
carpet or mingle with the stars at Hollywood’s
hottest event – even if you don’t have an agent
on speed dial.
In fact, your tickets to the Academy may just
be a phone call away. With today’s booming
luxury market, there are plenty of luxury con-
cierge services that specialize in making your
wildest dreams come true.
Abigail Newman and her partner Mi-
chael Fazio run Abigail Michaels Con-
cierge, drawing on their vast network of rela-
tionships developed during their combined 30
years of experience in the nightclub, restaurant,
hotel and entertainment businesses. Whether
it means something as simple as hiring a dog-
walker or as extravagant as creating a once-in-
a-lifetime experience, their membership in the
prestigious Les Clefs d’Or society of concierges
extends the company’s access to luxury accom-
modations around the world. “We can do just
about anything, because we spent years and
years developing relationships,” said Newman.
And while, not surprisingly, it is possible to
buy your way into the Oscars, it’s not the only
way in. “There’s a myriad of ways, it would cer-
tainly be a challenge,” said Newman. “Howev-
er, there’s always a way. We have relationships,
we’re also extremely clever and tenacious.”
Each movie studio is given a small number
of tickets, and even nominees are only allowed
to bring one guest. For those who can’t afford
the luxury of hiring a personal concierge to get
them in, companies like seatfiller.com, hire
pretty faces to keep warm the seats of no-show
44 • Resident The Week Of February 19, 2007
stars or those who’ve
slipped away to the bath-
room. It’s a game of mu-
sical chairs that keeps the
audience looking packed
for television’s biggest
events – including the
Academy Awards. Just
send in your headshot
and wait for the call, but
be ready, seat fillers have
to be ready at a moment’s
notice. And like the company’s Web site says,
“We have no why of knowing how many ticket
holder[s] are going to show up. If you want a
guarantee, buy a ticket.”
After the event, the A-List heads to Mor-
tons Restaurant for the Vanity Fair party. Last
year, revelers included past winners Nicole
Kidman and Rachel Weisz (with fiancé, di-
rector Darren Aronofsky). The hottest ticket
in town, the party’s organizers made quite a stir
by cutting the guest list by 500 and making sure
to keep the event “Hilton-free.” With three lay-
ers of tight security, save this even for statue-
holding winners.
The more egalitarian Governor’s Ball
continues the Oscar celebration next to the
ceremony’s Kodak Theater. All nominees
– from best actor to the technical awards – are
invited to this event with 1,500 guests. This
year, Grammy Award-nominated saxophonist
Dave Koz will provide the entertainment.
While the red carpet may be the best place
to see the biggest celebs in their most camera-
ready couture, charity events provide a chance
to get up close and personal – while support-
ing a good cause. It won’t come cheap though,
Fans fill the
bleachers for a
chance to see the
stars up close.
AP Photo/Amy Sancetta
Award winner Weisz
at the Vanity Fair
Oscar Party.
AP Photo/Jennifer Graylock
with tables going for $20-$30,000 and up ac-
cording to Newman.
The night’s most sought-after charity ticket
is the Elton John AIDs Foundation Os-
car viewing party at the Pacific Design
Center. For 15 years, the event has been the
Foundation’s biggest draw – last year raising
$3 million for AIDs care and education. This
year, the event sold out quickly, with James
Blunt providing the entertainment for the
bash.
And if you can’t make it to Los Angeles, the
Academy’s Oscar Night America will con-
nect people with fund-raising parties for chari-
table organizations in cities from Hartford to
Honolulu. The affairs range from casual to
black-tie, with some even recreating the red
carpet – paparazzi, press and all.
To make it to the Oscars, you don’t have to
be rich – just creative. “If you’re looking for
a celebrity driven opportunity, as these events
come up, like the Academy Awards or the
Grammy’s, there’s always some kinds of raffles
and things – you should just go for it,” said
Newman. “If you want to make something
happen you have to cast a big net, throw some-
thing out there and see what comes back.”