So wrote the scholar Gershon Legman back in 1977. If Gershon were still alive, he would probably in shock these days.

WELL, NOW that Hollywood titan/ mogul David Geffen has emphati cally aligned himself with the Democrat's rising star Barack Obama and against his former friends the Clintons, I suppose we will take it as a given that the other undisputed king of Hollywood, Jack Nicholson, who is on the outs with Geffen - will now throw his support to Hillary. How else can it fall out?

TAKE A look at the photograph of my "famous" desk appear ing in the new Vanity Fair, page 206. You'll see a picture of my idol - Fred Astaire.

Fred and Ginger Rogers, his fabulous partner, are coming back to the world's stage, in a manner of speaking. This dazzling movie couple made nine musicals together for RKO, and later "The Barkleys of Broadway" for MGM.

Before the year ends, Fred and Ginger will be impersonated on London's West End in "Dancing the Night Away," a multimillion dollar musical being put together by one of Britain's top choreographers, Gillian Lynne, age 81, and author Jill Arlon. A former Royal Ballet member, Lynne has staged more than 50 musical hits, including "Cats," "Phantom of the Opera," and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."

She says, "There is something fantastic about a man and a woman dancing close. I am sick of street dancing and hip-hop . . . We want to give audiences escapism and magic and take the electrifying charge of dance to new heights."

There'll be white tie, tails, waltzes, fox trots, cariocas and the tunes and lyrics of Gershwin, Porter and Kern. If "Dancing the Night Away" is a hit, it will definitely come to Broadway.

There was a show on the Great White Way not too many years ago said to be based on the Fred 'n' Ginger movie hit "Swing Time." Titled "Never Gonna Dance," it didn't last long, though it was ambitious and athletic. The time was not right.

But now, it obviously hasn't been lost on these Brits that "Dancing With the Stars" is one of today's hot hits of television. So maybe audiences will pay to see more of that genre on a lighted stage.

ARGUABLY ONE of the most famous stars ever to appear in a movie is Elizabeth Taylor. On Tuesday, the three-time Oscar honoree turns 75 with a lavish family and friends blowout in Las Vegas. She'll take over one of those big casino ballrooms. She won't say which one.

Miss Taylor adores Las Vegas. She married one of her many husbands, Eddie Fisher, there. But she never holds a grudge - against a city.

IN LA-LA land Sunday night, people will be begging to get in to the Mortons party offered up by Vanity Fair magazine. Across the street at the Pacific Design Center, they'll be crammed to the rafters at the Elton John AIDS fund-raiser with Sotheby's great auctioneer Jamie Niven in control. And they'll trickle out of L.A.'s downtown Governor's Ball and back to West Hollywood's "after bashes," holding onto their Oscars and crying with joy. A few will just be crying.

If you're in Manhattan, the big party is at Elaine's legendary saloon, sponsored by Entertainment Weekly. The guest list now includes Angela Bassett, Mariska Hargitay, Tatum O'Neal, Sam Rockwell, Chris Meloni, Candace Bushnell, S. Epatha Merkerson. This one is glittery but cozy.

Or, you can stay in bed with your hat on like the other 50 million who'll be watching TV worldwide!

but, LET'S not forget the Norby Walters' "Night of 100 Stars" at the Beverly Hills Hotel. This year it will attract Virginia Madsen, James Woods, Jesse Metcalfe, Terrence Howard, Daryl Hannah, Dominique Swain, plus rapper Ludacris and country queen Tanya Tucker.

Had she not encountered fate in Miami, Anna Nicole Smith planned to stumble down the Norby red carpet. Well, Britney's still available, a girl who is taking the rehab idea literally as "one day at a time." (She only ever stays a day!)

see full story