PEACH BUZZ: Elton’s Oscars AIDS party still does well

Predictably, the 17 Atlantans at Elton John’s 17th annual Oscars party benefitting the Elton John AIDS Foundation were among the last to leave the glitzy party at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood early Monday.

Atlanta EJAF board member Barron Segar was finally in the mood to party after the evening’s successful live auction.

“In this [economic] environment, it was the one area of the sold-out event we had some anxiety about,” Segar told Buzz on Monday. “Across the board, donations at live auctions have just been cut back.”

But the black AmExs were flying out of wallets Sunday night. One key to the auction’s success? A savvy emphasis on real-time, interactive items, including the “Milk”-inspired soap box Oscars host Hugh Jackson stood on during a production number on the telecast (the prop with a still-moist autograph by Jackman fetched $20,000). John and partner David Furnish also auctioned off an evening with them at the impossible-to-get-into Vanity Fair magazine Oscars party that went for $60,000. Comfortable shoes were a must for the winning bidder —- entrance into the posh party with the couple began immediately following Sir Elton’s bash.

“This is just a huge show,” Kyma executive chef Pano Karatassos told us as entrees of sea bass and filet mignon with truffled veal jus floated by. “You couldn’t ask for a better host than Elton. He literally goes to every table to talk to you. That really impressed me.”

While Karatassos was busy staring at celebrity crush Sharon Stone a few feet away, his wife Angela had her own thoughts. “[‘Sex and the City’ actor] Chris Noth is one of the sexiest men I’ve ever seen!,” she told us before quickly adding, “aside from my husband, that is. I’m in heaven. It’s going to be difficult to get me back to Atlanta.”

Our fave star gazers, Atlanta doctors Jeffrey and Nancy Gallups were working overtime for Buzz Central, quickly spotting Claire Danes, Quincy Jones, Kate Beckinsale, Eva Longoria Parker, Simon Cowell, Carrie Underwood, Whoopi Goldberg, Victoria Beckham and Taye Diggs in the crowd.

Atlanta real estate developer Charlie Hendon and his wife, Cynthia, also made the trip as did Hendon’s 2008 World Team Tennis Smash Hits EJAF Atlanta benefit co-chair and Atlanta businesswoman Sacha Taylor.

The evening raised more than $4 million.

Celebrity docket

“Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member Lisa Wu Hartwell has filed for primary custody of her two sons with ex-husband and R&B singer Keith Sweat.

“The best interest of the minor children will be served by modifying the current custody and visitation provisions to make mother the primary physical custodian of the minor children,” according to the court papers filed Feb. 19 with the Superior Court of Fulton County. “Since the time of the divorce decree, mother has remarried, owns a successful business and will provide a stable, loving and nurturing environment in which she can raise the minor children.”

Wu Hartwell is seeking “primary physical custody and joint legal custody.” If she is granted custody, she wants child support as well.

In 2003, Sweat received primary custody of the children. According to the final divorce decree at the time written by Fulton Superior Court judge Cynthia D. Wright, Sweat and Wu Hartwell had an “extremely tumultuous relationship.”

Wu Hartwell currently is married to former NFL player Ed Hartwell and they have a young son. “Real Housewives” began taping its second season Monday.

Carlos Scott, her publicist, said Wu Hartwell cannot speak on the subject while it’s in the court system. Wu Hartwell said nothing about the custody case Saturday at her Gallery at South DeKalb appearance though she did note that her ex-husband didn’t clear her sons to be on the show.

Sweat, who’s involved with a new Peachtree TV special reuniting the group Dru Hill, plans to release a statement today once his attorney vets it, according to his publicist Courtney Barnes.

DEAL OF THE DAY

Today is National Pancake Day and IHOP is offering customers a free short stack of three buttermilk hotcakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. In exchange, IHOP is hoping you’ll return their generosity with a suggested donation to the Children’s Miracle Network.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Actor Abe Vigoda is 88. Actor Dominic Chianese (“The Sopranos”) is 78. Actor Edward James Olmos is 62. News correspondent Paula Zahn is 53. Country singer Sammy Kershaw is 51. Singer Michelle Shocked is 47. R&B singer Brandon Brown of Mista is 26. Drummer Matt McGinley of Gym Class Heroes is 26.

Contributing: Rodney Ho and news services

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