HOTSY-TOTSY SUPERMODEL Helena Christensen brought a touch of glamour to our burg last week, flitting among our "hippest" hotspots. Seems Helena's launched her own women's/fashion mag, called Nylon. I'm suspicious: (1) She's writing (uh-huh, she's a writer) about (2) the hippest spots in Seattle (now there's a fresh idea); (3) Slate and Design Week panned Nylon, saying Helena herself is "without a doubt the mag's biggest selling point"; and (4) Nylon's a dumb name. Why doesn't she just call it Pantyhose?

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WHAT'S HIP TO HELENA? Mon night 5/10 a Beatlesque moptop joined her for dinner--some say it's bf "Prada model Norman Reedus," who's here shooting Preston Tylk--at hip Assaggio restaurant (where my pal Soda-Pop notes she "appeared in the early stages of pregnancy and wasn't drinking." Hmm...). Ms. C toured the hip Ace Hotel Thurs 5/13 (looking "a little Frenchy" in low-key designer duds), then probed hip florist Fig. 1a. Fri 5/14 at Simply Seattle she snatched up a dozen T-shirts; and after a fried clam brunch at Ivar's, Helena browsed the afternoon away at Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe where she had her picture taken next to the two-headed fetal pig.

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THE BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS screening party, Sat 5/15, began at Sazerac and ended up on the 11th floor of the Monaco Hotel. In fine form were Breakfast stars Bruce Willis--a surprise guest!--and Nick Nolte, wearing a bathrobe. Also whooping it up: producer David Willis (Bruce's brother), author Tom Robbins (up from La Conner), Anthony Michael Hall, and legendary cocktail composer Martin Denny, 82 years young, who did music for the film.

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A SULTRY VOICE whispered this tidbit about hunky actor Luke Wilson (Rushmore, Bottlerocket) into my voice mail: Thurs 5/13 "he was walking down First Ave and popped into [a popular local peep show].... He spent a few quarters on the live show, watching the girls, but he didn't whip anything else out, much to everyone's dismay. But he was lookin' pretty fine!" Lusty Luke, you may recall, is in town filming Preston Tylk.

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THEY WALK AMONG US: Last week, "tasty" KSTW newsbabe Christine Chen rented Antz and You've Got Mail at an unidentified Roosevelt-area video store! · · · "Queen of Anchors" KOMO 4's Kathi Goertzen enjoyed a delicious Margarita at TV-anchor watering hole El Camino in Fremont! · · · Puffy-butted Chicago Hope doctor Adam Arkin shopped at Pacific Place downtown. On TV he's shrimpy, but in person he's a GIANT! · · · Q13 weather cutie Jim Castillo was shopping at Trader Joe's on QA last Wed night 5/12, buying cases and cases of... bottled water?! Never too early to prepare for Y2K!

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SPEAKING OF Y2K, King of Geeks Bill Gates, along with wife Melinda and consort Paul Allen, giggled his way through a $1,000/head Children's Hospital benefit screening of the new Star Wars. My spy, Shelly Evans (Hanson fan #1), unfortunately sat in front of Bill, so didn't get to watch him rock in his seat. But she did see golden boy John Curley attempting to chat up the King for Evening Magazine. Curley got a few words out of Bill before stepping back, sighing, "At least I didn't get maced!" (referring to the cop watching over Gatesy). · · · Also in the house: Starbucks honcho Howard Schulz. Spendy patrons got a "gift bag" of goodies--i.e., godawful marketing crap--from Paul Allen's new Mercata ticket company, Cinerama, Starbucks, and Lucasfilm. Get some class, you nouveau tycoons! If you're not gonna deliver "gifts" people want, at least don't load them down with your advertising!

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RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS played the Moore Sun 5/16 in a private teens-only show sponsored by The End 107.7. And who was skulking around in plain sight for four hours? Pearl Jam heartthrob Eddie Vedder! No one recognized him--maybe it was his new bleached-blond hairdo. One insider says, "...and he's so tiny, he looks like a woman in male drag!" Ooh! Cutie McCute!

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ALL THE GOOD SIFF GOSSIP came from the press office, so I'm awarding Stranger boxer shorts (speaking of marketing crap) to Helena-spotter Gregory and Gates-spotter Shelly! Next week it could be you! Keep your eyes on the stars! 323-7101 x3137, or shirley@thestranger.com.