The Grey Goose Soho House party was wall to wall to wall action. So much so that I think I might have to split it up into 3 different posts in order to be able to convey most of the information. Most. There’s a good chance I’ll have to leave out a few details in the interest of time. Just to put it in perspective for you - there was a Vanity Fair event happening at the same time. And Vanity Fair is usually very well attended. Well, it kinda turned out to be a bust, since George Clooney, with Stacy Keibler and Bono, stopped by briefly and then left to go to Grey Goose Soho House. Everyone else followed. They were there at 10pm. Bono stayed for maybe an hour. George and Stacy stayed until 2:30pm.

FOUR AND A HALF HOURS!

I realise you have already read this 18 times today, FOUR AND A HALF HOURS. But it’s unusual for a name at his level, and there really is no higher level, to remain in one spot for that long. And, as such, the rest of us gossip and media types, I mean, that’s a cardinal sin to leave before he does. And all of us have early call times. We had already observed and absorbed more than enough information to be able to fill our column. Several columns. In other words, I wanted to go to bed. And George Clooney, goddamn, he would not let us.

I’ve already posted what Stacy wore on Friday night at The Ides of March premiere when she made the bold move of arriving first on the carpet. Click here to get caught up on that article which was posted on Saturday morning. I call it the C&C Music Factory dress. Where in 90s assness did she find that dress?

And then... Jesus Christ... her hair on Saturday. LOOK AT THIS HAIR. What is this hair??? This is how we found George all night. By looking for that hair. Where’s the nest? The nest is over by the back corner. Yes, George is right under it. With her heels on, and that f-cking hair, he was at least 3 inches shorter.

Let me just throw in a few George related bits before we get into the heart of this Stacy business, ok? How about George and Stacy being all friendly and double datey happy with Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt? Do they want to be invited to Como? With Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford? Somehow I don’t think they’d fit in. Somehow I don’t think we’d want Jon Hamm to fit in. There.

George and Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor - group hug, so cute. George seemed particularly fond of Ewan. Held him by the back of the head while they were talking. Emily seemed particularly fond of George’s head of security. I want to talk about this...

In sharp contrast to the Brange, and Beyonce, and most of the ones who roll with a security team, requiring their security teams to stand in the background, not participating in the action, George’s head of security is right up in there in the fun. I mean, he’s paying attention, he’ll never let anything happen, but in the right environment, and Soho House is the right environment, George’s top bodyguard was more like a friend. And he knew all of George’s friends. And there was easy camaraderie and, well, he likes to party too. Just like the boss.

His boss meanwhile, at one point, while joking around with Albert Brooks, did a little hip hop shoulder shrug. I almost died. Read that back:

George Clooney shoulder shrug. Right???

Do you care that Emile Hirsch, f-cking loser, practically sprinted over to see George as soon as he walked in? And monopolised him for almost 15 minutes? As IF Emile Hirsch has anything interesting to say to George Clooney for 15 minutes.

You know what happened when Alexander Skarsgard walked in? George noticed. I was watching his eyes watching Alexander Skarsgard. I’ll leave you with that. Anyway, this is about to become a mega-long ass post so I’ll toss in some extra George and other celebrity details as I remember them on the fly throughout the day. Back to Stacy...

We were on the first floor for the first 2 hours of the party. George and Stacy and their crew took over 3 tables by the front of the room. They enjoyed their Grey Goose the way it should be: with oysters. That was the first platter. And then a bowl of pasta that wasn’t offered to any other guests. And then some more really great food, hors d’oeuvres etc, and the reason I know this is because after they went upstairs, before the staff cleared away the plates, I ate it all. So yes, I had George Clooney’s leftovers. They were really good.

Anyway, I'm jumping all over the place. Sorry. There's just so much. Let me start at the beginning. They arrived with Bono. George and Bono talked, just the two of them, for at least 30 mins. Stacy sat behind them, not pouting, not bored, not fidgety but hanging out with friends, or employees. I'm not sure. It did cross my mind whether or not that's pre-arranged. That he has someone or more than one to be part of the entourage specifically assigned to his escort so that she never appears to have nothing to do when he's tied up in his own conversations. Whatever it is, she made it work for her. That girl is animated, always smiling, laughs a lot, seemingly very self-assured, not needy at all, never pulling on his coat for attention, never once appearing to be out of place. She really, really looked like she belonged. In spirit if not in style. Ew. The hair. I STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND IT.

After they ate, for a few minutes they sat side by side, his legs crossed, holding her hand on top of his thigh. She had her right arm around him, leaning in, whispering close. And amusing him. He was truly delighted by whatever it is that she was saying. The impression we all had is that he genuinely likes her. Apart from whatever the "arrangement" may be, and we'll get to that later, he enjoys her company. She makes him laugh.

After a while his head of security took her upstairs. The party had spilled vertically. So she can be independent. When she returned, she waved at him and told him that it was better upstairs. He soon followed. And so did everyone else. It was indeed better upstairs. That's where George spent time with Gosling, Hamm etc - see above - and Stacy always near him, but not desperately so, greeting friends on her own, dancing, drinking...this is a good, GOOD time girl.

Such a good time that they were there for FOUR AND A HALF HOURS. Which gives you some insight into who he is. He is still the guy who wants to stay out for four and a half hours. Brad and Angelina would never have stayed there for four and a half hours. At least not without a roped off section.

So now the question you’re all asking is why her? And why now? And how does this help? That he’s not with some world class beauty and has instead chosen a moderately pretty C-lister with low classy style for his Oscar campaign.

You know what my friend Teri said to me the yesterday?

She said when he dates girls like that, who dress like that, who are so not obviously Angelina Jolie, it makes me feel like she has a chance.

There’s your answer.

Attached - George and Stacy leaving the Grey Goose party on Saturday night.


Photos from Macca /Todd G/Splashnewsonline.com