Columnist John Katsilometes: The celeb-packed charity event at the Empire Ballroom

Monday, Oct. 17, 2005 | 7:25 a.m.

Let me take you down, 'cuz we're going to ... celebrity fields.

The tabloids sprung to life late Saturday night and early Sunday morning at the 6-week-old Empire Ballroom, which sits on the spot that was once home to Club Utopia on the Strip across from the Monte Carlo (and to borrow another phrase from the '60s, if you can remember Club Utopia, you were not there).

Among the fabulous stars on hand for the uBid for Hurricane Relief auction party were (listed in the order of when I actually witnessed them arriving or spotted them in the club):

Nick Lachey and his brother Drew; David Spade; L.D. Miller, the 12-year-old harmonica player in "Buck Wild" at the Sahara; one-time Playboy playmate and Las Vegas resident Tishara Cousino; Macaulay Culkin and Mila Kunis of "That '70s Show" (quite fond of each other, those two); Seth Green; Cris Judd; Brittany Murphy; Joe Reitman and poker star Annie Duke; Alla Wartenberg of "The Apprentice"; Krista Allen from the two-shows-and-out Fox TV series "Head Cases"; A.J. DiScala (separated from his wife, Jamie-Lynn these days); actress Lauren Sanchez; another poker star, Phil Gordon; event emcee Kathy Griffin; pop artist/actor Thom Bierdz; 'N Sync member and one-time aspiring astronaut Lance Bass; Jessica Biel; < b>Cary Hart ;and finally, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. (Celebrity relationship buffs take note of this ! breaking news: Lachey was wearing what seemed to be a wedding band on his left ring finger, and Moore made nice with Murphy, Kutcher's ex.)

This wide-ranging collection of stars was on hand to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina with a live auction, and to celebrate the launch of an online auction at ubid.com (hit the "charity" link on that site and you're there), which runs at least through early November. All money raised is reportedly being divided among three charities: The Brett Favre Fourward Mississippi Relief Fund, Kutcher's charity RockWorks and Child Welfare League of America.

Items for bid include walk-on roles on "Scrubs," "Arrested Development," "That '70s Show"; a snowboarding trip with Justin Timberlake in Mammoth, Calif.; a guitar signed by Britney Spears and Kevin Federline; lunch on the set of "Las Vegas" with Molly Sims, Vanessa Marcil or Josh Duhamel; and the jersey worn by tight end Tony Gonzalez in the Kansas City Chiefs' season opener (in which K.C. beat the Jets 27-7 and covered the spread).

Kutcher addressed the audience and got off a couple of good lines, saying that he learned of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina while in bed "multitasking with my wife ... trying to keep up with the Cruises and watching the news on TV." By the time Macy Gray hit the Empire stage just before midnight, just about everyone was spent -- in more ways than one.

NoteMart

Wolfgang stirs crowd: Celebrity chef/author Wolfgang Puck signed copies of his latest book, "Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy," for a couple hours Saturday at his restaurant Postrio at the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian. Before meeting the 30 or so fans lined up outside the restaurant, Puck said for this book -- his sixth -- he wanted to use ingredients available in most grocery stores, and did his own research by visiting a number of supermarkets.

Was he not recognized? "Sometimes," he said, laughing. "But not for long. I am fast." ...

Meal, interrupted: Some unfortunate timing for diners at the Venetian's Noodle Asia on Saturday afternoon. The restaurant, which abuts the hotel's sports book, was nearly overrun by hundreds of concerned parties watching the end of the thrilling USC-Notre Dame football game. The book was packed and the roars over the last five minutes of the game greatly altered the dining experience ...