Hollywood’s New Power Goes On Cruise Control

Fashion Wire Daily June 03, 2004 – Los Angeles – Jake Gyllenhaal (news) said the award resembled a penis, Kate Hudson (news) cut her acceptance speech short to go breastfeed her baby and Marlon Wayans (news) dubbed Eve “the black J. Lo.”

But Tom Cruise (news) stole the show from five New Power inductees (“Premiere” magazine’s hot film industry innovators under 35) at a crowded awards ceremony last night.

“You might look my security man and you may not be a virgin!” joked the aging Cruise, 41, who presented the phallic-shaped award to a bald and goateed Joe Carnahan. “But you are definitely part of The New Power in Hollywood!”

Getting an award from Cruise, even if you’re directing “Mission: Impossible 3,” is definitely an honor. But it can also be downright embarrassing.

“I feel like I’ve asked my successful, wealthy, good-looking brother to chaperon my first dance and my date has forgotten that I’m in the fu—ing car,” said Carnahan at the Forbidden City restaurant in Hollywood last night.

The impact of Cruise control was felt by almost every speaker.

“I know you guys came to see me tonight, not Tom Cruise,” kidded Gyllenhaal, whom presenter Mark Ruffalo (news) crowned “the new punk rock movie star,” “This award means a lot to me because my girlfriend and my sister already have one. But it really does look like a penis. Oops, sorry ‘Premiere.'”

Naomi Watts (news), who starred with Hudson in the messy “Le Divorce”, recalled their first meeting before presenting the award.

“I first met Kate Hudson when I gate crashed a party at her mom Goldie Hawn’s house, but I was with Tom and Nicole and felt I had a right to be there,” added Watts, who once appeared in an Australian TV commercial turning down a date with Cruise for her mum’s lamb roast. “But if new power means you’re talented, gorgeous, smart, funny, a wonderful mother AND young then Kate you’re it!”

Fortunately, not everyone felt they had to mention Cruise. In fact, the awards left some inductees almost speechless.

“You shouldn’t give out free liquor and then ask me to say something,” said Eve during her short and sweet acceptance speech.