'Ugly Truth' Junket Evacuated in Bomb Scare

Hollywood gossip scribbler Nikki Finke reported over the weekend that the international publicity junket for the new Katherine Heigl-Gerard Butler comedy The Ugly Truth was the target of a bomb scare that resulted in an evacuation of the upscale Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Ever vigilant where making nice with the press is concerned, Sony publicity reps reportedly escorted the junket folks across the street during the evacuation to Il Cielo restaurant. Finke didn't mention whether the film writers were treated to plates of Ravioli with Porcini Mushrooms and Butternut Squash in a Sage Butter Sauce while they waited, but it's not unimaginable. After all, those Sony reps must have been desperate to keep them from using the word "bomb" anywhere in their articles and reviews, and picking up the check for a few orders of Nicoise salad is a small price to pay.

In all, some 400 hotel guests were evacuated from the hotel, and People reports that the movie's stars gamely mingled with the regular folk on the hotel lawn while the police investigated, even posing for a few snapshots with members of the AC Milan soccer team ("Look, Paulo -- here I am during the fake bomb threat, with that grumpy girl who doesn't want to be on Grey's Anatomy anymore!")

LAPD said that, at the time the news broke, they were unable to locate the source of the phone call that kicked off the bomb scare. Should it be traced back to a Sony employee, desperate to drum up word of mouth for the comedy (described as being about a "romantically challenged morning show producer who's reluctantly embroiled in a series of outrageous tests by her chauvinistic correspondent to prove his theories on relationships and help her find love"), someone should explain to that employee that this isn't exactly the sort of press that puts butts into seats. Quite the opposite, if you think about it.