Sideshow | Legends open with a thwack

Yes!

Led Zeppelin

made it to its super-special reunion gig last night in London's O2 Arena. In a nod to the band's late drummer,

John Bonham

, who choked to death on his own vomit in '80, Led Zep's newest lad, and John's son,

Jason Bonham

, opened the show with a thumping, thwacking, skittering drum beat. He was joined by guitarist

Jimmy Page

, 59, bassist

John Paul Jones

, 61, and the screechadelic singer

Robert Plant

, 59, who launched into "Good Times Bad Times," a bluesy affirmation of love despite

petit bourgeois

morals ("what the neighbors say") and despite mankind's loneliness in an empty universe.

Twenty million

fans had tried to score one of 18,000 available tix. One guy paid $168,000 for a pair. (Need a life, yo?)

Fans are desperate to hear the magic words:

Zeppelin will tour.

But, while there had been rumors, no such announcement came during last night's concert. What fans did hear was a just-over-two-hour, 16-song set likely to set off more calls for a world tour.

Extraordinarily marvelous media industry news: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced yesterday that veteran TV personality

Regis Philbin

will host the

official

pre-Oscar Red Carpet Pre-Show on ABC, which will precede the official Academy Awards show and extravaganza Feb. 24 live from Tinseltown.

"Regis is the perfect guy to serve as host. He knows everyone, and everyone loves Regis," said Oscar producer Dennis Doty, sounding not a little condescending. (Or is my

Inner Rege

being too sensitive?)

The 76-year-old Rege hosted the Red Carpet show 30 years ago.

American Idol

reject

Jessica Sierra

has been rejected by American patriotism itself. E!Online says Jessica's invitation to perform at a patriotic concert Friday in D.C. has been revoked following her recent arrest. Jess, who is currently in a Tampa jail awaiting a Dec. 20 hearing, was arrested Dec. 1 and charged with disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest for her part in a nightclub melee.

"Sierra needs to devote a great deal of time to putting her life back together," retired Air Force Lt. Col.

Buzz Patterson

, an organizer of the concert for the troops, said in a statement. No comment from Jess' lawyer.

The New York Film Critics Circle yesterday honored

No Country for Old Men

with a best-picture award. Adapted from the

Cormac McCarthy

novel,

No Country

, which made a big splash at Cannes, also was awarded best-screenplay and best-director prizes, for both

Joel

and

Ethan Coen

.

Gentle Canadian

and

acting powerhouse

Sarah Polley

was rewarded for her directorial debut,

Away From Her

, which won a best-first-feature ribbon. The film also won best actress for the incomparable

Julie Christie

.

Daniel Day-Lewis

won best actor and

Robert Elswit

best cinematography for the third multi-award winner,

There Will Be Blood

.

Displaying yet again their enormously sophisticated tastes in music, the reigning monarchs of the pod people,

Tom Cruise

and

Katie Holmes

, on Sunday attended their second

Spice Girls

concert in less than a week, this time in Vegas. The Cruises, who are personal friends with Posh Spice, a.k.a.

Victoria Beckham

, had already graced Thursday's Spice show at the Staples Center in Lalaland. In a disturbing report, People.com says the Cruises exposed their child,

Suri

, to those Spicey flesh merchants by taking her to the latter show.

Thanks to USAToday.com for this tidbit: Philly's

Will Smith

will soon relocate the nation's capital to Philly. (Least, that's what I hope.) The

I Am Legend

star tells London's The Mail on Sunday, "I'm going to be President of the United States. I always wanted to be the first black president, but

Barack Obama

stole my idea. That's OK with me. Barack can go first, and then I'll take my turn." Does that mean

Jazzy Jeff

will become the veep? (Or will he only become

The First Spinner?

)

Alex Etel

, the 13-year-old British child actor who was all charm in

Danny Boyle

's

Millions

and stars in the forthcoming

The Water Horse: The Legend of the Deep

, is scheduled to visit the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia today at 2:15 p.m. Later, at 6 p.m., he'll host a red carpet advance screening of

Water Horse

at the Ritz Five. Proceeds will benefit the children's hospital.

The

Dancing With the Stars

show Feb. 10 at the Wachovia Center will feature two newly added guest performers:

Helio Castroneves

and

Julianne Hough

.