“Sean, you channeled Harvey Milk perfectly!”

That’s what Jane Fonda said to Sean Penn the other night, giving him a big hug after the special NYC screening of “Milk,” which is director Gus Van Sant’s take on the slain gay activist, Milk. (Jane campaigned for Harvey 30 years ago, against Proposition 6, which would have banned gays — and perhaps even those who supported gay rights — from working in California public schools.)

The screening was hosted by John Sykes at the IFC Center, followed by dinner at the new Manhattan hot spot, John Dory — a terrific seafood place co-owned by Sean himself.

Among those congratulating Penn were Robert De Niro, who brought along his kids, Raphael and Drena, Jon Bon Jovi, Ethan Hawke, Anthony Edwards, Roger Waters, also, one of Penn’s costars Alison Pill, along with director Van Sant and producers Bruce Cohen and Michael London.

Oh, and giving the evening some frivolous glamour — Lindsay Lohan, looking fabulous. Her friend Samantha Ronson was not with her.

There seems no doubt that Penn will pick up a fifth Oscar nomination for “Milk.” He won for “Mystic River” back in 2004. But great actors should have Oscar bookends, and Sean’s one of the greatest.

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Brava and bravo to Barbra Streisand and President George W. Bush for acting like the charming adults both of them can be, and exchanging a friendly kiss the other night at the Kennedy Center, where La Streisand picked up an award for her incredible career. I read on Yahoo! (which leans distinctly to the right) that this kiss was “awkward.” It didn’t seem so to me.

Barbra has almost ruined some of her concerts with unnecessary partisan blather. When you have a glorious gift — a voice that millions of people of every political stripe love — just sing when you’re onstage. Especially when the audience has shelled out a fortune to see you! I was so relieved that the great star controlled herself and allowed the Lame Duck to congratulate her in a civilized manner.

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There’s no question people feel challenged and changed and fearful about the ongoing economic climate. A lot of people are even saying to me that it’s all an overdue bill from the Fates. We are being set up to react either badly or well by what will come.

And many people must be enjoying bad consciences or they are in just plain pain which they hope to elevate by “doing better.” So many come up to me at the kind of charity-fund-raising events for which I am now an all-too-ubiquitous emcee. They ask me plaintively, “What can I do to help? How can I teach the illiterate to read? Where can I volunteer?”

I am touched by this but even when I offer phone numbers and actual places where they can go to help, I don’t see them following up. So let me recommend just one interesting and useful tome out this season. It is the book Awearness: Inspiring Stories About How to Make a Difference.

This is for sale everywhere and it’s available at the Kenneth Cole stores all over, because he put it together. It has essays by Lance Armstrong, Jon Bon Jovi, Don Cheadle, Bill Clinton, Mia Farrow, Jane Fonda, Robert Redford and many others. Mr. Cole is the head of AmFAR but his charities are far reaching. Get in on his fight and read this wonderful book.