'Sex' Is Finally in the City

May 28, 2008— -- After a spattering of sneak peeks abroad, "Sex and the City" came home to the city that made it famous Tuesday night for the U.S. premiere, held – where else? – but New York.

The pink carpet was dusted with Swarovski crystals but "Sex and the City's" fearless leader, Sarah Jessica Parker, beamed even brighter in a silver Nina Ricci gown – and Fred Leighton baubles.

"The sexiest part of tonight is being here with all these people," said Parker, gesturing to the squealing fans lining the sidewalk outside Radio City Music Hall.

Throngs of Carrie Bradshaw wannabe's – some without umbrellas - stood undeterred by patches of rain - all for fleeting glimpses of Kim Catrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon and the men they bed on the big screen.

"It's exciting," said director Michael Patrick King. "It's like great sex."

The glittering carpet was overrun by a shouting press line and a Who's Who of New York celebrities – including Jerry Seinfeld, Donald Trump, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Vogue editrix Anna Wintour.

All the fuss seems to suggest that a decade after its debut on HBO, the national – even global - love affair with "Sex and the City" is still going strong.

"It has been full circle and then some," King said. "It just keeps going and going and going."

And so endures the rocky romance of witty wordsmith Carrie Bradshaw and the ever-charming Mr. Big, played by Chris Noth.

Asked about the best part of falling in love, on screen, with Parker's character, Noth flashed his trademark devilish grin and said: "We got to do it so many times."

The singer Fergie, of the Black Eyed Peas, was in the mood even though fiancé Josh Duhamel was too sick to attend the "Sex" premiere. The sultry singer is the star of the movie soundtrack with "Labels or Love," a revamped dance version of the unshakable "Sex" theme song, but she cops to being just another unabashed "huge" fan.

"This whole street is crazy," she said. "It's unbelievable. The magnitude of the carpet feels like it's an awards show."

Hanging just a step outside the chaos of the carpet, King vowed to savor every moment of the "Sex and the City" love fest.