Oracle co-founder and chief executive Larry Ellison will be the guest of honor at this year’s “Rebels With a Cause” gala, an event to benefit cancer research at USC, the studio announced Friday.
The second annual gala, being held March 20 at Paramount Pictures Studios, will be emceed by Jimmy Kimmel and feature guest performances by Barry Manilow and Pharrell Williams.
Paramount chairman and CEO Brad Grey and wife Cassandra, along with Keck School of Medicine dean Carmen Puliafito, are honorary co-chairs of the event. Proceeds benefit the research of David Agus, director of the USC Westside Cancer Center and the USC Center for Applied Molecular Medicine.
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“Larry has been a champion of our Center’s work from day one when his Ellison Medical Foundation announced funding for the initiation of our cancer research at the USC Center for Applied Molecular Medicine,” Agus said. “His generous support through the years is allowing us to explore unique approaches to medical oncology that will help us better control a disease which impacts millions worldwide.”
Sixteen-time Grammy winner David Foster will serve as musical director, while Don Mischer will produce.
“Cassandra and I are honored to be co-hosting this event,” Brad Grey said. “Dr. Agus and his team’s tireless and most innovative efforts towards fighting cancer is what propelled us to support this incredibly worthy cause.”