“You’re psyched to be working (on the road), but you’re bummed you can’t do the (fully rehearsed) plays,” host Topher Grace told TheWrap at the Art of Elysium’s celebration of the return of the Ford Mustang Boss on Thursday night.
Over 7,000 of Art of Elysium’s big and small name working actors and musicians dedicate their time to work side by side with children battling serious illnesses on group artistic projects in L.A.
Having seen art teacher Joe Manganiello lead a group (above with Grace and art ambassador Jacques Kaplan-Abrahams), Ford’s Debra Hotaling said “The kids are stealing the show. Dealing with serious illness, these kids are doing the hardest work.”
Despite the barrage of incoming sponsorship requests, “this is an easy one to do and we love being partners with (Art of Elysium) on this,” Hotaling said.
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Etham Embry thanks Chris Masterson (pseudonymously DJ’ing under his first and middle name only, “Chris Kennedy”) for stepping in last second when Brent Bolthouse accidentally double booked himself for Art of Elysium’s intimate gathering of art and music.
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A.O.E. Founder Jennifer Howell took a moment to acknowledge that the “shiny names keep us going but (these collaborations) are who we are and that connection is what we really want to showcase.”
Shiny names on Thursday included “Cowboy's and Aliens'” Abigail Spencer, “Off The Map's” Martin Henderson, and a bright red Ford Mustang guarding the entrance to the W Residences. (Photos by Tiffany Rose.)
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No gloves, no snow, no Park City, no problem! The Sundance Institute emerged from the mountains for its first- ever Los Angeles benefit this week.
“We are thrilled to engage the Los Angeles community in support of our year- round work,” executive director Kerri Putnam told the crowd at Franklin Ranch in Beverly Hills.
Robert Redford presented Michelle Satter (Director of the Feature Film Program since 1981) with the Vanguard Award before Fitz and the Tantrums played a soulful set on Wednesday.
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“It is legitimate, it is validating, it is so humbling to me,” Bethenny Frankel beamed at landing on the cover of Forbes Magazine’s “Celebrity 100” issue, ranking the most influential celebrity entrepreneurs. (Scene here with fellow honorees and Forbes executives.)
“This is one of those moments I wish my dad (the late Robert Kardashian) was here,” fellow honoree and reality queen Khloe Kardashian said at the magazine’s “Entrepreneur Behind the Icon” event.
Forbes’ Kevin Gentzel noted the event’s success and said he is already developing the next Forbes series:
“Sports Money”. The honorees celebrating at Drai’s — including Gene Simmons and Ben Silverman — illustrate how celebrity branding has evolved.
As recently as 2004, the top 10 on the “Forbes Celebrity 100” were all male athletes, topped that year by Tiger Woods and Formula One driver Michael Schumacher.
All 2011 honorees received a trip for two to Los Cabos, Mexico from the Los Cabos Board of Tourism, a sponsor alongside Lexus and David Yurman.
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Clint Eastwood, Helen Mirren, Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Broderick, Rita Moreno, Anne Sweeney, Alan Horn, and more came to honor Morgan Freeman with the 39th AFI Life Achievement Award on Sony’s stage 15.
After party-girl Betty White adapted “Hello Dolly” in to a performance of “Hello Morgan”, the honoree took the stage.
“It seems like the world is upside down when you are here in the audience watching me and I am on stage getting an award,” Freeman told “his mentor” Sidney Poitier. (Above, Freeman with Sony Chairman and CEO Sir Howard Stringer.)
Those whose invites were lost in the mail can watch the gala on TV Land next Sunday June 19 at 9:00 PM. HP sponsored the evening.
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Before “Super 8” superseded expectations, power troika Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams and Brad Grey pow-wowed at the Westwood premiere on Wednesday.
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The super teens of “Super 8” in the spotlight: Zach Mills, Gabriel Basso, Riley Griffiths, Joel 
Courtney and Ryan Lee at the Los Angeles premiere.
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With a relatively easier comedy writing week due to the Congressman Wiener scandal, Conan and Liza O’Brien fit the premiere in to their schedule, as did frequent J.J. Abrams collaborators Chris Pine and Tom Cruise.
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He gave her her big break with the TV series “Dark Angel” back in 2000.
On Thursday, Jessica Alba gave back, handing over an award to James Cameron and wife Suzy Amis Cameron at Covenant House California’s annual gala at the Skirball Center.
“Without the Camerons’ positive influence and dedication, many non-profit organizations like ours would not be able to provide a safe house for at-risk youth, changing lives for so many that might not have otherwise had a chance,” Covenant House’s George Lozano said.
