JUST ANOTHER NIGHT IN LA WITH MARLO THOMAS,PACINO, DE NIRO

           AMERICAN ICONS AWARDS



I truly just went to LA to escape the horrible winds and allergies in Palm Springs. My friend, Marlo Thomas invited me to dinner. Sounded good to me.


I have known Marlo and her entire family for decades. They are yet another group of people who "adopted" me. Their love of family and their commitment to St. Jude remain constant inspirations. Turned out this dinner was the American Icon Awards where St. Jude was being given significant money.

Oh...yeah. DeNiro was presenting an award to Pacino. Stallone, Evander Holyfield, and Laila Ali were there, too, along with Robin Thicke who "sang a few songs." David Foster and Katherine McPhee were also there having just picked up their marriage license. It was just a simple night......

Marlo and Al

Rehearsing

Marlo and her brother, Tony

Marlo and Phil

Al was in rare form. After thanking everyone, he stayed on stage and randomly started doing monologues from Tennessee Williams, e.e. cummings, and Shakespeare which DeNiro laughed and then left the stage to Al.

ONE NIGHT ONLY WEEK IN THE DESERT

           
                                                   

EACH YEAR MICHAEL CHILDERS PRODUCES A CHARITY EVENT THAT IS A CROSS BETWEEN THE TONY AWARDS AND A WEEK-LONG PARTY.

One of the best things about living in the desert is that many artists from New York are always here visiting and performing. The week of ONE NIGHT ONLY, it is a glorious madhouse. There are parties every night, and, usually one or two artists from ONO play The Purple Room right after.

This year, Lucie Arnaz and Larry Luckinbill happily ended up with Ann Hampton Callaway, Christine Andreas, and Linda Purl as houseguests. I can only tell you that each night we all gathered around the piano to watch them sing alone and together. Literally. Sometimes, we all joined in. Ann and Christine decided to do LA VIE EN ROSE as a duet at Ann's Purple Room engagement and we saw the rehearsal at Lucie's AND an unexpected one at David Zippel and Michael Johnston's house. In addition that that, Ann created on-the-spot, a beautiful song to bless their house. We are all so blessed to live in a magical place.

ONE NIGHT ONLY was a sensational show, BROADWAY SHOWSTOPPERS, featuring some songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and others from the best Broadway shows ever.

It's not fair to talk about stand-outs in a show like this, where everyone volunteers their time so money can be raised for the Barbara Sinatra Home for Abused Children. I just have to say that everyone was wonderful, but I can't stop thinking about Lucie, Ann and Liz, Valarie Pettiford, Christine, Karen Ziemba doing "With One Look," and a newcomer named Laura Dickinson.

Chairs of the show were Terri Ketover, Barbara Fromm, and the late, extraordinary Barbara Keller. The entire evening was dedicated to her.

Michael Childers, director Larry Fuller, and the cast

Michael and Larry--above-John Barrowman, Lucie, and Scott Coulter

There is also a wild after party where all the sponsors have dinner, and then the singers  from the show get up and sing whatever they want, accompanied by the amazing Todd Schroeder. It's a Broadway dream.

The singers are here all week, but the first official party is at Helene Galen's house for the sponsors and singers. It was a bit subdued this time, because everyone was upset about Barbara Keller. But, God Bless Ann Hampton Callaway, who sang a song for Barbara, where everyone was crying, and then went right into "You've Got A Friend." We all were singing along and holding each other.

The next two nights after the ONO show, Ann played The Purple Room and we all went, and then Christine Andreas played it, and we all went. We should have just slept there.

Helene's living room

John Monahan, Helene Galen, Barbara Fromm

Susan Stein and Tom Truhe

Bernie Fromm

Donna MacMillan and her guest, John Monahan, Debbie Green Miller and Doug Miller

Ann Hampton Callaway

Then, of course, Michael Holmes did his JUDY SHOW where he impersonates Judy Garland, Bette Davis, and Pearl Bailey, and knocks it out of the park each time. He is an extraordinary talent--in drag or out. We love him.

LUCIE AND LARRY'S HOUSE AND THE PURPLE ROOM:

Ann and Christime Andreas

You never knew who would show up in the living room

Im with Bradley James

Christine Andreas with us

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OH.....WHO CARES? I'M ADDING IN JOHN MONAHAN'S EASTER, AND MY SPEAKING AT THE RANCHO MIRAGE PUBLIC LIBRARY!!!!

Jill and Patty. Patty cooked almost everything! Yummm

John's decor was fabulous!

OK. I had to.

Check out the egg in Lucie's mouth

Chuck Yates

Steve Rose

Larry Luckinbill, Michael Childers, Jules and Brett

Don Amendolia loved Easter



Thank you, Debbie Green and T.J. Hicks..... Over 150 people showed up!