Friends for Life 2: A Night of Comedy to Benefit LifeWorks Mentoring

Featuring a Sneak Preview of the here! Special of Jason Stuart: Making it to the Middle

Performing LIVE:
Wendy Liebman
Alec Mapa
Bruce Vilanch
and Suzanne Westenhoefer!

VIP Reception with Celebrity Special Guests at 7pm for VIP Ticket holders!

To buy tickets: Click Here

About LifeWorks:

LifeWorks offers one on one, peer, and group mentoring opportunities for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth ages 14-24. Our goal is to help GLBTQ youth to realize their goals and dreams with a safe space, positive and affirming role models, and workshops & activities that are fun and educational.

See you can become a mentor: Click Here

Organization’s Annual Fundraiser Honors Ellen DeGeneres and Clear Channel Radio Los Angeles; Jodie Foster Presents The Trevor Founders Award

The Trevor Project Raises Record Amount at Cracked Xmas 10

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10 /PRNewswire/ — The Trevor Project (Trevor), the non-profit organization that operates the nation’s only around-the-clock suicide prevention helpline for gay and questioning youth, today announced that it raised more than $463,000 at its tenth annual Cracked Xmas event. The amount raised is a record for the organization and came from corporate sponsorships, ticket sales and the sale of live and silent auction items. The fundraiser, sponsored in major part by presenting sponsor Washington Mutual and premier sponsors, Absolut Vodka, Blue Collar Productions, TNT and Wells Fargo, recognized the recipients of the organization’s annual honorary awards. Ellen DeGeneres, host of the The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which has won 21 Emmy Awards(R), received The Trevor Life Award; Clear Channel Radio Los Angeles, recently named as a best place to work for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees by the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, received The Trevor Hope Award. The event was held on December 2, 2007 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles.

“We are extremely encouraged by the funds raised at Cracked Xmas 10 to help the organization support desperate gay and questioning young people,” said Charles Robbins, executive director of The Trevor Project. “The Trevor Project urgently needs increased funding to meet the growing demand for our critical work. The record amount raised at this year’s event will enable us to expand our outreach, raise our visibility and continue to provide our confidential helpline, website and educational materials to our nation’s youth.”

In one of the evening’s most emotional moments, two-time Academy Award(R)-winning actress Jodie Foster presented The Trevor Founders Award to screenwriter James Lecesne and director Peggy Rajski. Ms. Foster accepted the award, posthumously, on behalf of her dear friend, producer Randy Stone. The award was given to the organization’s founders in recognition of the tenth anniversary of the first Cracked Xmas benefit and was presented in memory of Mr. Stone, who passed away unexpectedly in February of 2007.

Before the award presentation, Ms. Foster appeared in a moving filmed tribute to Mr. Stone with the founders and Jeffrey Stone, Mr. Stone’s brother. During the course of the poignant film, Ms. Foster observed, “I think Randy wishes that he had had a hotline that he could have called, that there was a hand for him that he could have held. And the Trevor mission really is an opportunity, I think, for all of us to look back at our lives and say ‘how can we give back to young people?’ How can we provide almost a face of family for young people who are questioning?”

In accepting The Trevor Life Award, Ms. DeGeneres movingly reflected on her own youth and how she has dealt with challenging periods in her life. “I had parents who loved me and I still felt different,” said Ms. DeGeneres. “I think that what I don’t understand — what I will never understand — is how different is bad or different is wrong. I don’t know why different is wrong… If there is a message that I can send to kids out there struggling, to anyone struggling, and it’s a weird one, but when you get through it, when you’re in that dark, dark place and when you’re devastated, when you get through it, those are some of the most beautiful, most important lessons you’ll ever learn in life.”

Among the celebrities who supported the organization through their presence were Grey’s Anatomy’s T. R. Knight, comedian Margaret Cho, Carmen Electra, Ricki Lake, Bruce Vilanch, Ugly Betty’s Alec Mapa, Entourage’s Rex Lee and vocalist Frenchie Davis. The live auction items included luxurious trips to the Hamptons and Hawaii and special VIP packages to attend tapings of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The auctioneers were Andrea Fiuczynski, president of Christie’s Los Angeles, and Scott McPhail, Cracked Xmas event co-chair.

The Trevor Life Award honors an individual who through his or her example, support, volunteerism and/or occupation, is an inspiration to gay and questioning youth. The Trevor Hope Award honors a company or organization that, through its policies, initiatives and other efforts, demonstrates a commitment to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) causes and is a prominent, public example of corporate acceptance of individuals regardless of sexual orientation. Past recipients of The Trevor Life Award are Roseanne Barr (2006), Marc Cherry (2005), Debra Messing and Megan Mullally (2004), Rosie O’Donnell (2003) and Armistead Maupin (2002). Prior recipients of The Trevor Hope Award are HBO (2006), LPI Media Inc. (2005) and Wells Fargo (2004).

In 1998, The Trevor Project held its first annual Cracked Xmas fundraising gala in order to keep The Trevor Helpline open and available to gay and questioning youth. Now an annual event, Cracked Xmas brings together top entertainers to raise financial resources necessary to fund the organization’s services.

About The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is a non-profit organization that operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock suicide prevention helpline for gay and questioning youth. The Trevor Helpline, 866-4-U-TREVOR, is a free and confidential service that offers hope through its trained counselors. In addition to the helpline, the organization’s website provides information on identifying and assisting potentially suicidal youth and “Dear Trevor,” a confidential resource where youth can ask questions about sexual orientation and identity issues. The Trevor Project also provides lifesaving guidance and vital resources to educators and parents. The organization was founded by three filmmakers whose film, Trevor, about a teenager who attempts suicide after realizing that he might be gay, received the 1994 Academy Award(R) for Best Short Film (Live Action).

For more information about The Trevor Project, visit http://www.TheTrevorProject.org. The Trevor Project is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Website: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Earthtimes.org (Press Release)
Trevor Project to Honor Ellen DeGeneres and Clear Channel at 10th Annual Cracked Xmas Event
News Category : PressRelease

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ —

WHAT: The Trevor Project’s 10th annual gala event on December 2nd with presentations of The Trevor Life Award to Ellen DeGeneres and The Trevor Hope Honoree to Clear Channel Communications.

WHEN: Sunday, December 2, 2007 3:00pm – Press check in 3:30pm – VIP Pre-show Reception & Silent Auction 5:00pm – Cracked Xmas Show and Live Auction

WHERE: The Wiltern Theatre 3790 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA, 90010 WHO: Honorees Ellen DeGeneres and Clear Channel’s Jim Murphy; Special appearances by Jodie Foster, T. R. Knight, Rikki Lake, Bruce Vilanch, Alec Mapa (Ugly Betty), Rex Lee (Entourage), Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty), Brittany Snow (Hairspray), Jeremy Sumpter (Peter Pan), J.P. Calderone (Survivor) and more.

INFO: The Trevor Project is a non-profit organization that operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock suicide prevention helpline for gay and questioning youth. The Trevor Helpline, 866.4.U.TREVOR, is a free and confidential service that offers hope through its trained counselors.

In addition to the helpline, the organization’s website provides information on identifying and assisting potentially suicidal youth and “Dear Trevor,” a confidential resource where youth can ask questions about sexual orientation and identity issues.

The Trevor Project also provides lifesaving guidance and vital resources to educators and parents. The organization was founded by three filmmakers whose film, Trevor, about a teenager who attempts suicide after realizing that he might be gay, received the 1994 Academy Award(R) for Best Short Film (Live Action). Tickets Available For tickets and more information http://www.thetrevorproject.org/

For more information about The Trevor Project, please visit www.thetrevorproject.org.

The Trevor Project is a 501 (c)(3) organization.

The Trevor Project.

Recently, since the writer’s strike began, a lot of the major on-line news and gossip columns have reported on a site attributed to Bruce Vilanch which is absolutley false, complete with fake signs/slogans and a false email address…it’s not his! I am gladly passing on this message from Mr. Vilanch at his request:

“I have nothing to do with Brucestrikes.com. I’ve been punked bigtime. However, I am pleased to see in the photo I look thin.

thanks!”

Bruce and his camp are doing what they can to stifle this. I’m going to go one step farther and ask everyone….if you see this posted anywhere, please take the time to comment that this whole thing is erroneous. You can refer them back to this site and article. Just click on the tile of this article to make the link.

Or if you’d like, you can also write me if you see the erroneous news and I’ll be glad to forward the site to Mr. Vilanch and his management so that they can contact the editor personally.

Thanks so much,

Love, Mister D

PS: We can be the “Bruce Brigade!”

Mister D: Check out the Jury Duty site to see local listings!

Press Release: Sept 17, 2007

Court is now in session for Celebrity Attorney Vicki Roberts on new TV show “Jury Duty.” This isn’t about a pool cue — who stole whose girl?!

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 17, 2007 — Executive Producer Vincent Dymon has been busy serving up jury duty notices to celebrities for his new syndicated series, “Jury Duty.” Phyllis Diller, Bruce Vilanch, Paula Poundstone, and celebrity attorney/actress Vicki Roberts are among the celebrities set to serve as jurors in the newly, much-anticipated original series. According to Radar Entertainment, the independent company headed up by Vincent and Linda Dymon that is distributing and producing the show, which utilizes real small claims cases, the celebrity court reality show has already cleared more than 80% of the U.S. markets for its September 17th launch.

“Jury Duty,” which is presided over by Judge Bruce Cutler (New York lawyer famous for defending mob boss John Gotti and recently part of the Phil Spector defense team), features celebrities serving as jury members who would normally be excused from jury duty because of their public status.

Sharing the juror’s box with television’s “Growing Pains” Tracey Gold and two-time Olympic gold medal winner Maurice Greene, longtime veteran at civil litigation, Vicki Roberts, was able to bring her expertise in California law to the television show.

“I was caught off guard when they served me a notice to show up for jury duty!” said Vicki Roberts, celebrity attorney and actress. I am used to standing in front of the judge, so being a part of the jury gave me the opportunity to deliberate with my peers on each case. It was challenging, comical, and fascinating!”

Unlike a normal court case, “Jury Duty” features three celebrity jurors who take turns asking the litigants questions about the case. During one segment with Roberts, two men were arguing over a stolen pool cue and who should pay for its theft. Roberts astutely exclaimed, “This isn’t about a pool cue — who stole whose girl?!”

“Vicki Roberts is a talented and inspirational lady,” stated Executive Producer, Vincent Dymon. “I personally have great respect for her and the mark she’s made in this industry. I look forward to having her return to Jury Duty next season.”

With over twenty-four years of experience in the courtroom, Vicki Roberts has represented some of the most recognizable faces in the entertainment industry. She has served as a legal commentator for Celebrity Justice, Extra, MSNBC’s The Abrams Report, and VH1′s legal music show, Rock and a Hard Place. Her expertise in the legal system can also be found in her contribution to the newly released book introduced by Larry King, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt.

Vicki Roberts is also known for her guest-starring role in the critically acclaimed feature film “Being Michael Madsen” where she actually consulted and wrote much of her dialogue consistent with her experience as a litigator. The highly anticipated film will premiere at the Raindance Film Festival in London this fall. She is also the Executive Producer of and is featured in the documentary drama, “Through Your Eyes” which features the only deaf-blind triplets in the world, and was the executive producer and co-producer of the short film, “Passengers” directed by Luis Cuenca Castro.

The guest stars on “Jury Duty” agree that being served by TV pioneer, self distributor Vincent Dymon is a good thing. Not only did Dymon shake up the usual way of doing business in the world of TV, but he managed to score top markets of New York (WPIX), Los Angeles (KCAL) and Chicago (WCIU) on an all-barter basis and sell the format to broadcasters in at least three international territories.

Vicki Roberts can be seen on five separate court cases where she and her guest co-stars will render verdicts on five separate shows that will be aired randomly throughout the season.

Media Contact: Heather J. Taylor at Alliance Worldwide Communications, Inc. htaylor @ alliancewc.com – For more information on Vicki Roberts, visit Vicki Roberts (II) – For more information about “Jury Duty”, visit www.juryduty.tv.

Mister D: Mr. Vilanch would like to clarify that he does NOT lead a drug and alcohol free lifestyle as the press release states below. The endorsement of Ms. Hardt is a favor to her father, an old friend of Mr. Vilanch.

Bruce Vilanch Endorses Singer Audra Hardt

Bruce Vilanch supports rising rock singer Audra Hardt and telling a few jokes along the way.

Hollywood, CA, August 25, 2007 –(PR.com)– Bruce Vilanch, comedian, actor, and writer best known for his contributions as a leading writer for the Oscars, Emmys and Tony Awards, is endorsing rising rock singer Audra Hardt. At The Key Club on September 14th at 8:00 pm Vilanch will launch Hardt’s set with his unique brand of comedy.

Vilanch and Hardt share a value system that is rare in this day and age. Both entertainers lead a “straight edge” or drug and alcohol free lifestyle. In an industry polluted with drug and alcohol abuse, Vilanch and Hardt’s positive example is an inspirational quality among entertainers. As a rock singer, Hardt is a refreshing representative of a musical genre that has long been associated with drugs and alcohol.

“The temptation is present, but I have lived that lie before. The promise of a better anything has never come to fruition from a chemical altered state of mind. I also feel as a performer I have a responsibility to show a new way of power a new definition of cool, a way of rocking out that we adults and adolescents can agree on.” states Hardt.

Vilanch will not be alone in his show of support for rocker Audra Hardt. Keith David is among the guest list of celebrities that will be in attendance for the performance. Mayor John Duran of West Hollywood is endorsing Hardt at The Mint September 29th. With Hardt’s music crossing generational bridges, her positive example, and the sheer power of her voice it is no surprise she has such a strong show of support from these Hollywood insiders.

The September 14th performance at the Key Club falls on the release date of Audra Hardt’s EP “Superficial Superstar”. The independent label, King of Hardt Records (www.kingofhardtrecords.com.), will release the EP featuring the singles “Watch Me” and the power ballad “Now and Then” written for the independent film Beautiful Loser. The EP will be available through www.cdbaby.com and at www.AudraHardt.com. Currently several of Audra’s tracks can be purchased through iTunes.

For more information please contact Amy Mosshart at Amy.Mosshart@gmail.com ph: 805-216-4639

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