Kendrick-Morr Tribute Has a Downside : William Lyon’s joke about the First Lady angers some of the guests at the black-tie event.

A private black-tie tribute Sunday honoring outgoing Orange County Performing Arts Center President Thomas Kendrick and his wife, center general manager Judy Morr, turned controversial when comments were made that one guest called “an outrage to women.”

For most of the 250 guests, it was a chance to applaud the vision of the couple who helped launch the Costa Mesa center in 1986. “This is their baby they’re walking away from,” said gala chairwoman Ciel Woodman. “It’s emotional.”

Others found the $250 per-person bash on stage at Segerstrom Hall very uncomfortable.

Guests said that when developer William Lyon--a former center chairman--opened his remarks, he took the opportunity to take a swipe at President Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton, saying that “she and Bill met because they were dating the same woman,” according to accounts.

Guest Kathryn Thompson was appalled.

“I think that (remark) is really a terrible sign of the times,” Thompson said on Monday, “when people do not respect the office of the President of the United States and make very derogatory remarks about the First Lady. To insinuate that she is a lesbian just tells me that money can’t buy class.”

Thompson, a developer, said she was disgusted that such a “positive event--a warm walk down memory lane with Tom and Judy”--should be used to attack political figures.

“Those remarks were the only thing that spoiled it. All of the women there should have gotten up and walked out. The only thing that kept me in my seat was my respect for Tom and Judy and the center.”

Lyon could not be reached Monday for comment.

Guest Janice Johnson, whose husband Roger Johnson was named by Clinton to head the General Services Administration (and who was unable to attend the Sunday party) was crushed by Lyon’s remarks.

“What was the point?” she asked on Monday. “I guess he thought that everybody in the room felt like he did.” Guests said he also referred to some people in the room as “turncoats,” an apparent jab at Johnson and Thompson, Republicans who supported Clinton early in his presidential bid.

“Some of these Orange County Republicans are sure sore losers. I think it was very inappropriate to ridicule a First Lady, especially one who has probably done more for women today than any woman since Eleanor Roosevelt. Every woman in that audience should have walked out,” Johnson said.

One woman guest, who asked to remain anonymous, called Lyon’s remarks “not that important--everyone knows he’s a kidder. It was a beautiful event.”

Kendrick and Morr arrived at the event through the center’s stage-door entrance. Once inside, they swept into Segerstrom Hall, where the stage curtain rose on the gala-in-progress.

A black and white theme was carried out in black table and chair skirts and gardenia bouquet centerpieces. (The gardenias came with pins so guests could wear them as corsages.) Billboards from center musicals dotted the stage.

During the festivities, which included a video salute, Kendrick and Morr were praised by former center chairmen Timothy Strader, William Lund, Henry Segerstrom and Lyon.

A memory book--containing love letters from friends--was given to the couple. So was a book of photographs from their staff.

Also among guests were Willa Dean Lyon, Renee Segerstrom, Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom, Susan Strader, Don and Joan Beall, George and Judie Argyros, Christine and Jeffrey Rhoades, Claudette and Don Shaw, Dr. Walter Henry and Maria del Carmen Calvo, Vesta Curry, Al and Deeann Baldwin, Nancy and Rick Muth, Peter and Mary Muth, Elaine Redfield, Georgia Spooner, Tom and Joyce Tucker, Carol and Kent Wilken, Tom and Marilyn Nielsen, and Tom Tomlinson.

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Mulling it over: Two of actor Martin Mull’s (“Roseanne,” “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman”) paintings are featured in the Newport Harbor Art Museum’s new, 18-artist show, “Fourth Newport Biennial: Southern California 1993.”

Mull, fellow exhibit artists and curator Bruce Guenther were on hand Friday when the museum kicked off the show with a Champagne and appetizer fest to honor exhibit underwriters James Pick and Rosalyn M. Laudati.

Guenther chose two of the actor’s paintings--”The White Dog” and “Dejeuner sur Patio”-- because he liked the “their sense of social satire, of scenes that evolve and you’re not quite sure where they’re going,” he said. “They have a nice edge, a twist.”

When he chose the works, he didn’t realize Mull was the Martin Mull. “It’s so embarrassing,” Guenther said. “I used to watch ‘Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” but I didn’t connect the two.”

Mull found it difficult to talk about his art. “So much of what I do is verbal,” he said. “This painting is the most nonverbal thing I do, so, it’s hard for me to be verbal about it.”