$6.4 Million Haul Nothing to Laugh At

The Scene: Saturday’s Comic Relief VI at the Shrine Auditorium. There was a party for 1,400 in the Exposition Hall concurrent with the comedy telethon benefiting the homeless. In addition, 2,000 of the 6,000 guests in the audience were invited to the hall afterward. After leaving a five-hour show, they arrived at the buffets with fervor. A number of guests mentioned they’d never in their entire lives been so happy to get a slice of free pizza.

Money Matters: Since 1986, more than $20 million has been raised. HBO underwrites both the show’s expenses and the organization’s operating costs so all of the $6.4 million proceeds of this year’s event will go to health care programs for the homeless.

Who Was There: Amidst much flux, the party crowd included co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal and Robin Williams, plus Dustin Hoffman, Larry King, Barry Levinson, Rosie Perez, Paula Poundstone, Carl Reiner, David Crosby, L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan, Paul Rodriguez, Kevin Pollack, Bobcat Goldthwait, Marisa Tomei and Comic Relief president/founder Bob Zmuda.

The Locale: The cavernous Exposition Hall looks like “that room where LBJ greets the astronauts in ‘The Right Stuff,”’ said Dennis Miller. The walls were draped in black cloth, the floor covered in matching Astroturf. Two theater-size screens telecast the show. Eating and conversing seemed to take precedence over watching the fund-raiser. “It’s a bunch of comedians schmoozing for jobs,” observed comic Doug Bady.

Most Overused Material: There were paramedics standing by to treat victims of the newly discovered Bobbitt Joke Overload Syndrome. One guest said he lost count at somewhere past 100 references. Garry Shandling defended the comic’s use of the material by saying, “The Bobbitt trial is what we’ve been waiting for all our lives. I think that puts it in perspective.”

Hollywood Moment: When Dustin Hoffman and Larry King got to deciding who, living or dead, should play themselves in a film bio, King went for George Raft while Hoffman opted for John Garfield.