RSVP : High-Power Benefit Raises So Much but With So Few
Edgar Bronfman Jr. made news again Wednesday night when he and his wife, Clarissa, chaired their first Los Angeles charitable event, the fourth annual Human Rights Watch dinner at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Bronfman is the New York-based chairman of the Seagram Co., which bought 80% of MCA Inc. for $5.7 billion in June.
The synergy of the low-key organization--which monitors and protests human rights abuses around the world--and the young, strikingly attractive, high-voltage couple resulted in fund-raising efforts that far exceeded any other for the group’s California office. The event raised $450,000, with only 425 people attending.
Even if the moguls in the room were mostly of the MCA variety (president Ron Meyer was the only prominent MCA no-show; Tom Pollock, Lew Wasserman, Doug Morris, Howard Weitzman and former president Sid Sheinberg were front and center), the program book was like a directory to Hollywood’s high and mighty, including full page ads from Turner Entertainment, HBO, Castle Rock Entertainment, DreamWorks SKG, Warner Bros., CBS, Paramount, Disney and Sony Pictures.
“Mr. Bronfman is an important part of our community now, and I think it’s important to show support for him. But it’s also a good cause,” said CBS Entertainment President Leslie Moonves.
“Of course, whatever the Bronfmans endorse will get a lot of attention in the industry, but this is not a popular cause, and they didn’t do this because it’s a glitzy organization,” said co-chair Jane Olson. “They’re a very dynamic presence, and they bring a lot of energy, intelligence, enormous personal resources and caring hearts to L.A.”
“This is a cause we believe in,” said Bronfman. “It has nothing to do with a debut of any kind.
“Lew and Sid have both been community-minded. I’d never say we hope to do more, but we hope to do as much,” he said.
Sally Field acted as emcee, while actors Henry Winkler, Alfre Woodard and Shelley Fabares (whose husband, Mike Farrell, is Human Rights’ co-chairman) and Los Angeles Times Editor Shelby Coffey III introduced the monitors from eight countries, who were being recognized for their extraordinary efforts. Their work took place in Burma (now called Myanmar), Colombia, Morocco, Peru, Rawanda, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
The most poignant stories belonged to Mahmut Sakar of Turkey, a lawyer who was released from prison in April but was refused a visa to travel to the United States for the event. Doan Viet Hoat of Vietnam is kept in shackles in solitary confinement. His wife, Tran Thi Thuc, appeared on his behalf, noting, “The struggle for human rights is the struggle for humankind.”
Several people commented on the incongruity of dining in style in Beverly Hills while so many suffered. But as Maya Angelou noted, it was nevertheless an event, she was proud to be a part of.
