For Ellen, a Nod of Approval

Ellen DeGeneres was among the honorees at the ACLU of Southern California’s Bill of Rights dinner held Dec. 7 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. DeGeneres, accompanied by her mother, Betty, received the Bill of Rights award, along with MCA Records President Jay Boberg. Father Gregory Boyle received the Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate award.

Musical Salute, Come Rain or Come Shine

The music of Johnny Mercer was the centerpiece of Salon at the Taper VI, a salute to the lyricist-composer presented by the Center Theatre Group on Monday at the Mark Taper Forum. The evening featured myriad singers and performers, including Alan Bergman, the Gerry Wiggins Trio and Charlayne Woodard. Michael Feinstein hosted the tribute, which also included singer Margaret Whiting, who reminisced about working with Mercer.

Gov. Pete Wilson and wife Gayle were honorary vice chairs of the salute to Johnny Mercer; she also sang.

Annual Party Benefits Children Les Amies raised $40,000 for Children’s Institute International at its annual holiday party Dec. 3 at Jimmy’s restaurant. Among the guests were Anna and Rupert Murdoch; she is president of the CII’s board of directors. The organization offers services such as emergency shelter, day care and foster family programs.

Stars and Surprise Laughs at ‘Amistad’

While Steven Spielberg had a couple of bigger names at the Dec. 4 premiere of DreamWorks’ “Amistad” in Washington, D.C.--the president and Mrs. Clinton came to that one--he pulled in more celebrities for Monday’s Los Angeles screening at the Motion Picture Academy. Denzel Washington, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alfre Woodard, John Lithgow, Samuel L. Jackson, Forest Whitaker and stars Matthew McConaughey, Djimon Hounsou and Morgan Freeman were among the 1,000 guests from whom, the director said, his film about slavery received “more laughs than I thought a movie like this would get.” Humor, however, isn’t the historical drama’s key element, but said Spielberg, “I didn’t want to be caught preaching. . . . The challenge was to make it compelling without being too didactic.”