A Posh Evening of Fun and Spending for Arts Center

Between the MTV Movie Awards at Sony Pictures in Culver City on Saturday and the nail-biter of a Lakers game Sunday at Staples Center, it’s a wonder L.A.’s glitterati had a spare moment this weekend. (It’s a rough life.) Luckily, a few generous luminaries were able to squeeze some volunteering into their busy schedules.

The Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County raised nearly $1 million Saturday during its biennial L.A. Alive bash at Green Acres, the Beverly Hills estate once owned by silent movie legend Harold Lloyd and currently occupied by billionaire grocery magnate Ron Burkle. (Burkle was traveling Saturday and couldn’t attend.)

Port-a-potties notwithstanding, the evening was posh, with honorary chairwoman Wallis Annenberg welcoming a crowd of more than 600 high rollers. Four arts patrons were recognized for their philanthropic endeavors: businesswoman and women’s health care advocate Iris Cantor, investment manager John Hotchkis and his wife, Joan Hotchkis, and Wells Fargo honcho Paul Watson.

“I love the Music Center,” said Joan Hotchkis as she studied the many goodies for sale during the silent auction. “But I think the real reason we are being honored is that they wanted to make sure we’d be here because we always bid on so much! See this list?” she said, holding up a piece of paper with dozens of items scribbled on it.

Vacation packages at luxury hotels, Hollywood Bowl boxes, a $10,400 Tony Duquette agate necklace, personal training sessions and a William Wegman dog photograph were among the hundreds of items offered. Overheard: “I don’t have a Diebenkorn,” and “If I get everything I bid on, I’ll have spent $60,000!”

During the live auction, Mayor Richard Riordan got into a bidding war with Performing Arts Center board chairwoman Andrea Van de Kamp over a trip to Hawaii for eight in a Gulfstream IV jet. The mayor, who takes a salary of $1 per year, must have dipped into his savings to outbid Van de Kamp at $55,000.

“His term is over soon,” said a dinner guest. “I guess he needs something to do.”

*

At a different estate in a galaxy not so very far away, celebrities volunteered their time in Brentwood on Sunday for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation’s 11th annual carnival and picnic, which raised more than $2 million.

Courteney Cox Arquette and hubby David Arquette shot hoops at a game booth, while Daisy Fuentes posed for Polaroids and Jenny McCarthy greeted people who’d lined up to climb an inflatable “mountain.” Garry Shandling and Jeff Goldblum kidded around at the soccer Speed Kick booth, while Larry King, holding his toddler son, mugged for cameras.

Guy Dill, Ed Moses and George Herms were among the group of artists who helped children paint T-shirts and make crepe paper hats.

Guests at Ken Roberts’ Mandeville Canyon estate paid $1,000 each for tickets, but the look was carnival chic--capris, beaded handbags, flip-flops and freebie “Eloise: The Movie” tote bags. Motown music blared and chow from Campanile, Crustacean and Lucques played second fiddle to Pink’s hot dogs and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

Adam Sandler proved to be just as popular at the Moon Bounce as he is at the movie theater, as hundreds queued up for the actor’s 2 p.m. shift. Tempers flared when, at 2:45 p.m., Sandler appeared to be a no-show (an event spokesperson said Monday that he arrived later). Luke Perry didn’t make it at all, but he had a perfectly acceptable excuse: His wife, Minnie, is about to give birth to their second child.

Dustin Hoffman impersonated a crocodile at Storytime Theater, although his stint was delayed several minutes while an announcement went out over the loudspeaker: “Lisa Hoffman, please report to Storytime Theater with your children and your husband’s glasses.”

Elizabeth Glaser created the Foundation with Susan DeLaurentis and Susie Zeegen after Glaser’s 7-year-old daughter, Ariel, died of AIDS in 1988. The foundation has raised more than $100 million for pediatric AIDS research.

Sunday’s event was underwritten by Ty Inc., which will release a special Beanie Baby this month (a mint-green bear) inspired by a painting Ariel made at age 5. All proceeds from the Beanie Baby will benefit the foundation.

Hoffman, by the way, managed to slide into his court-side seat in time to catch the Lakers’ triumph.

*

Booth Moore can be reached at booth.moore@latimes.com.