- MTV is going to hold a live fundraiser for the Jersey shore. It's about time they paid back to the community they took so, so much from.

- Jon Hamm's penis is an Obama supporter, naturally.

- Here are the two main characters of your favorite TV show of all time, telling babies to get out and vote.
http://youtu.be/QJpv_1YkFLs

-Here are photos of all the celebrities voting on Election Day. ALL of them. Thanks, Huffington Post!

Dansen, Strahan and White.

Between Kellan Lutz offering to get naked on stage and Ted Danson thanking Esquire for a wonderful evening, the 2012 GQ Gentlemen’s Ball was a boozy affair. 

Host Michael Strahan held the night together, laughing perhaps a little too loud but delivering just the right amount of charm one might expect from a 6-foot-5 former defensive lineman morning talk show co-host. He was all gap-toothed smiles when talking about his new gig on Live!,with Kelly Ripa.

“Kelly is so fun, so energetic,” Mr Strahan said of his miniature opposite.

Who’s been your favorite guest so far?

“Definitely Shaq ... seeing a seven-foot guy looking like Prince.” (Mr. O’Neil sang When Doves Cry on the show last week.)

The evening was in honor of a handful of gentlemen who have paid service to their country in some way. Willie Geist, a member of GQ’s advisory panel, nominated Corporal Aaron Mankin, victim of a roadside bomb attack while fighting in Iraq. Celebrity Ambassadors consisted of Adam Levine, Kellan Lutz, Shaun White and Ted Danson.

We stayed decidedly off-topic and asked each of them what his childhood ambition was.

“I wanted to play outfield for the Yanks,” said Mr. Geist, who's now straddling two jobs, the Today show and the “more opinionated” Morning Joe.

“This way, I can stay with my old family and get a new family too,” he told The Observer. How quaint.   

Mr. Danson expressed sporting tendencies, telling us he had wanted to be a basketball player before “stumbling” into acting.  

At least Mr. White—who recently had a very public wipe-out, arrested on charges of public intoxication and vandalism at musician Patrick Carney's wedding in Tennessee last month—fulfilled his dreams of becoming a sportsman with a rather successful snowboarding career, but we suppose if you’re signed at the age of 6, you stand a good chance. Describing himself when he was younger as a “crazy kid out of control,” we’re not sure he’s changed all that much.

Mr. Lutz, ambassador for Saving Innocence, a charity raising awareness of the sex trafficking of children, said that while his ambition was to be a chemical engineer, he fell into acting through lack of attention at home. Being one of six siblings, “I always felt like I didn’t have much attention and created attention in a fantasy world.”

With the paparazzi hot on his heels outside, there’s no need to fantasize now.

Anne Heche and James Tupper joined guests at the IAC building as Ms. Heche told The Observer her childhood ambition was to be a waitress, while Mr. Tupper wanted to be ”truck-driving poet.” An interesting pair.

Mr. Levine, Maroon 5 front man and ambassador for the Teen Impact Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, was also present, with girlfriend Behati Prinsloo, declaring how he was ”most nervous about cursing tonight, ’cos that’s not something gentlemen do.” We’re sure he made Ms. Prinsloo proud.

Currently starring in American Horror Story, he later explained how “the genre scared the shit out of me … to be totally honest, I wasn’t able to get through an episode … all of the horror movies I’ve ever seen have been a huge fucking mistake.”

After raising over $200,000 for charity, Esquire, er, GQ had much to feel good about.

Protesters in the free speech zone during Obama's midtown fundraiser (via Mother Jones)

Last night, demonstrators who arrived in midtown to protest a Barack Obama fundraiser found themselves corralled into a "free speech zone" on 53rd Street and 7th Avenue. Reporters--like Josh Harkinson from Mother Jones and Meg Robertson from MSNBC --were not allowed near the penned-in demonstrators, despite Commissioner Ray Kelly's recent orders that the NYPD was to play nice with journalists covering OWS. This directive came after the events of the November 14th raid of Zuccotti and the Day of Protest on the 17th left 26 reporters arrested.

Gothamist reports that journos trying to get near the pen were told by police officers that the demonstrators were in a "frozen zone," and not able to leave. Journalists were barred from speaking to them.

A video of Mr. Harkinson and Andrew Katz, a reporter for The Brooklyn Ink after trying to question protesters who say they were being held captive, was put online on Mother Jones' website. The video also shows the police leading them away from the pen, being told "You can't stand in this area.":

It is unclear whether Mr. Harkinson or Mr. Katz had NYPD-issued press badges, or any sort of marker indicating them as members of the press instead of civilians. Not that would have made a difference.

The big kids come out to play (Lemia Boddin)

A homicidal Korean family, arm chairs engaging in X-rated intercourse and a tale about a girl’s coming of age in the wake of her mother's celebrated career as a German porn star; such were the themes of the short films shown at a very special screening during last Thursday's New York International Children's Film Festival benefit and auction. To the initial surprise of NYICFF organizers, these controversial films were submitted for consideration in this year's 14^th annual children's film festival, an annual event which screens 95 films from over 28 countries to a crowd of over 25,000 attendees each March.

But last Thursday's gala was a night to call the babysitter.

The festival's middle-aged benefactors gathered at the Scandinavian House at 85 Park Avenue. While outside, stinging gales and cruel rains blew relentlessly, inside, the low-lit, minimally-designed reception hall kept dry several dozen patrons who hobnobbed and sipped on healthy pours of wine and champagne during the evening's aperitivo. Interns paraded around the room as waiters, offering prawn and caviar h’or dourves

Soon the crowd was ushered downstairs into the screening room where the guests were invited to vote for their favorite films. Festival director Eric Beckman took the stage, thanking the audience for attending the event and honoring festival founder Emily Shapiro. Beckman announced the films with a caveat: these films were not representative of those that would be shown at the festival in March.

“Some Europeans have different standards for what can be shown on screen,” said Beckman, by way of explaining the controversial content to an “America [that] does have the reputation for being Puritanical and prudish.” He went on to further speculate that the films were “probably inappropriate for most of the adults at the festival.”

Inappropriate? To New Yorkers? Do try.

“Roof Sex,” a stop motion animation short by American director and long-time NYICFF contributor PES, chronicled the brief affair of a daintily upholstered armchair and chaise lounge frolicking on a city rooftop in various positions until their fabrics ripped evocatively, all to the soundtrack of human voices in ecstasy.  Eventually, the furniture's owner, a crotchety old woman, arrives home to discover her battered furniture, and throwing an angry look her cat, bashes the feline with her broom.

After a prolonged applause from the “Puritanical and prudish” audience, the party returned to the reception hall for a dinner catered by famed Scandinavian restaurant Smörgås Chef.

The auction soon began, moderated by comedian Rachel Feinstein, who recently appeared on Comedy Central's competition Last Comic Standing. “This is going to be nasty!” Feinstein boomed before announcing in a flurry of well-meaning obscenities, that it was her first time moderating an auction.

“For the Children!” became her signature cue to quiet the noisy audience, who were indulging in hefty pulls of Riazul Blue agave tequila, undoubtedly enjoying the brief foray from their day jobs as parents and responsible adults.  The audience laughed along to Feinstein's gentle heckling as they bid on items such as an autographed 30 Rock script and DVD set as well as a Northern California Animation Vacation, an all-inclusive family getaway that was highlighted by a private tour of the Pixar Animation Studio.

When all was crudely said and crassly done, the kids came out to play, though these kids might have been a little too big for the jungle gym.

"The battle lines have been drawn," writes Minard. "The campaign for the presidency is joined...The revolutionary agenda proposed by the Republicans would drastically transform the relationship between our government and the American people. The budgets and policies offered are truly staggering in the burden they will place on the middle class, actually anyone outside the top 2% of the population. We need to stand with this President so he can continue to implement the progressive policies of our agenda."

The evening will be topped off by a performance by The Roots at Town Hall Theater. Tickets for that range from $44 (for those in the "Gen 44" category) to $1,000 (which includes a  VIP pre-reception with "campaign leaders.") Tickets for the Waldorf event will set you back a little more, going from $2,500-$25,000

Full email and invite below:

Dear Friends,

The battle lines have been drawn. The campaign for the presidency is joined.

President Obama will kick off his re-election campaign in New York on Wednesday, April 27.

I invite you to join me at a gala dinner at the Waldorf with the President.  

The revolutionary agenda proposed by the Republicans would drastically transform the relationship between our government and the American people. The budgets and policies offered are truly staggering in the burden they will place on the middle class, actually anyone outside the top 2% of the population.

We need to stand with this President so he can continue to implement the progressive policies of our agenda.

I would love to share my table and the evening with you. The event will be relatively small; several hundred of us in attendance with the President. Respond as directed in the invite or call me and we'll sign you up.

Let me hear from you.

All the best,

Sally

Please join

President Barack Obama

for the Re-election Campaign Inaugural Gala Dinner

 

Wednesday, April 27th at 6:30 p.m.

at the Waldorf Astoria - Starlight Roof

301 Park Avenue, between 49th & 50th Streets, New York, NY

 

RSVP to http://my.barackobama.com/April27Dinner?custom1=Sally+Minard

Or contact NewYorkdinner@barackobama.com or (202) 572-5451

 

Contribution Options:

$2,500 per guest

$5,000 per guest, premium seating

$10,000 Photo Reception & Dinner

$25,000 Host (write or raise table) - Photo Reception & Dinner

 

 

Rally: There is also an exciting rally planned for later the same evening.  Details are below.

 

Kick-off Reception with President Obama

with a special performance by The Roots

Wednesday, April 27^th at 7:30 p.m.

Town Hall Theater, 123 W 43rd Street, between 6th Avenue & Broadway

Contribution Options:

$1,000 - premium seating + VIP pre-reception with Campaign Leaders

$250 - guest

$44 - Gen 44

Please note that President Obama will not be a guest at the VIP reception.

RSVP: Katrina Pence at 212-486-0194 or kpence@omcnyc.com

 

P.S.  Please find attached a list of other fundraising events in the NYC area.  Contact the person listed in the right column for more information and to sign up.

Sally Minard

President & CEO

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, LLC

 

Obama-2011-04-27-Dinner-Invite (2)