It was the perfect recipe for a great evening at Cool Comedy/Hot Cuisine, the annual gala benefiting the Scleroderma Research Foundation hosted by comedian Bob Saget, who is also a board member of the organization and has been involved with it for 25 years.
Held in the ballroom of the Beverly Wilshire, the night started with a red carpet and cocktail reception for guests that included Jack Black, Queen Latifah, Don Rickles, Alan Thicke, Seth Green, Jerry Ferrera, Kevin Connolly, John Stamos, Jodie Sweetin and Andrea Barber, the latter three of whom will be in the reboot of “Full House.”
In addition to Saget, the comedy part of the evening was bolstered by Jimmy Kimmel, who helped auction off items including luxury vacations like a trip to the Bahamas, won by Queen Latifah for her bid of $16,000, part of the more than $600,000 raised for SRF.
Jeff Garlin and Jim Gaffigan also performed for the audience of more than 500 people, but it was comedy legend Don Rickles who stole the show.
Seated next to Gaffigan, Rickles had this to say: “And now I look around at this crowd and realize, as I sit next to this man who I love and adore, that I’m the biggest name here!”
He ended his speech by advising people to “Enjoy your life, enjoy your girlfriend, enjoy your life,” eliciting a standing ovation from the appreciative crowd.
The hot cuisine part of the evening was created by noted chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, who created a menu of beet salad, marinated heirloom tomatoes, bourbon and mustard glazed salmon and lemon rosemary cake.
But the real dessert was a four-song performance by John Mayer, including his version of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’,” plus a new song, “Not Done Changing.” And in the gift bag, Saget’s book, Dirty Daddy: the Chronicles of a Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian.
–Hillary Atkin
