When the boss gets an award, everyone shows up.
Howie Mandel emceed, Zach Levi rehearsed his award presentation over a vodka cocktail by the red carpet, and talent from across the peacock stable turned up to honor NBCU Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin with the Anti-Defamation League’s Entertainment Industry Award at the Beverly Wilshire on Thursday night.
Amy Poehler tucked in with Executive Producer Greg Daniels (“The Office”) and wife Susanne at the Scranton table just before the program got underway with “America’s Got Talent” winner Michael Grimm. The acoustic singer surprisingly rallied the room full of suits to sing along with him to “How Sweet It Is to Be Loved By You” before jetting off to headline at the Nokia downtown.
Jason Ritter (“The Event”) told TheWrap he’s only been able to sample other new shows online because his TV is broken. Meanwhile, “The Office” producer/actor Paul Lieberstein revealed that this season’s story arc will not bury or hide the plotline that leads to Steve Carell’s departure.
While accepting the award, Gaspin highlighted the internet’s ability to amplify prejudice and bullying, 
even calling out the anonymous comments sections of entertainment websites as an analog to type of hatred and bigotry that the ADL fights. The dinner, with honorary chairs Jeff Zucker, Ron Meyer, and Bonnie Hammer, raised $600,000 toward that effort. Other industry luminaries in the room included former NBC Co-Chair Ben Silverman, Lauren Zalaznick (President of NBCU Women and Lifestyle Entertainment Networks), Yvette Nicole Brown (“Community”), and Corbin Bernsen (“Psych”).
Meanwhile across town, select invitees gathered on a lighter theme – a sneak listen of “DJ Hero 2” at MyStudio. The follow up to last year’s debut that featured Jay-Z, The Jackson Five, and Paula Abdul arrives later this month.
Despite the unusual rain storm earlier this week, the crew from “Conviction” rolled out their red carpet in the rain on Tuesday night at Director Tony Goldwyn’s namesake theatre in Beverly Hills. At left/right, Goldwyn, producer Dama Claire, stars Sam Rockwell and Hilary Swank, and producer Andrew Sugerman. Co-stars Minnie Driver and lifelong Angeleno Juliette Lewis also proved that locals are waterproof.
The night before, the “Modern Family” men – Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Eric Stonestreet – lent support to the National Breast Cancer Coalition’s at the organization’s Tawdry 10th Annual Les Girls Celebrity Cabaret at Avalon. (Photo, below right, by Debbie VanStory)
Before turning left for several hundred miles this weekend at the Auto Club Speedway in the 909, Nascar drivers and their sponsors headed in to West Hollywood for the “Running Wide Open” event on Wednesday night. Host Danica Patrick parked her “Tissot Chevrolet” in the lot outside Voyeur, before meeting Hollywood’s favorite “racer” inside: “The Amazing Race” host Phil Keoghan. In addition to branding racing’s most famous female, the watchmaker also provides the timing for other sports leagues.
Brittany Snow jotted out a note with scented pens at Michael Kors’ sparkling fragrance bar at the Teen Vogue party at Paramount last weekend. The magazine’s former “intern” Lauren Conrad, Emma Roberts, and Kelly Osbourne were amongst the guests at the 8th edition of the female-heavy bash.
A few hundred miles northeast, it was a passing of the guard at Rolling Stone Magazine’s “Hot Issue Party”. Whitney Port (From MTV’s former ratings magnet “The Hills” and current middler “The City”) buddied up to new ratings magnet Sammi Giancola, from “Jersey Shore.” (Photo by Wireimage.) Blair Underwood (New Show:“The Event”) and Scott Porter (Old Show: the upcoming final season of “Friday Night Lights”) both earned a high enough temperature reading for the music magazine’s weekend of festivities at JET inside the Mirage in Las Vegas.
