'A Night at Sardi's' event brings in $1.1 million to fight disease
By Joel Stratte-McClure William Shatner sipped a malt whiskey and animatedly chatted with
Michelle Pfeiffer, Blythe Danner and
Jason Alexander just before the Alzheimer's Association's 16th annual "A Night at Sardi's" fundraising gala. He was about to join "Boston Legal" creator
David E. Kelley, Candice Bergen, Christian Clemenson, Saffron Burrows and other cast members on stage at the Beverly Hilton to receive the Abe Burrows Entertainment Award for the show's portrayal of Alzheimer's disease.
"You'll see some beautiful clips of yourself losing your mind before you get the award," Alexander told Shatner as he greeted
Portia de Rossi, Steve Edwards, Hector Elizondo, Victor Garber and other guests.
No one forgot to turn out for the $500-a-seat evening that has raised over $1.1 million for Alzheimer's education, care, research and public policy initiatives. But Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa tried, and failed, to remember a
Hillary Clinton Alzheimer anecdote while chatting with a journalist during the cocktail party.
"We laugh and joke about 'senior moments' and memory loss, but we all have a sense of terror about this insidious disease," Kelley remarked before
Vanessa Williams, Kristen Bell, Dick Van Dyke, Ana Ortiz, Zachary Levi, Becki Newton and other stars performed selections from "Bye Bye Birdie."
Photos of Jason Alexander and William Shatner at the Alzheimer's Association event by Frazer Harrison; Becki Newton, left, Vanessa L. Williams and Ana Ortiz of "Ugly Betty" by Frederick M. Brown, both from Getty Images.
