HARRISON HELD'S SceneAroundTown...Hollywood!
The Black History Month opening celebration for This Joint Is Jumpin' was fantastic! It's a wonderful celebration of Black entertainers from Film, TV & Song! Donelle Dadigan & staff at the beautiful Hollywood Museum in the historic Max Factor Building pulled out all the stops to create an amazing opening nite to be long remembered! Special speakers & guests included Phil Morris, Motown's First Lady Claudette Robinson, Donna Guillaume, Turkessa Babich daughter of the late legendary Supreme Mary Wilson and the legendary Freda Payne!
The exhibits are gorgeous featuring costumes & memorabilia from Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, Freda Payne, Robert Guillaume , Rico Anderson, RuPaul, Eddie Murphy, Ted Lange, Lola Falana, Marla Gibbs, Denzel Washington, The Pointer Sisters, Lena Horne, Eartha Kitt & many more!
Joining the festivities were many celebrities and VIPs including the legendary Jerry Mathers and his lovely wife Teresa, Soap Stars Carolyn Hennesy & Kate Linder, singer Roslyn Kind, Rico Anderson, Vincent DePaul, Meredith Thomas, Tina & Kristin Joseff of Joseff of Hollywood, Jeremy Miller & lovely wife Joanie , Erin Murphy, Kathy Garver, Nancy Harding, Geoffrey Markes, Kat Kalla, Melissa Niece Smith, Eve Richards, Jerome Ro Brooks, Tyrone Dubose and Sandro Monetti.
Donelle Dadigan received a special proclamation from California State Treasurer Fiona Ma honoring her for all her hard work to make Hollywood a better place for all. Guests dined on delicious eats & treats catered by Douglas Newton Private Events. Thank you Donelle, Operation Manager Steve Nyklemoe & staff for your hospitality and to publicists Roger Neal & Harlan Boll. The joint was truly jumpin'! Check out the beautiful once in a lifetime exhibit soon! http://www.thehollywoodmuseum.com
The Monique Woolley Foundation's Inauguration Ceremony for Ambassadors Yellow Carpet for #WFBTY was a great & poignant evening. WFBTY stands for When Feeling Blue Think Yellow. The evening honored the 2025 Ambassadors of and for Suicide Survivors. The event was dedicated to strength, unity & awareness, where voices came together to inspire change and shine a very important light on mental health. The evening fostered a sense of empowerment and reflection, honoring those affected by suicide and advocating for hope.
The evening was hosted by Elizabeth Blake-Thomas and her daughter Isabella Blake-Thomas. Celebrity & VIP Guests included NFL's Ray-Ray McCloud lll, Shedrack Anderson lll, record producer Joel Diamond, Kim Estes, Hahn & Aaron Brown - widow & son of Cool & The Gang Founder George Brown, Brennan Keel, Capri Everett, Chef Sean, Chico Brown, Michelle Stokes, Nikita Leone & many other caring people. The foundation honored ambassador inductees who pledge to support its very important mission to uplift individuals struggling with depression and spread the message that "It's Okay to Not Be Okay" .
Amour Delus created the organization in loving memory of her daughter Monique Wooley. Ms. Delus transformed her grief into a mission to provide support, hope, and advocacy to those affected by suicide. I know what it's like. It's been 15 years since I personally lost a loved one to suicide, It's a tough pill to swallow and takes a long time to heal. It's nice to know this fine organization exists. Thank you, Amour Delus.
The event was held at the very cool XO Banquet Hall in North Hollywood. The catering was delicious, and the staff was friendly and helpful. Thank you to the publicist Yvette Morales.
The good Samaritans of TIP OC are truly a great group of people! TIP stands for Trauma Intervention Program and the organization recently hosted their annual Heroes with Heart gala celebrating 30 years helping people in need.
The event honors first responders & volunteers who go above and beyond the call of duty. I always say "look for the helpers... they make the world a better place". TIP provides emotional support to victims at crisis scenes and their families. The helpful organization offers everything from comfort to practical assistance and ensures that families know about resources like TIPOrangeCounty.org and their 24-hour hot line (949) 525 7376.
The evening was hosted by legal analyst Matt Murphy and honorary chair Sheriff Don Barnes. TV actors Patrick Gallagher and Michael Beach were presenters and Mark McGrath & Sugar Ray were the stellar entertainment. Thank you, Mosaic PR, for the upbeat feel-good evening!
In my next column I will feature Sharon Doyle's upbeat & loving International Women's Day Gala at the beautiful Taglyan Complex. It was hosted by my beautiful & talented friend Meredith Thomas and award-winning actor Kim Estes. Meredith is one of the kindest people in Entertainment! HH