Joan Rivers to host Queen Latifah, Megan Mullally, Wynonna Judd, and David Burnham at the 2012 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards on Saturday, February 11
Posted September 1st, 2011 – Press Releases
(PALM SPRINGS, CA – September 1, 2011)
Gala co-chairs Barbara Keller and Jim Casey invite supporters of Desert AIDS Project to save Saturday, February 11, 2012 for the 18th annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards at the Palm Springs Convention Center, beginning at 5:30 PM.
“We’re holding out on the rest of the names just yet,” said Ms. Keller. “But this is definitely going to be one of the highlights of the Coachella Valley social season – from award honorees to entertainers to a glittering array of other celebrities in attendance.”
“I mean, ‘Can we talk?’ about how much you’re going to want to be there? But make sure your fashion sense is red-carpet-ready to pass muster with Joan Rivers,” agreed Casey, who is also President and CEO of Integrated Wealth Management, the gala’s Presenting Sponsor for the fourth consecutive year, contributing a total of $1 million over five years. “We’ve asked Joan to be on her best behavior but I’m sure she’s going to set that stage on fire, to make sure these mega-talent performers don’t take too much of the spotlight off her.”
Queen Latifah – who has blossomed into a one-woman entertainment conglomerate as a musician, TV/film actress/producer, music label president, author, and entrepreneur – isn’t going to make that an easy task. Not only the first hip hop artist to be crowned with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006, “The Queen” has received numerous award nominations and wins. In the true-life TV drama, Life Support, she was the executive producer, as well as starring as a mother who overcomes an addiction to crack, becoming a positive role model and an AIDS activist in the black community. The role earned Latifah both Golden Globe and SAG Award wins, as well as an Emmy nomination.
Anyone who knows Megan Mullally simply as the boozy, self-medicating, and hysterically funny “Karen Walker” from the hit NBC series Will & Grace is in for a delightful surprise when they hear her sing at the 2012 Steve Chase gala. While she won two Emmy Awards and four SAG Awards as “Karen,” Mullally has been singing her way across Broadway stages beginning with her debut in the 1994 revival of GREASE. Since then, she’s been nominated for and won a variety of awards for other live theater and movie roles. Mullally sings and records with her band, Supreme Music Program, internationally.
As much a storyteller as a singer, Wynonna Judd is a five-time Grammy Award winner whose journey began as half of the legendary duo, The Judds, with her mother Naomi Judd. Called “the greatest female country singer since Patsy Cline” by Rolling Stone, her rich and commanding voice has made her a country music megastar over a career that’s already spanned almost 30 years. Wynonna has sold more than 10 million albums as a solo artist, including her quintuple platinum 1992 debut “Wynonna” which spawned four number one hits and made her the best selling female country artist at that time. Her candid 2005 memoir, “Coming Home to Myself,” made her a New York Times best-selling author, which she has recently followed with a fictional work called “Restless Heart” that draws on her personal experiences. Meanwhile, “The Judds” docu-series on the Oprah Winfrey Network debuted in 2011 to enormous ratings. Who knows what’s next in the story of Wynonna Judd?
Perhaps not yet a household name, Broadway theater aficionados will already know the very handsome David Burnham for playing “Fiyero” in Wicked. As the 2007 Best Actor recipient of both the prestigious Helen Hayes Award and the Garland Award for his portrayal of Fabrizio in the six-time Tony Award winning musical, The Light In the Piazza, Burnham first gained critical acclaim when he replaced Donny Osmond in the title role of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Lending his talents to animated feature films and movie soundtracks, Burnham recently released his second solo CD, entitled One Day.
“We are so excited to have such an incredible range of entertainment and a force-of-nature like Joan Rivers hosting the 2012 Steve Chase gala,” said Ms. Keller. “Jim and I are hoping we can help Desert AIDS Project beat last year’s total of more than $1.33 million raised to support client services. We hope everyone will save the date and join us on February 11.”
Desert AIDS Project is the organization in our community where people living with HIV and AIDS can receive comprehensive support, including medical care, case management, and social services. D.A.P. also offers free and confidential HIV testing at a number of locations throughout the communities it serves. To learn more about Desert AIDS Project, please call 760-323-2118, visit www.desertaidsproject.org or find them on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
