Bob Schieffer’s country music act, stars in uniform at the Law Enforcement Museum gala and a great turnout for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure benefit.
By Janet Donovan
Bob Schieffer takes the stage with Honky Tonk Confidential band member Diana Quinn at the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation benefit. (Photo by Janet Donovan)
SECRETS: Bob Schieffer has a Walter Mitty fantasy: He wants to be a country music star. The veteran “Face the Nation” host confessed his ambitions at the “Karaoke in the Capital” benefit to help the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation underwrite the donation of musical instruments to promising young musicians.
“I’m Bob Schieffer of CBS News most of the time,” he said at the Rock & Roll Hotel, “but at night I have this fantasy of being a country music singer which I get to act out here.”
It’s not that he isn’t happy in his day job, he’d just like to ramp up his Honky Tonk Confidential band that opened the rowdy annual benefit.
“It’s one of the great nights in Washington; a lot of reporters get together, some of whom can sing really good and some who may never be heard again after tonight.”
CNN’s Ed Henry agreed to participate because the event was for charity but soon had second thoughts. “I had people call to say they got babysitters just so they could come and laugh at me,” he joked. “So I dragged my son and daughter because they can sing better than me. Basically, I did it for the sympathy vote. How can the judges laugh at a couple of kids?”
It turned out to be a good decision; the audience was forgiving.
THEIR TURN: There was plenty of celebrity power at the National Law Enforcement Museum’s Memorial Fund benefit at the National Building Museum on Oct 14, but the real stars were in uniforms.
Vincent D’Onofrio at the National Law Enforcement Museum’s Memorial Fund benefit (Photo Courtesy of the National Law Enforcement Museum)
Sgt. Mike DeVine of the New York City Police Department, who had the honor of singing the National Anthem at the groundbreaking ceremony earlier in the day, was a bit star struck. “This is a little overwhelming but I am going to see what I can do here tonight,” he said before stepping up for a repeat performance at the gala.
District Chief of Police Cathy Lanier wished she could weigh in on the recent dustup on the set of “Transformers 3,” where an uninvited D.C. police cruiser careened onto the set, disabling the famous yellow Bumble Bee car. “I can’t talk about that. It is still under investigation,” she said, “but it is an honor to be here tonight to help bring attention to and support the memorial fund.”
“All kinds of things happen on a movie or a television set, “Law & Order” star Vincent D’Onofrio chimed in. “We always just roll with it and somehow get it done.”
“I’m a fan of law enforcement,” added Lynda Carter. “They make me feel better about everything.”
LOOKIN’ GOOD: It was ironic that the celebr ities attending the Susan G. Komen Awards at the Kennedy Center looked better than anyone else – considering that many of them had conquered breast cancer. The list included singer Olivia Newton-John, “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts, and “Sex in the City” star Cynthia Nixon.
Nixon noted that many of the writers on her show were women who had suffered from the disease. “It’s happening backstage,” she said, “so we wanted to deal with it on stage.”
“There are many survivors roaming around here,” Roberts observed. “I would like to say we are thrivers, not just survivors.”
“I’ve been reporting on breast cancer for 17 years,” WUSA TV’s Andrea Roane said. “I am one of the eight woman journalists receiving this prestigious award. It’s an honor to be here.”
Even Antonio Ricardo Chavira of “Desperate Housewives” spoke of his own personal experience. “My mother passed away from breast cancer and both of my sisters have been diagnosed with it over the past two years.”
