As Clint Eastwood might say, here come the hot-doggers.
Whereas Hollywood conservatives (save for Clint and Jon Voight) seemed to shy away from the spotlight during the Republican National Convention in Tampa this past week, Hollywood liberals are lining up to get into Charlotte for next week's DNC.
Top A-listers like George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and Oprah Winfrey were rumored but are unlikely to show up. Yet the list of recognizable talent scheduled to make speeches or appearances or music here over the next several days is still long and distinguished. Some highlights:
SATURDAY
Recording artists Kathy Mattea, Anthony Hamilton and Biz Markie will be among the 20-plus acts serenading 15,000 journalists at the Charlotte host committee’s $2 million media party at the N.C. Music Factory.
MONDAY
Grammy winner James Taylor and Academy Award nominee Jeff Bridges will both perform (yeah, The Dude is a musician, too) at CarolinaFest in uptown. Ty Pennington, former "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" host, will build half a house at the festival.
A party for the California delegation at Fountain Plaza at NC Music Factory will feature rock supergroup Campy Freddy (Dave Navarro is among the members) and guest appearances by rocker Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray and Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis.
R&B man John Legend and neo-soul hip-hoppers The Roots will perform at separate parties, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the Elder Gallery, respectively. Rumored guests at the Legend party are "America's Got Talent" host Nick Cannon and singer Edwin McCain.
TUESDAY
Actress Amber Riley (Mercedes on Fox's "Glee") will sing the national anthem at Time Warner Cable Arena.
"CSI: New York" star Hill Harper and Golden Globe winner Alfre Woodard will host a political summit for students at Johnson C. Smith University.
Actresses Rosario Dawson and America Ferrara will sit on a panel at Voto Latino's policy forum at Stage Door Theater.
Blogger Perez Hilton and hip-hop group Far East Movement will headline a Turn Up The Vote event at Mez at the EpiCentre.
A cocktail reception for the National Association of Broadcasters at Dressler's Restaurant has a guest list that includes several Hollywood stars: Tim Daly, Patricia Arquette, Alfre Woodard, John Leguizamo, Beau
Bridges, Rose Byrne, Tony Shalhoub and Wayne Knight (Newman from "Seinfeld"!).
Rapper Common will perform and hip-hopper Jermaine Dupri will DJ at a Fillmore party.
Former New York Yankee Bernie Williams is scheduled to perform with his band (he’s now a musician) at McGlohon Theatre.
The PFAW Foundation will party with Hollywood stars including Jane Lynch ("Glee"), Seth MacFarlane (director of "Ted"), David Hyde Pierce and Kathleen Turner at Kazba at the EpiCentre.
Comics DL Hughley, Aries Spears and Tommy Davidson perform standup at Belk Theater.
WEDNESDAY
Jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis does the national anthem at the arena.
Gabrielle Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber of the gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s gymnastics team will headline an event at Foundation For the Carolinas.
Jeff Bridges will attend the non-partisan Impact Film Festival at Mez. He narrated “Hunger Hits Home,” a film about childhood hunger that’s part of the festival.
Actor Kal Penn ("House," the "Harold & Kumar" movies) will be on a panel at Discovery Place moderated by Chelsea Clinton.
Tim Daly, Patricia Arquette, Alfre Woodard, John Leguizamo, Beau Bridges, Rose Byrne, Tony Shalhoub and Wayne Knight will lunch on the Patron Tequila Express near the Amtrak Station. They'll also be at the Creative Coalition's benefit gala at Fountain Plaza at NC Music Factory, headlined by the B-52s.
Rock band Foo Fighters perform in support of Rock the Vote at the Fillmore.
Actress Eva Longoria will host a party at Amos' Southend for Got Your Six and Lifetime TV; rapper Flo Rida will perform.
Rosario Dawson re-teams with America Ferrera; they'll join Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas and hip-hop pioneer Russell Simmons at Voto Latino's Purple Carpet Bash at All American Pub.
THURSDAY
Actress Fran Drescher ("The Nanny") will make the keynote address at a business program at the Hearst Tower.
Actress Jessica Alba will co-host the week’s most important fundraising event, “Super-O-Rama,” at the Fillmore. Rapper Pitbull and pop-rockers the Scissor Sisters will perform.
ALL WEEK
Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington will pop in and out of Flex and Fit Gym, where her "Oasis" (a "rejuvenating retreat" will be set up Monday-Thursday.
"The Daily Show" and host Jon Stewart will be at ImaginOn Tuesday-Friday for tapings.
ALSO
Ashley Judd: The actress is coming to Charlotte as a delegate (from Tennessee).
Actress Thora Birch ("American Beauty") will be here as a California delegate.
Elizabeth Banks: She tweeted earlier this month that she'll be here for the DNC; no other details.
Follow Théoden Janes on Twitter for updates about celebrities in town for the DNC: @theodenjanes; https://twitter.com/theodenjanes. IF YOU SEE A CELEBRITY, e-mail tjanes@charlotteobserver.com.
Ooooohhh Im first to say that this is Lame-O-Rama!
ReplyDeleteohh Rosario Dawson, My Valkyrie with machine guns (sin city), Love that woman, Took guts to do Clerks 2 (she's was giving it back lol), Would love to meet the "dude" and his brother. Will always love the speech, The eagles man (push hair back) I fing Hate the Eagles man, Can you turn that crap off man. I've had a pretty S#%$$$ day man. (then he's kicked out of cab) lol great scene. Would love to meet Seth Mcfarlane and Mrs Turner (the woman is still sexy today and that voice sigh). Can't believe this but I'd rather see The B-52's (rock Lobster) than The Foo fighters (Love the FFer's but The B-52's are pioneers), And finally I'd love to meet the very gorgeous and talented Elizabeth Banks. Oh well, I guess pipe dreams are just that. Either you smoke them or blow them up. Back to living in Nazi Berlin Circa 2012 and restricted from downtown. BTW Kudos on the good report was curious who was going to show.
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