The Circuit

Help: A Laughing Matter

Laughter and love marked the occasion of the annual Laughing Matters luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel to benefit the L.A. Free Clinic. Celebrities and civic notables coifed and dressed to the nines were on hand to lend their humor and presence to the lustrous event that helps the clinic serve those in need of medical attention. West Hollywood Mayor Abbe Land, who announced her candidacy for Paul Koretz’s (D-Los Angeles) assembly seat next year, opened the festivities and introduced Laughing Matters co-founder Greta Furst.

The packed crystal ballroom was treated to personal antidotes from such glitterati as Jamie Lee Curtis who publicly and humorously thanked fellow panel member Jack Klugman for her first acting role on his “Quincy” series. Klugman joined other notables including Theodore Bikel, Barbara Minkus, Charlotte Rae, Ed Asner and Yuppie and “Preppie Handbook” author/writer Lisa Birnbach, as mistress of ceremonies Renee Taylor, introduced as the “love of his life” by husband Joe Bologna, led the panel members in an enjoyable diatribe of personal reminiscences and humorous antidotes.

Other notables including civic leader Soraya Melamed, Annabelle Wasserstein Award honoree Barbara Fox and Gay Parish attended the luncheon. Also on hand to honor Fox and join in the laughter were her son-in-law, Beverly Hills School Board member John Millan; Fox’s daughter, Gail; and her husband, Judge Elden Fox; school board president Alissa Roston; and Bonnie Webb, wife of Beverly Hills Vice Mayor Steve Webb. Guests bid on the silent auction items before a delicious lunch and afternoon of laughter.

For information about the L.A. Free Clinic, call ( 323) 330-1670.

Mink’s New Hope

Tanya Mink was recently named vice president of development for City of Hope. The center for biomedical research and treatment center for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, appointed Mink, an accomplished professional with 25 years of experience in academic fundraising, to oversee responsibility for advancing City of Hope’s relationships with private foundations and supporting the fundraising and volunteer development efforts of City of Hope’s Beckman Research Institute.

Mink is the former vice president for college advancement at Harvey Mudd College, where she was chief development officer. Previous to this, she held a variety of fundraising positions at Caltech, including director of corporate relations, director of the Campaign for Caltech, director of principal and major gifts and director of the Biological Sciences Initiative.

“I am excited and honored to join City of Hope,” Mink said. “With a history of scientific distinction and compassionate care, the institution is an important and positive force for biomedical advancement. I am eager to do my part in supporting this tradition of accomplishment.”

For more information, visit ” target=”_blank”>www.sholem.org or call (818) 760-6625.

A Full Nelson

The Women’s Alliance for Israel Political Action Committee (WAIPAC) held an afternoon tea and briefing with Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) on May 4 at the Skirball Cultural Center.

Vice president and event coordinator Nancy Klemens introduced Nelson, who spoke on U.S.-Israel relations and his experiences in the Senate. After Nelson gave his speech, he opened the floor for questions and several WAIPAC members asked about the situation in Israel including the senator’s feelings on disarmament and airspace over Israel.

Nelson made his position clear that he does not believe in giving monetary aid to the Palestinians until they disarm.

“We need help the people with computers, jobs, skills and economy, ” he said.

Nelson described the women’s group as “a very warm group with a lot of good ideas. We may have the same ideals but different ideas about how to carry them out,” he said.