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(NewsNation) — Denizens of New York City are girding their loins for next week when three presidents and their accompanying entourage of security and helpers will descend upon the Big Apple.
Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden are expected to bring traffic to a standstill in midtown March 28 when they take over Radio City Music Hall for a massive Democratic Party fundraiser.
The event, hosted by Mindy Kaling, will feature a “lively conversation” between the three men and moderated by Stephen Colbert.
The evening will also feature some musical guests including Lizzo, who is facing accusations of sexual harassment and discrimination by three of her former backup singers.
Last August, dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez sued Lizzo, accusing her of “creating a hostile work environment through a wide range of legal wrongdoing, including not just sexual harassment but also religious and racial discrimination,” according to Billboard. The women allege Lizzo forced them to attend sex shows and eat a banana protruding from a woman’s vagina, among other allegations. Last month, a judge denied Lizzo’s request to toss the lawsuit, allowing the majority of the case to proceed to trial later this year.
Other performers at the event will be Queen Latifah, Lea Michele, Ben Platt and Cynthia Erivo.
One person who is planning to attend told me, “It’s an awfully B- and C-list group for this event. And Lizzo … well. That’s not a good look. But, they think they’ll have covered their politically correct image as being sensitive to (overweight) people (by doing so).” For the record, the dancers suing Lizzo are also plus-sized.
It also doesn’t seem wise to have Lizzo headline at an event featuring Clinton – who has had sexual harassment issues of his own in the past – or Biden, who is also facing legal issues.
As per usual at these types of events, there are tiers of tickets. $250 will get you entry to the event, for $100,000 you can pose with the three presidents and those who pony up $250,000 and $500,000 will have personal access to them at two separate receptions. (Presumably, if you donate half a million you will have access to both events – double the price, double the fun!)
To ensure the event and its ensuing parties go smoothly, Condé Nast editorial director Anna Wintour handled some of the planning.
Chris Korge, chairman of the Biden Victory Fund, told NBC: “This is going to be the biggest fundraising event that Joe Biden has done in his political career. I believe it’s the largest fundraising event in Democratic Party history. It’s also the only time that three (Democratic) presidents have done a (campaign) fundraiser together.”
Iconic actress Lee Grant breaks hip at Ukraine benefit
In other news, the star of “Peyton Place” took a tumble at a benefit for Ukraine last week and ended up in the hospital.
Actress Lee Grant was at the Ukrainian Institute of America supporting her husband, artist Joseph Fioretti, who was selling a select number of his drawings and paintings to benefit the war effort in Ukraine. After mingling with other guests including Joy Behar, Brenda Vaccaro, Marlo Thomas, Tony Shalhoub and Sharon Gless, Grant took a tumble on the marble stairs as she was leaving.
“She was taken to the hospital and had emergency surgery,” a friend of the actress told me. Grant is now recovering at home and “doing well.”
