Lady Gaga saluted by the Trevor Project with stars and songs
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If Lady Gaga knows anything, it’s theatricality -- so it’s more than fitting that the Trevor Project’s annual holiday gala, Trevor Live, Sunday night was a wintry song and dance in celebration of the pop star’s efforts to stop bullying.
The Hollywood Palladium housed the shindig, under the creative direction of ‘Rock of Ages’ helmer Adam Shankman, and featured a huge roster of celebrity performers and ‘Parks and Recreations’ star Amy Poehler as emcee.
Leading up to Gaga’s big moment was ‘Glee’ star Darren Criss pulling out a show-stopping rendition of Tom Jones’ ‘It’s Not Unusual.’ Leann Rimes later performed a ballad from her own catalog, Queen Latifah offered up ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ and engaged duo Neil Patrick Harris and chef David Burtka sang ‘You’re The Top.’
Plenty of exciting faces pleased the Ministry, including our table buddy Dianna Agron in vintage Chloe, as well as Amber Heard, Zachary Quinto, Michelle Pfieffer and Zac Efron.
The Trevor Project provides telephone hotline and online support for LGBT and questioning youth in their struggles with bullying, family acceptance and more -- and on Sunday bold names helped tell the stories of several youths whose lives were affected by the Trevor team.
Pehaps the evening’s most poignant tale was that of 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer, who took his own life in September. Jamey’s sister and parents were on hand to present to Gaga, assisted by ‘Glee’’s Chris Colfer. Gaga did not shy from the very recent tragedy -- expressing her disbelief that Jamey’s school has yet to address the bullying he cited as cause for suicide.
‘As much as we can, come together, as it will take a village and an army -- countries and continents, too -- to make bullying a hate crime,’ Gaga said to a standing ovation.
Other highlights included the first ‘Magic Mike’ pairing on record -- Joe Manganiello and Matt Bomer took to the stage and joked about their past few months playing strippers for Steven Soderbergh.
And let us not forget about pot jokester Miley Cyrus, who belted her song ‘The Climb’ with perfect pitch, subtlety and without any additional comment. Well played.
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-- Matt Donnelly
twitter.com/MattDonnelly