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Angela Bassett presents Academy President Sid Ganis with this year's Humanitarian Award at an event sponsored by A Place Called Home. Photo by Vince Bucci

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Children were the center of attention at the Gala for the Children at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Bev Hills. The event was sponsored by A Place Called Home. The non-profit youth center has a positive impact on thousands of young lives though educational and enrichment opportunities.

Actor Orlando Jones welcomed 600 gala guests who came to pay tribute to this year’s honorees.

Beautiful Angela Bassett was on hand to present the Humanitarian Award to Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences prez Sid Ganis. McG, the short-named television and film producer and director, gave the Children’s Inspiration Award to Warner Brothers marketing chief Dawn Taubin. In addition to her studio gig, Taubin devotes countless hours to numerous causes, including Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Habitat for Humanity and the National Resources Defense Council.

Philanthropist Rob Davidow was feted with the Angel of the Children Award. Davidow is a longtime friend of the group and was one of the first members to sit on A Place Called Home’s Board of Directors.

A Place Called Home’s Executive Director Thyonne Gordon called this year’s honorees “amazing role models,” adding “all are successful in their own right, but have found time to unselfishly give back to their communities and to at-risk youth.”

The evening was a harmonious one thanks to a performance by Brian McKnight. The event raised more than $1 million for the organization’s mentoring, tutoring, arts, sports and healthcare programs.

WELL RAISE MY RENT

AFI fans say picking the greatest movies ever is easy. “Gone With the Wind,” “Citizen Kane,” “Casablanca,” “Lawrence of Arabia” and “The Godfather” are their top picks. But for many children of the ’70s, the greatest cinematic masterpiece ever made is the zany, politically incorrect Mel Brooks classic “Blazing Saddles.” Now Hedley Lamarr, Lili Von Shtupp, Sheriff Bart and Mongo are back in all their blazing glory.

It’s twue, it’s twue. If you want to reminisce about Rockridge with the guy who put it on the map, make your way to the Aero Theater on Jan. 25. American Cinematheque will present Mel Brooks live and in person for a weeklong retrospective. Relive “Blazing Saddles” with its rustlers, cut throats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con-men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers, hornswogglers, horse thieves, train robbers, bank robbers – and Methodists.

The comic director will also be on hand for screenings and discussions of his other much-loved classics like “The Producers,” “High Anxiety” and “Young Frankenstein.”

So what are you waiting for? Head to the Aero and go do that voodoo that you do so well.