VIP Ventures

Get ready for the most incredible, star-studded fundraiser Gaston County has ever seen.

When it comes to going the extra mile for the United Way of Gaston County, two famous actresses – Rachel McAdams and Anne Jeffreys – wrote the book.

On May 17, the United Way of Gaston County is hosting a special fundraiser at the Gaston Country Club in Gastonia to raise money for the United Way Women’s Leadership Council.

A silent auction featuring handbags owned by celebrities will be a big part of this special evening. A raffle for designer handbags will also be held.

Rachel McAdams, the fresh-faced actress famous for her roles in “The Notebook,” “Morning Glory,” “Mean Girls” and others mailed a bag overnight to Gastonia. It arrived on Wednesday.

McAdams donated a handbag to the auction that she personally used. The Elie Saab designer bag arrived in Gastonia accompanied by a photograph of the actress and a handwritten note describing where she carried it.

Saab is a famous designer who often clothes celebrities for high-profile events in Hollywood. The designer clothed McAdams in a stunning dress she wore to the 2010 Academy Awards. Other celebrities who have worn Elie Saab designs include Celine Dion, Catherine Zeta Jones, Angelina Jolie, Beyonce, Katy Perry and Halle Berry.

Additional famous purse donors include Ellen Burstyn, Anne Jeffreys, Ariana Grande, Florence Henderson, Mary Wilson of “The Supremes,” Amanda Seyfried, Debbie Reynolds, Beth Moore and North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue.

McAdams sends her best to the bidders at the auction and wrote on a note that she hopes whomever purchases her bag in the silent auction will enjoy it as much as she has.

ANNE JEFFREYS HELPS OUT FUNDRAISER

Veteran actress Anne Jeffreys, who was among the first people to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, has donated numerous handbags for the auction.

She also sent autographed pictures that will accompany the auction items and a personal check for the cause.

Jeffreys went the extra mile for the United Way of Gaston County, making two videos promoting the fundraising event.

Here’s a link to one of them: http://tinyurl.com/72j67zr

I hope that you are able to come to this incredible fundraiser and be part of the fun!

Tickets are $25 each in advance and $35 at the door, if spaces are still available.

For more information or to purchase tickets for this memorable event, call James Burgess at United Way of Gaston County at 704.864.4554, ext. 13.

On May 17, the United Way of Gaston County will be having a fundraiser at the Gaston Country Club in Gastonia to raise money for the United Way Women’s Leadership Council.

There will be a purse raffle. Tickets are available at the event.

Purses owned by celebrities will be sold in a silent auction at the event.

Famous donors include Ellen Burstyn, Anne Jeffreys, Ariana Grande, Florence Henderson, Mary Wilson of “The Supremes,” Amanda Seyfried, Debbie Reynolds, Beth Moore and North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue.

The handbag donated by Burstyn is quite stunning. Jeffreys donated six handbags, some of which are vintage and were used by her on various television shows over the years.

The handbags donated by Grande and Seyfried are more contemporary in style. Reynolds has donated a most unique purse with a mirror inside, which she has autographed.

Tickets are $25 each in advance and $35 at the door, if spaces are still available.

For more information or to purchase tickets for this memorable event, call James Burgess at United Way of Gaston County at 704.864.4554, ext. 13.

Carol Burnett has been entertaining the world for decades, blazing a trail for other female comedy actors while at the same time becoming an internationally-famous superstar.

As star of “The Carol Burnett Show” on CBS, Carol proved that improvisation and comedy sketches were absolutely hilarious when crafted by the right writers and performed by the right actors.

Along with sidekicks Vicki Lawrence, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman and Lyle Waggoner, audiences were kept laughing for the entire run of “The Carol Burnett Show.”

She went on to have the role of Eunice Harper Higgins in the Vicki Lawrence sitcom, “Mama’s Family.” The show was a spin-off of “The Family” sketches done by the actors on “The Carol Burnett Show.”

Having admired Carol’s talents all my life, I have written her before asking for her autograph and she politely responded. But over the past six years, I’ve gathered a collection of television memorabilia just begging for her famous signature.

Some of the photos that I’ve collected feature Carol in different poses with other celebrities. Some were taken on the sets of television shows; others at Hollywood events.

Carol has a good reputation of replying to fan mail but recently, she’s been signing and inscribing special pictures that fans have sent to her – which is becoming rare. So I decided to seize the opportunity and send Carol three pictures in hopes that she would sign them.

And I’m so glad that I did.

She signed and inscribed the pictures to me and they’re very special. For me, it’s a sense of completion because her signature is finally gracing the paper where her picture is captured.

Enjoy looking at them. For some, it might be a trip down memory lane.

Actress Heather Morris must have an incredible sense of humor.

She’s known by fans for her role as cheerleader Brittany Pierce in the hit television show “Glee.”

Morris, 25, is a native of Thousand Oaks, Calif., and has appeared in a few other television shows.

I sent her a letter a few months ago and she replied in the most hilarious fashion I’ve seen in quite a while. It cracked me up and I knew that it was the perfect blog entry for VIP Ventures. And I can’t help but think that she would be proud knowing that her hilarious little letter safety found it’s way to my mailbox and that I got a kick out of it.

In fact, I think the whole package that she mailed to me is funny.

The photo of her on the set of “Glee” with the little stuffed pegasus is hilarious. She’s gossiping with the little creature, of course, and seems to be taking what he said pretty seriously. That’s dangerous. haha!

So I hope that the letter she sent me and the picture make you laugh, also. I think we need more laughter in this world. So often we’re concentrated on being serious and sometimes we think that if we’re not, we won’t be taken seriously. And I guess that’s a valid point. But I sure makes me happy to see a young actress who isn’t afraid to have fun corresponding with fans.

Actor Keegan Allen is quickly becoming popular with fans around the world because of his role as Toby Cavanaugh on the ABC Family hit series “Pretty Little Liars.”

He’s also emerging as a sex symbol among young women and is admired by for his handsome facial features.

Allen enjoyed a few television roles on shows including “C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation” before landing the spot on “Pretty Little Liars.”

He now works with some of the most popular young actresses on television including Lucy Hale, Holly Marie Combs, Ashley Benson and Troian Bellisario.

He gave me a cool autographed picture and I received it on Monday. He also signed a 4×6-inch index card and made the autograph out to me.

When pop singer Christina Perri took the stage at The Orange Peel in downtown Asheville on Monday night, she received a round of applause that lasted several minutes.

And for good reason.

She’s very popular right now and her two hit songs, “Jar of Hearts” and “A Thousand Years” are constantly played over radio airwaves.

The 25-year-old is quickly becoming famous. She’s wrapping up her tour of smaller venues across the nation and is embarking on a world tour. Later this year, she’ll appear at larger venues in the United States with singer Jason Mraz.

Christina Perri’s story is inspirational. She moved to Los Angeles because she was in love with a guy. They fell out of love and she was heartbroken. She told the audience on Monday night that she felt all alone in the big California city. She worked at a restaurant and an online video with her performing in the background caught the eye of a man with connections to an entertainment agent.

As they say in Hollywood, the rest is history.

The past two years have been very good to Christina Perri’s music career. She’s released a studio album and reportedly has another in the works for release in spring 2013.

 I hung out with Christina Perri for a few minutes on Monday around midnight. She greeted a few fans, talked to us for a few minutes, signed some autographs and posed for pictures. Some people had paid extra for a VIP ticket inside the venue that allowed them to meet Perri. I had wanted to purchase the VIP option but it was sold out when I purchased my concert ticket a month ago.

I got a very cool picture with Christina Perri and, of course, her autograph.

We live in a society where literally anyone can become a celebrity overnight.

People are famous for all different types of things but receiving greetings from an actress who has been entertaining audiences worldwide since she made her Broadway debut in 1952 is very special.

Carol Lawrence, the attractive, well-groomed and energetic star of stage and television, sent me a wonderful autographed picture that I received today. It’s accompanied by a few signed index cards and an interview sheet that I prepared and she responded to.

Lawrence, 79, is perhaps best known for her acclaimed role in the Broadway production of “West Side Story” in 1957.

She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which I hope to find and take a picture of when I visit Los Angeles on vacation.

Lawrence was married to the late entertainer Robert Goulet for nearly 20 years.

Younger audiences will remember her as Ms. Wentworth, the fiesty teacher on “Saved by the Bell.”

Dakota Johnson, probably best known as the 22-year-old daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, seems to be crafting a modeling career and will work in an advertising campaign for Japanese fashion brand Uniqlo.

And for fans of classic movies, Johnson is the grandaughter of actress Tippi Hedren.

With Johnson’s golden locks and a modeling contract with famed IMG Models, she’s set to emerge as a world-renowned model.

As an actress, she’s had several roles in films that are largely unknown and unpopular. Perhaps the most notable movie she has appeared in is this year’s “The Five-Year Engagement” starring Emily Blunt, Jason Segel and Alison Brie.

I was asked several times on Wednesday if I had Dick Clark’s autograph in my collection.

The popular television host died after suffering a heart attack.

And the answer to everyone inquiring is “yes.” I do have Dick Clark’s autograph and I’m happy to have a signed picture of a man who entertained so many people.

Truth be known, I would’ve loved to have met Dick Clark. His name alone has become synonymous over the years with various things, most notably perhaps is “American Bandstand” where he helped introduce countless rock ‘n’ roll icons to the world.

Then he became known as Mr. New Year’s Eve as host of “Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Years Eve.” Many Americans rang in the New Year time and time again with Clark wishing them well and introducing exciting musical acts that performed in Times Square.

Some television viewers of a certain age will remember “The $25,000 Pyramid” and “TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes.”

CBS News reports that in the 1980s, he had television shows on all three major networks and was listed among the Forbes 400 wealthiest Americans.

Clark leaves behind a legacy of entertainment… and let’s face it, there’s hardly anyone in the civilized world that hasn’t heard his name at least once.

About six months ago, I wrote him a letter and requested his autograph. Having tried to obtain his signature in the past and failed, I wasn’t too excited about the possibility. Ever since he suffered a stroke, his autograph signing habits have been unpredictable.

To my great surprise, I received a 8×10 black-and-white headshot autographed by Clark in the mail a couple of weeks after I mailed in my request to Dick Clark Productions.

It’s a cool memento of the career of a man whose popularity and fame level seemed to transcend generations.

This costume worn by actress Rue McClanahan on the television show "The Golden Girls" will be auctioned off on Saturday in Beverly Hills, Calif.

One of my favorite actresses Rue McClanahan died a couple of years ago and this weekend, her estate will be auctioned off in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Some items were auctioned off in 2011 through an auction house in New York. But this weekend’s auction is “big time,” with the iconic Julien’s Auction House selling McClanahan’s belongings to the highest bidders.

Being a fan of her Emmy Award-winning work on “The Golden Girls,” I hope to purchase a piece of television history.

I am an avid collector of Hollywood memorabilia including scripts, costumes and autographs.

With online bidding access and the ability to place bids before the hammer is lowered on Saturday, I’ve placed bids on three lots already. And I’ve been defeated on two.

But I’m currently the high bidder on quite an impressive lot consisting of two costumes worn by McClanahan on “The Golden Girls.”

They’re both blouse-and-pants costumes. One was worn on two episodes of the show; the other worn on one.

Pictures of McClanahan wearing the costumes can be obtained by me if I am the lucky winner and I own the DVDs of the episodes.

So it’s particuarly exciting to perhaps own a couple of items she thought were interesting.

Actress Rue McClanahan wearing the outfit on the set of "The Golden Girls."

McClanahan once told me that she kept all her costumes from “The Golden Girls” in storage facilities. I applaud her estate for following through with her reported wishes for allowing fans a crack at owning some of the memorabilia that made her one of the most famous television stars of the 1980s.

Among other items offered at the auction include one of McClanahan’s wedding dresses, scripts from “The Golden Girls” and other shows she appeared in, personal items including flatware and crystal, her drivers’ license and Social Security card, McClanahan’s personal pictures and mementos gathered from her illustrious television career, costumes from the television show “The Golden Palace,” and various jewelry items she owned.

My ultimate goal is to own an entertainment history museum one day so that the public can enjoy my collection as much as I have over the years. And I hope that I can make my dream come true!

A few interesting pieces in my collection include costumes from the television show “One Tree Hill” worn on-camera by actress Sophia Bush and singer Kate Voegele, a makeup chair used by Country Music Hall of Fame member Loretta Lynn on her tour bus, and a pair of shoes worn by actress Debra Winger in the film”Forget Paris” with Billy Crystal.