Considered the standard bearer of formal fund raising within the LGBT world, the Black Tie Dinner proved its stuff Saturday night at the Dallas Sheraton. Starting at 5:45 p.m., the backup of cars into the hotel was already looking like a wheeled version of a conga line. Alas, the parking garages attached to the Sheraton were marked “Full” to allow space for the valets, so many chose nearby parking lots and a walk.
But the space issue arose again upon entering the festivities. Like the March of the Penguins, tuxedoes were everywhere, especially in the silent auction arena just outside the Lone Star Ballroom. What else would you expect when you have 3,000 over for a black-tie dinner? Didn’t matter. Everyone was having way too much fun and the congestion just added to the evening’s conversations.
But a few hundred were cubbyholed in private receptions in the Austin Ballrooms. The VIP reception for 500 featured a coolly blue-lit Grey Goose bar with four lines of guests waiting their turn for a libation. In from Washington D.C. was Human Rights Campaign CFO Jim Rinefierd in a red shirt and leather tuxedo with matching tie.
Next door was the Speakers reception for a mere 150. Unlike the free-moving VIP reception, it had the nicety of having Judge Barbara Houser and evening honoree Carol West (pictured right with Barbara Houser) greeting guests at the door. Part of the room was a photo factory for shooting evening headliners like Gavin Creel and Chely Wright with local celebs. Two photographers with name takers were lining ’em up and shooting them. On the sidelines Mitchell Gold, like a Cecil B. DeMille, admonished, “Only two flashes” per setup.
Another person on the side was Chely’s gal pal Lauren Blitzer (pictured left with Chely Wright), who co-wrote Same Sex in the City.
In the back of the room was a handsome Marine all decked out in his formal dress uniform. Could this be a situation of “Don’t ask, don’t tell”? Upon inquiring, the Marine turned out to be Chely’s brother Christopher, who was in from Kansas City with his wife Karla, for Chely’s receiving BTD’s Media Award.
Also on hand supporting family ties were Stephanie Vanderburg and Christine Fischer (pictured right with Stephanie Vanderburg), daughters of BTD Board Member Debra Davis.
Across the way attorney Don Gaiser in a silver-and-black tuxedo jacket was escorted to red carpet area to have his photo taken with the celebs. Buying 10 tables gets you Very VIP service, don’t you know! But the standout in this crowd was Grey Goose’s Claire Winslow (pictured) with her red hair and one-of-a-kind dress and stockings.
Before you knew it, the place cleared out and all headed to the silent auction area to await the opening of the Lone Star Ballroom doors for the night’s dinner.
Now mind you, adding more than 600 people to the already crowded silent auction space might be a problem for some, but for the BTD crowd it was a more-the-merrier scenario. It was a melting pot of all professions, backgrounds and personalities like Messy Panocha (pictured). Let’s face it — the drag diva just stands out in any crowd and loves it with those glittery eyelashes and remarkable hairstyle.
Then there was CPA Mike Larsen (pictured) in his natty kilts, freelance musician Henry McDowell in purple tie (guess he didn’t get the memo that it wasn’t Purple Tie Dinner), and sales associate Marjan in her gold-spangled dress.
Promptly at 7 the doors to the Lone Star opened and the 3,000 filed in for dinner, entertainment and learning more about the beneficiaries and honorees.
If you were among the top-tier guests, you were seated at tables with their own server who took drink orders throughout the night. Shoot, it was like life aboard a luxury liner. No muss, no fuss, just let your server know what you want and it was johnny-on-the-spot. . . drink wise. On the other hand, if you wanted food, regardless of your place in the pecking order, you were limited to salad and a basket of bread until 8:29.
While organizers had held off dinner to allow the speakers and entertainers to be heard over the clatter of dishes, they didn’t realize how really hungry folks could get. This may have explained why so many guests started talking among themselves and checking their smartphones instead of listening to the speakers.
After a brilliant performance by Gavin with the Turtle Creek Chorale, BLT Co-Chairs Ron Guillard (pictured) and Nan Arnold (pictured) welcomed the group. While marvelous in their efforts to coordinate the event, their calling is not in the world of emceeing. This became apparent when the next speaker Carol West received the Kuchling Humanitarian Award. With zeal, presence and eloquence, she set a pace that would be hard to match. But shoot, she’s a Fort Worth minister and knows how to hold a crowd’s attention!
Next on the agenda was Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese (pictured), who could easily be heard but seemed to change the direction of the evening from enjoyment to political agenda. Perhaps it was the fact that it was now verging on 8 p.m. and the crowd was wondering when the next course would arrive on their tables.
At 8:10 a video was shown but the audio was not stellar quality, thereby losing the attention of many.
But that quickly changed when the list of sponsors was recognized. American Airlines seemed to get the biggest applause.
Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (pictured) took the podium as the keynote speaker and once again thanked the sponsors and launched into her talk. Perhaps it was the pangs of hunger or the hour, but the attention of the crowd started wandering. With Tammy looking down from eight huge screens surrounding the room, you would have thought she would have commanded the room. But instead many were looking for trays of food that were nowhere in sight and others were checking their smartphones.
The bread basket at one table was making its final pass when a young man, like a starving hero in a lifeboat, gallantly offered the last piece to the rest of the table. When no one took him up on his offer, he grabbed it and apologetically said, “I’m sorry, but I’m so hungry.”
At 8:25 one man could be heard loudly questioning, “Where’s the damned food?” Within four minutes, Tammy concluded her remarks to a round of applause and hopes that food would soon be on its way, but no. Instead the list of sponsors rolled on the screens with a voice reading each one over the PA system. Waiters were standing on the sidelines just waiting for the signal to present the food. As the last of the Single Seat Sponsors was read, the parade of trays started marching from the kitchen. It was then that a voice over the PA system announced, “You must be seated to be served.” Like children attending their first holiday sit-down supper, the guests stayed put.
But then, after the guests enjoyed some mighty tasty steak and creme brulee, it was time for the live auction and happenings that once again allowed the Black Tie Dinner to be a monumental money maker. How much? That will be revealed in December. Check back here for the final results.