• Equality
  • Community
    • Health
    • Youth
    • Seniors
  • Voices
    • From the CEO
    • Take Five
    • Why I Give
  • About the Center
  • Galleries
  • Calendar
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Slice, Slice Baby!
  • LGBTQ+ Youth, Seniors, and ‘Drag Race’ Queens Celebrate Chosen Family at Inaugural Intergenerational Thanksgiving Dinner
  • Dispensing Culturally Competent Care: The Center’s Patient-Centric Pharmacy Does Much More Than Fill Prescriptions
  • Get to Know the Center’s New Leadership Team
  • The Center Looks Back on 25 Years of Senior Services
  • Center CEO Joe Hollendoner: “Our Work Is Never Done”
  • Trixie Mattel Inspires LGBTQ+ Youth to Be Their Best Selves at Models of Pride: “You Are All the Main Character”
  • From Poetry to Tap Dance, Seniors Flaunt Their Talents at Fall Showcase 
Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube
LGBT News Now
Learn about career opportunities at the Center
  • Equality
  • Community
    • Health
    • Youth
    • Seniors
  • Voices
    • From the CEO
    • Take Five
    • Why I Give
  • About the Center
  • Galleries
  • Calendar
LGBT News Now
You are at:Home»Community»Center’s Star-Studded “Love in Action” Telethon Nearing $1.3 Million in COVID-19 Response Support

Center’s Star-Studded “Love in Action” Telethon Nearing $1.3 Million in COVID-19 Response Support

0
By on September 16, 2020 Community

Midway through the September 12 Love in Action telethon benefitting the Los Angeles LGBT Center, co-host Jane Lynch told KTLA 5 and livestream viewers worldwide that she had a feeling in her bones.

“I just know we’re going to exceed our $1 million goal tonight,” predicted the five-time Emmy winning actress and TV game show host.

Lynch was absolutely correct.

By the end of the incredible two-hour show a total of $1,273,063 had been raised for the Center’s vital programs and services which have been in more demand since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Tuesday, the Center confirms donations were still coming in with a final total that could exceed the $1.3 million mark.

Lynch, a former member of the Center’s Board of Directors, described the organization as “the model for centers around the world. It’s an amazing place which is why I love it so much. The depth and the breadth of programs and services really blows me away. It’s like 12 non-profits under one roof.”

The Glee alum co-hosted the live show with KTLA 5 News anchor Cher Calvin, who shared with viewers that her father Roger Calvin, a former movie star in the Philippines, came out as a gay man when she was 18. Although her father was a big fan, it was her mother who insisted on naming her Cher after the famous singer and actress.

Then that Cher (the Oscar-Grammy-Emmy-winning icon) helped kick things off by asking people to donate, calling the Center “an unstoppable force in fighting bigotry for a better world. We need this desperately right now.”

Love in Action was presented by The Ariadne Getty Foundation.

“Because both of my children, Nats and August, are part of the LGBT community, it should surprise no one that much of my work focuses on LGBT causes,” Getty told viewers. “I’ve been a strong supporter of the Center for the past five years. The Center has continued to be a safe haven for all those who show up at its doorstep and call out for help.”

k.d. lang Calls In From Canada

Throughout the show, Lynch and Calvin conducted live interviews with Center CEO Lorri L. Jean, singer k.d. lang, RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Shangela, and Star Trek: Discovery co-stars Anthony Rapp and Wilson Cruz, who portray a gay couple on the hit science-fiction show.

Appearing from Canada, lang joked with the co-hosts about how her concerts during the 1990s “were the first Tinder.” She also spoke about coming out publicly then and continuing to raise awareness today.

“I think it’s important that we don’t go backwards. It’s important that we stay focused,” lang said. “I think that’s why the Center is so very important because it is an extremely eclectic community—senior and youth and everything in between. It really is the vortex of the community and has been for 51 years. It is immeasurably important to offer a community for the disenfranchised.”

During his segment with Rapp, Cruz echoed that sentiment: “I feel the Center is like a starship. It is inhabited by these amazing, genius people who come together to save a community, and I’m inspired by the work that the Center does my entire life as an inhabitant of L.A. They have been here for me my entire adult life, and I couldn’t love them more.”


DJ Pierce, aka Shangela, recalled how actress Jenifer Lewis introduced him to the Center when he was working as her assistant.

“I saw the dedication she had to the Center and the belief she had in what they were doing,” said Pierce, who video conferenced from Texas. “I took a stand-up comedy class at Center. It led me to the Comedy Store on Sunset to all around the world.”

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, the first openly LGBT women elected to the nation’s Senate, called the Center’s work “pivotal in changing the world around us.”

“Right now, in the challenging times that we face with COVID, we recognize that the need for the Center’s services are only growing,” she pointed out. “I want to thank the Center for a half-century of advocacy, support, and resources for the LGBTQ community, and I look forward to seeing all of the transformative work you’ll continue to do in the years to come.”

Trans actor Brian Michael Smith of TV’s 9-1-1: Lone Star and Queen Sugar reminded viewers that throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Center’s Trans Wellness Center located in Koreatown has remained open for essential services like food and hormone therapy.

 “Whether most people recognize it or not, the people representing the T in LGBT are some of the most at-risk members of our community,” Smith said.

Sia, Billy Porter, RuPaul and More Take Part

Other famous faces who shared their personal experiences with the Center, or who introduced segments highlighting various programs and clients, included Sia, Alexandra Billings, Billy Porter, Billy Eichner, Frankie Grande, Meredith Vieira, Carla Gugino, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Margaret Cho, Peter Paige, Gigi Gorgeous, Nats Getty, August Getty,  Coco Peru, Jay Leno, Bruce Vilanch, RuPaul, Pauley Perrette, Tyler Oakley, and Andrew Rannells.

Leno told a touching story from his childhood about why his father would always insist he wear a jacket and tie whenever the family went out to dinner.

“My dad would always say, ‘We want to show that we’re proud,’” Leno recalled. “To this day, whenever I watch a civil rights march or a gay pride parade or any kind of protest, I always look at the faces of people and see that same expression my dad had when he talked about being proud. Fight the good fight my dad used to say. Do what you can to help out.”

Queer as Folk alum Paige shared with viewers how the Center was there for him when he first arrived in Los Angeles 27 years ago.

“I was scared and alone and broke,” Paige said. “Someone suggested that I check out the Center to get some help. I did. I found a therapist there for $10 a week. It changed my life and it changed what I believed was possible for me. There’s a direct line from that scared boy to the man you see before you and it goes right through the Los Angeles LGBT Center. I am forever grateful.”


The Return of Ernestine the Telephone Operator

Lily Tomlin, a staunch Center supporter, used the telethon to step back into the hairdo of one of her most famous iconic characters: the brash, tough, and uncompromising telephone operator Ernestine.

According to the skit, Ernestine had left the telephone company and was an out lesbian helping out at the Center nowadays.

“A gracious hello. This is the LGBT Center. We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it,” chuckled Ernestine with her classic snort. “No, I don’t usually answer the phones here. I heard the Center was in additional need during the pandemic so, heroically, I stepped forward to man the boards. … Yes, I’m out and proud … spoken with pride and nothing to hide.”

Love in Action also featured powerful musical performances by Leslie Odom Jr., Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, Tonality, and Jenifer Lewis.


Grammy Award-winner Cyndi Lauper appeared in the show’s first half-hour to perform one of her biggest hits True Colors. She shared a story explaining how it became one of her signature songs.

“I first sang this song in 1986 for a friend of mine who was an LGBT youth who experienced homelessness when he was thrown out of his home at the age of 12,” Lauper explained. “For decades, when it comes to youth services, the LGBT Center has been giving young people, who have nowhere else to go, a home. In this age of COVID-19, we need the Center more than ever.”

Melissa Etheridge performed her classic hit Come to My Window, which she released in 1993 soon after coming out as lesbian.

“The generation before me didn’t always have the luxury of coming out and being accepted and even celebrated,” she shared. “So, they turned to the Center for support. Tonight, I sing for the countless doors and windows the Center has kept open for all the LGBT people of all stripes for more than five decades.”

In her remarks near the beginning of the telethon, Center CEO Jean explained how the pandemic impacted the Center, which has continued feeding and housing people and providing medical care and social and educational programming.

“It’s been really tough,” she admitted. “Non-profits all over town have been closing. Our Center has been determined to keep going. A third of our staff are essential first responders, and they have courageously been on the job every day providing medical care, mental health counseling, services for seniors and homeless youth, affordable housing, and more. We couldn’t stop those services—not when our community needs us more than ever.”

She added: “We’ve had to develop brand new programs to respond to the pandemic at a time when we’ve had to cancel every fundraising event this year.”

When asked what’s next for the Center, Jean responded: “We just have to keep on keeping on. More people are coming to us every day for help.”

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

Related Posts

Slice, Slice Baby!

LGBTQ+ Youth, Seniors, and ‘Drag Race’ Queens Celebrate Chosen Family at Inaugural Intergenerational Thanksgiving Dinner

Dispensing Culturally Competent Care: The Center’s Patient-Centric Pharmacy Does Much More Than Fill Prescriptions

Comments are closed.

Upcoming Events

Feb 4
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

The Future is Black 2023: Renaissance

Feb 9
February 9 - March 4

Cock

Mar 16
March 16 - April 16

Menstruation: A Period Piece

Apr 29
April 29 - June 24

A New Brain

May 13
May 13 - June 12

The Bottoming Process

View Calendar
About Us

LGBT News Now

LGBT News Now is a publication of the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, the Center is the largest LGBT organization in the world, dedicated to building a world where LGBT thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society. Learn more at lalgbtcenter.org.

Follow Us on Instagram

lalgbtcenter

The Los Angeles LGBT Center is building a world where LGBT people thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society.

Los Angeles LGBT Center
This is not a drill: There are active legislative This is not a drill: There are active legislative threats against our freedoms going up for vote across the country. We know most of these fights are not happening in California—but that’s precisely why our Center community can be of help. Join the Resistance Squad today by texting ‘RESIST’ to 33339 to help win this fight, and swipe through the slides to understand what’s happening. —>
Did you know that the Center hosts a Senior Prom f Did you know that the Center hosts a Senior Prom for our #LGBTQ+ #elders each year? A few years ago, we were visited by filmmakers who wanted to document the event in all its glory—and now their film is airing tonight on @PBS at 10PM PT. Please tune in to celebrate the amazing work of our Senior Services team and our real heroes, our incredible clients! And stay tuned later this year for more from our next installment of the Prom.
Our community at the Los Angeles LGBT Center exten Our community at the Los Angeles LGBT Center extends our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those we lost in the tragic mass shooting in #MontereyPark, and our well wishes to the survivors who are recovering. We remain committed to our hope for a peaceful and prosperous Los Angeles—without guns and hate.
We’re honored to join the @academymuseum as a Co We’re honored to join the @academymuseum as a Community Partner for the upcoming screening of Pat Rocco's Signs of Queer Life on January 26 at 7:30pm.

The trailblazing LA-based filmmaker and gay rights advocate, #PatRocco, captured seminal moments of LGBTQ history, joy and upsets. Check out a preview of his film #WeWereThere. Use discount code LGBTQ+ to get $2 off tickets to the screening! Link in our bio. 
 
#AcademyMuseum #LGBTQstories
The Center is proud to announce our inaugural thea The Center is proud to announce our inaugural theatre season! This year, we are partnering with local theatre companies to present nearly 100 showings of four remarkable plays to lift the depth and diversity of LGBTQ+ narratives. The line-up includes world premieres, an award-winning comedy, and a radically reimagined musical. Performances begin Feb. 9—Get your tickets now at lalgbtcenter.org/theatre, or at the link in our bio! 🎭 🎟️
SHE DID NOT COME TO PLAY! The one and only @bigfre SHE DID NOT COME TO PLAY! The one and only @bigfreedia, Queen of Bounce, is coming to the Los Angeles LGBT Center for #TheFutureIsBlack — our #BlackHistoryMonth event — and tickets are FREE to the public at the #linkinbio. Hear from Freedia and a dynamic roster of other Black talent, then dance the night away in our Renaissance-themed afterparty. Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 4th and get on that list at the link in bio before it closes.
Today we commemorate one of our nation’s most pr Today we commemorate one of our nation’s most preeminent civil rights leaders— the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.— who left us a transformative legacy rooted in service and community. His noble actions blueprinted monuments of unity across the country, and especially, here at home in Los Angeles. On this #MLKDayofService, we are reminded of our ability to champion equity and justice for all.
 
#DrKing #MLKDay
We at the Los Angeles LGBT Center are deeply distu We at the Los Angeles LGBT Center are deeply disturbed by the videos depicting the tragic deaths of three Angelenos, and join the Mayor in calling for urgent police reform and accountability. Swipe through for our full statement.

#TakarSmith #KeenanAnderson #OscarSanchez
Get ready, LA! Join us in community as we ring in Get ready, LA! Join us in community as we ring in Center South’s 3rd Anniversary Celebration on January 21st from 12-4PM! The joyous afternoon event will offer self-guided tours, dynamic performances, food, prizes, health services, and more. Register for free at lalgbtcenter.org/centersouth3year or with the link in bio! We can’t wait to see you there 🏳️‍🌈☀️
 
PS: Did you know Center South is located in the heart of #SouthLosAngeles, just steps away from historic #LeimertPark? The site offers free (or low cost) year-round health services and STI testing for all #Angelenos. 

#LosAngeles #LGBTQ
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Stay Connected
Subscribe
Copyright © 2022 Los Angeles LGBT Center
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy
  • Contact Us

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.