As guests were regaled by Kevin Robert Frost (CEO, amfAR), the idea was Tommy Hilfiger’s. It seems that, while attending last year’s debut of F1’s Grand Prix Las Vegas, Tommy Hilfiger and David Glasser (CEO, 101 Studios)—who were both having a sensational time—thought the city’s vibe that weekend was perfectly suited to hosting a gala for amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.  So, Hilfiger got on the phone with Frost, and bibbidi-bobbidi-boo: It’s a year later, and amfAR Las Vegas has kicked off F1 Las Vegas weekend with a decidedly fabulous philanthropic fête presented by Paramount at Wynn Las Vegas that raised $3 million in addition to a percentage of the $11 million brought in by the auction by Sotheby’s.

Over the course of the evening, guests including Dee and Tommy Hilfiger; David Glasser; Jennifer and Sylvester Stallone (recipients of amfAR’s 2024 Award of Inspiration) with their daughters Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet Rose, as well as Scarlet’s boyfriend, Louis Masquelier-Page; Fausto Puglisi (creative director, Roberto Cavalli) and Juno Temple (Ted Lasso, Fargo); Elle and Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele, Schmigadoon!); Tyler Hoechlin (Teen Wolf, Superman & Lois); Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, Longmire); Caylee Cowan (Double Exposure); Damson Idris (Snowfall); and a gaggle of cast members of shows produced by 101 Studios for Paramount+ including Yellowstone’s Ian Bohen;1923’s Julia Schlaepfer, Brandon Sklenar, and Caleb Wright; and The Agency’s Michael Fassbender, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Jeffrey Wright; rubbed shoulders with local leaders, lovelies, and philanthropists including Amanda and Craig Billings, Stephanie and Brian Gullbrants, Julie Cameron-Doe, Ellen Whittemore and Jeff Peterson, James Woods and Michael Weaver, Colleen and Pauly Freedman, Andrew Sasson, Ana Brant, Jo Champa, Camille and Larry Ruvo, Stella Roy, Heather Harmon, Ralph DeLuca, Safari Ross, Jonathan Karrant, Dena duBoef-Roth, and Dawn Hume.

Before the auction, Amber Riley (Glee) took the stage and delivered a passionate rendition of “One Night Only” from Dreamgirls [a stellar selection considering she won the Laurence Olivier Award for ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ for her performance of ‘Effie White’ in the West End debut of Dreamgirls in 2016], followed by a funktacular cover of Ike & Tina Turner’s “Nutbush City Limits” that had guests boogying at their seats.

“It’s up to all of us to keep the fires of hope blazing
until that day comes, this disease is beaten to a pulp,
and the world’s fists are lifted in glorious victory!”
-Sylvester Stallone

Avid car collector Jay Leno hosted the program, and who better, seeing as the auction by Sotheby’s featured a number of covetable and collectible automobiles (all of which he let guests know he’d had occasion to drive)?  Serving as auctioneer was Michael Macauley (Deputy Chairman, Sotheby’s), who was joined onstage at various times by Jodie Turner-Smith (to auction off the emerald and diamond ‘Marquis of Angels’ earrings by Merry Belle, which sold for $65,000), Ambra Gutierrez (to auction off the unique ‘La Nuit de la Tigresse’ evening gown she modeled as part of the Roberto Cavalli Milan Fashion Week package, which sold for $105,000); recording artist/makeup impresario/hotelier/DJ Trixie Mattel (to auction off Paola Pivi’s Aaaaaaaaa (2023), which sold for $80,000); and the previously mentioned actors from a trio of series produced by 101 Studios (to auction off a walk-on part on Tulsa Kings, which sold for $300,000).  Other highlights of the auction—which made over $11 million (a portion of which will be donated to amfAR)—included Sylvester Stallone’s painting Knocking Heads (2018-2019), made after he completed making Creed 2 (which sold for $410,000); a 2015 Porsche 918 ‘Weissach’ Spyder (which sold for $2,690,000), a 1957 Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing (the last one ever produced, which sold for $2,400,000), and 2006 McLaren-Mercedes MP4-21 Formula 1 (which sold for $2,500,000).

Following the auction and some poignant words from amfAR CEO Kevin Robert Frost, Dee and Tommy Hilfiger went to the podium to introduce their friends and Palm Beach neighbors, Jennifer and Sylvester Stallone, and invite them to the stage to receive amfAR’s Award of Inspiration.  Upon reaching the podium, Jennifer, looking radiant in metallic chartreuse, acknowledged the synergy between Las Vegas and amfAR, stating, “To be here in Las Vegas, in a city that knows how to bring people together to celebrate extraordinarily, is a testament to the power of this cause and the dedication of everyone in this room.”

Then Jennifer ceded the mic to her husband, who proceeded to speak in a truly moving, authentic, and thoroughly Sly-kind of way, first saluting the bravery and dedication of Princess Diana and Dame Elizabeth Taylor for their tireless work in bringing awareness to and transforming the perceptions about AIDS, before concluding by referring to amfAR’s goal of eradicating AIDS, saying, “It’s up to all of us to keep the fires of hope blazing until that day comes, this disease is beaten to a pulp, and the world’s fists are lifted in glorious victory!”  And, if that’s not precisely the kind of thing you’d like to hear from your allies, I don’t know what is.

The Stallones were followed by the incomparable Diana Ross who, dazzling in her golden Bob Mackie finery, delighted guests with a set of her hits, including “I’m Coming Out,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “The Boss,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and her signature cover of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” which found Fassbender, Turner-Smith, et al., getting down with Ross’s son, Evan, in front of the stage.

As Frost had explained about amfAR’s m.o., earlier, “This is a test run for us to see what might be possible.  We don’t like to just do one-off events.  If we’re going to do an event in Vegas, we plan to build it over ten years.  We like to have annual events.”  So do we, sir.  So do we.

amfAR Las Vegas, presented by Paramount
Wynn Las Vegas
Click HERE for info

Get into it!
#amfAR