Hollywood Stars Sparkle This Kentucky DerbyAt the 4th Annual 'Mint Jubilee Charity Ball'
Hollywood Stars Sparkle This Kentucky DerbyAt the 4th Annual 'Mint Jubilee Charity Ball', PRNewswire, 17 April 2000
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Hollywood Stars Sparkle This Kentucky DerbyAt the 4th Annual 'Mint Jubilee Charity Ball'
Celebrities Join the Louisville Community To
Benefit James Graham Brown Cancer Center
LOS ANGELES, April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The 4th Annual Mint Jubilee Celebrity Ball hosts a number of award winning Hollywood stars this year including Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Fran Drescher ("The Nanny"); Tony, Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award winner Christine Baranski ("Cybill," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"); two-time Screen Actors Guild Award winner Peter MacNicol ("Ally McBeal," "Sophie's Choice"); Tony, Emmy, and Drama Desk Award winner Michael Jeter ("The Green Mile," "Evening Shade") and Emmy nominee Loni Anderson ("WKRP In Cincinnati," "Melrose Place"). Also attending are Lauren Holly ("Chicago Hope," "Dumb and Dumber"), David Alan Grier ("Return to Me," "In Living Color"), Daisy Fuentes ("America's Funniest Home Videos") Jerry O'Connell ("Mission to Mars," "Sliders," "Stand By Me") with brother Chris O'Connell ("Sliders"), Kurtwood Smith ("That 70's Show"), Greg Vaughan ("Charmed"), Tsianina Joelson (MTV's "The Daily Burn") and Suzanne Sena ("E! News Daily"), Miss America Heather French, Prince Albert of Monocco, and event co-founder Matt Battaglia ("Universal Soldier").
Notable Kentucky natives attending include Hal Sparks ("Talk Soup"), Catherine McCord (MTV's "Loveline"), Lt. Governor Steve Henry, University of Louisville football coach John L. Smith and Athletic Director Tom Jurich, and Papa John's Pizza CEO John Schnatter. The Mint Jubilee, an annual black tie party held the night before the running of the Kentucky Derby, benefits Louisville's noted James Graham Brown Cancer Center.
The 4th Annual Mint Jubilee will be held Friday, May 5, 2000 at the Papa John's Brown Williamson Club, Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, Kentucky. Corporate sponsors include Redken, GUESS, Papa John's Pizza, Louisville Gas & Electric, Coors Brewing Company, Churchill Downs, Insight Communications, Hamilton Printing and American Express Travel Related Services.
The actual Kentucky Derby race lasts only minutes, but the "Derby experience" goes on for weeks with a succession of glamorous events full of fine Southern traditions. Despite the fact that the Mint Jubilee is one of the youngest of the Derby traditions, it is already one of the most popular, thanks to the energy and Hollywood sparkle of young co-founder actor Matt Battaglia and local Real Estate Developers Chris Thieneman and Tommy Thieneman. The star-studded party won praise from The Churchill Downs, the Mayor of Louisville and the Governor of Kentucky and every year draws the attention of international press. The Mint Jubilee expects more than one thousand guests for Mint Jubilee 2000 as a prelude to the first Kentucky Derby of the millennium.
The Mint Jubilee organization recently committed to raising $250,000 over five years to finance the Mint Jubilee Cancer Resource Center. The Resource Center will focus on patients' psychological and societal care, providing an informal, safe environment where patients can be introduced to re-constructive opportunities, the use of makeup and wigs, and general stress and life adjustment skills. The Mint Jubilee also provides funds directly to individual families facing bankruptcy due to the cost of their medical care.
Actor Matt Battaglia co-founded the Mint Jubilee after losing his mother to a tough battle with cancer. Stunned by cancer statistics in America which report one American dying from cancer every forty-five seconds, Battaglia applies the perseverance and faith that guides his successful acting career to help battle cancer in his mother's name.
Battaglia has starred in 8 motion pictures and over 30 television shows. One of his more memorable performances was on "Friends" as Phoebe's boyfriend 'Fireman Vince'. Battaglia has also appeared in several features, starring in the hit sci-fi films "Universal Soldier II" and "Universal Soldier III." Prior to acting, Battaglia was an All American middle linebacker at the University of Louisville and played in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. Battaglia co-founded the Mint Jubilee with fellow U of L All American Chris Thieneman and brother Tommy Thieneman, who are both prominent Louisville real estate developers. Chris was recently named one of the top 40 leaders under 40 by the State of Kentucky and is currently a member of the Greater Louisville Sports Commission.
The Mint Jubilee features dinner, dancing, live entertainment and a silent auction. For ticket information call 502-961-0588 or visit www.mintjubilee.org. To request media credentials to cover this event or interviews with any attendees, call Andy Gelb of Bragman Nyman Cafarelli at (310) 274-7800.
SOURCE Mint Jubilee
CO: James Graham Brown Cancer Center
ST: California, Kentucky
IN: ENT HEA
SU:
04/17/2000 14:06 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
