"The Help" Stars Join First Lady For Los Angeles Campaign Fundraiser

(Hollywood) Women for Obama: Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Melanie Griffith, Eva Longoria, Angela Bassett...
Following her Let's Move! event in Inglewood, CA on Wednesday, First Lady Michelle Obama attended a high-dollar luncheon fundraiser for her husband's re-election effort, joined by some of today's most acclaimed African American film stars. The event was co-hosted by Pauletta Washington (wife of Denzel Washington) and LaTanya Richardson Jackson, wife of actor Samuel Jackson, who attended. The luncheon was held under a tent in the front yard of the lavish Hancock Park mansion of Michael Lawson and Mattie McFadden-Lawson.

Guests included "The Help" stars Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer; Melanie Griffith; Eva Longoria; TV personality Niecy Nash; Angela Bassett; Courtney B. Vance, and Cookie Johnson. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who joined Mrs. Obama for her early-morning event, was also a guest. About 250 guests were present; tickets were $10,000 for a photo with Mrs. Obama and $35,800 for a photo and the luncheon.

It was Mrs. Obama's second fundraiser on her two-day trip to California; on Tuesday evening, she mingled with showbiz heavyweights in Beverly Hills. Pool reported that the luncheon tent was filled with "glee-filled shouts and clapping. There is live music; love songs and soul music are being sung."

"Today, a good part of the audience is African-American, which is different from last night's event in Beverly Hills, where most of the attendees were white," pool noted, adding that
"the First Lady's speech today was basically the same one she gave yesterday." Transcript here.

The event was organized by Obama for America & The Women for Obama Finance Committee.