MN AIDS Project and DivaMN Benefit: Oscar Night Minnesota

A A A Comments By Heidi Fellner Wednesday, Feb 18 2009

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The Twin Cities' homegrown Oscar bash has the distinction of being the largest Oscar Night America Party outside of Los Angeles, as well as being the first event of its kind. Founder Scott Mayer's first party in '88 was a simple gathering of friends who wanted to bet on the winners; apparently Mayer liked Rain Man as much as the academy, and chose to donate his $80 winnings to the Minnesota AIDS Project (MAP). The moral of the story? Had Dustin Hoffman gone "full retard," as theorized in Tropic Thunder, we may not have had our Oscar Night now. Instead, the donation became an annual tradition, and eventually, Mayer's little fundraiser took on epic proportions. This year's Oscar Night will benefit MAP and DivaMN, both of which work to reduce HIV infections and treat those living with AIDS. Ticket holders will be treated to the ultimate celebrity experience: formalwear, photogs, and the traditional red carpet meet-and-greet, minus the unblinking Sauron eye of Joan Rivers or that pesky alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelet. Hors d'oeuvres will be provided by world-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and of course, a live screening of the Oscars will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are available online through www.mnaidsproject.org or by calling 612.373.2411. (photo by Sophia Hantzes)
Sun., Feb. 22, 6 p.m., 2009

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