Hollywood’s elite hearts President Barack Obama. In his bid for reelection, the president still has swag. George Clooney hosted the likes of Jeffery Katzenberg, chief executive of DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., actors Tobey Maguire (“Spider-Man”), Robert Downey Jr., Salma Hayek, and Jack Black at his Los Angeles residence on Thursday, May 10, 2012. Guests paid $40,000 apiece for tickets to the backyard soirée at Clooney’s Tudor-style home, nestled in a wooded, hillside property. Dinner was prepared by Wolfgang Puck.
Political pundits of course are saying that the president’s support of gay marriage was perfectly timed. Regardless, he raised about $15 million, including the $10 million raised online with the sale of raffle tickets to the event. The winners were Karen Butcher of Florida and Beth Topinka of New Jersey. –yvette caslin
