Elton raises $5 million with a little help from his friends

16th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Party Celebrating The Academy Awards Raises $5.1 Million

LOS ANGELES, Feb 25, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Sir Elton John and David Furnish hosted the 16th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) Academy Awards(R: 58.88, -2.21, -3.61%) Viewing party. The event was held on Sunday, February 24, 2008 at the Pacific Design Center and was co-sponsored by Chopard and VH1. EJAF's party to celebrate the Academy Awards(R: 58.88, -2.21, -3.61%) was one of the night's most attended parties and raised a record breaking $5.1 million.

The annual gala continues to be the leading fundraising event in Hollywood on Oscar night. This year's gala brought some exciting moments including a live performance by Sir Elton John with his entire band. Special guests Mary J. Blige and Jack Shears of Scissor Sisters added excitement to an important fundraising evening.

This year's guests included Hollywood luminaries such as: "Best Actress" Winner Marion Cotillard, "Best Supporting Actor" Nominee Tom Wilkinson, "Best Supporting Actress" Nominee Amy Adams, Ellen DeGegneres & Portia De Rossi, Sean Penn, Patricia Clarkson, Calista Flockhart & Harrison Ford, Josh Groban, Faye Dunaway, Sean Combs, Seal & Heidi Klum, Prince, Kate Beckinsale, Billy Joel, Courtney Love, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Petra Nemcova, Jeremy Piven, Roberto Cavalli, Minnie Driver, Simon Cowell, Herbie Hancock, Natasha Henstridge, Larry King, Erick McCormack, Jason Lewis, Johnny Lee Miller, Brett Ratner, Jason Retiman, Rupert Murdoch, Jennifer Coolidge, Russell Simmons, Cheryl Tiegs, John Waters and Ziyi Zhang among others.

As is tradition immediately following dinner, auctioneer Jamie Niven led the evening's live auction with some of the best items to date with proceeds benefiting the Elton John Aids Foundation. Items included, Chopard sunglasses custom-designed by Julianne Moore, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Brooke Shields; George Condo's "The Laughing Comedian" 2007; 1974 vintage Corvette from Sharon Stone's personal collection; and the vacation package of a lifetime -- "Around the World in 80 Ways" -- to celebrate the 80th year of the Oscars.