I tried to look and act cool as I slowly ambled down the receiving line. I was first welcomed by several state and national politicians attending the opening ceremonies of the 1974 International Special Olympic Games. Next in line was Rosey Grier, the great tackle for the Los Angeles Rams. He smiled and firmly shook my hand. Eunice Kennedy Shriver greeted me with a kind word and a sincere hug. At the very end of the line was a woman I vaguely recognized. She was beautiful with blonde hair, broad shoulders and freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks. Her sparkling blue eyes and dazzling smile mesmerized me.

I politely held out my hand and said, "Hi, I'm Bill Harrison, State Director of Arizona Special Olympics."

She replied, "Hi, Bill. I'm Donna De Varona."

I gapped like an idiot and actually shouted, "Donna De Varona! Wow!" I had secretly been in love with her since 1964 when she won a gold medal in swimming at the Tokyo Olympics.

My outburst was not only embarrassing, it also blew my cover. I had convincingly demonstrated that I was a starry-eyed celebrity groupie.

That experience occurred over twenty years ago and although I continue to pretend to be cool, calm and collected when I meet celebrities, I still get that inner-kid, gee whiz, wow, kind of rush.

Why do charitable organizations want celebrities to participate in their special events? Do these individuals help draw crowds? Are they worth the time, effort and expense?

"I believe people, in general, are hero worshipers," stated Jimmy Walker, President of Jimmy Walker & Associates, Ltd. of Phoenix, a company specializing in working with celebrities and their estate plans. "There's a certain energy that celebrities have that other people in business, teaching or other forms of entrepreneurship just don't have. I'm sure it's the electronic exposure, the media, the newspaper that generates a certain thrill and excitement about being next to a celebrity. That's why when you have celebrities at a fundraising event, or if you bring one to your office, or walk into a restaurant with a celebrity, there's a certain additional adrenaline that seems to flow among people."

Lisa M. Wolter, Deputy Director of Community Relations of the Aids Resource Center of Wisconsin in Milwaukee has successfully worked with celebrities for a number of years with her annual Aids Walk. In 1996 over $1 million was raised with the help of Bette Midler as the Chairman of the walk. Previous celebrities included Magic Johnson and Vice President Al Gore and his wife Tipper. She agrees that having celebrities adds a great deal of excitement to an event. "Celebrities give you media attention," she explained. "They increase visibility and add a touch of fun. In fact, it's a blast to have these folks come in and work with them and have them spark up the day. You can imagine how Bette Midler sparked up our day with her antics. It was just great."

Most charitable organizations would agree that a celebrity enhances a special event. However, where arguments may arise is the debate over paying celebrities verses trying to find one who will donate their services.

Christine Gustafson has spent a great deal of time and effort securing celebrities for her events and has heard both sides of the debate. She was the 1997 Co-Chair of the Friends of the Crisis Nursery special event in Phoenix. Over one thousand people attended their "Through the Looking Glass -- An Evening in Wonderland" which raised over $500,000. "This is the 15th year we've done this benefit," she explained. "From the very first year we wanted to do something a little different from the other charity events in town. They usually use a band or some type of dancing as their entertainment after dinner. We felt that a comedian or a musical entertainer for an hour-long program would be a good drawing card and it would be something to set us apart from the other charity events. We've had a number of different entertainers over the years including Mark Russell, Art Buchwald, Rita Rudner, Bob Newhart, and our most recent celebrity Dudley Moore."

"It's very difficult to find a celebrity that you don't pay," she continued. "The reason is that just about every celebrity or entertainer that you're going to negotiate with will not discuss a free arrangement like that. Maybe if you have the opportunity to go to the entertainer directly and make a pitch through a friend or a friend of a friend, maybe you have a shot at it."

Many events throughout the country have managed to obtain the services of celebrities pro bono, but donated services can actually come with a hefty price tag. Anne House Quinn, CFRE, President of Quinn Marketing & Development, Inc. of Washington, D.C., has worked with many celebrities including Prince Philip and Prince Edward of the Royal Family. She has experienced first-hand the costs of donated services. "We had a performer who had a back-up band. By the time we got the expenses for bringing the band in, we had invested $20,000. So we were thinking we had someone coming pro bono, which was the case, but they needed that back-up band and their sound system and lights. So the expenses can really get way out there if you're not careful."

Jimmy Walker has coordinated a number of very successful special events that involve numerous celebrities. This year's Fight Night III event, benefiting the Parkinson Research Center at Barrows Neurological Institute in Phoenix, featured not only Muhammad Ali but also Troy Aikman, Meadowlark Lemon, Louis Gossett Jr., Alice Cooper, and Kerri Strug to mention only a few notable celebrities. "For our events we have never once paid a celebrity any compensation. Our recent Fight Night event netted over $400,000 and yet the only expense we had was a very modest fee of $3,000 for an event coordinator. We want the donor to know that his investment is going to the charity without being diluted."

The American Lung Association did pay a fee to retain the services of Deloris Jordan, Author of: Family First: Winning the Parenting Game and the mother of Chicago Bulls superstar basketball player, Michael. Dawn E. Kuhn, Regional Coordinator for the Central Region in Springfield, Illinois explained that her Critic's Choice annual event wanted a very specific program to be presented to her constituents. Mrs. Jordan was the person they chose. However, Mrs. Jordan is not a professional speaker on the circuit so the American Lung Association had to use a unique method to obtain her services. "Mrs. Jordan is very selective as to who she speaks for," Dawn explained. "So before we could get her we first had to put together a proposal for her review. Based on numerous questions and answers we exchanged, she decided to speak for us. The event went off like clockwork and netted over $14,000."

Peter D'Alessandro of Professional Management Associates in Washington, D.C., handles many notable sports celebrities such as Blue Edwards, Bill Wennington, Charles Oakley, and Chris Mullin. Peter suggests that a Charitable organization should at least make some phone calls and inquires about celebrities who donate their services before spending a great deal of cash. "Our players do a lot of pro bono work for charities," he stated. "In fact, a great many of them participate because they have the desire to give back to the community. Many of them do things that aren't for publicity, they do it because of where they've been and what they know. For example, Blue Edwards gives a college scholarship to his old high school. We find a lot of the players are very inclined to do charitable things on their own without getting paid or seeking publicity from their efforts."

Harry A. Freedman, author of Black Tie Optional, (1991, The Taft Group) stresses persistence when trying to secure the involvement of a celebrity. He suggests that contacting the personal manager is one good way to proceed. In his book he states, "Once you find out who to call, make that call count. Persistence is more important than genius; it may take five or six calls to get through. As with personal managers, be polite. Just make it clear you'll keep calling until you get to talk to someone who counts. Remember that publicists and managers may get as many as 500 calls a day, so you have only a minute or so to make your plea. Plan what you will say. Make it concise and state clearly what's in it for the celebrity. If you have done your homework, mention why you know the person might want to help, and that he or she will be in town (or nearby) the day you are planning the event. An example: "I know Paul Newman will be in Miami for the Miami Grand Prix. I'd like him to attend a cocktail party for the burn center, a cause I know he would support, being a race-car driver. I do not want him to perform and it will be positive publicity for him. The charity will provide transportation and security."

Mr. Freedman goes on to explain, "Once you have gotten a verbal commitment, follow it up with a letter of agreement, or ask for a written contract. Check the celebrity's standard contract thoroughly. It should state that the celebrity is attending for free (or for whatever cost you agreed upon) and specify who will be paying for extras (travel, room, food, including what will be provided for those traveling with the star). Be specific. If you do not plan to pay for long-distance phone calls, damaged hotel furniture, or room service, clearly state that in the written agreement. Give a copy of the agreement to the hotel front desk and have the general manager sign it to ensure he or she understands what you expect to pay for."

A special event is the ultimate breeding ground for unforeseen problems. So plan everything as well as humanly possible, but expect surprises, especially if you're utilizing the services of a celebrity. "Of course there are surprises!" commented Lisa Wolter. "You are always wondering if the celebrity's calendar is going to change. If they're suddenly going to have a movie contract and be shooting in Toronto, which was the fear we had with Bette Midler, and not be able to get away for the day. With Al and Tipper Gore, up until the last minute we were hopeful they were both going to be able to come, but the Vice President had to go to a funeral in Europe. The morning of our Aids Walk, Mrs. Gore's daughter's school was having a breakfast. She went to that, got on a plane, got here, raced into our breakfast, gave her speech, walked the walk, got back on the plane, and returned to Washington, D.C. to do an event that night. So you have those kinds of stressors around schedules you can't control."

Judith Synder Mason, CFRE, President of JSM Consulting Group in Canton, Ohio, relates an experience she had with a celebrity who is also a personal friend. "We had a stewardship event at the University of Toledo which featured Joan Leslie, a film star of the 40's & 50's. The airline lost her luggage and all her makeup. I drove her around to drugstores at 10 o'clock on a Sunday night and let me tell you there aren't many open at that time. In spite of this small problem, the event was a great success."

Whether you decide to pay a celebrity or seek their services as a donation, there are numerous problems you may face because you're a charitable organization. Christine Gustafson explains, "One of the problems of a charitable group negotiating with a celebrity is the agenda of activities for the celebrity. For three years we had a member of our group who was very keen to do the negotiating with the celebrity's agent. She's a marvelous worker and very organized and did an excellent job in negotiating. The problem is the agents know she is a volunteer, and have an opportunity to take advantage of her. The agent can say, 'no we're not going to do this, and you have to do this instead'. So consequently, the contract that you get is a very performer-friendly contract. An agent that's working for a celebrity knows what he can or can't get away with. One thing I would suggest is, if you have an attorney in your group, have the attorney review the contract with the celebrity before it's signed."

Any organization who has worked with a celebrity knows the real work is not obtaining the individual, it's working with them before and during the event. Lisa Wolter shares the following eight tips for working with a celebrity. 1. Be prepared to be patient. 2. Think ahead about all the areas where you want to use them in your publicity and using their image. You have to be prepared to send off your materials for approval by a publicity person attached to the star. 3. You certainly have to think about high quality. No star wants to be part of an event that isn't well run and perfectly timed. 4. You have to be very willing to bend your agenda. Maybe not do things the way you always have because the celebrity may have a different feel for it, they might want to speak for five minutes instead of twenty minutes. 5. You have to be prepared to deal with security. For example, if you're working with a political person like Al or Tipper Gore, you will have to work with the secret service and the bomb squad who will have dogs sniffing for drugs and bombs at your site. So you have to be prepared for a level of detail that you never thought possible. 6. You really need someone who is totally focused on being a liaison with the star. They can brief the celebrity, they can prepare a script for them and assist them in every way necessary. 7. Be prepared for extra demands such as Evian water in the celebrity's holding room and finally, 8. Be prepared for an entourage. The celebrity may bring a hairdresser, or a body guard, or a child, and you have to be ready for those.

Mrs. Quinn of Quinn Marketing & Development, Inc., agrees that working with celebrities is a challenge, but also can be a very rewarding experience. "I would never use the term "use a celebrity," because that's where organizations get into big problems. You want to "work" with a celebrity and develop a partnership with them. I always look at the involvement of a celebrity as something that could be more than just one event. It may turn into a public service announcement or it may turn into a long term relationship that could include them joining the board of the organization. Secondly, celebrities need to have a lot of attention. It would be nice to have one person designated to work with that celebrity, whether it's picking them up at the airport, making certain they have the proper briefing materials, running errands for them, or picking up something they need at the last moment. Also, the executive director, the chairman, the president, the leadership of the organization should spend some time with that celebrity. You don't want that celebrity to feel as though they're snubbed by the leadership."

The horror stories about celebrities not showing up or performing poorly are legend in the philanthropic world. Generally, proper planning and close attention to details can eliminate, or at least off-set, most problems that arise. However, occasionally a problem does occur that causes negative headlines in the local newspaper. What actions can your organization take if you have paid for the services of a celebrity who didn't fulfill their contractual obligations to your satisfaction? "If an organization doesn't feel it got its money's worth in the celebrity, there is very little recourse for the organization," explained Christine Gustafson. "We are raising money for a center that helps battered and abused children and the last thing we want to do is turn our organization into a litigation group. You do have the press on your side and maybe you can shame a celebrity into giving the money back if you're dissatisfied. You can also have attorneys write letters. But at the end of the day most of the contracts that are written have a very vague, qualitative aspect to them. Even looking back at contracts that were negotiated for us by professionals, it would be very difficult if they had given us a poor performance to have a legal leg to stand on."

"We do have control over who we pick for an entertainer, but we don't have control over what that celebrity does when he gets out on the stage. So we better do our homework, have our ear to the ground to find out what the recent reviews have been of their past performances."

The very last thing a charitable organization wants, or needs, is an unhappy celebrity at their event. Unfortunately, many organizations fail to follow the golden rule and alienate the person they have worked so hard to acquire.

"Inexperience on the part of the charitable organization can really show," commented Joan Leslie Caldwell a vivacious and dynamic philanthropist who co-stared in such movies as Yankee Doodle Dandy with James Cagney and Sergeant York with Gary Cooper. "The organization means well but they don't introduce you properly, they don't refer to your biography or they don't give you a proper send-off.

"The charitable organization should make the celebrity feel good and make the audience feel excited about the person. And when you get someone to agree to come, you send them a personal note and say, 'I'm so glad and thank you for coming' and then a letter from the organization that says 'we are so proud that you're coming and we know you will help make the event a success!' Sometimes organizations don't follow-up with thank-yous, and they must follow-up with thank-yous."

"You have to give celebrities structure so they can do a good job for your organization. If you make them comfortable and appreciated not only will they do their best for you, but you've made a friend that you could perhaps turn to again. Be warm to these people, they need that, and they want that, and they will flower under that kind of attention and handling."

Make a realistic entertainment budget including all incidentals.

What type of celebrity can you afford? (Watch television, check tabloids and trade magazines to see which celebrities have an interest in or support which charities.)

Check with area performance centers to see who is scheduled to appear around the date of your event.

Schedule event around the celebrity's itinerary.

Plan strategy to invite celebrity. If you know the celebrity, contact him or her personally. If not, locate the publicist.

Make a brief businesslike proposal.

Follow-up the verbal commitment with a written contract or letter of agreement clearly detailing what services you will and will not provide.

Check the celebrity's standard rider requirements carefully (musicians, light, sound, staging, travel, entourage, etc.)

Have an attorney or concert promoter review the contract.

Seek donation of services from hotels, airlines, limousine services, etc.

Look for individual and corporate underwriting.

(Black Tie Optional, by Harry A. Freedman, Copyright 1991, The Taft Group. Reproduced by permission.)

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