Co-hosts of the evening and NBC5's Zoraida Sambolin and Dick Johnson

Hollywood's red carpet season officially started weeks ago and it has become almost impossible to avoid those useless but luring conversations referencing movie stars' alleged baby bumps, the all-too-common DUI arrests, and the latest celebrity slim-down-quick diets.  With the impossibly tragic deaths of Heath Ledger and Brad Renfro still lingering ubiquitously in everyone's minds, Britney Spears's progressively worsening custody battle, and Angelina Jolie's and Brad Pitt's engagement rumors, Hollywood-mania is full-fledge and just in time for the Oscars.

Beautiful guests arriving on the red carpet

Despite Tinsel Town's two-thousand-mile distance from the Windy City, the Academy Awards reaches Chicagoans through television, blogs, gossip magazines, and for the third consecutive year, the Evening with the Stars charity event benefiting Autism Speaks.  Hosted by NBC5's Zoraida Sambolin and Dick Johnson, the evening featured a live auction, dinner, drinks, and one of Chicago's largest presentations of the Academy Awards, all to raise money for Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders, funding research into the causes, preventions, treatments, and cures for Autism and advocating for the needs of affected families.

Evening with the Stars 2008 was held at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts downtown.  The evening began at 6 pm as guests in black-tie attire arrived sporadically for well over an hour and were ushered onto a Hollywood-style red carpet, complete with live interviews by the hilarious comedians, Spike Manton and Joe Stephen.

Black, gold, and awards decoratively speckled the Performing Arts Center

Inside, Amy Winehouse boomed from speakers, ladies sipped champagne in sparkling gowns and the bar and lobby areas were fittingly decorated in black and gold.  The VIP dinner banquet featured catering by the local Marcello's Restaurant and guests could find anything from penne pasta with tomatoes and eggplant to mouthwatering focaccia and chicken piccatta.

During the banquet, the President of Autism Speaks, Mark Roithmayr, made a heartfelt speech about the need to continue supporting the organization through such fun-filled events like Evening with the Stars.  "Tomorrow will be a better day...and the money raised here tonight will help make that happen.  Tonight is all about having a lot of fun, and part of that is helping families with autism."

A live feed from the red carpet in the background of the auditorium filled with silent auction items

Raising money is never a problem, however, when an organization like this can auction off such attractive items.  Trips to Mexico, Hollywood, and the impossible Oprah passes were only a few of the items to bid on.  The real knockout, though, was the opportunity to work in the pit at a NASCAR race which had so many male hopefuls rising out of their seats during the live auction, it was difficult for Spike Manton to keep count of the bids.

Immediately before the start of the Academy Awards, tear-jerking speeches made by parents of those living with Autism were showcased center stage.  Former Chief Executive of NBC Universal and current Vice Chairman, General Electric Bob Wright and his wife Suzanne, who founded Autism Speaks in 2005, shared their concerned and somber messages about Autism and its affects on families.  Listening to these families' stories about life with their children afflicted by this incurable disease created such a sobering moment throughout the entire auditorium, the Hollywood glitz and glamour all seemed to dissipate slowly as the real focus of the night shined through.

Teri Steinberg, event co-founder, gives a candid introductory speech about Autism Disorders

So why the seemingly arbitrary combination of Autism and the Oscars?  Honorary Chair, Richard Roeper, the famous co-host of the nationally syndicated "At the Movies with Ebert and Roeper" said, " Evening with the Stars is a great way of increasing the support and profile of Autism Speaks.  It is an opportunity to combine my love of the movies with a deserving cause, allowing everyone to get a glimpse of the excitement of the Kodak Theater from right here in Chicago."  And then there's the mastermind co-founder of Evening with the Stars, Dan Schlaak, who is also the general manager of Chicago's Apollo Theater.  With his entertainment background, Autism segues into the Oscars quite naturally.

The grand auditorium where the 80th Annual Academy Awards were shown

Actually, the combining of charity events and Hollywood awards shows isn't completely unprecedented.  Sharon Stone took time this year and last to auction off vintage cars from her private collection during the Academy Awards parties and donated proceeds to charities like the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which raised 4.3 million dollars last year and includes such supporters as David and Victoria Beckham and Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne.

Volunteers dressed to the nines

Ultimately, Evening with the Stars raised over $100,000 for Autism Speaks on the evening of February 24th.  Parents of children who have been diagnosed with Autism humanized the disease, tears were shed, and hopeful lump donations were made.  So next year, instead of worrying about which foreigners are going to steal all of the awards, or who may monopolize the microphone for well over five minutes during an acceptance speech, watch the  Oscars with a charitable group and help raise awareness of Autism.

For more information about Autism Speaks, click here

For more information about past and future Evening with the Stars events, click here

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