Elton John and Rod Stewart were best friends once upon a time, until they weren’t. So it was startling to see them in the same room this past Friday night at the 20th Annual Race to Erase MS at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Century City. It was even nicer when Sir Elton, during a seven song mini concert, gave Rod the Sod a shout out.
“Rod and I have been battling around for 40 years or so, and we’re still around and at the top of our game,” Elton declared. “I love him very much, we’ve had our differences, but in the heart we’re great mates.”
Elton entertained the star studded crowd with many of his hits including “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me,’ “I’m Still Standing,” “Circle Of Life,” and ended with “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” as well as “Your Song,” “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues,'”and “Rocket Man.”
Honored at the event were Elton’s friend of 35 years, Sharon Osborne and her son, Jack, newly diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The intrepid Nancy Davis, who founded the group and is also afflicted with MS, has been unstoppable to find a cure, and as she told the VIP crowd, “Ten years ago there were no drugs on the market, now there are nine drugs with FDA approval. This is a disease that can be cured and everyone wants to join in on the miracle.”
The biggest applause Nancy Davis got was when she introduced her much beloved, “amazing adorable mother Barbara Davis.” Kelly Osborne introduced her own mother Sharon who quipped, “I always wanted a medal on a ribbon, who thought it would come from MS? I thought it would come from The Queen.” Jack said, “Wow, this is like the bar mitzvah I never had.” There was no mention of the missing Osbourne, Ozzy, who is battling his own demons at the moment.
Others attending were a smattering of local celebs from Cybill Shepherd, Ray Romano, Anne Heche, and Amy Yasbeck to “Dallas” star Linda Gray, Josh Hopkins, new “Mad Men” star Harry Hamlin with wife Lisa Rinna, Nikki Haskell, Cat Deeley, and so on. The dinner raised $1.8 million for MS research.
