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Gigi's & Bookies Hosts Benefit For Autistic Children!

PHOTOS BY JON GABRIEL

BY TRACEY MARTIN

For the second time in less than two weeks, some of Detroit's top gay entertainers performed at a benefit to aid autistic children. Held first at Bookie's, the follow-up grand affair took place on Thursday, June 4 at Cafe Gigi.

MC'd by Tony Brown, Mr. Gay Detroit, and Bobby Bruno, a.k.a. Jennifer Foxx, and featuring such stars as Elaine St. Jacques, singing natural voice, Gigi's particular pride Venessa LaSalle, and "The Andrew Sisters, "the night's preeminent crowd pleasers, some 17 performers presented the best of their acts to help finance autistic children's organizations in Detroit, Southfield and Pontiac.

Sam "Bookie" Stewart, who has himself an autistic grandchild, long has patronized this charity and for five years has hosted an annual benefit show. His close friend Tony Garneau inaugurated a like show this year at his Cafe Gigi. With all tables reserved in advance, an enthusiastic audience seconded with repetitive applause the selfsacrificing purposes of the Gigi

owner.

In addition to the four dollar admission fee, money was collected through sale of several items donated by an anonymous Gene; they included knee-high nylons, batteries, air fresheners, picnic coolers, wine and champagne glasses, and bar-b-que sets. A raffle at Bookie's also generated charitable revenue.

The event was organized by Tony Brown and Bobby Bruno. They contacted the performers, whom they have "found to be most generous" toward causes like this. Though Tony concedes that it's a "smaltzie" appraisal, gay entertainers "understand how much more fortunate" they are than the recipients of their benefaction. He contributed his efforts because he wanted to do something worthwhile with his Mr. Gay Detroit title to do something more with the crown than simply wear it.

Dollar amounts produced were reported to be $680 at Bookies, $456 at Gigi's, $330 from the Bookie's raffle and $150 from the Gigi sale. In addition, $100 was donated by the TNT Bar and free ads were placed in Metra and Cruise.

The roster of performers, in order of appearance, were: Tony Brown, Bobby Bruno, Gladys G. Rivers, Chuck Go Go Boy of the Year), Bertram, Venessa LaSalle, Melva Moore and Duane Bradley, April Summers, Stephanie Powers, Peter Taylor, Sindy (Dawkins), Jessica Stephens, "Richard", Vaunda Lee, Elaine St. Jacques, Audrey Lord (and Taylor), and "The Andrew Sisters" (Venessa LaSalle, Natalie Sex-O-Lette, Jessica Stephens). DJ's were Jan and Gary.