Festival, Sordid Comedy Affair, charity lunch

Aug 23, 2009

The weekend film series, which started in 1995, featured a line-up of both short films and features and included both domestic and international titles. According to event organizers, over the years almost 90,000 people have attended the event, which includes more than 340 filmmakers and artists.

The three featured acts for the comedy show included Caroline Rhea, most recently seen as host of NBC's "The Biggest Loser;" Del Shores, the mastermind behind the event; and Rue McClanahan, from the hit television show "The Golden Girls."

Prior to the show, there was a special VIP meet-and-greet upstairs in the Connie Moses Ballroom. There, eager fans had a chance to meet the three, get autographs and pose for photos.

Food for the reception was donated by Nosh, located on Erwin Road, just beyond Duke University Hospital. While the food was plentiful, there were long lines, not to eat, but to get up close and personal with one person in particular, McClanahan.

Nick Winstead and Anthony Swaringen of Durham were two of several individuals who waited patiently to get a photo. Winstead and Swaringen had both attended the festival in the past, but had only had a chance to view a couple of films. This year, they were both looking forward to seeing more movies.

Swaringen said he was especially looking forward to seeing the comedy show, having seen the movie "Sordid Lives." He had reviewed the list of films as well and was eagerly anticipating some of the short films.

After the meet and greet, guests went downstairs to Fletcher Hall for the main event. Del Shores, who wrote the book and the screenplay for "Sordid Lives," started the show and served as emcee. Shores said that many of the characters in the movie and later the television series were based on people in his family. His comedic flair for telling stories was a hit with the audience.

Next up to entertain was Caroline Rhea, who kept the laughter going until intermission. And after returning from the break, Rue McClanahan closed the show.

For the remainder of the weekend, supporters had a chance to view a number of films, all screening at three different venues at the theatre. The festival ended on Sunday evening.

I ended my week at the 16th annual Legacy Charity Luncheon, presented by the Auxiliary to the Durham Academy of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy Aug. 15. The event was held at the North Durham Hilton, near Duke University.

The afternoon began with words of welcome and greetings, before we had a shift in the program and heard from the keynote speaker. The speaker was Reuben Young, the secretary of the North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety. Young told the audience some of the issues his office works on, beyond just crime. Following his remarks, lunch was served while we enjoyed music.

After lunch, it was time to recognize the honorees for this year. Carol Johnson, president of the organization, served as mistress of ceremonies for the event. Past recipients of the awards were recognized, including Charles Johnson, the former president of the National Medical Association, and Evelyn Schmidt of Lincoln Community Health Center.

The first award recipient was MaryAnn Black. Black, associate vice president for community relations for Duke University Health System, shared with the audience that she wanted to be a doctor at one point. Though she never pursued that route, her job today allows her to work with doctors.

The second award recipient was Janet Southerland. Southerland is the associate clinical professor in the Department of Dental Ecology at the UNC School of Dentistry. An alumna of the school of dentistry, Southerland is also the immediate past president of the Old North State Dental Society.

Following the awards, the two charitable organizations were recognized. The first, Healthy People 2010, focuses on reducing the health disparities between African-Americans and the general population.

The second, the Durham Striders, is a track and field program that provides training for students ages 6-18. A few of the participating students were present for the luncheon. Brenda Armstrong, who works with the youth, spoke about the success of the team and how well they represent Durham. We learned about the many honors and awards the participants have garnered.

Angela Ray is an actress, author and motivational speaker. For comments or tips on future events, e-mail her at Angela@mahoganydime.com.