State and federal law enforcement officials say it isn't clear whether the celebrities who appeared at charity benefits in exchange for cash and perks -- trips to Europe, jewelry, a motorcycle -- did anything illegal. The law is murky, and many stars maintain that they considered what they received to be gifts or compensation to perform.
A publicist for Schwimmer declined to comment on an invoice that documented the giving of the Rolexes. Humperdinck's representative declined to comment. Charles' spokesman confirmed the $75,000 payment. He added that the singer usually gives the money he makes from performing at charitable benefits to his own philanthropic foundation, but SHARE was an exception. That time, he kept it.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday December 23, 2003 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 39 words Type of Material: Correction
Charity events -- Not all of the charities and institutions mentioned in an article on the front page of Section A on Dec. 8 about event promoter Aaron Tonken had knowledge of his plans or his dealings with celebrities.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Friday December 26, 2003 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 2 inches; 93 words Type of Material: Correction
Aaron Tonken -- A Dec. 8 article about event promoter Aaron Tonken on the front page of Section A said Bill Cosby had been sent a contract by the William Morris Agency stating that he was to receive a luxury sedan for a charity event. A Steve Lopez column in the California section Dec. 10 made a similar reference to the car. The article and the column should have made it clear that the sedan would have been for Cosby's use only as transportation to and from the event, which never was held.
Indeed, some celebrities even draw up formal contracts for their charity-circuit appearances. For example, the William Morris Agency sent Bill Cosby an agreement guaranteeing him a $75,000 fee and $10,000 in expense money to receive the Humanitarian Award at a UCLA cancer research benefit set for early this year. The pact also spelled out that he'd receive a luxury sedan and "100% Headline Billing" for the event. Tonken's business collapsed, however, before the gala was held.
A Cosby spokesman said the comic instructed his agent to tell the charity he would donate his fee to the group if the event went forward. The spokesman said he didn't know why Cosby didn't simply forgo the fee.
Sometimes, Tonken-connected charities did well. For instance, the SHARE event -- for which Tonken rounded up talent, although he wasn't in charge -- raised $1.3 million. Nonetheless, authorities and event participants note that every dollar spent wooing a celebrity is a dollar that could have gone to the needy.
In Gerald Ford's case, that was a couple hundred grand.
The former president and his wife, Betty, were handed that much for agreeing to receive the Special Giving Award during a Tonken-organized event called a Family Celebration in April 2001. The benefit was held to raise money for 18 charities, including Cure Autism Now and the Starlight Children's Foundation.
The $200,000 the Fords received amounted to four times what the former president typically earns for public speeches and represented about 15% of the event's total take that night. Added to the tab was a $150,000 donation to the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage.
Asked about the $200,000 personal payment, a Ford spokeswoman said: "That's what he was offered."
