Shelby's Social Diary
Comedian Gary Owen brought the funny Payne to Houston Area Urban League gala
We are told that comedian Gary Owen kept the crowd at the Hilton Americas-Houston ballroom in stitches throughout his performance at the Houston Area Urban League's Equal Opportunity Gala on Saturday night.
That means a load of laughs with 800 guests chuckling over the actors' humor. You might have encountered him in one of his regular stints on Tyler Perry's House of Payneor the Tom Joyner Morning Show.
"Changing Lives and Celebrating Bright Futures" was the theme of the black-tie evening that raised more than $500,00 for HAUL programs devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the nation's social and economic mainstream. As HAUL president and CEO Judson Robinson III said in a prepared statement, "In our 43rd year of operation, our aim is to continue to provide a holistic approach to people challenged in the areas of housing, jobs, economic development, health and education."
With David L. Mendez of JPMorgan Chase Bank serving as honorary chair, the evening honored Comcast with the Quentin Mease Community Service Award, ConocoPhillips Black Employees Network with the Marguerite Ross Barnett Leadership Award, Occidental Petroleum with the Gerald Hines Corporate Award, Fleishman-Hillard with the Whitney M. Young Humanitarian Award and BP with the Heritage Award.
Among the notables attending were Mayor Annise Parker, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, U.S. Rep Al Green, Clarease and Cary Yates, Joni Baird, Vern Swisher and Barbara Seymour. Serving as emcees were KPRC Ch. 2's Iain Page and KTRK Ch. 13's Sharron Melton.