The Butterfly Ball

I’ve got to admit to never watching an episode of “Family Guy,” but after attending the Chysalis Butterfly Ball Saturday, hosted by the show’s creator Seth MacFarlane, I might just start. The sit-down dinner party in the backyard of Susan Harris and Hayward Kaiser’s palatial estate could have potentially been boring (I debated not going until the buzz the night before reminded me of the girls in Gossip Girl planning their outfits for the ball of the year – and I heard even Chace Crawford was attending), but it was anything but boring.

After sipping an array of Grey Goose Butterfly Ball martinis during the cocktail hour – where Amaury Nolasco, who had just returned from Puerto Rico where he was filming “The Rum Diary” with Johnny Depp told my friends and I that his real-life dad, who lives in Puerto Rico, plays his dad in the movie. Hardly an actor, Amaury told us his dad is a doctor who wanted him to be a doctor as well. Ironically, Amaury said, “My dad wanted to make me a doctor, instead I made him a actor.”

Inside, Seth started the night poking fun at the celebs in  attendance. He made fun of Annalynne McCord’s risky hair-do and said, “Courtney Love isn’t at this house for the first time, it’s just the first time she was invited.” Seth was self-depreciating when it comes to himself as well. He said, ““'I want to thank the homeless, without whom we wouldn’t be here tonight' and then added that he was there after being coerced into the hosting gig by actress Camille Guaty, whom he said, “I’d do anything for Camille.” That ultimately included getting all wet for the cause (assisting homeless and economically disadvantaged men and women to secure and maintain employment). To raise $30,000 Seth jumped into the pool, fully-clothed, and he even contributed half the $30K himself!

Aside from the antics, and playing in the photo booth with friends, the evening had more serious and touching moments, like when this year’s Chryalis success story honoree Terry Moore gave an acceptance speech so long the academy would have had him hauled off the stage. Yet, not one person seemed bored by this sincere and lovable man who pulled himself up from a life of poverty, selling drugs and stints in jail, to being employed with escalating success and building a renewed relationship with his family, thanks to the help of the Chysalis Foundation.

Elsewhere, Chace Crawford chatted with Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke and gave her advice for accepting her award for Young Hollywood Director at Hollywood Life’s Young Hollywood Awards the next night

After the soiree Seth, Camille, a bunch of the Entourage boys, the girls and I went dancing at Bardot in Hollywood where Shane West was celebrating his 31st birthday.