Spotting Sara Gilbert of “Roseanne” in the crowd, he said, “You deserve a … drink,” and then offered the actress and executive producer of the reboot a toast. Often called the “roastmaster general,” the comedian said he had roasted President Trump twice as well as actress Roseanne Barr “years before she started calling people ‘Planet of the Apes.’”

As for former first lady and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Ross said he’d been invited to her “victory party” following the 2016 election. “Have you ever gone to a wedding and the bride dies walking down the aisle?” he asked, before adding, “I have.”

He then turned to the subject of immigration, saying, “We can’t forget the forgotten people. It’s really important, whether you’re homeless, whether you’re an immigrant … immigrants come to America, and they do the jobs that Americans don’t want to do,” before joking, “like marry the president.”

The event

Featuring Gina Rodriguez of “Jane the Virgin,” “Bridesmaids” director Paul Feig, Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx and Chrysalis clients Darrell Stevenson and Byron Taylor to present awards, the 17th annual June 2 gala, which raised an impressive $1.8 million, honored Jim Gianopulos, chairman and chief executive officer of Paramount Pictures; Stacey Sher, producer and co-president of Activision Blizzard Studios; Curtis Stone, chef and owner of the noted restaurants, Maude and Gwen; and Chrysalis client Myron Tobin. R.Lum.R performed at evening’s end.

The scene

“I know we all would have 750 of our nearest and dearest friends at our homes if only they could fit,” said Chrysalis board chair Jill Baldauf, gazing out at the sea of people seated under the stars at Susan Harris and Hayward Kaiser’s Mandeville Canyon estate. Following a cocktail party on the front lawn, presentations and dinner took place at tables set up behind the house. Purple lights and a butterfly projection lighted the home’s exterior.

The crowd

Hollywood VIPs, stars and philanthropists populated the audience, including — aside from the above-noted presenters and honorees — actor-rapper LL Cool J; Gilbert and wife, singer-songwriter Linda Perry; Soleil Moon Frye; Tiffani Thiessen; Carter Jenkins; Lindsay Price and Diane Farr; Perrey Reeves; Robin Weigert; Claire Forlani ; and Vanna White.

Event founder Rebecca Gayheart-Dane served as co-chair, along with Universal Pictures Chairwoman Donna Langley, Evolution Media’s Rick Hess, Creative Artists Agency’s Josh Lieberman and WME’s Richard Weitz.

The quotes

Ross said he’d visited the Chrysalis Center in downtown Los Angeles, where he toured skid row, calling the experience “eye-opening.” Said Ross, “If somebody can survive getting out of skid row, they deserve a second chance in the workplace.”

Both Gianopulos and Sher spoke of the difficulties faced by those living in poverty. “As hard as any of us in this room think we’ve ever had it, no one has worked as hard as the people who come to Chrysalis like [fellow honoree] Myron,” Sher said. “They all have to work harder because so much is stacked against them.”

The numbers

Tickets for the nearly 750 guests began at $1,250, with tables ranging up to $50,000. Including sponsorship by Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors Foundation, support from Netflix and additional contributions, the $1.8 million raised will fund the charity’s mission to help homeless and low-income individuals by providing them with skills, clothes and other resources needed to secure jobs and become self-sufficient.

(Photo credits: Vivien Killilea | Rachel Murray / Getty Images)

The post Los Angeles Times: Pointed jokes and open wallets help Chrysalis Butterfly Ball raise $1.8 million to help the homeless first appeared on Chrysalis.

A native Texan, Byron left a history of drug use and a life in and out of the criminal justice system behind and moved to L.A. to be closer to his youngest son. He was ready for a change, but despite his desire to build a future that wasn’t predicated on his past, he was struggling to land a job. “When I came to L.A., I was just lost,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in a recent interview. Doors kept closing, perhaps because of his tattoos or his criminal background. Byron was able to find odd jobs to pay rent, but he was barely keeping his head above water. That’s when he met a street sweeper on the Fashion District clean team – one of Chrysalis’ clients working a transitional job – who told him about our program.

Soon after, on a sunny Monday morning, Byron gazed at the success bell in the lobby of our downtown center as he waited for new client orientation to start. In its elevated position illuminated under a spotlight, it was clear to Byron that the bell was something special. He observed the bustling lobby around him, and his eyes were drawn to a wall covered with photographs. Photo after photo depicted the smiling faces of clients who had landed jobs. As Byron wondered if his photograph would ever hang alongside the others, an announcement was made over the intercom. Staff, volunteers, and clients spilled out of offices and classrooms to come together in the lobby to celebrate: A man rang the bell – he had landed a job. “It gave me hope. I wondered if Chrysalis was going to be a turning point in my life,” Byron recalled.

Byron dove into our program with a strong sense of motivation. He met with his Employment Specialist regularly to go over job leads, built a resume based on his goals and experience, and practiced conducting himself professionally in an interview. It was a system that made sense to him: As long as he was willing to learn, Chrysalis was going to help him gain access to the tools he needed to succeed. “What I’ve mostly found here is that you need to know somebody in order to get a job. So for guys like us who may not have so many friends and family members, Chrysalis acts as that family member,” Byron told The Hollywood Reporter.

Byron was on the metro headed toward Santa Monica when he got the call. It was Luke, Chef Stone’s brother and managing owner at Gwen, and he wanted Byron to come in for a trial run as a porter. Byron rerouted himself on the next metro and sprinted to catch the bus to Hollywood. He arrived on time – albeit a little over dressed – and more determined than ever to do his best. He found his groove quickly, moving around the back-of-house with ease, keeping pace with the rhythm of the music floating throughout the kitchen. “I was on top of the world,” Byron recalls. “I had been struggling for so long. This opportunity meant so much.” By end of night, he was offered the position!

Byron has continued to shine at Gwen. He has since been promoted to a supervisor position, and he is often asked to oversee the restaurant when outside production companies are on site. Being trusted with more responsibility gives him pride, and he never tires of sharing how grateful he is for the opportunity to get back on his feet.

The dignity and financial stability that came with a job has permeated his personal life too. On his days off, he looks forward to taking his three year-old son to the beach, to the movies, or to grab some tacos. He is dedicated to preserving their bond as he also works to rekindle his connection with his eldest son back in Texas. Thanks to a steady paycheck, Byron was able to buy a flight home for his son’s 13th birthday – the first birthday they have gotten to celebrate together.

Byron recently paid a visit to our Downtown center. Instead of sitting down with his Employment Specialist to go over job leads, he stood at the center of our lobby surrounded by staff, volunteers, and clients as he rang the bell. It was a momentous occasion, and one that hopefully inspired someone just like Byron who was wondering if Chrysalis is their first step to a second chance.

The post Success Bells: Byron first appeared on Chrysalis.

Published by The Hollywood Reporter at 6:30 AM PDT 7/17/2017 by Degen Pener

Before landing his current job as a runner at Gwen, Curtis Stone’s meat-centric year-old Hollywood hotspot, Steven Ransom, 34, struggled to find employment. “I had a record,” Ransom says. “You know how that goes.”

But at Gwen — and at Stone’s Beverly Hills restaurant, Maude — the chef, 41, also a star of reality shows including Top Chef Masters, has implemented a hiring policy that gives a second chance to those who have battled homelessness, incarceration and drug addiction. Job seekers aren’t summarily disqualified from consideration because of past mistakes. “You have to throw the whole notion of a background check away: I know you’ve been homeless. Now you may have gone to prison. That’s all right with me,” says Stone of his staffing approach, run in partnership with L.A. homeless organization Chrysalis.

Continue reading on HollywoodReporter.com…

More news you could use: Chef Curtis Stone invited guests to attend an intimate luncheon at Gwen in honor of the clients he’s hired through Chrysalis!

The post The Hollywood Reporter: Star Chef Curtis Stone Hires the Formerly Homeless and Incarcerated at His Hollywood Restaurant first appeared on Chrysalis.

The #Commit2One pledge kicked off in 2016 when Chef Stone and his team decided to act on their desire to give back to their community. By focusing their resources on one cause each year, Chef Stone and his team are excited to be able to “[give] back in a deeper way.”

Throughout 2017, Chef Stone will be supporting Chrysalis in several ways – stay tuned to social media for new announcements.

The post NBC: Curtis Stone – Today’s Take first appeared on Chrysalis.

Continue reading…

The post Good: The Road From Prison To A Celebrity Chef’s Restaurant Isn’t Paved In Gold first appeared on Chrysalis.

It wasn’t until his 40s when he was out on parole that Darrell joined a recovery program and was ready to turn his life around. While going through the program, he latched onto the saying, “If you’re not happy, your misery is refundable.” So that was exactly what he set out to do–Darrell was determined to get a reimbursement for his lost time.

But Darrell’s criminal background and gaps in work history presented barriers to employment. Chrysalis was recommended to Darrell to help him overcome these obstacles. He brought his experience in customer service, retail, an Associate degree in Video Technology, and a positive attitude when he came through the doors. The open and welcoming environment of our center made Darrell feel like he was in a professional environment that appreciated what he was bringing to the table. At Chrysalis, he found a place where he could focus on his job search and ask questions without feeling ashamed.

After a few resume revisions, some computer classes to refresh his memory, and encouragement from his Employment Specialist, Darrell got hired as a Janitor at SRO Housing’s Ford Hotel. He kept that job for five years, but he eventually decided that it was time for him to find a new opportunity. After recommitting himself to the job search, Darrell received an offer to work in one of Los Angeles’ most upscale restaurants: Maude. Initially hired on as a dishwasher, he demonstrated his dedication and a willingness to go above and beyond.

Restaurant owner Chef Curtis Stone admires his infectious positive attitude, which he says “flows through everyone in the team.” Darrell became Maude’s head porter before Chef Stone moved him over to his new restaurant Gwen, where he is once again central to the team. Since being hired three years ago, Darrell has been promoted from hourly pay to salary and assists with training new hires.

To clients who are still looking for their second chance, Darrell believes it boils down to having the right mindset and utilizing resources such as Chrysalis. He says, “sometimes it’s just a matter of time—just keep doing what you’re doing, and don’t get discouraged.”

Darrell’s story was such an inspiration that he has been featured in “The Road From Prison To A Celebrity Chef’s Restaurant Isn’t Paved in Gold,” an article by Good.

The post Success Bells: Darrell first appeared on Chrysalis.