Friday evening at the Fairmont Century Plaza had it all — and all for a good cause. “Housewives of Beverly Hills” stars danced on stage with Flo Rida, an Aston Martin was auctioned off for $240,000 and Cinq à Sept held a fashion show, all for the 30th annual Race to Erase MS Gala, a fundraising event dedicated to the treatment and hopeful cure of multiple sclerosis.
Nancy Davis founded Race to Erase in 1993, a year after she was diagnosed with MS.
“I was told 31 years ago I could never walk again and that life as I knew it was over,” Davis shared with Variety at the gala. But over the last three decades, funds raised at the gala have helped lead to 25 medications used to treat MS, raising $56 million for MS research.
“To be here tonight and have the whole Hollywood community behind us — they come every year — it’s so lovely,” Davis said. Later in celebration, she popped champagne on stage with Flo Rida, which made for a joyous evening finale.
Actor David Faustino was also in attendance. His former “Married… With Children” co-star, Christina Applegate, was diagnosed with MS in 2021, but his support began well before that. Of the 30 galas held over the years, Faustino says he has been to 29.
“Another very close friend was diagnosed this year with MS, so it’s becoming closer and closer to me,” said Faustino. “Before, this event was something I came to help make money and support the cause, and they’ve all become family and friends. But now it’s really close to home, so it makes me want to be here even more.”
Singer-songwriter Siedah Garret, backing vocals singer for legends like Michael Jackson and Donna Summer, performed during the evening. Back in 2017, Garret revealed her own MS diagnosis while performing at the Race to Erase Gala.
“It was very freeing and enlightening, and I haven’t looked back,” she told Variety. “I didn’t get the negative attitudes that I thought I would get. I thought I would be known as a ‘sick person,’ but I never got that. I’m here to show what living with MS can look like. And I’m here to make MS my bitch.”
“Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Crystal Kung Minkoff and her filmmaker husband Rob Minkoff attended the event as well. Crystal said she has known Davis for over 15 years and that the event is a constant testament to all of Davis’s hard work and commitment.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Race to Erase MS
Crystal recently attended a celebration at the White House for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. “I was on a cast trip, and I was so tired. I didn’t know if I wanted to go,” Crystal said.
Rob interjected. “She was, ‘Should we go?’ And I was like, ‘You don’t miss this, what’s wrong with you!’” he said. “And then she got in trouble for eating on the antique couch at the White House.”
The couple also shared that they were working together on a couple of projects coming out this year but weren’t ready to reveal any details. In addition to Crystal, “Beverly Housewives” stars Kathy Hilton and Denise Richards also showed their support at the gala.
“I know some of the girls are here, I’m excited to see all of them,” said Crystal.
