Kids steal the show at McDonald House gala

Fields once said? "Never act with children or animals. You can't win." Unless you're Baltimore's Ronald McDonald House. The house recently had its aual gala at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel, and some of the guests are still talking about how four children stole the show. They had spent time at the Ronald McDonald House with their families while being treated at Baltimore area hospitals for serious illnesses. Rachael Joyce, Montague Totten and Jade Shapiro cheap oakley sunglasses all shared emceeing duties with former Baltimore Colt and big Ronald McDonald House supporter Joe Ehrma. And then Tara Veigas blew the crowd away with her singing. It was also absolutely fab.

Incredible acrobats, aerialists and strongmen cheap red bottom shoes performed on the Meyerhoff stage, to music by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Then the party hit full steam with food stations from restaurants galore and a whole passel of fun and games michael kors outlet all set up in the Meyerhoff lobby and in a tent outside. There was dancing, the world's largest Twister game, hea tattoo artists, magicians and jugglers.

And there was the karaoke stage, where patrons and passers by had their socks knocked michael kors outlet online off by singer Gina Overton. The secretary at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine's medical imaging department performed Alicia Keys' "Falling" and put Keys to shame. Come to think of it, Gina had the same effect on would be karaokers. When she finished, no one else would get on stage. Who'd waa follow an act like that?Word is another knockout singer Patti LaBelle was the main act at Ray Lewis' birthday party last week. She and teen R hottie Mario performed at the private bash Ray threw for dozens of his closest friends. That shindig followed two days of more public get togethers that raised a couple hundred grand for the Ray Lewis Foundation, which provides funds to local nonprofits aimed at helping the Baltimore area's disadvantaged youth.

There was the Ray Lewis Celebrity Auction Thursday night, and the Celebrity Bowling Touament Friday night. All three events had a healthy sprinkling of sports and entertainment stars, including Evander Holyfield, Cecil Fielder, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, Shaon Sharpe, Rod Woodson, Steve McNair, Donovan McNabb, Tracy McGrady, Peter Boulware, Ed Reed, Laveranues Coles, Kyle Boller, Nick Van Exel, Adalius Thomas, Danerien McCants, Terry Jones Jr., Gary Baxter, Will Demps, Gary Baxter, Gerome Sapp, Coell Brown, Chad Williams, Kevin Johnson, Orlando Brown, Anthony Weaver, Jaleel White (Steve Urkel from TV's Family Matters), Steve Bisciotti, Dick Cass, Mike Solwold, Lawyer Milloy, Dave Zastudil, Peter Warrick, Larry Hughes and Sharmba Mitchell.

Fame in the air?

If you're flying Southwest in or out of Baltimore Washington Inteational Airport in the next four months, you could be a star. That's because A has just started shooting part of its second season of Airline at BWI. And the cable network is looking for Southwest passengers with interesting stories.

There's a local boy made good at the helm. Scott Mislan graduated from Sevea Park High School in 1984 and is now a big time producer/director based in Los Angeles. You've probably seen his work. Scott has directed more than 150 national TV commercials for such companies as McDonald's, Coca Cola, Ford and Chevrolet. He's also produced and directed two shows for the Ultimate Albums series on VH1 and done a lot of shows for Fox Kids, Fox Family and ABC Family chaels.

"It's really cool," Scott says. "I was so excited to get the job because I knew I could come home for more than just a few days, and work and see my family."

In the first week here, he says, he had one crew fly up from Louisville, following the Triple Crown trophy from the Kentucky Derby to the Preakness. When I spoke to him, he was getting ready to interview Ravens player Todd Heap and then send another crew with a group of Baltimore school kids as they travel to Birmingham, Ala., to visit the Civil Rights Museum.