AROUND TOWN

Laughs For JARC

An evening of comedy raises the curtain on funding for people with disabilities.

ne minute he was flitting around on stage at
Detroit's Fox Theatre, singing show tunes,
cracking jokes and channeling the various
characters and personalities lie's famous for. The next
minute, actor/comedian Martin Short (right) was drinking a
beer at Hockeytown Café, signing autographs and posing
for snapshots with dozens of JARC's biggest supporters.
"He's a very easygoing, laid-back guy," said Gene
Goodman of West Bloomfield, who shook hands with Short.
Katie Borman of Bloomfield Hills had her picture taken
with the star. "I like the way he ad-libs. I think he's funny,
off-the-cuff," she said.
Short came to Detroit for an exclusive one-night-only
Oct. 6 engagement as the headliner for JARC's 25th annual
fall fund-raiser. He entertained more than
3,500 people with flashbacks of his days
on Saturday Night Live and his movie roles
in Three Amigos and Father of the Bride. This
year's event raised $1.3 million for the
Farmington Hills-based organization,
Nvh ich helps people with disabilities
lead full, active and dignified lives.
ROBIN SCHWARTZ
"We have such a loyal constituen-
COLUMNIST
cy, who really understands the impor-
tance of the work we do," said JARC
Executive Director Joyce Keller of Waterford.
"We really rely on their heart and help," she said.
More than 300 young adults took part in a martini party
before the show, where they enjoyed appetizers and drinks
named after some of Short's characters. After the show,
patrons who contributed $3,500 or more were invited to an
afterglow at Hockevtown for dessert and a chance to rub
elbows with the star.
JARC Treasurer Robert Nusbaum of Franklin had his
own personal brush with fame. Nusbaum got to be part of
the show — performing in a skit with Short, who came out
dressed as his overweight talk show host character Jimmy
Glick.
"It was extremely cool and he made it easy," said
Nusbaum. "I knew I was going up, but I didn't know any-
thing else — what lie was going to do or what he was going
to say."
Nusbaum and his wife, Lori, co-chaired the event.
Their sons Zachary, 13, Jonathan, 11, and Bradley, 6, got a
huge kick out of seeing their dad on stage.
"It was my first experience with JARC, but it's a beauti-
ful organization and I loved the feel of the audience — it
was so warm," said Short after the show .

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN