Making people laugh at a cancer research gala isn’t exactly an easy assignment — something Whitney Cummings knows well.
“I believe strongly in delusional confidence,” the comedian told Yahoo on the red carpet ahead of hosting the Women’s Cancer Research Fund’s annual An Unforgettable Evening gala in Beverly Hills.
It marked Cummings’s second year emceeing the event. While last year wasn’t rough by any means, the room felt a bit more reserved. (For what it’s worth, I was there — and I did laugh.)
“If I panic, everyone’s going to be like, ‘Wait, you’re nervous?’” she said. “So I just have to be like, ‘I know what I’m doing.’”
Cummings also joked that gauging a crowd in Los Angeles comes with its own challenges.
“You’ve got to remember that if a joke doesn’t land the way I think it should, [it’s because] everyone in L.A. is on drugs,” she said. “You’re microdosing cannabis and mushrooms because you’re a millionaire with struggles. You’re all on Xanax. So for a bunch of people on drugs, that joke actually did pretty well.”
The annual gala — benefiting the Women’s Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), a program of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation — has raised money for pioneering cancer research for more than 25 years. This year’s event honored Kerry Washington and Anastasia Soare for their advocacy and support of the cause.
Once Cummings took the stage, she wasted little time diving into the delicate balancing act of mixing humor with a serious mission — and the crowd seemed far more ready to laugh along this year. The comedian poked fun at everyone from RFK Jr. to herself.
While the room laughed along this time, the reason everyone gathered inside the Beverly Wilshire Hotel was no laughing matter. Speaking to Yahoo earlier on the red carpet, Washington stressed the importance of continuing this kind of research.
Host Whitney Cummings successfully gets the crowd to laugh at An Unforgettable Evening Gala in Beverly Hills.
(Joe Scarnici via Getty Images)
“Unfortunately, we’re in a time when there’s a lot of threat to the prioritization of women’s health,” she said. “So to have an organization that’s so committed to the ways cancer impacts women in particular is really encouraging.”
Washington was later honored with the evening’s Courage Award — though she insisted she felt unworthy of the recognition. She had her mom, Valerie, who has survived both breast and ovarian cancer, attending the event with her.
“It’s ridiculous,” she told Yahoo on the red carpet. “I’m so in awe of this organization and the work that they do. Anything I can do to lend my name and visibility to this work, I’m grateful for the opportunity. But when it comes to courage, it’s really people like my mom who are fighting the fight.”
Women’s Cancer Research Fund founder Jamie Tisch quickly disagreed when I talked with her. “Kerry’s such an amazing advocate for women,” she said. “She’s been very proactive in breast cancer research support, and she’s such a great spirit.”
Then the moment came to present the award — and with it, a surprise. Jennifer Lopez took the stage to present the Courage Award to the Scandal star, drawing cheers from the crowd.
“Kerry and I both grew up going to the same Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx,” Lopez told the audience while introducing her friend. “Many of us know Kerry as an extraordinary actress and producer who commands the screen with intelligence and grace, but her true brilliance shines just as brightly off camera, where she uses her voice with purpose.”
Washington, visibly emotional, accepted the honor while reflecting on the person who first taught her the meaning of courage: her mother.
“When I think about courage and cancer, the only person who should be getting an award is my mother,” she told the audience.
The actress then read a passage from her memoir describing her mother’s cancer diagnosis and how it deepened the bond between them.
“It’s not just about survival,” Washington said. “It’s about love. It’s about courage. It’s about having a chance to love each other in a deeper way than ever before because of the research that you do.”
Earlier in the evening, Sofía Vergara presented the Unsung Hero Award to Soare, founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills, recognizing her longtime support of the organization and its mission.
In her acceptance speech, Soare shared how working with clients undergoing chemotherapy inspired her to create products designed to help women regrow their eyebrows during treatment.
“One of the things that affected them most was losing their brows,” she said. “It may seem like a small detail to some, but for many women it can feel like losing part of your identity.”
The evening closed out with a musical performance by Demi Lovato, who performed hits including “Sorry Not Sorry” and “Cool for the Summer.”
