Lily Tomlin and Friends Headlined Comedy Benefit for Voice for the Animals Foundation

Emmy® and Tony®-winning, Academy Award®-nominated actress and animal advocate Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie) joined actress June Diane Raphael (Grace and Frankie), Craig Ferguson (The Craig Ferguson Show), and Whitney Cummings (Unforgettable) to bring the laughs to "Wait Wait...Don't Kill Me-2!," a night of unforgettable comedy and entertainment benefiting Voice For The Animals Foundation (VFTA) on Friday, April 27 at 8:00 p.m. at Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center Eli and Edythe Broad Stage. The evening of wit and entertainment (inspired by the popular NPR weekly program "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me") hilariously spotlighted animal news, views and other topical animal events. Presented by Honeysweet Creative, this tenth annual fundraiser was hosted by actor Paul Scheer (The League). All proceeds go to support VFTA as they continue their fight for creating respect and empathy for animals through education, rescue, legislation and advocacy.

Lisa Jane Vanderpump, philanthropist, entrepreneur and television star of THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS and Vanderpump Rules, was bestowed the Lily Tomlin Award for her exceptional dedication and actions on behalf of ANIMALS. The Lily Tomlin Award honors the achievements of a remarkable individual whose exceptional actions make a real difference in the world of animal welfare. Best known for her appearances on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Dancing with the Stars and Vanderpump Rules, Vanderpump leads the fight against the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, where 10,000 dogs are killed in horrific ways and eaten. In response, Lisa produced a documentary "The Road to Yulin ... and Beyond" exposing the torture that occurs during the annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival, which premiered last month on Prime Video. Lisa founded The Vanderpump Dog Foundation in 2016, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dog rescue organization that works on both domestic and international fronts to create a better world for dogs. Domestically, the Foundation opened the doors to their LA Rescue Center in 2017 and has since found homes for over 500 neglected, abandoned and abused dogs in the LA area.

The evening began with a star-studded VIP (Vegan Important People) Reception and red carpet followed by the "Wait Wait...Don't Kill Me 2" comedy program. Melya Kaplan, Executive Director, Voice For The Animals, introduced the show. The West Los Angeles Animal Services spotlighted four precious dogs that were available for adoption. In addition, another dog named Lily, rehabilitated by Lily Tomlin, was on the carpet and is now well enough to be adopted. Lisa Vanderpump also brought her two pups Giggy and Puffy, along with the VANDERPUMP RULES team.

Voice For The Animals (VFTA) is a 501(c)(3), non-profit charitable foundation which is devoted to creating respect and empathy for animals through education, rescue, legislation, and advocacy. The organization was founded by Melya Kaplan in 1999 when she realized there was a dire need for a new type of animal protection organization with programs to empower people to help more ANIMALS. VFTA supports many programs that focus on animal protection, including an Animal Assistance Hotline, Rescue and Adoption, Working Cats, Helping Friends, Abuse Prevention, Humane Education, Feral Colonies, VFTA Worldwide, Animal Films, and the Elephants in Captivity Awareness Campaign. The Captivity is Not Conservation campaign is devoted to educating people about the plight of BILLY THE ELEPHANT and his life in captivity. Connect with THE VOICE for the Animals Foundation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Photo Credit: Mathew Imaging

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