When Haim Saban launched the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in the 1990s, he quickly built an empire by spinning off the kids TV series into licensed toys, apparel and much more.
Haim Saban lit up the room at the Nov. 23 fundraising dinner for the clinic that bears his name: He made the surprise announcement that he would match the $1.6 million already raised.
The Saban Community Clinic fundraiser at the Beverly Hilton honoring Sony Pictures Television chairman Steve Mosko was already having a good night with what had been contributed. “What’s different this year is the spectrum of industry donors,” said dinner chair Ellen Hoberman. “We’ve got Hulu, Amazon, Fox Sports – Steve casts a wide net.”
At the reception, Haim Saban said he made the original $10 million donation in 1998 that changed the clinic’s name because “having lived in Israel and France where there’s universal healthcare, it was unfathomable for me to believe that the richest country in the world had 47 million people without healthcare. Obamacare has improved the situation, but there’s still room for the Clinic.”
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Mosko said he got involved with the Saban Community Clinic because he’s “been impressed by people in the entertainment industry who support the Clinic. They’ve been supporting it for years and they stay involved because they believe in it.” He said that visiting the Saban solidified his support. “It’s a cross-section of our society who can’t afford medical care, and this is a place where they get first-class treatment,” said Mosko.
The dinner began with remarks from Clinic board president Bob Broder, Richard Weitz, Tom Hoberman and Ellen Hoberman, Ben Sherwood and David Nevins; the playing of video about the work of Clinic physician Dr. Tinh Vuong; and the presentation of the Lenny Somberg Award by Sam Fischer to Michael Ziering. Joel McHale hosted the event, and Nate Ruess delivered a strong musical performance that got the crowd singing.
Attendees included Norman Lear, Mike Hopkins, Lou Pitt, Lizzy Caplan, Jason Bateman, Kathy Ireland, Eric Idle, Jimmy Smits, Garry Marshall and Bob Greenblatt.
The Clinic’s new CEO Julie Hudman said the $3.2 million raised will be well spent in the community.
“We have three sites, all in distinctly different neighborhoods,” said Hudman. “In East Hollywood, we have Spanish-speaking immigrants who come in as families; in Hollywood, we see a lot of homeless people; and at the Beverly site, there are many older, single patients with chronic conditions. Our goal is that every clinic be a place where they can receive comprehensive quality care from dental to pharmacy.”
