September 17, 2013: TV's Wackiest Marketing Stunts, Paula Deen Starts Comeback With Live Events, Most Popular Venues for Political Fund-raisers

1. TV'S WACKIEST MARKETING STUNTS: Television networks are getting more creative with their marketing stunts and live events to promote their fall schedules. Hollywood Reporter: "Cemetery screenings, bowling alley and yogurt-shop takeovers, and cold hard cash are just a few of the strategies being employed to draw eyeballs to the 27 new shows set to bow in the coming weeks." http://bit.ly/1aPQPKG

2. PAULA DEEN STARTS COMEBACK WITH LIVE EVENTS: Former Food Network personality Paula Deen, three months removed from her public downfall after racism allegations, appeared at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show in Houston this weekend, where the crowd gave her a standing ovation. PR Newser: "Calling her carnival of disaster a 'rough patch,' the disgraced celebrity chef was in town to host a couple of cooking demonstrations. Some tickets to the event ran up to $400 a pop. There were about 1,400 people in the audience during the warm welcome." http://bit.ly/183SLeI

3. TOP VENUES FOR POLITICAL FUND-RAISERS: A review of Washington political fund-raisers in the past five years shows that more than three-quarters take place within three blocks of the U.S. Capitol and take place during the working hours when Congress is in session. The top venue for fund-raisers is the Capitol Hill Club, which has hosted 1,966 events, nearly all of them for Republicans. Democrats have flocked to Johnny's Half Shell and the National Democratic Club Townhouse. Restaurants and town houses owned by corporations or special interests are the most popular kind of venues. Sunlight Foundation: http://bit.ly/188teiy

4. HOW TO USE VINE ON RED CARPETS: The immediacy of the video-sharing social media platform Vine is becoming a key component to promoting a film from the red carpet. Mashable: "For The Family's New York City premiere (starring Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dianna Agron and John D’Leo), movie distributor Relativity Media's digital marketing team tasked creative startup Niche to round up Vine users to drum up Likes, shares and comments. … Brands leveraging the power of social media is nothing new, but they're finding more ways to make it more organic. Lately, Vine and Instagram are becoming staples of a promotional campaign." http://on.mash.to/14YFsxn

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  Cafe de Boston now offers a "Birthday in a Box" package for office birthday parties. The package, which should be ordered 48 hours in advance, includes a birthday cake with a custom message, candles, a card, and a $5 gift card to the café.

CHICAGO:  LM Restaurant Group has been named caterer of this year's Diner en Blanc. The company will create three Plateaux Repa, which serve two and contain items such as rillette de canard. The dishes will be served in boxes flown in from Paris.

Peter Coenen is the new executive chef at the Gage, which offers private dining. Coenen's new menu items include coffee-rubbed pork, New England lobster roll, and Burgundy-braised lamb ragout.

The Chicago International Film Festival is October 10-24. Its opening night gala begins at the Chicago Theatre with a film presentation and continues with a cocktail reception at the Chicago Cultural Center.

LAS VEGAS:  Las Vegas Sun: "The aroma of fresh corn on the cob, street tacos, and barbacoa wafted through the Fremont Street Experience, mingling with traditional Mexican music as thousands packed the venue Saturday afternoon for Fiesta Las Vegas, the city’s annual celebration of Hispanic culture. This year, the fair coincided with Mexican Independence Day weekend along with one of that country’s most anticipated sporting events as unbeaten Mexican sensation Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez took on boxing’s biggest star, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Saturday night at the MGM Grand." http://bit.ly/14QXfXa

Las Vegas Review-Journal: "The Heart of Giving gala September 7 at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health benefited Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas." http://bit.ly/17DIYuY

LOS ANGELES:  Following Sunday's 2013 Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, more than 3,000 guests including Emmy winners and nominees attended the Creative Arts Ball at the West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center. The ball featured an Enchanted Forest theme—the same one that guests of the Governors Ball following the Primetime Emmys will see next weekend.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company announced the grand opening of its newest soda fountain and chocolate shop, slated for November 15. It's set to join the Walt Disney Studio’s El Capitan Theatre and Disney Studio Store on Hollywood Boulevard.

The board of trustees of the Recording Academy has extended president and C.E.O. Neil Portnow's contract through 2019.

Thousands of animal lovers and their dogs turned out Sunday for Best Friends Animal Society’s Strut Your Mutt event. The multimillion-dollar fund-raiser benefits hundreds of shelters and rescue groups with similar events across the country. Press release: http://bit.ly/196SHJD

San Jose Mercury News: "The Los Angeles Dodgers will host their first lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender night on September 27." http://bit.ly/16xxCsO

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The 13th annual Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine announced its lineup for the February 20-23 event. One addition is the 2014 Sports Illustrated swimsuit models, who will appear at Moët Hennessy's the Q party. Former festival fixture Paula Deen is not on the schedule, but her son Bobby will host Thrillist's BBQ and the Blues.

BleauLive Legends Night December 14 will feature Gloria Gaynor and the Spinners. The evening includes a private concert, cocktail hour, and dinner buffet.

NEW YORK:  The New York Palace has finished the second phase of its $140 million renovation, opening new lobbies and six new dining venues including Villard Michel Richard and Pomme Palais, both from chef Michel Richard.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

TORONTO:  JM & Sons, an online home-furnishing retailer, is hosting a pop-up shop in the Dundas West area until September 26. Housed in a shipping container, the concept combines an interactive showroom and a coffee bar; its launch party is on Thursday.

WASHINGTON:  Washington Business Journal: "Iconic southern cuisine restaurant B. Smith's will close in Union Station after anchoring its eastern-most retail space for two decades. No exact closing date was immediately available. The restaurant's founder, Barbara 'B.' Smith, plans to open other restaurants in D.C. and in other markets—more casual bistros that will still serve Smith's signature Southern fare, as well as more healthy options." http://bit.ly/14WJRB8

The Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art and Design has named Carrie Loveless as its director of special events.

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Lauren Matthews, and Anna Sekula in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

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