Happy New Year, and welcome to BizBash’s new Los Angeles-based column, where West Coast bureau chief Claire Hoffman recaps the week’s biggest local news. Got a tip? Get in touch!
Moves & Milestones
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has named Christine Simmons its new chief operating officer. Previously the president and C.O.O. of the Los Angeles Sparks, Simmons will handle day-to-day management of the academy's internal organization and infrastructure.
Très L.A. Group has hired Rob Pausmith as managing director and Megan Tupper as director of production. The company owns and operates Carondelet House and Ebell Long Beach, and its catering division recently announced an exclusive partnership with Cielo Farms.
Rayce PR & Marketing has added flower wholesaler FiftyFlowers to its roster of clients for 2019. In addition, Rayce will serve as the official social media sponsor at TSE 2019 in San Diego.
In Case You Missed It
We previewed the city's most anticipated event-friendly venues (find out which one includes the Westside's largest new ballroom). We also rounded up the industry's hottest new DJs, like Los Angeles-based mainstays Michelle Pesce, Daisy O'Dell, and Nikki Pennie.
In the News
Kanye West is no longer performing at Coachella this year, after the rumored headliner dropped out over a disagreement with the producers over the stage design. Variety: “Childish Gambino will headline day one of the fest, with Tame Impala taking day two and Ariana Grande closing out Coachella on Sunday night. ... The fest will run for two weekends—starting first on April 12-14 and again on April 19-21—on the grounds of the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California." https://bit.ly/2F5wOUu
Sources within the academy are growing concerned that there is still no host for the Oscars. The Hollywood Reporter: "Donna Gigliotti, who is producing the telecast for the first time, has been hunkered down in closely-guarded conversations with Academy C.E.O. Dawn Hudson and president John Bailey. ... Not since Jon Stewart was announced as the host of the 78th Oscars on January 5, 2006, and only once before that in the 21st century, when Whoopi Goldberg was announced as the host of the 74th on January 7, 2002, has the search for a host extended into the calendar year of the show itself." https://bit.ly/2TsD9gO
The Chinese American Heritage Foundation's float caught fire during Tuesday's Rose Parade, causing a delay in the event. The float's builders may now face a fine. Los Angeles Times: "The situation created a traffic jam along the route and confused spectators, who thought the parade had ended and started to leave, spilling onto the parade route. ... Tournament of Roses officials said it can issue fines for 'unexpected mechanical and design elements' on floats. Fines start at $1,000 and can jump to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the violation." https://lat.ms/2F5KI9k
Los Angeles has unveiled an earthquake early warning app for smartphones. Los Angeles Times: "ShakeAlertLA, an app created under the oversight of Mayor Eric Garcetti and the city, is designed to work with the U.S. Geological Survey’s earthquake early warning system, which has been under development for years. It’s designed to give users seconds, and perhaps even tens of seconds, before shaking from a distant earthquake arrives at a user’s location." https://lat.ms/2CKa6Qn
Surprise Event Metric of the Week
Two—the number of women who have headlined Coachella since its inception in 1999. Ariana Grande will join the ranks of Beyoncé and Bjork when she headlines the 2019 event in April.
Venue Buzz
Chef Kuniko Yagi's first standalone project, developed in partnership with Kaizen Dining Group, opened at Row DTLA in mid-December. Pikunico specializes in a hybrid Japanese/American-style of fried chicken served in family-style baskets ideal for groups. The eatery's design was inspired by an American picnic with Japanese influences; the airy interior uses light woods and plenty of greenery, and dine-in orders are served in paper clamshells instead of plates. The eatery seats 40 people.
Overheard
Andy Samberg: "The Globes are a different room than the Emmys. It's a little more intimate, it's a smaller room, people are looser because they're eating and drinking."
Sandra Oh: "They're just drinking, they're not eating. They're just drinking. I feel like people want to get to the party more quickly at the Globes."
—The first-time Golden Globes hosts interviewing each other for the Hollywood Reporter. The pair discussed their five days of prep time, the benefits of two hosts, why they don't plan to discuss Trump, and more.
What's Next
Beverly Hills will get even more glamorous this weekend with the Golden Globes and the star-studded parties that surround it. Following the ceremony on Sunday night, the Beverly Hilton will be home to a bash from Fox on the roof, Amazon Prime Video in the penthouse, HBO by the pool, and InStyle and Warner Bros. in the courtyard. NBC and Netflix are also hosting highly anticipated bashes around the city.
Other high-profile events over the weekend include Sean Penn's J/P HRO Gala, taking place at the Wiltern on Saturday. This year marks the nonprofit's first expansion beyond Haiti, raising money for relief efforts in the United States and elsewhere in the Caribbean as well. Meanwhile, art-focused organization Art of Elysium will host its 12th annual Heaven gala at a private venue on Saturday. Artist Beau Dunn will be honored, and fashion designer Peter Dundas will host a runway presentation of his new line.
Look for coverage of these and other Globes-related events on bizbash.com early next week.
