December 12, 2017: Twitter Announces All-Women Lineup at C.E.S., C.A.A. Cancels Golden Globes Party to Form Sexual Harassment Defense Fund, Mario Batali Leaves Restaurant Group After Sexual Misconduct Allegations

1. TWITTER ANNOUNCES ALL-WOMEN LINEUP AT C.E.S.: Twitter will host an event with only female speakers at C.E.S. next month, following criticism over the trade show’s all-male keynote speaker lineup. CNN: “Among those scheduled to appear for Twitter are General Electric (GE) marketing chief Linda Boff, Black Girls Code founder Kimberly Bryant, and Comcast (CCVCL) senior vice president Myrna Soto. CES takes place every year in Las Vegas and draws more than 180,000 people. This year's six keynote speakers are all men. The Consumer Technology Association, which produces CES, posted a blog post last week in response to criticism about its lineup. ‘As upsetting as it is, there is a limited pool when it comes to women in these positions. We feel your pain. It bothers us, too. The tech industry and every industry must do better,’ said Karen Chupka, a senior VP at the CTA, in a blog post last week. Called #HereWeAre, the alternative event is being spearheaded by Leslie Berland, Twitter's chief marketing officer and head of HR, who will also host. She announced the event on Twitter (TWTR) Monday morning. It will take place Wednesday, January 10 and will be live-streamed. Other confirmed speakers include Recode executive editor Kara Swisher, NIO U.S. CEO Padmasree Warrior, and Blavity CEO Morgan DeBaun. Although it's not an official CES event, conference officials have discussed the event with Twitter. Twitter is a CES sponsor.” http://cnnmon.ie/2Ac30jT

2. C.A.A. CANCELS GOLDEN GLOBES PARTY TO FORM SEXUAL HARASSMENT DEFENSE FUND: The Creative Artists Agency has canceled its annual pre-Golden Globes party to start a legal defense fund for sexual harassment cases. The Hollywood Reporter: "The financial resources that normally would be committed to the Friday night bash — which has been held in the past at hotspots including Soho House and Catch LA — will be redirected to a legal defense fund to assist victims of workplace harassment cases from all industries, not just entertainment, a source tells THR. The intention is to honor the agency’s nominated clients — which include The Post’s Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg; Molly’s Game’s Jessica Chastain and Aaron Sorkin; Big Little Lies’ Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon; I, Tonya’s Margot Robbie; and Lady Bird’s Saoirse Ronan — while being mindful of the cultural reckoning that has taken place in Hollywood over the past two months with respect to sexual harassment and other forms of abuse, a process that began with multiple accusations against Harvey Weinstein published in The New York Times and The New Yorker in early October. (Netflix has dropped its traditional Globes afterparty co-host The Weinstein Co.) CAA itself was named in a Dec. 5 Times story about Weinstein's 'complicity machine,' which reported that multiple agents had been told about the producer's behavior toward women over the years but continued to arrange private meetings with female clients for him. CAA also has joined the "50-50 by 2020" pledge, which commits to achieving gender parity in company leadership in three years’ time." http://bit.ly/2Bfqzfa

3. MARIO BATALI LEAVES RESTAURANT GROUP AFTER SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS: Mario Batali has stepped away from Batali & Bastianich Hosptality Group after four women accused the chef of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior that spanned two decades. Eater: “Batali was reprimanded for inappropriate behavior in the workplace as recently as two months ago. According to a spokesperson for Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group—the restaurant-management services company that provides support to around 24 restaurants owned by, among others, Batali and Joe Bastianich—in October 2017, a B&B restaurant employee officially reported inappropriate behavior by Batali to the company. It was the first formal complaint about Batali, who was reprimanded and required to undergo training, according to the company. In a statement to Eater, Batali said that he is stepping away from the day-to-day operations of his businesses for an unspecified period of time. ABC, where Batali has co-hosted the daytime show The Chew since 2011, has also asked the chef to step away from the show ‘while we review the allegations that have just recently come to our attention,’ a spokesperson said. … Although B&B has been sued for sexual harassment before, Batali’s own alleged inappropriate sexual misconduct has not previously been the subject of a lawsuit. Each of the women who spoke to Eater asked to remain anonymous in part for fear of retaliation—Batali, a celebrated and powerful chef, holds enormous sway in the restaurant world and beyond. Eater is granting them anonymity but has corroborated their stories with friends, family members, or colleagues who were informed of the incidents, as well as with publicly available information.” http://bit.ly/2juXohi

* LOCAL NEWS *

HONOLULU:  Sheraton Waikiki has unveiled upgrades to its event spaces after a $1.4 million renovation. Upgrades include a custom-designed ocean-theme carpet and 3,000 new banquet chairs in the Hawaii Ballroom, new furnishings in the ballroom foyer, and $200,000 in new, state-of-the-art buffet equipment. 

LAS VEGAS:  A Shake Shack location will open at the Las Vegas North Premium Outlets December 20. 

LOS ANGELES:  Volkswagen will host its second annual Drive In Movie event on Saturday at Raleigh Studios. The evening will feature a screening of Elf, plus cocktails and celebrity appearances.

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The National Tax Lien Association’s annual conference will take place February 28-March 2, 2018, at the W Fort Lauderdale. 

MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA:  The $60 million Monterey Conference Center will open in January. The LEED-certified facility will have more than 40,000 square feet of flexible meeting space to hold as many as 3,200 people. The facility is adjacent to the newly renovated Portola Hotel & Spa and connected to the Monterey Marriott.

NEW YORK:  Sandy Hook Promise, a national nonprofit founded and led by family members of those killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 12, 2012, will host its inaugural benefit commemorating the five-year anniversary of the tragedy tonight at the Plaza Hotel.  

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

SAN FRANCISCO:  The fifth edition of the FOG Design and Art Fair will take place January 11-14 at the Fort Mason Center. The event will showcase artwork from 45 international galleries and feature prominent 20th-century and contemporary design dealers. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  ArtJamz, a paint party and open studio retail concept, will host a New Year’s Eve party that will invite guests to glitter bomb their own canvases. The event will have a neon champagne toast at midnight. 

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 

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With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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

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