May 23, 2013: Tony Awards Stay at CBS, Webby Awards Highlights, Why Shaking Hands at Trade Shows Matters

1. INTERNET AWARDS ALLOW 5-WORD ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES: The 17th annual Webby Awards honored the best of the Internet at New York's Cipriani Wall Street Tuesday. Eventbrite won the Events category, and Red Bull Stratos received the Events & Live Webcasts award for its live, trackable streaming of Felix Baumgartner's jump from space. Comedian Patton Oswalt hosted the event, which kept things brief by requiring five-word acceptance speeches, like this one from Lifetime Achievement award winner Steve Wilhite, who created the GIF file format: "It's pronounced 'Jif' not 'Gif.'" Here's a list of all the winners: http://bit.ly/13LpS4P

2. CBS KEEPS TONY AWARDS: Despite losing one million viewers last year, CBS will continue to host the annual Tony Awards through 2018. Hollywood Reporter: "For CBS, the Tony Awards deal comes as live events such as awards shows and sports programming represent a ratings draw since both remain relatively DVR-proof." The ceremony airs June 9 with Neil Patrick Harris as host for the fourth time. http://bit.ly/12WT8mN

3. WEIRD BUT TRUE: NIGHT CLUB OPENS INSIDE NEW YORK WATER TOWER: Yes, the Night Heron nightclub located in a water tower in New York's Chelsea neighborhood was illegal. But the odd venue—open for only eight weeks this spring—with a 12-person capacity was as exclusive and weird as you can get. New York Times: "The only way to get in was to be handed a pocket watch by a prior guest (who had been instructed to offer minimal explanation), report to a street corner at a certain time, and call a number pasted inside the watch. Mysterious helpers led guests through one decrepit building into another and up 12 flights of stairs to the roof. The watches were taken at the door, but guests were given the chance to buy watches at the end of the night if they wanted to continue the chain of invitation." http://nyti.ms/13NhAte

4. WHY SHAKING HANDS AT TRADE SHOWS MATTERS: Trying to make an impression? Shake hands. New research shows the simple handshake matters. Forbes: "A study on handshakes (by the Income Center for Trade Shows) showed that people are two times more likely to remember you if you shake hands with them. The trade-show researchers also found that people react to those with whom they shake hands by being more open and friendly." http://onforb.es/10QpDV7

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  Friendly's Burger Bash is June 2 at the Watertown location. The free, family-friendly event will include face-painting, balloon artists, and a burger-building competition.

CHICAGO:  Branding and social media company Pink has named David Siegel as senior environmental designer.

LAS VEGAS:  Budd Valastro, star of TLC's Cake Boss, will open his first restaurant at the Venetian in the fall. The 11,000-square-foot venue will serve Italian-American classics and a large selection of desserts.

LOS ANGELES:  The 2013 Women In Film Crystal & Lucy Awards is June 3 at the Beverly Hilton. Actress Jenna Elfman will host, and the theme, Close Up, will highlight the organization's history in celebration of its 40th anniversary.

LA Pride will feature the #IMAGINE Lounge, a space to encourage social media sharing about the event. Attendees can tweet, share photos on Instagram, and update statuses on Facebook. At night the area will turn into an outdoor club with live entertainment like aerialists and fire breathers.

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Ultra Music Festival 2014 will take place March 28-30, and tickets are now on sale.

NEW YORK:  The city's first Wig Night Out New York is June 15 at the Stonewall Inn and encourages guests to wear a wig to support Point Foundation, a scholarship and mentoring organization. Originally a Washington, D.C., fund-raiser, it has expanded to New York for the first time.

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

ORLANDO:  The Orlando Philharmonic will move into the Plaza Live in the fall of 2014. The venue will host the orchestra's four-concert "Focus" chamber series and five-concert "Sounds of Summer" series. Large-scale classical, pops, and opera events will continue to take place at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre until the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is complete.

TAMPA:  AVI-SPL has been awarded the audiovisual and conferencing support services contract for the Tampa Convention Center. During this multiyear deal, AVI-SPL’s hotel and event production services division will provide video conferencing, digital signage, 3-D mapping, rigging, full content creation, and video production in the facility.

TORONTO:  Power Ball: 15 Minutes, the annual art party, is June 6. The event will feature art installations, an outdoor movie house, and Los Angeles-themed fare from so-called "barbecue lodges."

WASHINGTON:  Washington Post: "The owners of Union Kitchen, a 'food incubator' that offers kitchen space for food truck operators, startup businesses and caterers, filed a liquor license application on Friday that would create a large 'outdoor tavern with food trucks' with room for 200 people in the parking lot next to its building, located at Third and L streets NE. The application also requests permission for 'live and acoustic music' throughout the week." http://wapo.st/12WH9G6

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

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