DETROIT, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The annual Detroit Press Club Steakout dinner and show is moving to the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino and will take on newsmakers in its own satirical way on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. Proceeds from the event are shared between the Detroit Goodfellows and the Detroit Press Club Foundation.
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The theme for the off-the-record show, which features live acts and filmed sketches, is "Textual Healing," a spoof of the classic song by the late Motown legend Marvin Gaye. Last year's Steakout theme was "Detroit Idle."
"W hope it wil b LOL fun e," texted Jason Vines, SVP of CPWR and SO Co-Chr. "W hav 2 muc subject mater this yr 2 b on ist, but w ned a good laf R now."
"I must admit that we're a little concerned that we won't have any material for this year's show," said WWJ's Tim Kiska, also a Co-Chair. "It's been an unusually slow news year in the city, and usually we lean on people like the Mayor and the city council to provide us material. Hopefully something newsworthy will happen in the next few weeks that we can lampoon."
A key moment of every Steakout over the past few years has been the awarding of the "Steakout Lifetime Achievement Award." The recipient is an individual who has shown a lifetime habit of providing fresh meat to hungry journalists.
The inaugural recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award was Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. The next year, Patterson finally concluded his speech from the previous year and introduced the new inductee, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Last year, the Mayor introduced award winner Bill Bonds, the legendary former WXYZ news anchor and discount furniture huckster.
"This year Mr. Bonds will be at Steakout to hand over the Lifetime Achievement Award to lawyer, legal commentator, former gubernatorial candidate, hair model and recently acquitted legend-in-his-own-mind Geoffrey Fieger," said Edward Lapham, Executive Editor of Automotive News and Steakout Co-Chair. "We think it will be perhaps the largest combination of egos on one stage in the history of mankind."
Tickets for the reception, steak dinner and show are the same as last year, $150, and proceeds are shared between the Goodfellows, the organization of "Old News Boys" that provides Christmas gifts to needy area children, and the Detroit Press Club Foundation, which provides scholarships for journalism students in need. Both organizations are 501(c)3 eligible.
"These are wonderful charities that need our help now more than ever," said Lapham.
Tickets may be purchased with a credit card by going on-line to detroitsteakout.com or by sending a check for the number of tickets needed (# tickets X $150) payable to Detroit Press Club Foundation to:
Steakout c/o Detroit Press Club Foundation 37637 Five Mile Road - 101 Livonia MI 48154
Tickets and seating location are on a first come/first serve basis. Tables of 10 are recommended and get priority seating. Seating is limited to 600.
The reception begins at 6 p.m. with dinner beginning at 7 p.m. The show concludes before 10 p.m. Complimentary valet parking is available.
To date, Steakout sponsors include Toyota Motor Company, Ford Motor Company and Compuware. To sponsor, please contact Jason Vines at 313-227-1335.
Contacts: Jason Vines, Compuware, 313-227-1335 Bob Ankeny, Crain's Detroit Business, 313-446-0404 Suzanne Rabideau, Old News Boys Goodfellows Club, 313-515-8900
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