Money Matters, Simplified.
Robert Pattison’s kiss goes for $20,000
by Samia Sehgal - May 22, 2009 - comments
Robert Pattison raised $40,000 at an amfAR AIDS research charity gala in France by auctioning off his kisses
Cannes, May 22: Money can’t buy love, they say; but it can surely buy kisses of a heartthrob. ‘Twilight’ star Robert Pattison auctioned off kisses on Thursday night to raise funds at an amfAR AIDS research charity gala in France.
The 23-year-old seemed a bit uncomfortable but graciously managed to pull it off with a dash of humor.
Clinton’s call for charity
The host for the glitzy evening was Sharon Stone, who was joined by former U.S. President Bill Clinton in encouraging some 800 guests to raise the much-needed funds at the annual event held at the exclusive Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc.
"When times are tough you should give more, not less," said Clinton. "If it hurts a little more, we will still be happier," he added.
Noting that around $30 trillion of wealth had been washed down by the financial crisis in a very short span of time, Clinton said, "If you think about it, everyone in this room is better off than 99.9 percent of people who ever lived on planet Earth."
Talking about the cause, amfAR chairman Kenneth Cole added, "When the economy slows down, the spread of AIDS speeds up."
Pattison’s kiss for auction
Though the auction raised $4.5 million for amfAR, with contribution from various celebrities (including Clinton’s own Alpine Alto saxophone, which went for a whopping $130,000), the most interesting thing on offer was Robert Pattison’s kiss. At $20,000 for a peck on the cheek, the kisses were sold off to two bidders, adding $40,000 to the charity.
Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, while introducing the young Brit, said that some lucky lady would not only get to meet the “‘Twilight’ star, she'd also get a kiss from him”.
Revealing the crush of his three daughters on Pattinson, Weinstein said the young actor "has agreed to do something extraordinary….I think there is no dad who wouldn't mind Robert Pattinson meeting his daughter, taking a picture with his daughter and just giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek. Somebody in London, New York or L.A. — there's got to be a dad good enough to bid on that."
Before Sharon Stone could start the bidding, Pattison modestly joked, “Starting at five dollars." But Stone started with $10,000 and brought two lucky bidders to greet the star.
Star-studded event
Designed by Donatella Versace and sponsored by Hewlett-Packard Company, Chopard and Luxury Limited Edition, the event was packed with celebrities including Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson, Hayden Panettiere, rapper 50 Cent, and singer Annie Lennox.
Stone paid tribute to actress Natasha Richardson, who had been on board of the charity, before she succumbed to injuries from a skiing accident in March.