Chicago comedy veteran Jeff Garlin is donating a walk-on role on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm to the Annoyance Theatre’s benefit for Tony HighHorse, Monday, 1/26. A 29-year old Iraq war veteran and cousin of Annoyance actor George McAuliffe, HighHorse was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. “While it is suspected that his illness is military related, the government will not give him full disability coverage because it cannot be proven,” says an Annoyance press release. “The benefit is taking place on short notice, to provide Tony with funding for trips to various states . . . to see family and military friends.” Doors open at 7 PM for the event, which features performances by folks from Second City and iO as well as Annoyance, including such notables as Mick Napier, Susan Messing, and McAuliffe. The $20 admission includes two tickets for a raffle, which will be held throughout the evening. For more information or to donate, go to theannoyance.com/tony or call 773-561-4665.
The rules and bidding process for the walk-on are complicated. Here are details provided by Annoyance:
Starting today, we will accept e-mailed bids for the walk-on role, to be taped on a date to be determined in Los Angeles between 2/1/09-5/7/09. (Starting Bid: $500) By 11:59 pm CST, each day between now and Monday Jan. 26, 2009, the top 3 bidders will be notified that they are in the top-3. The day’s high-bid amount will be posted each night in the news section on the front page of our website. Email bidding will close at 7pm (CST) January 26th. At that time, the top 3 bidders will be notified and will be able to participate in the final auction which will be held at The Annoyance during the performance. (BIDDERS MUST BE AVAILABLE IN PERSON OR BY PHONE BETWEEN 7:30-9:30pm CST MONDAY JAN 26th 2009 to participate in final auction).
Winner will be responsible for his/her own travel/transportation to Los Angeles and any associated costs, and must be available between Feb. 1- May 7, 2009 for the date chosen for taping. Annoyance Productions and HBO are not responsible if winner is unable to get to the shoot due to any circumstance.
Please be sure to include your name, and a telephone number where you can be reached on the evening of Jan 26, ’09.