Keely Shaye Smith (left) and Pierce Brosnan arrive at the “Stand Up! for the Planet” benefit at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by RICHARD SHOTWELL / Invision/AP)
BEVERLY HILLS, California — Martin Short stripped down to a nude bodysuit to perform a musical number and became a human bagpipe in the hands of a large, kilt-wearing man – all for the sake of the environment.
Short was the multitalented master of ceremonies at “Stand Up! For the Planet,” an all-star comedy benefit for the Natural Resources Defense Council. With performances by Larry David, Pete Davidson, Jerrod Carmichael and Tig Notaro, the event raised $1.4 million to support litigation against President Donald Trump’s environmental policies, according to organizers.
“Do you realize If a drone hit this crowd, Trump eliminates all his problems?” Short said. “That’s the kind of power we have.”
Guests at the untelevised fundraiser at Beverly Hills, California’s Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts included Rob Reiner, Albert Brooks, Pierce Brosnan, Jordana Brewster, Amanda Peet, Marcia Cross and Christopher Meloni.
“Look how rich you guys look,” Carmichael said as he took the stage.
David, who walked out to the “Curb Your Enthusiasm” theme, joked about the size of his carbon footprint, given his frequent use of air conditioning in his ample home.
“People shun the homeless, but you’ve got to admire their footprint,” he said.
He also joked that he had “no divorce perks” with his ex-wife Laurie David, who organized Tuesday’s event and recruited him to perform.
Despite the event’s inherent political nature, Short was the only one who delved directly into that territory. As he introduced Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale, Short described their show, “Veep” as “a political satire and turned into a documentary” and the two stars as “a more dynamic comedy duo” than Kellyanne Conway and Sean Spicer.
Short also called the current administration “amoral” and said Trump is “the dumbest president we have ever had.”
Trump had no immediate response on Twitter.
The president of the NRDC said the organization has already sued the Trump administration over the Keystone XL Pipeline project and proposed changes to Environmental Protection Agency regulations.