Celebrities Unite at the 24th Emmys Golf Classic and Pickleball Slam for Charity

The Television Academy Foundation today announced it raised over $450,000 at the 24th Annual Emmys Golf Classic. Television stars, sports luminaries, entertainment industry executives, Television Academy leadership and corporate partners competed in the golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, on Monday, Oct. 7.

The Emmys Golf Classic is a cornerstone event for the Foundation, bringing together the television community for a day of sport, networking and philanthropy. The tournament featured a putting contest and a full round of golf for participants. In addition, an afternoon pickleball competition, the "Emmys Pickleball Slam," was introduced, marking the first time the fast-growing sport was offered and creating more opportunities for attendees to network, unwind and support a worthy cause.

Proceeds from the event benefit the nonprofit's esteemed Internship and College Television Awards programs that provide industry-access and career-development opportunities for college students nationwide interested in media careers.

For the seventh consecutive year, Cedric The Entertainer hosted the event that included stars from television, film and sports including Wells Adams (Bachelor in Paradise), Adrian Arambulo (Today in LA), Jonathan Banks (Constellation), Frank Buckley (KTLA anchor), Don Cheadle (Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist), Jerry Hairston Jr. (MLB), Michael Irby (Mayans M.C.; Barry), Richard Karn (PEN15), Kevin Nealon (Late Bloomers), JD Pardo (Mayans M.C.), Emilio Rivera (The Family Business), Byron Scott (NBA), Patrick Warburton (Family Guy) and Andia Winslow (Velma).

The full-day event kicked off with "on-the-green" carpet arrivals and featured a putting contest, full round of golf, lunch and auctions culminating in an evening cocktail reception with awards presentations to the winners, including:

• 1st Place Team: Access Sports
  Roy Newman
  Tyler Maugeri
  Ron Maugeri
  Niels Anderskouv
• 2nd Place Team: Allen and Anita Kohl Foundation
  Frank Buckley
  Anita Mann Kohl
  David Kohl
  Levi Kohl
• 3rd Place Team: Johnny Carson Foundation
  Wells Adams
  Jonathan Blenner
  Jeff Assaf
  Austin Lastinger
  Rob Shalhoub

The double-elimination pickleball competition included television stars Orlando Jones (Swagger), Phil Keoghan (The Amazing Race), June Diane Raphael (Grace and Frankie), Evan Ross (Star) and Paul Scheer (Star Trek: Lower Decks) who slammed to raise funds for the Foundation. The pickleball tournament crowned winners in the following categories: 

• 1st Place Advanced Champions Team: Brynne Chappell and Wes Burrows
• 1st Place Beginner/Intermediate Champions Team: Sean Mik'ael Butler and Soyon Halpin

"Our sincerest appreciation to everyone who participated and to our corporate sponsors for their support in making this event a tremendous success," said Tina Perry, chair of the Television Academy Foundation. "We're delighted to see the community come together for such a worthy cause to raise funds for the Foundation's education programs that empower the next generation of television leaders and storytellers."

"We are thrilled to introduce pickleball to this year's Emmys Golf Classic," said Anne Vasquez, executive director of the Foundation. "We want to embrace the growing enthusiasm for pickleball within the entertainment community and look forward to making it a dynamic new event for years to come."

AEG is the official partner sponsor for the 24th Annual Emmys Golf Classic. A+E is the presenting sponsor for the inaugural Emmys Pickleball Slam. Additional sponsors for the event included Academy Benefits, Allen & Anita Kohl Charitable Foundation, Banijay Americas, CBS, Dooney & Bourke, Ernst & Young, Evoke Advisors, FIJI Water, FX Networks, Jesse Collins Entertainment, Johnny Carson Foundation, JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery, Kingdom Reign Entertainment, Lionsgate, MGM+, Murray/Reese Foundation, NBCUniversal, PEOPLE, The Ritz-Carlton, Sony Pictures Entertainment, TruFru, United Airlines, UnitedMasters and Venable LLP.  

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Media Contact:
Jane Sparango
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310.339.1214

breakwhitelight for the Television Academy

For the complete press release, click here.