Celebs Unite in the Fight to Cure Lupus

You know it's a big night in Beverly Hills when balding funnyman Jason Alexander  puts on his hair to go out; that's exactly what he did on May 9 as he headed to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel to be honored at the 13th Annual Lupus LA Orange Ball.

The award-winning actor (who is best known as George Costanza from the long-running sitcom "Seinfeld") took home the org's Loop Award for his work in raising awareness of autoimmune diseases like lupus and scleroderma, a disease his sister Karen suffers from. "These are horrible, brutal diseases," Alexander said soberly, after his pal Patrick Warburton of "Seinfeld" and "Rules of Engagement" fame gave him a raucous introduction. But he soon lightened the mood, joking that "I wore orange in honor of Lupus, and I wore the hair in honor of Lupus, too!"

Honoree Jason Alexander and host Bob Saget ham it up at the 2013 Lupus LA Orange Ball. Photo courtesy WireImage/Lupus LA.

Host Bob Saget, who lost his sister Gay to scleroderma back in 1994, did his best to control himself, but that's almost impossible for the potty-mouthed comedian.

"They said to please keep it clean, as there are kids in the house," Saget chortled, "and I understand that. But I have an orange ball – just one of my balls is orange, just one!"

Saxophonist Mindi Abair played a few pretty tunes and "End of the Rainbow" star Tracie Bennett channeled Judy Garland while singing "The Man That Got Away." Then singer Toni Braxton, who suffers from Lupus herself, honored Dr. Jay N. Schapira with the organization's Daniel J. Wallace Founder's Award and serenaded him, too.

Toni Braxton serenades honoree Dr. Jay N. Schapira during the Lupus LA Orange Ball. Photo courtesy WireImage/Lupus LA.

 

Also on hand to support the cause were actors Michael B. Jordan, James Leisure, Sufe Bradshaw and Kellie Martin, along with Backstreet Boy Howie D. Dr. Stanley J. Naides was also honored with the Medical Visionary Award on this night that raised nearly half a million dollars towards the cause of finding a cure for Lupus.

Jason Alexander proudly displays his Loop Award at the 13th Annual Lupus LA Orange Ball on May 9, 2013. Photo courtesy WireImage/Lupus LA.