The 'Glee' star visited the White House last week & sampled pie from the Pastry Shop...While President Obama is fundraising in Miami on Tuesday with pop star Marc Anthony, his wife will be in Chicago fundraising with a different singing sensation: First Lady Michelle Obama will travel to her hometown for a $5,000/plate luncheon with Glee star Jane Lynch. An ardent supporter of President Obama, Lynch joined him earlier this month in Los Angeles for two LGBT-themed fundraisers, and she visited the White House twice last week. (Above: The luncheon invitation)
The First Lady's luncheon will be at Fulton's on the River, a seafood and steak house located at 315 N. LaSalle Street. It will be followed by a second fundraiser, designed for the younger 'Gen44' voters. In between, Mrs. Obama will attend a bill-signing event with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. The second fundraiser is a reception at 3:00 PM at Venue One, located at 1004 W. Randolph Street. Tickets ranged from $44 to $4,000. The Fulton's event also had tickets available for $1,000 and $2,500; the higher priced tickets include a photo op with the First Lady. (Above: Mrs. Obama campaigning last week in Colorado)
Lynch's White House visit...A native of Dolton, Ill., Lynch is best known for playing cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester on Glee. She visited the White House last Thursday and Friday with her partner Lara Embry, whom she married in 2010. The Thursday visit was a VIP tour of the mansion, which included a visit to the pastry shop for some pie sampling, and a meeting with First Dog Bo. The couple, with Embry's daughter Haden, was back again on Friday, and watched the President departing the South Lawn aboard Air Force One. (Above: Lynch with Embry, l, and Haden, watching the take-off)
"It was amazing," Lynch told ABC News about the Thursday visit. “They let us taste the cherry pies.”
“Bo was pretty awesome," she added.
On Friday, Lynch's visit included "a brief drop by at the Oval [Office]," according to a White House official. She posted a video to her Twitter account of the windy moments of President Obama departing for Florida by helicopter, writing “Marine One lift Off!” Lynch also tweeted "Thank you Ellie Shafer!!! Assistant to the POTUS. You provided us with the tour of a lifetime!"
Lynch was with President Obama on June 6th when he attended a $40,000/plate fundraiser at Glee creator Ryan Murphy's Beverly Hills home. The 70 guests also included Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, and Hollywood agents, creatives, and studio execs. Glee co-star Darren Criss headlined an event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel earlier in the evening. Lynch narrates a five-minute Obama campaign video unveiled in May, which touts the President's "fight for LGBT rights."
In an event added to the First Lady's schedule late last week, Mrs. Obama will join Gov. Quinn on Tuesday in Chicago at 2:15 PM local time when he signs a bill making it easier for military spouses and veterans--who frequently re-locate, thanks to new assignments--to transfer their professional licenses to Illinois.
Vice President Joe Biden is in Chicago today for a fundraiser at the Lincoln Park home of Judy Wise. The dinner will be cooked by chef Michael Kornick of MK Restaurant. Ticket prices ranged from $1,500 to $10,000 per person.
The President and Mrs. Obama were last in Chicago over the Father's Day weekend.
*Photo of Mrs. Obama by Obama for America; Lynch photo by Reuters
