Clearview Cinemas Kicks Off 11th Year Of Chelsea Classics Series At The Historic Ziegfeld Theatre, With Guest Star Lisa Lampanelli To Receive Pride Award

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Clearview Cinemas announces a special kickoff to the 11th year of its popular Chelsea Classics Series, with special guest star Lisa Lampanelli and an interactive screening with audience participation of the classic, "Mommie Dearest." The exclusive event will be held on Thursday, June 21, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. at the historic Ziegfeld Theatre.

Prior to the screening, Clearview Cinemas and Metro Source Magazine will present the 2nd Annual Pride Award to comedian Lisa Lampanelli for her outstanding work in raising funds for the Gay Men's Health Crisis.  Each year, this award is presented to a celebrity who is making a positive difference within the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual & Transgender community.

The special anniversary screening of "Mommie Dearest" will be featured in state-of-the-art digital cinema.  Guests can enjoy an entertaining pre-show, with plenty of prize giveaways and audience interaction, hosted by comedian Hedda Lettuce. Hedda will conduct a live interview with Rutanya Alda, who stars as Carol Ann in "Mommie Dearest."

Clearview first introduced the weekly classic series in May 2002 with "Mommie Dearest" and since then, Clearview has continued to  showcase a traditional or cult classic film screening every Thursday night at the Chelsea Cinemas on 23rd Street.  Each screening features a special hosted pre-show and giveaways.  Some of the most popular films that have been featured include "Valley of the Dolls," "Mame," and "All About Eve."

"We are thrilled to host this special 11th year kickoff event of the popular Chelsea Classics in such a big way.  Having the fabulously funny and talented Lisa Lampanelli on hand to receive this special award for such important work is a wonderful addition to our celebration.  It's sure to be an entertaining evening that our guests will enjoy," said Craig O'Connor, director of marketing, Clearview Cinemas.

Lisa Lampanelli has become a household name as a standout contestant on this season of NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice".  Lisa is currently working on a one-woman show for Broadway with "700 Sundays" writer, Alan Zweibel, and she will hit the big screen in October appearing in the David Chase-directed feature film, Not Fade Away. This Grammy-nominated equal opportunity offender is a regular on late-night television, the Comedy Central Roasts, and is a frequent guest and guest host on Howard Stern's Sirius satellite radio shows. Lisa has also appeared on EXTRA as a guest correspondent, is a frequent guest and co-host on TMZ, and has sold out theaters across the country, including NYC's Radio City Music Hall, the Chicago Theatre, and Carnegie Hall.  She also recently guest-starred on an episode of NBC's "Whitney" and writes the monthly "Women" column for Playboy magazine. Lampanelli joined the ranks of comedy greats with her 2009 HBO comedy special, "Long Live the Queen," and that same year, released her autobiography, Chocolate, Please: My Adventures in Food, Fat and Freaks. Lisa's greatest hits CD, "Equal Opportunity Offender," was released this past April. Lisa's charity work in support of the LGBT community started over a year ago when she donated $50,000 to the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) in response to a protest of her show by the hate group, the Westboro Baptist Church. Shortly thereafter, Lisa began volunteering as a meal server at the GMHC's NYC headquarters, and she most recently won $130,000 for the GMHC during her participation in NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice."

A subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation since 1998, Clearview Cinemas was formed in 1994 and currently operates 46 movie theatres with 243 screens in the New York metropolitan area, including the famous Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City.  Clearview Cinemas operates theatres in New Jersey, Manhattan, Westchester, Rockland County, Long Island and Pennsylvania.  More information can be found at www.clearviewcinemas.com.

SOURCE Clearview Cinemas