Barack Obama was in town yesterday for a fundraiser at Ryan Murphy’s house. The $40,000 per-couple evening saw the president speak for about 12 minutes before taking questions from the audience, Deadline reports. The audience included HBO’s president of programming Michael Lombardo, Julia Roberts, CAA’s Kevin Huvane and Bryan Lourd, Jane Lynch and Reese Witherspoon.

Earlier in the evening, the prez attended an LGBT gala at the Beverly Wilshire to talk about the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the record of his first term.

CBS boss Les Moonves, wife Julie Chen and Warner Bros. TV President Peter Roth were in the crowd along with Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer, Disney Worldwide Marketing president Ricky Strauss, Participant Media’s Jonathon Bass, CBS Sports President Sean McManus, screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, Cher, Max Mutchnick, Hulu’s Jamie Kershaw, Pauley Perrette and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

Ellen DeGeneres and Darren Criss performed before Obama’s 30-minute speech during which he said, “The fight on behalf of the LGBT community is part of a broader fight for all Americans.”

Some of the guests donated up to $25,000 each to Obama’s reelection effort for a chance to mingle and have their picture taken with the president.

The Beverly Wilshire gala and subsequent dinner were the largest in a recent series organized on Obama’s behalf by gay rights activists, who have flocked to support him since his forthright endorsement of marriage equality, The Hollywood Reporter notes.

Obama was set to stay in Beverly Hills Wednesday night. Today, he’ll travel to the hillside mansion of developer Charles Quarles in Viewpark.

http://www.deadline.com/2012/06/obama-back-in-la-for-donor-dinner-with-glee%E2%80%99s-ryan-murphy-lgbt-gala/

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