Benefit Stays Tuned to ‘America’

They unchained some patriotic melodies at The Hop in Fountain Valley on Tuesday night.

The upbeat benefit for the American Red Cross marked the premiere of “America,” a weekly show staged at the popular rock ‘n’ roll emporium owned by the Righteous Brothers--Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield.

Among program selections: passionate renditions of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “America the Beautiful,” and John Lennon’s haunting “Imagine.”

“We developed the show with the war in mind,” the throaty-voiced Medley said before he took the spotlight to introduce the act. “Well, the war ended, thank God.

“But we decided to stay with it to keep everybody focused on America. We think it’s important.”

Hatfield--whose ‘60s recording of “Unchained Melody” is featured in the blockbuster movie “Ghost”--said he and Medley didn’t have time to be part of the new gig.

“We’re on the road too much to be here every Tuesday night,” he said, wearily. “For instance, tomorrow morning we leave for a long tour that begins in North Carolina.”

How did he feel about “Unchained Melody” hitting the charts again after all these years? “It’s a pretty amazing thing,” Hatfield said, shaking his head. “After 25 years, it’s a miracle . I’m just glad it worked.”

Faces in the crowd: George Chitty, director of the local Red Cross chapter; John Coelho, a Red Cross Spirit Award winner, and Terry Hartshorn (CEO of Pacificare), incoming Red Cross board chairman.

Social Scoop: Grab those social calendars and mark May 11. That’s the date a carousel hand-carved in Kent, England, will make its initial rounds at South Coast Plaza’s Crystal Court.

The Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation will be the beneficiary of the fun-filled unveiling, which will include breakfast (featuring banana-walnut and apple-cinnamon pancakes, among other foods to-diet-for) and a parade of complimentary treats for kiddies such as face painting, caricatures, balloon animals and puppet shows. (And a finger-licking bonus: a miniature chocolate horse for each party-goer.)

The 12-horse merry-go-round is based on Arthurian legend. The colorful horses have names such as King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Merlin and Queen Guinevere. The carousel’s rounding boards feature scenes from the legend--Excalibur rising from a lake, Sir Galahad approaching a castle to take his seat among the Knights of the Round Table, even King Arthur dying in the arms of Sir Bedivere.

The event is open to the public. The charge is $25 for adults, $10 for children.

Frisky business: It was tricky getting into Casino Chicago, the Laguna Art Museum benefit held at Gustaf Anders restaurant in Santa Ana last week. First, you had to remember to tell them “Joe” sent you, then you had to be frisked by Tuck Coop, a guy with an eye for the “goils.”

Did Coop uncover any, um, arms? “Well, no,” he said, puffing on a smoking stogie. “But I guess I found a lot more than I should have.”

Guests “gambled” at gaming tables while they listened to Confrey Phillips and his band play Dixieland tunes.

Fashion statements included feathery boas and beauty marks. “The most fun thing for me tonight was finding a place for my fake beauty mark,” said a breathless Teri Kennady “I tried three times. It doesn’t come easily.”

Debi Bremner was chairwoman of the bash staged by the museum’s Exhibitionists support group.