The Crowd: Newport film festival to screen ‘Po,’ a tale of autistic son and single dad

Autism afflicts about one in 68 children born in the U.S. Over the past several decades the numbers have grown exponentially, raising questions and concerns among medical professionals as well as the public.

In the Newport-Mesa community, countless parents struggle with the condition and seek the best possible options for their children. It is not easy.

On Saturday, the Newport Beach Film Festival will screen an independent film titled “Po,” starring Christopher Gorham (“Covert Affairs,” “Ugly Betty”), Kaitlin Doubleday (“Empire”) and young actor Julian Feder in the role of Po, the autistic sixth-grade son of a single dad who then is diagnosed with cancer.

This is a film by director John Asher, based on a true story of a father and son who must confront both autism and cancer in a life with no mom. As a single parent, the challenge is magnified to just short of overwhelming.

For Asher, this movie is deeply personal. Asher and his former wife, Jenny McCarthy, are parents of a now-teenage son diagnosed as autistic when just a toddler. McCarthy created controversy in the media several years ago with her claim that multiple childhood vaccines in rapid succession were to blame for her son’s condition.

Rebuked by medical science, McCarthy has since backed away from her position. However, serious numbers of parents across the nation will not denounce the proposition, keeping their children from being vaccinated and, in turn, creating a firestorm of conflict in many communities and schools where unvaccinated children sit in classrooms with others.

The film has been screened at festivals nationwide and worldwide. Recently, at the Palm Springs Film Festival, “Po” took top honors. Standing ovations are common at screenings.

A chance meeting in an adjacent seat on a plane introduced Asher to composer Burt Bacharach. Their serendipitous connection would lead to a professional collaboration with the world-renowned composer offering to score “Po.” The rich melodic score by Bacharach enhances the emotional impact of “Po” as father, son and therapist, played by Doubleday, come to terms with the immense life challenges they face.

Asher, who is the adopted son of the late director William Asher, will join his well-known actress mother Joyce Bulifant and actor-stepdad Roger Perry for the screening at Triangle Cinemas in Costa Mesa at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

For tickets and information please visit the Newport Beach Film Festival website at newportbeachfilmfest.com.

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Intelligent media thrives

They called it “Some Enchanted Evening.”

The 8th annual PBS SoCal gala unfolded April 9 at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa. Taking on a South Pacific theme from its borrowed song title, the evening attracted some 225 guests and raised an impressive $480,000 for educational content associated with PBS SoCal.

Fronted by PBS SoCal President and CEO Andrew Russell and chaired by Jim McCluney, the event attracted a who’s who of local public broadcasting support. Major donors included Jim and Kelly Mazzo, Paul and Marybelle Musco, Phil and Mary Lyons, Jenny Jones, Jo Ellen Chatham and Bob Romney, to name a select few.

PBS anchor Maria Hall-Brown handled the emcee duties with style as honored guests of the night took the stage. Erin Gruwell, educator and founder of the Freedom Writers Foundation, joined representatives from fellow honoree Fred Rogers Co. Tiffany Jacobs introduced Gruwell.

Jacobs, one of the original Freedom Writers, is co-credited with the New York Times best-selling book “The Freedom Writers Diary,” written with Gruwell and others.

Russell introduced the Fred Rogers Co., which he was long associated with, along with Bill Isler, current CEO of the organization. “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” hosted by the late Fred Rogers, began to transform children’s lives over the airwaves in 1971.

The company continues today, creating and producing programming that includes “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” Peg + Cat” and “Odd Squad.”

Guests dined on a lovely Hyatt dinner of scallops in shell paired with Australian beer braised short ribs. Exquisite florals by Enzo dazzled the crowd. The evening also featured a lineup of entertainment, beginning with the All-American Boys Chorus, performers from Tausala Polynesia and the big band sounds of JT & Friends.

Support from John and Mary Tu, Bobby McDonald, Carolyn Powell, Sue Casey, Wendy and Barry Meyer, and Peggy and Tom Mitchell raised the financial bar for PBS SoCal.

In the words of the PBS motto, the evening was all about, “Learning more, doing more … and being more.” To get involved, please visit pbssocal.org.

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Ladies mix fun and purpose

At the end of April, the ladies of Balboa Bay Club’s 1221 Club auxiliary will come together to present their annual student scholarships to deserving and high-achieving Newport-Mesa graduating seniors bound for college.

Now in its 15th year, the fund has donated more than $1.5 million, making it the largest independent scholarship offered in the community. Awards totaling upward of $150,000 will be bestowed upon young men and women nominated by teachers and counselors from all local Newport-Mesa high schools, as well as from a selection of private schools in the region.

Recently, the ladies of the 1221 Club, led by president Kathy Hamilton, wife of Noel Hamilton, Wells Fargo private banker, gathered for two unique “friend-raisers.”

Up first, a midweek cruise aboard the multimillion mega yacht Bellissima, owned by pharmaceutical king Milan Panic.

Some 30 gals from the 1221 boarded Bellissima on a Wednesday afternoon for a cocktail cruise, which left Newport Harbor and headed out into the Pacific. Onboard enjoying the camaraderie were Donna Anderson, Carolyn Olsen, Virginia Savage, Denise Schuler, Donna Stevens and Pamela Selber. Carole Pickup, 1221 benefactor, with daughter Devon Martin and daughter-in-law Natalie Pickup were also onboard for the cruise.

The following week in April, the 1221 gals were invited by hostess, chef and farmer Anne Manassero for lunch at the family farm on Jeffrey Road in Irvine. Since the 1920s, generations of the Manassero family have tilled this soil, producing all variety of fresh produce. In a barn-like tent adjacent to the Manassero market on the property, celebrated chef Pascal Olhats joined Bay Club chef David Fuñe and his sous chef Brandon Hobbs preparing a farm-to-table luncheon for the 1221 crowd.

Seated at burlap covered picnic tables adored with silver champagne buckets and overflowing with centerpieces of leafy garden veggie leaves, the crowd — including Rita Sprinkel, Kim Axene, Mary Doyle, Jane Rivera, Mary Roosevelt, Anne Wortmann with daughter Devon Wortmann, Carlyn Armstrong, Virginia Robins (“Queen of Harbor Boulevard”) and CdM real estate star Adrienne Brandes — all broke bread over Manassero’s warm green lentil farro and chicken confit salad prepared tableside.

B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.