LaunchAbility has quite the reputation for bringing some very big names to Dallas to perform for its annual A Special Evening concert series. Supporters recently gathered at the home of Holly and Doug Deason to learn the identity of the superstar entertainer in 2014.
Lynn and Allan McBee, Anne and Steve Stodghill, Mary Gill, Lori Barber, Meredith and Kyle Liner, and Cher and Ray LaDieu mixed and mingled in anticipation of the big reveal. Finally, 2014 A Special Evening co-chairs Piper and Mike Wyatt broke the suspense: R&B legend and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Smokey Robinson will headline the spring concert at the Meyerson Symphony Center, hosted by Alliance Data.
“Piper and I have been involved with A Special Evening from the beginning and are honored to have the opportunity to serve as co-chairs this year,” said Mike Wyatt, who is also the president of LaunchAbility's community advisory board.
“We have been so impressed with the work of LaunchAbility, which helps children and adults with developmental disabilities gain the independence and confidence they need to lead fulfilling lives. We want to see the continued success of this organization and invite the community to join us for an extraordinary night on March 31.”
Past Special Evening entertainers include legends such as Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, k.d. Lang, Tom Jones, The Doobie Brothers, Dionne Warwick, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Bonnie Raitt, The Pointer Sisters, Willie Nelson, Kenny Loggins and Vince Gill.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (from left) Reece Weaver, Sophy Laufer, Camille Sturdivant, and Charly Barby; Charlotte Jones, Jerry Jones, Ted Sarandos, and Bela Bajaria
Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys headed to Hollywood on August 11 for the silver-star-studded premiere of Netflix's forthcoming series America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys.
Releasing August 19, the documentary series will "tell the story of how 'America’s Team' established a legacy," Netflix says, adding, "America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys is the definitive story of the Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones’ impact on NFL history. What began as a daring purchase led to the assembly of the iconic ’90s football team."
Watch the trailer here:
Jerry, his wife, Gene Jones, and their extended family - including children and Cowboys execs Charlotte Jones, Stephen Jones, and Jerry Jones, Jr. - walked the blue carpet at the The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood in Los Angeles ahead of the premiere.
They were joined by an A-list roster of Cowboys greats, Hollywood stars, and celebrity athletes and TV broadcasters. Among them: Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith (with Smith's kids Elijah and Rheagen Smith), Marshawn Lynch, James Washington, TV host Mario Lopez, broadcaster Al Michaels, sports reporters Andrea Kremer, Jamie Erdahl and Taylor Bisciotti, Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Nastia Liukin, actress Molly Burnett, and Dallas-based reality TV star Rachel Lindsay.
Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix, and Bela Bajaria, chief content officer for Netflix, helped throw the event for the Cowboys. New Paramount-Skydance owner David Ellison was there, as well. In fact, he was a driving force behind the series. America's Team is the first project to come out of a joint venture between NFL Films and Skydance Sports.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix's Bajaria told the audience before the screening, “Back in March of 2023, I was having lunch with David Ellison at the Tower Bar, and he mentioned he had secured the rights to the telling of the Dallas Cowboys. I don’t think he got the sentence out before I said, ‘Wait, wait, wait, stop, we have to have it no matter what.’ And he said, ‘No, no, no, I’m telling you I’m getting the deal, I don’t have it closed yet.’ I was like, ‘It doesn’t matter, we just have to have it,'” as she’s a big Cowboys fan. “So, David thank you for saying yes; Cowboys, too, thank you for saying yes.”
America's Team will feature appearances by players who became household names in the ’90s, Netflix says — Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders — as well as head coaches Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer and high-profile fans such as former President George W. Bush and Nike co-founder Phil Knight. It is directed by brothers Chapman and Maclain Way.
America's Team will be available for streaming on Netflix on August 19.
It follows the highly successful Netflix series about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, America's Sweethearts, now in its second season. Several DCC stars were part of the America's Team L.A. premiere, including Reece Weaver, Sophy Laufer, Camille Sturdivant, and Charly Barby.
Tailgate with CultureMap Dallas Cowboys fans who are inspired by the Netflix show can then get in the gameday spirit at CultureMap's big fall sport bash, The Tailgate. Taking place at The Empire Room on Sunday, October 5 (aka the day the Cowboys take on the New York Jets), the party will include tailgate-inspired cuisine from local restaurants, premium cocktails, sports celebrity appearances, a silent auction of sports memorabilia, and more.
Early-bird tickets are already on sale for just $35. Read more about The Tailgate here and nab discounted tickets here. With sponsors like FLIGHT by Yuengling, Sportsmo, Puttshack, Mizzen+Main, Antone's Famous Po' Boys, and more, this party will score big with everyone. You don't want to stay on the bench.
Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (from left) Reece Weaver, Sophy Laufer, Camille Sturdivant, and Charly Barby; Charlotte Jones, Jerry Jones, Ted Sarandos, and Bela Bajaria
