The Power of Celebrity, Part 1: Raising $160K Without Writing a Check

Let me get this out of the way: yes, this post is going to include some name-dropping — but for good reason.

One of the more unusual parts of being a charity benefit auctioneer is getting to work with celebrities. I’m not best friends with any of them, but I’ve seen firsthand the kind of energy — and money — a well-placed celebrity appearance can bring to a room. And there’s no better example than what happened the night Harrison Ford showed up.

About ten years ago, my friend and mentor Mark Buleziuk — one of the best real estate auctioneers in the world — invited me to co-host a major charity event for a national air show organization. A few days before the event, we got the call: Harrison Ford would be attending to receive an award. Oh, and he was donating something truly wild — a one-hour private one-on-one flight with him as pilot.

It was the kind of item that had to be spotlighted. We slotted it two-thirds into the program — prime real estate — and opened bidding at $5,000.

I’ve never seen so many paddles in the air. Of the 1,200 people in the room, probably half raised their paddles right away. The numbers jumped to $10K, $15K, and all the way up to $70K in about 10 seconds. Finally, it came down to two bidders duking it out. That’s when Harrison coolly waved me over and held up two fingers.

He’d offer two plane rides.

I turned to the second-highest bidder and asked if he’d take the second ride for $80,000. Of course, he said yes. And just like that, Harrison Ford raised $160,000 by donating a few hours of his time.

He could’ve just cut a check. But instead, he created a moment. That’s the power of celebrity — and generosity — at its finest.

Also, yes, I got a photo. And yes, he’s just as kind and cool as you’d hope.

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