Cool Comedy-Hot Cuisine at Brooklyn Bowl offers laughs, food to fight scleroderma

The foundation was founded in San Francisco in 1987 by Sharon Monsky, one of Feniger’s best friends who contracted the disease and later died from it. Saville Kellner, SRF board member and event chairman, again leads this year’s event as a supporter and patient.

Diagnosed about five years ago — his first sign was a flare-up of his fingers that turned them blue, then red after playing soccer — Las Vegas resident Kellner said the goal of the event is twofold: to raise money to a find cure and to raise awareness so that more people know about scleroderma. Kellner said the fundraising goal for Cool Comedy-Hot Cuisine is $1 million.

“I am one of the lucky ones at this point in time. I went vegan and I started exercising after the diagnosis,” said Kellner, who also takes medications to treat scleroderma. “I’ve done well, and I’ve been pretty blessed. But I had it for two years, and I didn’t know it.”

The bi-annual Cool Comedy-Hot Cuisine — this is the second one in Las Vegas — raises awareness and funds for research and treatment of the debilitating disease. Scleroderma means “hard skin,” but the disease also affects internal organs with lethal consequences.

Joints and muscles can be affected, leading to pain and limited mobility. Vascular damage can result in loss of fingers, toes and limbs, but the most serious complications involve the lungs and kidneys.

Women are disproportionately affected with scleroderma, representing four of five patients and most often between the ages of 20 and 50, as are African Americans; however, men, as evidenced by Kellner, and children of all ages and ethnicities also are affected. There is currently no way to prevent scleroderma, and there is no cure.

Cool Comedy-Hot Cuisine begins with a cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner prepared by Feniger, Milliken, Moonen and Keller. Comedian and former host Bob Saget is serving as the headliner this year; Saget’s sister died from scleroderma.

Entertainers from ABSINTHE at Caesars Palace, comedians, rockers Neon Trees and Las Vegas’ Bella Electric Strings also will perform for Cool Comedy-Hot Cuisine attendees, while The Gazillionaire and Penny Pibbets from ABSINTHE will conduct the live auction.

Kellner said that producing Cool Comedy-Hot Cuisine is “a massive amount of work,” but that the results are worth it and credited longtime supporters Feniger and Saget for doing the majority of the work for many years, with Feniger overseeing the culinary components and Saget securing all of the talent.

“We have amazing sponsors this year, and I couldn’t be more thankful,” Kellner said. This year’s supporters include presenting sponsor Actelion Pharmaceuticals, diamond sponsor Breakthru Beverage (formerly Wirtz) and Dignity Health and Embraer. Tickets for Cool Comedy-Hot Cuisine are available at SRFCure.org.

How will Kellner know that Cool Comedy-Hot Cuisine is a success, aside from raising $1 million? “I want people to leave the event saying, ‘This was an amazing. I had a really, really good time, and I cannot wait for the next one.’ ”

“It might sound weird to say this, but scleroderma has now become a blessing in my life,” Kellner summed up. “It has allowed me to help people and given me so much more meaning in my life.”