GM Ten 2007 – Gone Hollywood!

Actor Chris Kattan, dressed in Dolce & Gabbana, walks the runway with a 2008 Cadillac CTS at the GM TEN fashion event Tuesday, February 20, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. The event brings together the worlds of fashion, automotive design and entertainment under one roof. The “green machine” theme of the show features General Motors advanced technology vehicles, including many hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hybrids. (General Motors Photo)

GM does catch some fish to be sure. The GM Ten event this year is being held on the back lot of Paramount Studios. How often can you say that the red carpet rolls out the length of a city block? GM can certainly claim that honor – A-listers all the way. GM has managed to again seduce the best in acting, music, sports and modeling out to the annual affair. The mainstay of the affair is a fashion show with some dazzling cars from General Motors and numerous celebrities. What can be better?

Model Stacy Keibler walks the red carpet at the GM TEN gala event in Los Angeles, CA, Tuesday, February 20, 2007. The GM TEN event brings together celebrities, fashion and General Motors vehicles from around the world. (General Motors Photo)

Possibly you’ve heard of a few of these talented artists. Roaring down the runway in the best of designer fashions are featured celebrity models Academy Award nominees Jennifer Hudson, Jackie Earl Haley, Mary J. Blige, Katherine Heigl, Leah Remini, Hayden Panetierre, Adriana Barraza, Denise Richards, Milo Ventimiglia, Masi Oka, Mario Lopez, Donald Faison, Pete Wentz, Mekhi Phifer, Emmy Rossum, Jeremy Sisto, Shane West, Christina Milian, David Boreanaz, the glowing Roselyn Sanchez, Hayley Bennet, Sarah Wayne Callies and Jack Coleman. New to the list of runway models, Chris Kattan’s charisma can only be rivaled with Jeremy Piven’s from the prior year. Chris alongside the incredible-looking new Cadillac CTS has even this jaded crowd transfixed on his strutting down the catwalk.

Singer Mary J. Blige walks the runway with a 2009 Camaro Convertible at the GM TEN fashion event Tuesday, February 20, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. The event brings together the worlds of fashion, automotive design and entertainment under one roof. The “green machine” theme of the show features General Motors advanced technology vehicles, including many hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hybrids. (General Motors Photo)

Complementing the models for the night is a wall-to-wall sound stage filled to the brim with celebrities. Attendees filling the seats are T.R. Knight, Anthony Kiedis, Jenna Elfman, Orlando Bloom, Zach Braff, Cheryl Tiegs, the now regular attendees Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, Penelope Cruz, Kirsten Dunst, James Blunt, Bruce Willis, Lauren Conrad, Matthew Rhys, the always mesmerizing Stacy Kiebler, Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart, Russell Simmons, Zee James, Perry Farrell, James Blunt, Steven Colletti, Jason Bateman, Nick Cannon, Adam Brody, Lil Jon, Giovanni Ribisi, Jason Lee, Eric Szmanda, Scott Speedman, Danny Masterson, Guy Oseary, Brett Ratner, Dave Annable, Eva LaRue, Ashley Scott, Vincent Gallo, Reggie Bush, Terrell Owens, Melissa Rivers, Eva Pickford, Josh Henderson, Ione Skye, Ben Lee, Ken Davitian, and Joy Lauren.

Actress Katherine Heigl, dressed in Dolce & Gabbana, walks the runway with a Chevy Volt Electric Concept at the GM TEN fashion event Tuesday, February 20, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. The event brings together the worlds of fashion, automotive design and entertainment under one roof. The “green machine” theme of the show features General Motors advanced technology vehicles, including many hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hybrids. (General Motors Photo)

Perhaps the best perspective is shared by the actress Bai Ling. World class entertainers and autos share the night, but for Bai it’s about having a good time. She has the right idea, and GM does know what matters in putting together a bash like this, and they didn’t forget the music. The evening reflected various periods that have been so symbolic of this country, and dare I say, General Motors. Pounding sounds from Iggy Pops’s Search And Destroy during the show to the after-show featured performer Beck reinforced the history of the company and its future.

Actor Jackie Earle Haley, dressed in Dolce & Gabbana, walks the runway with a 1967 Corvette Convertible Stingray at the GM TEN fashion event Tuesday, February 20, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. The event brings together the worlds of fashion, automotive design and entertainment under one roof. The “green machine” theme of the show features General Motors advanced technology vehicles, including many hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hybrids. (General Motors Photo)

Southern California is known not just for the stars, but also the cars. General Motors did bring some showstoppers. The line-up consists of two genres overall, the greener/fuel friendly vehicles and sexy performance machines. Chevrolet Volt Plug-In Electric Vehicle, Chevrolet Equinox Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Chevrolet Sequel Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Saturn VUE Greenline Hybrid, Saturn Aura Greenline Hybrid, and a Cadillac Escalade Hybrid offer up the former. The visual stimulation is left to cars like the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Concept, ’59 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, GMC Acadia, Custom Jay-Z GMC Yukon Denali, Saturn Sky RedLine, Saturn Astra, Cadillac CTS, Saab 9-7X, Custom Pontiac Solstice Buick Lucerne, and Buick Enclave. A crowd pleasing ’54 Custom Buick shows that the company’s rich history is just as iconic as some of the incredible cars they are developing right now. With GM’s West Coast design studio in North Hollywood, the location seems to take on even more importance in absorbing the magic tonight. Present on the red carpet sharing the limelight with the invitees are the fabulous GM EcoJet, Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, Chevrolet Tahoe E85, Chevrolet Z06, and Custom Chevrolet Camaro.

Actor Tyrese, dressed in Dolce & Gabbana, walks the runway with a Pontiac Solstice “Transformer” at the GM TEN fashion event Tuesday, February 20, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. The event brings together the worlds of fashion, automotive design and entertainment under one roof. The “green machine” theme of the show features General Motors advanced technology vehicles, including many hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hybrids. (General Motors Photo)

Like anything in life, some get it and some don’t. As another media wag asked in an honest and uncertain roundabout manner, what is this affair all about? The simple answer is, it’s complicated. But to comprehend this is akin to understanding why millions upon millions are spent on automotive designs. Does this really make a difference in operation of the car? Being very objective, only somewhat. But humans aren’t objective when it comes to cars. We are subjective. People are influenced by everything from shape, to color, to new car smell. To understand great cars is to understand the influences that create them, and beyond any doubt there aren’t too many influences bigger than the entertainment industry.

Actor Mario Lopez, dressed in Dolce & Gabbana, walks the runway with a DUB Buick Lucerne at the GM TEN fashion event Tuesday, February 20, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. The event brings together the worlds of fashion, automotive design and entertainment under one roof. The “green machine” theme of the show features General Motors advanced technology vehicles, including many hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hybrids. (General Motors Photo)

The GM Ten does have an almost palm reader’s ability to forecast Oscar winners. In the prior GM Ten events, we have been treated to the presence of actors like Adrian Brody and Jamie Foxx, who only days afterwards walked away with the golden statue.

Actress Christina Millian, dressed in Monique Lhuillier, walks the runway with a 1952 Buick Riviera at the GM TEN fashion event Tuesday, February 20, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. The event brings together the worlds of fashion, automotive design and entertainment under one roof. The “green machine” theme of the show features General Motors advanced technology vehicles, including many hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hybrids. (General Motors Photo)

Lately, GM has been delivering a better-than-anticipated performance in so many ways. Maybe this is its year. And the award goes to…

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