Dubai: As if Eva Longoria, Ricky Martin, Grammy-winning singer Maxwell and Lebanese star Haifa Wehbe didn’t provide enough star power at Saturday night’s Global Gift Gala, 50 Cent showed up as well, to help raise over $350,000 for the Noor Dubai Foundation.
The rapper — a fairly frequent visitor to the UAE and spokesman for a high-tech headphone brand — dropped into Longoria’s event at Supperclub on the Palm to auction off a set of headphones. “I wasn’t really expecting to come so I’m not that dressed up,” said the Candy Shop singer, who was all in black with a leather baseball cap, black jeans and black sweater. He gamely got on stage with Longoria to pump up the crowd, who had paid at least Dh1,500 for a seat at the benefit.
The lot eventually sold for $15,000 — to Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe, herself a performer on the night. Fiddy then took a seat next to Longoria and Ricky Martin, who was honoured for his work against human trafficking that night.
The funds raised will be used to help cure and prevent blindness around the world. Telling his own story of blindness was Turkish singer Metin Senturk, who also performed alongside Maxwell and sang his version of Frank Sinatra’s My Way.
Also up for auction was a portrait of Longoria, painted as guests ate their starter of burrata cheese with honey and truffle, which went for $40,000. Other items included VIP tickets to the next Global Gift Gala with Eva in Merbella, Spain ($45,000); an Argentinian polo pony ($14,000) and a pair of gold sunglasses ($12,000).
