A recent event aimed at bringing together top talent in Los Angeles turned out to be a complete failure, sparking rumors from industry insiders and socialites, Variety reported.
TEDx Beverly Grove took place on March 14, and organizers touted it as “a rare moment in L.A. when a room full of strangers agrees to do the hardest thing: pay attention. Because paying attention is where change begins.”
Organized through TEDx, a grassroots organization accredited by thought leadership tank TED, the Bevley Grove event was promised to include celebrities such as real estate mogul Rick Caruso and Michelin-starred chef Aitor Zavala. For $154 per ticket, attendees could watch a day’s worth of talks from sponsors including Los Angeles Magazine. Promotional materials are set against the backdrop of West Hollywood and promote the city’s extraordinary cultural and economic influence, with photos of landmarks such as the Pacific Design Center (pictured) and shopping hub the Beverly Center. Prior to the event, the Hollywood Reporter published an authentic article about it. None of it was what it seemed, according to several attendees and a number of people familiar with the situation.
The event was held at the Black Box Theater on Santa Monica Boulevard. Next to 7-Eleven. The boxed lunches were catered by Mendocino Farms, a grab-and-go cafe. Mr. Caruso did not show up. (According to a spokesperson, Mr. Caruso never responded to a statement and repeatedly requested that his image be removed from the TEDxBeverly Grove website. His photo was finally removed on Tuesday, 10 days after the event.) Despite being listed as “full” online, two witnesses said the room had 25 attendees and few speakers (most of those in attendance were volunteers, officials added).
But the day’s most dramatic moment centered on TEDx Beverly Globe organizer and former film producer Marvin V. Acuña, who was served legal documents by a process server before he took the podium to give opening remarks, two sources said. Acuna did not physically accept the documents, forcing the process server to drop them on the floor, another source added. The scene prompted Los Angeles Magazine publisher Christopher Gialanella to flee the event with a promotional copy of the monthly magazine under his arm, officials said. Acuna did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
“We regularly attend community events to support former contributors and engage with local leaders. My attendance at TEDx Beverly Grove was in that spirit, and I came to support what was held as a community-centered gathering. I had prior commitments, so I departed once the scheduled speaking period had passed,” Gialanella told Variety in a statement.
Days after TEDx Beverly Grove, all eyes are on Acuña and his connection to the city. His credits as a film producer include Amanda Seyfried’s “Loveless” and Jenna Elfman’s “Touched,” as well as the Bravo singing competition series “Platinum Hits.” According to IMDB, Acuña’s return to show business tapered off in the mid-2010s. Acuna later entered the food retail space as a plant-based pizza startup, according to legal filings reviewed by Variety. He was later accused of embezzling millions of dollars from investors. Mr. Acuña denied the charges, but money judgments totaling approximately $1 million were later entered against him. At the same time, Acuña filed for bankruptcy. Acuna’s official website now claims he is the founder of startup MoBal, a fitness company billed as a “leadership incubator powered by physical mastery.”
Some in L.A.’s power circles question Acuña’s proximity to the numbers he reportedly booked (a person familiar with Caruso said the developer doesn’t know Acuña). It’s also unclear which sponsors were charged fees to attend TEDxBeverly Grove.
Gialanella did not comment on the nature of Los Angeles magazine’s sponsorship. A representative for Zavala said neither he nor his popular Somni restaurant paid any participation fees. Sheff added that he was “unaware of the circumstances” described in the story, and said his involvement was “limited to preparing and presenting the talk. It was my first time speaking publicly in the United States, and I was focused on sharing something personal about my journey.”
