George Clooney honored at Carousel of Hope Ball George Clooney was honored this weekend at the annual Carousel of Hope Ball, a black tie auction that raises money for diabetes treatment and research. Carl Reiner was originally scheduled to present Clooney the award, but instead actress Shirley MacLaine stepped in for Reiner who wasn't feeling well, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The two-hour silent auction, emceed by Jay Leno, raised $2.5 million, according to THR. "American Idol's" Jessica Sanchez, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Neil Diamond and Fernando Varela provided entertainment for the evening. Celebrity guests included Sidney Poitier, Jane Fonda, Julianne Hough, Halle Robinson Peete and Jennie Garth.