Fanny’s Restaurant Debuts Supper Club Series Named After ‘Funny Girl’ “Hello, Gorgeous” Line

“Hello, Gorgeous.” 

That is, of course, the classic line uttered by Barbra Streisand’s Fanny Brice in 1968’s Funny Girl. Starting Saturday night, it’s also the name of a new monthly live music series and supper club at the character’s namesake restaurant, Fanny’s, inside the Academy Museum.

Fanny’s, from restaurateurs Bill Chait and Carl Schuster and featuring chef Raphael Francois, will get a Hello, Gorgeous makeover that will feature a music program curated by KCRW vet Jason Bentley, dramatic lighting, a prix fixe menu and an eclectic mix of entertainers. The night will see guests seated (via online reservations) at 7:15 p.m. with tiered packages on offer.

Kicking it off tomorrow night will be singer-songwriter Danielle Ponder, recently seen on Late Night with Seth Meyers and at SXSW. As for Bentley, he’s well-known in music circles as the longtime former host of KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic, a music producer and supervisor with credits on such films as Top Gun: Maverick, Tron: Legacy and The Matrix Reloaded.

Bill Kramer, who presides over the Academy Museum and was recently named to succeed Dawn Hudson as CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, praised the creative collaborators who have aligned to support it including Chait, Schuster, chef Francois, Bentley and veteran style, culture and entertainment journalist Merle Ginsberg (“Merle knows everyone in town”), the latter of whom will serve as a host.

“We wanted to create an inclusive, lively, and festive environment that feels like a modern-day supper club. We are thrilled to be launching this with film music supervisor Jason Bentley and Danielle Ponder, a spectacular performer whose focus on social impact aligns so nicely with the mission of our museum,” Kramer told The Hollywood Reporter via email. “Their work along with a spectacular Fanny’s menu sets the tone for Hello, Gorgeous.”

Speaking of the name, Kramer suggested it was a simple one to zero in on: “We wanted the evening to connect back to the origin story of the restaurant — Fanny Brice and Funny Girl. And what line from the film is more iconic?”

The incoming Academy boss confirmed he will be in the building to celebrate tomorrow night. “I will be there to celebrate Jason, Raphael, Danielle, Fanny’s and everything that makes our Academy Museum such a welcoming, spirited and artist-centric environment,” he said, adding that his long-term hopes are for Hello, Gorgeous and “Fanny’s to become a staple of L.A. dining and nightlife.”

Fanny’s is located inside the Academy Museum at 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.