Washington Free Beacon journalist and resident firearms expert Stephen Gutowski raised almost $2,000 for the troops as part of the Fourth Annual Veterans Day Celebrity Auction, cohosted by CNN's Jake Tapper.
With a winning bid of $1,825, one lucky individual will receive a deluxe firearms training package (for two) that includes 6-8 hours' worth of instruction and target practice under Gutowski's seasoned tutelage. The money raised will benefit Homes For Our Troops, a nonprofit organization that builds custom homes for severely injured military veterans.
In addition to Gutowski, several other notable celebs took part in the auction, including Jerry Seinfeld, George Clooney, Jon Stewart, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Gutowski's gun lessons were a hot item, obviously, generating more financial interest than the 30-minute Zoom calls offered by PBS journalist Judy Woodruff and Full House star Bob Saget.
Gutowski also managed to outraise celebrity actor Josh Gad, who contributed a personalized voice message as Olaf the snowman from Disney's Frozen, and brought in almost as much money as Sean Penn ($2,025), Joe Scarborough ($2,050), and Monica Lewinsky, who donated a vintage reversible handbag that sold for $2,025.
The auction was a stunning success, generating more than $400,000 for U.S. servicemen and women. A Zoom cocktail hour with MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace raised more than $11,000, while a coffee session with CNN's Jim Sciutto and Poppy Harlow raised almost $2,300. A half-hour Zoom call with Trump-era comedian Sarah Cooper raised more than $10,000.