SIR Elton John's 2010 post-Oscars AIDS Foundation party was a hit - the singer raised a massive $3.7 million (£2.5 million) in just a few hours at the lavish star-studded bash.
The Rocket Man hitmaker and his partner David Furnish invited a host of celebrities, including Betty White, Nicole Richie and Victoria Beckham, to attend the 18th annual celebration, which raises money for the fight against AIDS.
After a lavish dinner and a performance by Grace Jones, guests were invited to participate in a live auction, where John sold the costume he wore at the Grammy Awards in January (10) for $30,000 (£20,000) and a watch from his collection for $90,000 (£60,000).
Also up for grabs was a photo of U.S. President Barack Obama at college, which sold for $60,000 (£40,000), and private tennis lessons from Andre Agassi and Steffi Graff, which raised $70,000 (£47,000).
The generous host also took in $140,000 (£93,000) by auctioning off a week-long stay at his home in Nice, France.
He said, "I'm so blown away this year. We're supposedly struggling though a recession and yet it keeps getting better every year."