Dish Of Salt: ‘Grey’s Anatomy’/’Private Practice’ Charity Show ‘Good Medicine’

On Friday night the casts of “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice” joined together to help out the crewmembers affected by the writer’s strike. They all joined together at UCLA’s Royce Hall to put on a charity show dubbed “Good Medicine.” Considering that between the two casts there are Tony Winners, Broadway stars and Emmy winners, it promised to be an interesting night.

Only 1,800 people got a chance to catch this fun evening of music and laughter. While the majority who attended was family, friends, press, crew members and recurring cast members (Joe the bartender from “Grey’s” was three seats in front of me) many of the attendees had traveled from as far as Canada to come catch a glimpse of their favorite TV doctors.

I was lucky enough to be able to get tickets to the sold out show, which I’d call a combination “American Idol” meets the SAG Awards meets “The Gong Show” meets your local high school’s talent show. Here is what went down inside.

The show started off with a funny taped message from McDreamy himself, Patrick Dempsey, who said he was in Japan promoting his Disney film “Enchanted.” With a ‘wink wink’ he couldn’t miss the chance to plug the film, “Soon to be released on DVD.”

Dempsey acknowledged how important the writers were to his show by joking, “Without them I’d still be known as that beefy teen from ‘Can’t Buy Me Love.’”

Next to the stage was Dr. Izzy Stevens, Katherine Heigl, looking beautiful in a red knee length dress. Heigl revealed that all proceeds from the event would go to the Solidarity Fund started by the WGA.

True “Grey’s” fans know that Sara Ramirez, who plays Dr. Callie Torres, won the 2005 Tony for her role as ‘The Lady of the Lake’ in Monty Python’s “Spamalot.” I knew this, but I still had no idea how well this chick can sing! Her booming voice brought the house to its feet with a performance of the song “Meadowlark.”

Ellen Pompeo took to the stage next to briefly thank everyone for coming and to introduce the next singer, T.R. Knight. We know him now as intern George O’Malley but T.R. got his start in musical theater and has appeared on Broadway.

Just before he tackled the song “Losing My Mind/You Could Drive A Person Crazy” from Sondheim’s “Follies” he begged for a little understanding,

“It’s been 13 years since I’ve done something like this and I’m following Sara Ramirez.”

While T.R. didn’t have the pipes that Sara did, he still did a great job with the song and had fun doing it.

Out next was the new kid on the block, Dr. Erica Hahn, aka… Brooke Smith, with McSteamy, aka… Eric Dane, looking extra hot in a black suit. They introduced Dr. Miranda Bailey, Chandra Wilson, looking very diva-liscious in a floor length black gown. Also a former Broadway star, she tackled the song “God Bless the Child.” Though she sounded pretty good, right about now in the show was where I felt like I was watching “American Idol: Grey’s Edition.” I can only imagine what Simon Cowell would be saying at this point.

Not to be outdone, the “Private Practice” docs had their chance to show off their stuff. Paul Adelstein, who plays Dr. Cooper Freedman, picked up a guitar and sang “Slip Slidin Away” and later busted out on the piano to “California Stars” as his co-star Tim Daly played guitar, Amy Brenneman braved vocals (and the tambourine) alongside Chris Lowell, who as it turns out can play a mean harmonica.

A very, very tan Justin Chambers then joined “Grey’s” newcomer Chyler Leigh on stage where he revealed a little behind the scenes scoop. Apparently the cast and crew every week have a little raffle going. Each week everyone writes his or her name on a five-dollar bill. They throw the money in a raffle bucket and whomever’s name gets called gets the money that week. We totally need to start doing this at Access Hollywood!

Bringing the first act to a close was four time Tony Winner Audra McDonald, whose voice I can only describe as, “Wow!”

Apparently, the Broadway fifteen minute intermission rule doesn’t apply, as about 30 minutes later it was finally time for act two, which started with a taped message from Kate Walsh who said she was down in Australia promoting “Private Practice.” While getting a massage on her hotel balcony Kate joked, “We have all felt the affect of the strike especially in my neck and shoulders.”

I’m not exactly sure when this was taped though because I do know that on Friday when this was happening Kate was on a plane to Utah

Next out was the very handsome Taye Diggs to introduce a performance by Loretta Divine who plays the chief’s wife on “Greys.” Also a Broadway star (she originated the role of Lorell in “Dreamgirls”), she tackled Whitney Houston’s “I Believe in You and Me.”

The night’s laugh out loud moment came when the Chief, James Pickens Jr., dressed as James Brown (with cape and all) came out to lip sync “I Feel Good.” The man’s got some surprisingly slick moves. It was all a rouse though to help introduce the real singer in his family, his wife, Gina Taylor Pickens.

Though she is an actual professional singer, this moment made me feel like I was attending a Christmas party where they throw an employee talent show.

Finally, Sandra Oh makes a brief appearance followed by “Grey’s” and “Practice” creator Shonda Rhimes, who came out to introduce the night’s surprise guest. I was so excited because she talked this person up like she was Madonna. Instead, it turned out to be singer-songwriter Patty Griffin, who sang a beautiful song, “Up To the Mountain,” but I still had no clue who she was.

The casts of both shows came out together to thank everyone for coming and then the incredible Sara Ramirez was back to close out the show with the song “Grateful.”

After the show was over the entire group could be heard hooting and hollering in a back room, just like I did when my schoolmates and I made it through opening night of “The Music Man.”