Lily Tomlin and RuPaul Celebrate Allee Willis, Who Wrote ‘Friends’ Theme Song, at Willis Wonderland Benefit
Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor The late great songwriter Allee Willis was celebrated Wednesday night with a fashion show and party benefiting the Willis Wonderland Foundation. Willis, whose credits included the Rembrandts’ “I’ll Be There for You,” better known as the “Friends” theme song, Earth Wind and Fire’s “September” (yesterday was the 21st) and a gaggle of disco-era hits, started the foundation to support the arts in underserved communities. She passed away from a cardiac event in 2019 at age 72. “She was a visual artist, performer, collector, party thrower extraordinaire with a whole amusement park full of kitsch-tastic colorful fashions,” Willis’ partner and the foundation’s CEO Prudence Fenton said. “Everything she did was all about making people happy. She lived to inspire others to express their own inner and outer creativity in every way. Creating art and music makes life worth living.”