Aretha Franklin sings "Respect" for Larry King's "benefit'

Aretha Franklin almost steals show with performance

Larry King's recent trip to Washington may have gotten off to an awkward start (the CNN host attempted to fly commercial, failed airport security and got a full pat-down), but he was all grins and full of jokes at Saturday's gala at the Washington Ritz-Carlton for the Larry King Cardiac Foundation.

"Shawn and I are very happy to be back here in Washington," King said, standing alongside wife Shawn Southwick-King. "I spent 20 years living in McLean, Virginia, met so many people in the Republican and Democratic parties [who] spoke to me through their interpreters," King joked.

Several big-name supporters of the Kings were in the audience, including Hustler's Larry Flynt and actress Jane Seymour, who arrived fashionably late.

And though there was an Elvis impersonator and comedian Cathy Ladman performed, it was Aretha Franklin's performance that really made the night. The "Queen of Soul" started her set with a little "Respect," and her band, slated to play about 40 minutes, jammed for a full hour. Franklin at one point gave a shout-out to Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., who was seated in the audience.

King did not dance. (Neither did Seymour, for that matter). But Southwick-King swayed to and fro and took video of Franklin's performance using her iPhone.

And as for King's trip back? We hear he ditched commercial. Instead, he hopped a ride on a friend's private jet.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/blogs/yeas-and-nays/Big-Night-Out_...

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• Aretha Franklin
• Larry King