Award-winning producer David Gest was honored with a lavish luncheon to celebrate his highly-anticipated autobiography, The Gest List From A-Z: My Wild and Wonderful Life.

CEO of Gest’s publishing company Ed Davidson welcomed Jay “Starmaker” Bernstein, Mr. Blackwell, Esther Williams, Jane Withers, Anne Jeffreys, and others, to the Beverly Hills Four Season’s breathtaking Venetian-inspired ballroom.

There, Davidson shared kind words about the guest of honor.

“David Gest is one of the most interesting characters in the history of the entertainment world,” he said. “Never has one person been so intimately involved in the entertainment industry; from cinema to rock and roll. His story it seems as much fiction as fact—except that is all real.”

He then handed the microphone over to Grammy award-winning diva Dionne Warwick. She beamed with joy as she spoke fondly about her long-time friend.

“David Gest has continued to show an enormous amount of caring, an enormous amount of giving, an enormous amount of love,” Warwick said. “Gest List does seem to be an appropriate title. He does have a list. A list from A-Z and I’m certain that all the celebrities and all the information you will find in this book will be quite appealing, quite informative. It is a pleasure.”

After Warwick’s warm introduction, Gest made his way to the stage. Following the audience’s thunderous applause greeting, he thanked his guests for their support. Gest also reflected on his book, scheduled for release in Spring 2007.

“It’s a book about the good times,” he said. “That’s how you have to live your life. It’s a book about people and the things I’ve learned from them. I have been fortunate to have a lot of friends.”