Starting at 8pm tonight, this two-hour, music and celebrity benefit telecast will air live to the East Coast, tape delayed on the West, on NBC, USA,
Bravo, Trio, SCI FI, PAX, Telemundo, MSNBC and CNBC with phone
lines remaining open throughout the evening at 1-800-HELP-NOW.
Musical performances by
Madonna
Sheryl Crow
Annie Lennox
Stevie Wonder
Maroon 5
Norah Jones
Sarah McLachlan
Mary J. Blige
Lenny Kravitz
John Mayer
Eric Clapton
Kenny Chesney
Gloria Estefan
Elton John
Nelly
Scheduled appearances by Halle Berry, Kevin Spacey, Usher, George Clooney, Uma Thurman, Matt Damon, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas, Bruce Willis, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Tim Robbins, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes, Jay Leno, Drew Barrymore and a special message from Former Presidents George Bush & Bill Clinton.
Funds raised through this special will support the American Red Cross two-phased assistance plan which includes specialized relief immediately and over the long term in the following areas: Food and safe water; healthcare and disease prevention; immediate family supplies; mental health counseling; disaster preparedness and prevention measures.
You may also click the banner below to donate directly to the International Response Fund via the American Red Cross website.
AP was there for rehearsals:
- Nelly followed Kenny Chesney in rehearsal Friday on a hastily decorated soundstage and George Clooney juggled phone bank logistics for a TV benefit for tsunami victims.
....Clooney, who responded to NBC's call for help in organizing the event, will be working a celebrity phone bank at NBC Universal along with fellow actors including Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Renee Zellweger, Robert DeNiro, Andy Garcia and Goldie Hawn.
"No one is doing it to get famous and to get attention," Clooney said. "They're doing it because they know they can bring attention" to the need.
...."We thought it was the right thing to do," said NBC Universal Television Group chief Jeff Zucker, who mustered the company's resources. "I think we're gratified at how many people stepped up and volunteered. Everyone has been so selfless in this."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Aaman
The concert been quite well done till now - between the songs, the celebrities are taking a few minutes to describe the suffering, and the need to care. And yes, Bill O'Reilly made an impassioned appeal to be 'friends' with the victims and contribute.
The song selection has been apposite, and well arranged.
2 - Aaman
Interesting auction items - coffee cup signed by all the celebs($2500), an autographed telephone ($3000)
The music is available for download from Sony's Connect store(IE only) and all proceeds go to the victims' relief programs
3 - Casey
did anyone else see kanye say " george bush hates black people", then the camera cut off immediately, this is going to be huge.
4 - Natalie Davis
Yep. Let's hope people can see beyond Mr. West's emotion and really think about what is behind such statements.
5 - Demetri
I am ashamed at Kanye's comments. It is stupid stuff like this that drags down all Africab Americans. He should apologize.
D
6 - Mark the Sane and Sensible
"Yep. Let's hope people can see beyond Mr. West's emotion and really think about what is behind such statements."
Oh great, another apologist for disgusting black behavior. There is nothing to "think about," lady, he's a racist thug getting away with it because cowardly white liberals won't judge him and ban him from TV.
7 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
HE'S a racist thug, and the reason is he's engaging in "disgusting black behavior."
where to even start
8 - Natalie Davis
Show me where I apologized for Kanye West's words.
And people will ice skate in Hell before I consider seriously anything said by a human who calls people "schwartze." You call Mr. West a "racist thug?" Seems like a case of takes one to know one.
9 - Celeste O.
While I agree a benefit concert was not the right forum for Kayne to say those words, you cannot help but wonder if it is indeed the truth.
10 - David
Bush does hate blacks if this had happened to 1'000s of white people troops would have been there sonner. It that people look down on the lower class. People are laying dead on the streets children are dieing for just because they are poor. America should be ashamed. If this i happening now what if we did get hit by a dirty bomb. We are not ready.
11 - Natalie Davis
I don't want to say that Bush hates anyone. I don't know. And a telethon perhaps was an inappropriate place for sucb an over-the-top emotional outburst. But if Mr. West's comment gets people thinking and talking about important issues that, like it or not, are a big part of the disaster and the ways in which it has been (mis)handled in an effort to make positive change and promote a more equitable present and future for all people, that would be a good thing. Of course, as we see here, it likely will lead to lots of namecalling and bigoted comments (which, of course, allows us to see the bigots out in the open). All in all, Mr. West may have done us a favor in a sense.
12 - Mark the Sane and Sensible
Ok then, I'm going to post a provocative comment in hopes that it gets people thinking. In short, I'm going to do a "Kayne West" but from another racial perspective.
Black males in America, generally speaking, are predisposed to violence, drug and alcohol addiction, and crime. Surveys have shown that seventy per cent of all violent crimes in America are perpetrated by black males.
13 - Natalie Davis
Well, Mr. "Schwartze" slinger, you certainly have me thinking.
14 - Mark the Sane and Sensible
"While I agree a benefit concert was not the right forum for Kayne to say those words, you cannot help but wonder if it is indeed the truth."
This type of bizarro conclusion is the sad product of hyper- "analyzation."
15 - Celeste O.
Perhaps, MSS, my conclusions just allow for additional evidence to be analyzed, before I spout off the type of racist comments like you make.
16 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Mark, you say;
"Black males in America, generally speaking, are predisposed to violence, drug and alcohol addiction, and crime. Surveys have shown that seventy per cent of all violent crimes in America are perpetrated by black males."
first, who conducts the surveys?
second, would you agree that poverty-riddled areas are obviously gonna have higher crime rates? have you thought about WHY the statistics are so high, if they're accurate?
or maybe you're acceptin something you read cause it's somethin you already presume to be the case, an fuck it, who needs to bother thinkin bout it any deeper than that?
cause it seems to me flingin statistics from surveys you don't quote an leavin it at that without ANY thought regarding the information is as offensive as standin up and flat-out lying, which i know you so despise.
17 - Mark the Sane and Sensible
"have you thought about WHY the statistics are so high, if they're accurate?"
I don't care WHY people commit violent crimes. I know that they do and they should be punished severely.
"first, who conducts the surveys?"
That's irrelvant. No one asked Kayne West to cite his sources about Bush hating blacks and the AIDS epidemic in Africa.
"or maybe you're acceptin something you read cause it's somethin you already presume to be the case, an fuck it, who needs to bother thinkin bout it any deeper than that?"
Don't you think that you should be asking Kayne West the same question, but you won't because you agree with him?
"cause it seems to me flingin statistics from surveys you don't quote an leavin it at that without ANY thought regarding the information is as offensive as standin up"
I see, you are more concerned about giving criminals the benefit of the doubt than condeming lies about America.
That's very telling, aaron, I know where your allegiances lie.
18 - edithe
I think Mark the Sane and Sensible is saying what Kanye West said was idiotic just like the statement he made.
19 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
"Don't you think that you should be asking Kayne West the same question, but you won't because you agree with him?"
Mark, if i haven't been questionin it with you for the last hour an gettin nowhere, then what the hell HAVE i been doin.
anyway, i'm off to bed. very draining, this has all become.
oh, an with regards irrelevant statistics - the source is NEVER irrelevant. if i quoted you a statistic from a survey you then found out was from Socialist Worker, you'd be unlikely to accept it.
20 - Mark the Sane and Sensible
"if i quoted you a statistic from a survey you then found out was from Socialist Worker, you'd be unlikely to accept it."
I certainly wouldn't if it was a criticism of the American free market system.
21 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
heh. nice. an my point made, also.
22 - Mark the Sane and Sensible
"heh. nice. an my point made, also."
not at all. The Socialist Worker, which is not a credible news source, has no business criticizing the American free market system. Socialists are diseased individuals. Anyone that believes in the redistribution of wealth should be drawn and quartered.
23 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
well get those knives sharpened, honey, i'm diseased to the back a the eyes. an i won't accept "statistics" from unnamed sources anymore than you would accept those SW cats tellin you all bout the economy.
24 - Matthew T. Sussman
Duke, I'm amazed you can carry on an Internet discussion:
25 - William
This is from the government.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/cpracept.htm