Janice
01-15-2005, 12:26 AM
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20050115/D87K66D00.html
Stars Hustle to Stage Tsunami TV Benefit
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (AP) - 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.
The two-hour program is scheduled to air live at 8 p.m. EST Saturday on NBC and on its parent NBC Universal cable stations, including MSNBC, Telemundo and Bravo.
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.
Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Norah Jones, Elton John and Stevie Wonder are among the performers in London, New York and Los Angeles. Rapper Nelly and country singer Chesney illustrate the variety of singers who volunteered.
Bruce Willis, Clint Eastwood and others will call for donations for victims of the Dec. 26 earthquake-triggered tsunami, which killed more than 150,000 people in Asia and Africa.
Viewers will be invited to call 1-800-HELPNOW. Other channels carrying the telethon are USA, Pax, Trio, Sci-Fi and CNBC.
"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."
All donations will go to the American Red Cross International Response Fund. Pledges will not be tallied Saturday night but a total will be announced later, NBC Universal said.
NBC Universal executive Jeff Gaspin worked on the similarly ambitious benefit for Sept. 11 victims that was carried on all major networks. Viewers donated nearly $130 million to that cause in 2001.
"It gave me the confidence that this town could come together for something like this," Gaspin said Friday. Besides the high-profile celebrities, about 600 people were racing to put the production together; it was announced less than two weeks ago.
"If you get a couple of big-hitters first, then that sort of starts the ball rolling," Clooney said, citing participants President Clinton and President George H.W. Bush.
"Then you call up Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman and they go, 'I'm in,'" Clooney said.
Sunday's Golden Globes were a help: A number of stars planned to be in the Los Angeles area already for the event.
It's crucial to call on the public's generosity now, even as other news stories begin to eclipse the tragedy, Gaspin and Clooney said. The financial need will grow as survivors fight disease and lack of resources and infrastructure, they said.
"It's incumbent on all of us as human beings to participate," Clooney said. "Because if we don't, then we're going to be looking at a much greater tragedy than we are right now."
Other stars scheduled for the benefit include Meg Ryan, Lucy Liu, Josh Groban, Jay Leno, Natalie Portman, Nicolette Sheridan and Naomi Watts.
Sony's Connect music store will offer downloads of live performances from the concert, with proceeds going to the American Red Cross. SBC Communications is underwriting the commercial-free program.
Stars Hustle to Stage Tsunami TV Benefit
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (AP) - 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.
The two-hour program is scheduled to air live at 8 p.m. EST Saturday on NBC and on its parent NBC Universal cable stations, including MSNBC, Telemundo and Bravo.
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.
Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Norah Jones, Elton John and Stevie Wonder are among the performers in London, New York and Los Angeles. Rapper Nelly and country singer Chesney illustrate the variety of singers who volunteered.
Bruce Willis, Clint Eastwood and others will call for donations for victims of the Dec. 26 earthquake-triggered tsunami, which killed more than 150,000 people in Asia and Africa.
Viewers will be invited to call 1-800-HELPNOW. Other channels carrying the telethon are USA, Pax, Trio, Sci-Fi and CNBC.
"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."
All donations will go to the American Red Cross International Response Fund. Pledges will not be tallied Saturday night but a total will be announced later, NBC Universal said.
NBC Universal executive Jeff Gaspin worked on the similarly ambitious benefit for Sept. 11 victims that was carried on all major networks. Viewers donated nearly $130 million to that cause in 2001.
"It gave me the confidence that this town could come together for something like this," Gaspin said Friday. Besides the high-profile celebrities, about 600 people were racing to put the production together; it was announced less than two weeks ago.
"If you get a couple of big-hitters first, then that sort of starts the ball rolling," Clooney said, citing participants President Clinton and President George H.W. Bush.
"Then you call up Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman and they go, 'I'm in,'" Clooney said.
Sunday's Golden Globes were a help: A number of stars planned to be in the Los Angeles area already for the event.
It's crucial to call on the public's generosity now, even as other news stories begin to eclipse the tragedy, Gaspin and Clooney said. The financial need will grow as survivors fight disease and lack of resources and infrastructure, they said.
"It's incumbent on all of us as human beings to participate," Clooney said. "Because if we don't, then we're going to be looking at a much greater tragedy than we are right now."
Other stars scheduled for the benefit include Meg Ryan, Lucy Liu, Josh Groban, Jay Leno, Natalie Portman, Nicolette Sheridan and Naomi Watts.
Sony's Connect music store will offer downloads of live performances from the concert, with proceeds going to the American Red Cross. SBC Communications is underwriting the commercial-free program.