'Hope for Haiti Now': Images from the star-studded telethon

There were familiar faces manning the phones -- Reese Witherspoon with her radiant smile and sweet, uplifting wishes as she thanked donors, Jack Nicholson and Steven Spielberg as we rarely see them -- and there were big musical acts performing all over the globe.

It was "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief," and it blanketed the airwaves (and cable waves, and Internet waves) for two hours Friday night and then again in an immediate replay on some outlets.

Click on the image of Bono and Rihanna to see a photo gallery from the night's performances.

George Clooney, who kicked off the show, also spoke after the telethon ended with CNN's Anderson Cooper, who was reporting from Haiti after chatting with a nurse, and a child who'd been injured and lost both his parents.

Clooney emphasized to Cooper the need for the entertainment industry and media to keep the Haiti recovery story front and center after the initial media blast, citing the continuing needs of the people affected, especially those who will need follow-up surgeries after emergency amputations and the like.

Wyclef Jean gave us a taste of Creole during the telethon as he spoke directly to friends back in Haiti, and John Mayer afterward on Twitter urged people to not judge the performances using their "'American Idol' brain" -- though was anyone really doing that?

Donations are, of course, still being accepted at hopeforhaitinow.org, where 100% of contributions go toward relief efforts. Money from iTunes sales of the night's performances -- an album and also individual tracks -- will add to the relief pot.

-- Christie D'Zurilla and Lisa Fung

Photos: Robert DeNiro, left, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson were among those manning the phones Friday night. Credits: Jeff Kravitz/MTV Hope for Haiti Now via Getty Images, top; MJ Kim / Hope for Haiti Now, left.

Related dispatches from or approved by the Ministry of Gossip:

Critic's notebook: Shining moments in Haiti telethon

George Clooney, MTV team for Haiti quake relief telethon

Haiti quake relief: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt rally behind Wyclef Jean to help; Twitter roster grows

Earthquake in Haiti: celebrities and fans respond on Twitter

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Comments

[gb]

Misleading and fake show. stars probably cannot point haiti on a map (2 weeks ago) and after the show return to their big mansions with servants everywhere and a fridge full of food

[Kara]

RE John Mayer's tweet: yes, reading the Tweet Map on the Hope For Haiti Now site was depressing. I saw people making fun of Beyonce, apparently she kept her eyes closed throughout much of her performance...nasty remarks. Nasty people.

[smith]

Kudos to the stars that gathered up to make this telethon as its not an easy task, to get it organized, getting the time slot,getting the celibrities to dig deep into their pockets and take the time to come out, to help to get the message across as there is desperate need to help Haiti. So what if they didn't know where Haiti was, we all know now. This could have happened anywhere. We are all human beings, we should help each other out.
gb - The stars have the money, they can afford to give more than the average citizen. You have a computer, a roof over your head and I am sure food in your fridge like me. Yet you critisize the telethon, did you give? I gave and I am fully broke, but I gave what I can afford.

[Jackson]

So I have to wonder if anyone would have donated to Haiti relief if celebrities weren’t on every friggin’ TV channel, showing us the same pictures we’ve seen on the news and informing us of our civic duty to take care of our fellow man. Oh, I forgot, people from around the globe HAVE been giving tons financial aid BEFORE this telethon! Thank you George Clooney & Hollywood for taking time out of your day to remind us, the faceless masses, of what advocates you are for the down-trodden. I appreciate you being the leader of the of all that is good, moral and right in the world.

Here’s idea Hollywood, if you want to be authentic and sincere in your giving, do it without fanfare. Throw a party, invite everyone (except the media) and charge a million dollar entrance fee. Raise more money throughout the party…AND DON’T TELL ANYBODY! Throwing large amounts of money at a problem and announcing it to the world does not qualify you for sainthood, it just makes you a phony.

[Cisco]

Although I gave to the cause and generously I might add, I didn't get a celebrity answering my call...what gives?? Instead I got a Brenda Smith who kindly took my donation..but if celebrities are suppose to be answering the calls then why didn't I get a "hello" from Spielberg, Witherspoon or Ms. Roberts?? Was it because I'm calling from L.A. (West Coast) or the celebrity calls were just for East Coast callers?? I feel kinda cheated...But overall my donation is worth all the lives in Haiti and may God watch over them....

[MAX]

Did any of the "stars" donate any of their money to the relief?
Spears was sooooo gracious to donate one of her dresses! WOW, amazing! Such love! What a joke. These celebs need to all drop dead, and all their bleeding heart nut case fans.

[Patricia Symington Fraser]

Much as I like & admire George Clooney, and I do. My hat is off to Sean Penn. Where was he, you ask ? He was in Haiti...he went and bought a lot of bottles
of water...and took them there himself. You've got to admire that. Am sure he
felt a few of those aftershocks, too. Wish I could remember how many 1000 or
100,000 bottles...whatever it was it was alot and I'm sure seeing everything
first hand allowed him to tell others just what was needed.

[Celebrities can never win]

Celebritie can never win. They have to be in Haiti to show that they really care or they are considered phonies. I'm pretty sure all of the celebbrities that were there made their own personal donations.

[cindy]

Shakira is just so fake! I'm told she is a horrible and mean person and that she is all about promoting herself and her record and not about helping kids. I commend those artists that are sincire about helping and not promoting themselves.

[davo babilonia]

Cindy, before you said something so stupid like "I was told she is a horrible person" on your comment against Shakira, ask yourself if there is any prejudice or just plain hate for someone that evidently has accomplished more than you ever will. At least Shakira and the rest of her famous friends are doing a good deed for these poor people in Haiti, so instead of shooting venom do the same they are doing and maybe, maybe that way you will have peace with yourself !!!

[Sue]

Regarding the Hollywood telethon, I expanded my farm in Farmville. I feel they were more self serving than generous. I gave via my employer.

In response to comments about how we would not look good to the world if we did not give..........

We give all of the time and most of those countries HATE OUR GUTS, but love our sappiness and our money.

We NEED to look good in the eyes of AMERICANS first and foremost!

I KNOW Haiti needs help, but where has everyone been before the quake?

This has been the poorest country in the western hemisphere for decades and yet nobody has helped them. We are now going to give this money to their corrupt government or will it be monitored by less greedy people?

Be sure that your 'charitable' foundation does not have high administration expenses, as the Red Cross does, try the Salvation Army. And remember that the United Way had some financial issues a few years back.

I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo tired of the U.S. not taking care of our OWN people that have suffered great losses due to natural disasters. Thousands of American citizens are unemployed, have lousy or no insurance and they need help from THEIR fellow Americans.

And ignoring our own is not a natural disaster - it is a crime.

[stacie]

it is sad