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

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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.

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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

Related dispatches from or approved by the Ministry of Gossip:

Critic’s notebook: Shining moments in Haiti telethon

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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

Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter (we’re @LATcelebs), or become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/ministryofgossip.

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