Stars to turn out for Haiti telethon Friday
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Less than 24 hours after an earthquake devastated Haiti on Jan. 12, George Clooney was on the phone with MTV Networks president Judy McGrath trying to organize a star-studded telethon to raise funds for victims.
Clooney, who helped organize televised benefits after the Sept. 11 attacks and 2004’s Indian Ocean tsunami, told MTV on the Golden Globes’ red carpet, ‘There are times in our life when people are really without any form of help and in real danger. This is one of those times.’
Since that first phone call, more than 100 actors and musicians have signed on for ‘Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief,’ which airs tonight commercial-free on more than 60 networks and online. Clooney and hip-hop star Wyclef Jean, from Haiti, will host the event from Los Angeles and New York, respectively, and CNN’s Anderson Cooper will report live from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Top-billed performers include Beyoncé, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Bono, Jay-Z and the band Coldplay. In addition, former President Clinton and actors including Ben Stiller, Brad Pitt, Chris Rock, Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Meryl Streep, Robert Pattinson, Tom Hanks and Will Smith will appear.
Continue reading ‘Stars to turn out for Haiti telethon Friday’
-- Denise Martin and Matea Gold
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