Celebrities reach out–literally, in many cases–to help the victims of terrorism.
While being honored for her achievements by the Women of Sheba (a charity group supporting children’s programs in Israel hospitals) at a Beverly Hills luncheon last week, Will & Grace star Debra Messing, dressed in black, was far from comical. “New York is my home…and I came here with a heavy heart this afternoon,” said the actress, who was born in Brooklyn, attended New York University and has performed on and off Broadway. “In light of recent events, there has never been a greater need for peace and the spirit of reconcilliation.” She added that if she had “achieved anything in life,” it was due to the values of the free and democratic society in which she was raised.
Clearly this was a sentiment shared by other celebs. In a break from the usual “me, me, me” showbiz scene, the shocking terrorist attacks against the United States on Sept. 11seem to have inspired a re-evaluation of priorities among Hollywood’s rich and famous, many of whom have emerged as soldiers on the front lines of national relief efforts.
The biggest news in the wake of the attacks centered on reports of a two-hour multi-network telethon scheduled for this Friday evening intended to raise money for the victims of the terrorist attacks. Superstars including George Clooney and Jim Carrey are topping the list of names confirmed to be committed to the as-yet-unconfirmed project, while Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Clint Eastwood, Paul Simon and Billy Joel are also rumored to be involved.
The unprecedented telethon–produced by Joel Gallen, best known for creating edgy fare the MTV Movie Awards, Video Music Awards, the Oscar telecasts and the upcoming film Zoolander–would likely air on the four major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC), as well as any cable network that chooses to join in
Singer Michael Jackson proved, despite the occasional appearance to the contrary, that he was still very human by announcing plans to write and produce “What More Can I Give,” a “We Are the World”-style fundraising song expected to garner $50 million to
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benefit survivors and families affected by the devastating strike.
No word on his recent concert cohort Marlon Brando, but the King of Pop has already started recruiting a chorus that will include the likes of Destiny’s Child, Mya, Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, Carlos Santana, Justin Timberlake of ‘N Sync and Britney Spears, who–while stranded in Australia during the international air traffic ban–canceled plans for tour stops in Europe and South America so she could get home to her family.
Actress Kathleen Turner has been volunteering her time helping victims at New York’s St. Vincent’s hospital. Meanwhile, a caller to the Howard Stern radio show told the shock jock–who stayed at the mic throughout the NYC attack–that firefighter-turned-actor Steve Buscemi had been spotted helping emergency crews digging through the rubble at the World Trade Center.
Instead of giving laughs, comic Robin Williams gave blood, stopping into a Red Cross office in his hometown of San Francisco. West Wing star Rob Lowe did the same in Santa Barbara, where he was staying during a break in his shooting schedule.
Lowe also took time out to shoot a public service announcement for the Red Cross, as did actress Kirstie Alley, who worked with one of the hijacking victims, writer/producer David Angell (co-creator of Frasier), during her days on the Cheers set. Entertainment Tonight pitched in to help distribute Alley’s PSA.
Rockers such as Melissa Etheridge, Sting, Graham Nash, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Johnny Resnick of the Goo Goo Dolls also have shot PSAs that will air on VH1.
Madonna opened her weekend shows at Los Angeles’ Staples Center wearing an American flag as a skirt, and asked the sold-out audience, all of whom submitted to inspection by bomb-sniffing dogs on the way in (including stars Cameron Diaz and Andy Dick), to say a prayer for peace and urged President George Bush to show restraint when the nation retaliates. The pop diva had already dedicated the proceeds from her finals shows to aid the children and families affected by the attacks.
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On the first episode of Politically Incorrect to air since the disaster, host Bill Maher kept one guest chair empty in honor of the show’s frequent visitor, pundit Barbara Olson, who was killed aboard one of the ill-fated airliners.
Producers of the New York-based TV series Third Watch, which chronicles the daily dramas of emergency service workers, donated the use of the show’s many power generators to those searching for survivors at the attack site.
Top music artists like Wyclef Jean and Justin Timberlake phoned into MTV’s TRL to help host Carson Daly and his audience process with the week’s events, while Daly himself
guested on an ABC special hosted by Peter Jennings designed to help parents and children cope with the aftermath of seeing the New York horror. Other stars like Moby, Carlos Santana, Simon LeBon of Duran Duran and The Sopranos‘ Jamie-Lynn Sigler posted messages on the music net’s Web site which were also aired on TV.
“We’re all grieving and trying to cope, and the support and compassion that we’ve received from people around America and around the world has really meant a lot to us,” wrote Moby, who lives near the WTC. “With friendship and solidarity we can all help each other to get through this tragedy.”
The cash starts flowing
While rehearsing in Culver City for her upcoming concert in Puerto Rico, multimedia sensation Jennifer Lopez announced she’ll be donating $25,000 to the American Red Cross.
Actor/comedian Denis Leary (The Job) committed all of his $100,000 winnings from a celebrity edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? to establish a fund to assist firefighters and their families.
The Backstreet Boys, who lost one of their concert crewmembers in one of the hijacked
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planes, contributed at least $10,000 from their Toronto show to the ClearChannel.com Relief Fund, which benefits the American Red Cross and New York and Washington, D.C., police and fire department funds.
Other music acts donating to relief funds include Sade, Earth Wind & Fire and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The rock band Incubus pledged the proceeds from its weekend shows to New York relief efforts, while Godsmack promised proceeds from its concert merchandise sales to police and firefighter funds. Alannis Morrisette announced plans for a charity benefit.
Meanwhile, jazz great Wynton Marsalis headlined an American Red Cross charity concert at the Hollywood Bowl along with the L.A. Philharmonic. Nashville superstars like Jo Dee Messina, Clay Walker, Michael Smith and Martina McBride played at the “Peace, Prayer and Unity” concert special airing on Country Music Television.
Screen Actors Guild president William Daniels (St. Elsewhere) and SAG Foundation president Mitchell Ryan (Dharma & Greg) promised that the guild would deliver $50,000 to the state of New York to aid in emergency relief, while the Entertainment Industry Foundation–a 60-year-old organization that helps raise and distribute funds from the Hollywood crowd, including the studios, agencies, unions and guilds to a variety of charities–established a victims’ relief fund.
Also in New York, the cast of Mel Brooks‘ Broadway smash The Producers, led by Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane, performed a curtain call featuring a bravura rendition of “God Bless America” that brought the house down. Lane told Entertainment Tonight he felt keeping the show on was an act of defiance, “because otherwise, in a sense, [the terrorists] are robbing us of our lives, and they’ve already taken too much.”
