Look To The Stars News: Voter Education

Streisand Stages Comeback for Charity

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 21:49:50 +0000

Six years after a sell-out farewell concert, Barbra Streisand has announced that she will stage a 20-show charity tour of the United States in October.

Via her own Streisand Foundation, the singer plans to donate millions of dollars to environmental, education and women’s health organisations.

Her previous two scheduled concerts in 2000 at Madison Square Garden grossed over $14 million.

Explaining her return to the limelight, Streisand said, "The increasingly urgent need for private citizen support to combat dangerous climate change, along with education and health issues was the prime reason I decided to tour again.

“This will allow me to direct funds and awareness to causes that I care deeply about.”

Oprah Tops Celebrity Philanthropy A-List

Sat, 12 May 2007 08:24:00 +0000

Written by Steve Purcell

A list of the 30 largest public donations made by celebrities in the past year puts Oprah in the top spot.

The Giving Back Fund, which encourages and advises on celebrity philanthropy, compiles its list each year. President Marc Pollick said, “Encouragement-by-example is the main reason for the Giving Back 30 list.”

Oprah gave $58.3 million to Oprah's Angel Network and her recently-opened Leadership Academy.

Of the other celebrities high on the list, Barbra Streisand was in fourth spot, having given $11.75 million through her Streisand Foundation.

Tiger Woods took fifth place, giving $9.5 million to organisations including the Tiger Woods Learning Center funded by the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Giving Back’s Marc Pollick praised an increasing trend in celebrity donations, saying, “Ten years ago when Slate magazine first published the Slate 60 reporting on the most generous American philanthropists, the last donor on their list gave $5 million. This year the last donor donated $30 million to charity. This is the type of growth we are hoping to inspire within the sports and entertainment community. One cannot help but be influenced by the generosity of his or her peers.”

The full list and information about how it was compiled can be found at givingback.org. This site has previously reported on many of the list’s featured celebrities and their donations; a comprehensively linked version of the list appears below:

Position	Celebrity	Donation	Cause(s)
1	Oprah Winfrey	$58,300,000	Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy, Oprah's Angel Network, and other groups
2	Geoffrey Beene	$44,000,000 (bequest)	Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
3	Jack and Marie Lord	$40,000,000 (bequest)	Hawaii Community Foundation
4	Barbra Streisand	$11,750,000	Streisand Foundation, numerous civil liberties, environmental, and civil rights organizations “dedicated to democratic values”
5	Tiger Woods	$9,500,000	Tiger Woods Learning Center, Earl D. Woods Sr. Scholarship Fund, and other Tiger Woods Foundation programs
6	Rosie O'Donnell	$5,700,000	Katrina Relief efforts including Renaissance Village (a temporary shelter for Katrina victims), day care centers, a rehabilitation center in San Antonio, and a Habitat For Humanity sub division in Baton Rouge
7	Martha Stewart	$5,000,000	New York’s Mt. Sinai Hospital for a center on healthy aging
8	Carmelo Anthony	$4,282,000	CAF Youth Center in Baltimore, AAU Basketball, Syracuse University Recreational Center, and other charities
9	Pat Boone & Shirley Boone	$3,000,000	Pepperdine University for the Graduate School of Education and Psychology Center for the Family
9	LeRoy Neiman	$3,000,000	The School of the Art Institute of Chicago to support a Master’s class in figure drawing
11	Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt	$2,415,000	School and Community Center in Swakopmund in Namibia, Daniel Pearl Foundation, Namibian hospitals, Doctors Without Borders, Global Action for Children and others
12	Nicolas Cage	$2,000,000	Amnesty International for a fund to help child soldiers
12	Dwayne Johnson (“The Rock”) and Dany Garcia Johnson	$2,000,000	University of Miami to name new Alumni Center living room
12	Paul McCartney	$2,000,000	Adopt-A-Minefield
12	Arnold Palmer	$2,000,000	Pledged to the Arnold Palmer Foundation ultimately to benefit the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
16	David Geffen	$1,600,000	David Geffen Foundation
17	Susan Saint James and Dick Ebersol	$1,300,000	The Gunnery to help pay for a new dormitory in memory of their son Teddy killed in a plane crash
18	Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg	$1,250,000	Boston University to renovate facilities
19	Andre Agassi	$1,070,000	Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation
20	Tiki and Ronde Barber and family	$1,000,000	University of Virginia to support the McIntire School of Commerce, the Virginia Athletics Foundation, Childrens Hospital, a scholarship fund for African-American students, the Young Alumni Council, and to challenge young alumni to participate in the capital campaign
20	Bob Barker	$1,000,000	Georgetown University to endow a fund at its law school that will focus on the study of animal rights
20	Gloria Estefan	$1,000,000	The Miami Project
20	Dr. Phil McGraw & Robin McGraw	$1,000,000	Dr. Phil Foundation
20	George Steinbrenner & family	$1,000,000	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for Boshamer Stadium for baseball
20	Tony Stewart	$1,000,000	Victory Junction Gang Camp
20	Denzel Washington	$1,000,000	Save Africa's Children
27	Mike Sexton	$560,000	Special Olympics, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, Children, Inc., Wounded Warrior Project, Ohio State University, and other charities
28	Lance Armstrong	$500,000	Lance Armstrong Foundation
28	Dolly Parton	$500,000	Fort Sanders Medical Center
28	Elizabeth Taylor	$500,000	New Orleans AIDS Task Force to purchase mobile medical unit for AIDS sufferers in New Orleans

Celebrities Put Their Votes Where Their Hearts Are

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:44:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Celebrity endorsement and music have been essential features of political campaigns for the last 70 years. One of the earliest examples dates back to 1932, when Franklin D. Roosevelt used “Happy Days Are Here Again” as the theme song to his first presidential campaign. It eventually became the unofficial anthem for the Democrats, was used for years afterwards, and set a new standard in the way elections were campaigned.

Jump forward to 1960 and you find crooner Frank Sinatra openly supporting the presidential campaign of John F. Kennedy by singing a specially revised version of “High Hopes”. Jump forward further and you will hear the Republicans of 1988 singing the chorus of Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” (although McFerrin later asked them to stop using it).

And who can forget Bill Clinton blowing his saxophone along to Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” in 1992?

In 2008, it looks as though celebrity endorsement and music are set to be important parts of the Presidential Election once again, with a number of celebrities throwing their support into candidates’ campaigns. But although many stars are openly backing particular campaigns, their message this year has a deeper meaning.

“If we want to stop the war, if we want to get the economy better, I think that young people need to understand they have to take matters into their own hands,” said Sean 'Diddy' Combs. “It is really like waking up a sleeping giant.”

The 38-year-old Hip Hop star and fashion designer believes that it is more important than ever for young people to go out and vote, and that the voice of youth will be an defining factor in this year’s election.

“A lot of young people have decided that this is their future. This president is going to decide their future,” said Combs, who launched the Citizen Change campaign in 2004 to encourage young voters. “I didn’t really want to get in the political game but I wanted to see young people become empowered. That’s where my attention is at. To have an African-American man and a woman in, it’s going to go down in history as the most historical election. And I think that young people will have a hand in the result.”

Last Tuesday saw 20 states in America hold primary elections to determine the eventual Democratic and Republican nominees for president, with Senator Hillary Clinton up against Senator Barack Obama for the Democrats, and Senator John McCain against former Gov. Mitt Romney for the Republicans.

And it seems that all of the candidates have pulled together an impressive list of celebrity backers. McCain has received endorsements from Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Tom Selleck, while Romney is being backed by the likes of Pat Boone and Donny Osmond. On the Democrats’ side, Clinton has received endorsements from Barbra Streisand, Danny DeVito, Sally Field, Magic Johnson, Steven Spielberg, and Jack Nicholson, while Obama has attracted the support of celebrities such as Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, Halle Berry, Morgan Freeman, Jessica Biel, Usher, Edward Norton, Hulk Hogan, Robert De Niro, and Forest Whitaker.

23-year-old actress Scarlett Johansson is another star to show her support for Barack Obama, and last week recorded a message that was played to hundreds of voters in California over the telephone. She stated in the message that a vote for the Illinois senator was the last chance to “turn a page on the polarizing politics of the past”. This was followed by George Clooney adding his name to the supporters list at the annual Oscar Nominees’ Lunch last week.

“I’ve been an Obama guy for a year and a half and I’m very excited by his campaign,” he said. “It just seems that the more time he’s out there, his numbers keep growing. So I’m very, very encouraged.”

Johansson has also showed her support by taking part in the massive new internet campaign to increase the youth vote for Barack Obama. Led by Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am, the campaign features a music video that is taking YouTube by storm. Yes We Can took the singer two days to record and film, and has attracted almost 2 million views since it was released last Friday.

The Hip Hop star was inspired to write the song after watching Obama’s speech following the Democrat’s loss to Clinton in the New Hampshire primary election.

“It was as if he was talking to me,” said will.i.am. “It was as if he was talking to and defending everything that made me who I am. I took that speech, and I wanted everyone else to be inspired by that speech as I was.”

The song features Obama’s speech set to music, and includes appearances by John Legend, Kate Walsh, Nicole Scherzinger, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Herbie Hancock. Although it was not commissioned by Obama, he saw it on Saturday and has embraced it.

“After nearly a year on the campaign trail, I’ve seen a lot of things that have touched me deeply, but I had to share this with you,” Obama’s wife, Michelle, said in an e-mail to supporters. “Sharing this video, which was created by supporters, is one more way to help start a conversation with your friends, family, co-workers, and anyone else who will be voting soon about the issues important to them in this election.”

But will.i.am insists the point of the song is not just to stir up votes for the first-term senator, but to “remind people how powerful they are. The idea of ‘Yes We Can’ doesn’t stop because he doesn’t win.”

There are currently several organizations that are being backed by celebrities to encourage young people to vote, including Declare Yourself and Rock the Vote, both of which are using the internet to raise the awareness of youth prior to this year’s election.

“The Internet and technology empowers people,” said will.i.am. “And the ‘Yes We Can’ song is proof that they don’t need a big record company or a big movie company . . . to go out and captivate people’s attention.”

But whether celebrity endorsement actually affects the votes is still a matter of contention. According to a study carried out by the Pew Research Centre in September, “political endorsements generally have little impact on voter preference”.
The research found almost 70% of Americans polled said that if told a celebrity endorsed a presidential candidate, it would not affect their vote. And of the 30% who said an endorsement would influence them, 15% said it would make them more likely to vote for the endorsed candidate while the other half said they would be less likely to do so.

But if history is anything to go by, it won’t stop the celebrities from having their say.

Counting Crows' Instruments Fly Out The Door For GreyBirds

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:06:50 +0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

The members of rock band Counting Crows have auctioned off tickets, albums, memorabilia and instruments, raising nearly $20,000 for charity.

The proceeds will benefit the GreyBird Foundation, which grew out of the outreach program the band established in 1998 to encourage and support people to become more helpful in their own neighborhoods. Through GreyBird, the band provides a platform for other outreach groups at Counting Crows concerts. They also ask audience members to bring canned food to the concerts for donation, and encourage people to vote.

“The most patriotic act you can ever do in your life is to vote,” says Duritz.

On an international level, GreyBird works with Kids for Tomorrow, which helps fund and build schools for children in Africa.

“We’re just trying to keep kids in school a little longer.”

The highest bid in the auction – $7600 – was for lead singer Adam Duritz’s handwritten song lyric book. Concert tickets plus dinners with the band were also big sellers.

Ben Mize’s drum is the last Counting Crows item still up for auction, on Ebay until April 21. Proceeds will benefit Nuçi's Space, a center for musicians suffering from depression.

Look To The Stars Asks Amy Sewell

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:38:00 +0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Amy Sewell is the creator/writer/producer of Paramount’s 2005 crowd-pleasing documentary, Mad Hot Ballroom_. Her directorial debut, "_What’s Your Point, Honey?":http://www.whatsyourpointhoney.com/front, puts a new face on political leadership by introducing seven possible female contenders coming down the pipeline, while revealing inequalities that still exist today. What’s Your Point, Honey? is now showing in theaters across the US in special ‘one-night only exclusive’ events.

Tell us a little bit about What’s Your Point, Honey?

One big premise of the movie is that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’. The idea started when my daughter told me I couldn’t ride a motorcycle because she’s never seen a woman on a motorcycle. And I thought what else is out there that they’re not seeing, that they would never even think possible because its just isn’t in front of them. The movie itself is really like a picture in the moment in time, it’s a mirror on society – about the next generation of women, where we are and where we’re going. It’ll make you laugh, kinda make you cry, it’s not hard hitting, it’s very much like ‘Mad Hot Ballroom’. If you want to get more out of it, it definitely runs deep, you can find all the metaphors that run throughout or you can just go along and look at the portraits of the seven possible future presidential candidates. So it’s light, I always say my style of film making is ‘doc-light.’

What’s idea behind ‘exclusive’ one-night-only screenings?

It’s being released in theaters in these one-night-only exclusive events, where you can also purchase a copy of the DVD, because there’s no reason for us to get involved with box office numbers and compete with ‘Indiana Jones’ or ‘Iron Man.’ We care about reach, and the best reach is to have people watch the DVD and start the conversation in their community.

Six years ago, with the support of the The White House Project, “Cosmo Girl!” launched “Project 2024” to get more young women involved in politics. How has this helped the cause?

When we had the seven young woman through the ‘White House Project’ and ‘Cosmo Girl’ they became more tangible, more achievable role models. Basically on our website we list what their strengths are, and I always think if we put all of them together we’d have an ideal president. But our message is, it’s not about one, each of them bring something to the table – the day we see just as many women on the debate podium is the day we get beyond gender to agenda.

At the recent ‘Women in Entertainment Production Panel’, you mentioned that after the attacks on 9/11, you started covering the kids angle – what third graders would do if they could rebuild the buildings. What, if anything, did you learn from these kids?

Basically, kids just think honestly. One kid wanted to rebuild the buildings out of rubber so the planes would bounce off it next time, and another kid said he wanted to rebuild it with holes in it so the planes could fly through. And at that moment, I realized it’s the best state to be in – a kind of kids state – because they rarely think about obstacles or barriers. They don’t have any filters. It was probably more of an influence than anything on making me think well – we really are prisoners to our own definitions or societies definitions. It’s exhausting to have those things around really, why can’t we just ignore them?

How do you feel about the TV/Media fueling inequalities? For example, ‘Americas Next Top Model’- are we creating the next generation of Paris Hilton's, or are we empowering young woman?

I think we have to counter that and fight it. So by me putting seven awesome young women up on the big screen and saying these are role models, and not letting my kids read magazines where they make Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears role models, I hope I’m doing my part. But what I think we have to do is celebrate those who are good role models. I’m trying to emphasis the positive people who make positive choices.

Who would you most like young women to look up to or be inspired by?

Gosh, there are so many. I think there are ton of women athletes out there. I think you have to go to some of the different levels – go to the smaller games, not the ‘star’ games. I know they are out there, and I think we always have to be on the lookout to find them. My family and I go to a ton of college games or high school games and we look for the real life heroes. I think the more and more we get our kids into contributing to our society in a healthy way – whatever that means – then they won’t really care about the Britney’s. We [her family] love Angelina Jolie and Natalie Portman. Hanna Montana said she made a mistake and I still think she’s an OK role model, but she gave us an opportunity to talk about it. We love Raven. We love America Ferrera. Any of the younger kids have to be smart enough not to be persuaded to do crazy things by their managers. We also love Kate Hudson, especially when she and her mother speak out about women’s issues.

You mentioned female athletes? Where do sports fit into the equality issue?

The next generation – which we show in the film – includes sports and fathers. Sports teach us how to compete, fall, get up, not cry, and learn to not only lose – which is important – but win really well and triumphantly with no apologies. Fathers – while they may not care if their wives, mothers or sisters are being treated equally – it’s hell or come high water if their daughters are treated differently, and so regardless of the fathers actual involvement, their daughters will pick up that mentality and she’ll bring it into the business world, into the sports world, into the military and into politics.

Tell us a bit about your new book, “She’s Out There! The Next Generation of Presidential Candidates”?

It’s going to be released April 9. It’s about 35 women under the age of 35 who aspire to lead and possibly run for President. They write their own essays and I took a photographer around the country with me and we took pictures of these women doing what they do everyday. So the premise of the book is: you don’t know if she’s sitting next to you, you don’t know if it’s your neighbor down the block – the fact is that there are going to be a lot more women out there who want to run for office, it’s the beginning of the next generation of candidates.

Politics seem to be a sort of ‘men-club’, so I’m curious how receptive the ‘men in charge’ will be– and what effect, if any, have you noticed since Hillary decided to run for President? Are women going to be equal in the political arena?

I think that will happen naturally, it’s happening already. I think if you think about what is happening – there are 75% of women who fill the political positions of their fathers or husbands after they died, those are the women that are in there now. And I think it will be a long time before we see a group of women march forward running for office. We’ll have to see in 2012, I hope it would be sooner, but I actually don’t think that men have a choice about what’s happening now. For the last 40 years we’ve waited to become equal and I think that waiting is over, we’ve realized that they haven’t given it to us. So I think those days are over and that men need to join in because they will be facing female opponants and Hillary was just the beginning of showing us that we can hang with the big dogs.

What are some of the more important issues/problems with inequality?

We need three things. Equal pay. I’m willing to hang out at 77-cents to the white man’s dollar until our black sisters at 67-cents catch up – until our hispanic sisters at 57-cents catch up, and once we are all making 77-cents, we can all march to the block because I don’t want to leave them behind. Feminism is not a white women’s sport, it’s just we don’t have the double whammy of racism. The second thing is ownership of body – the fact and mentality that we are treated like property. If men got pregnant, no governement in the world would tell them what they could do with their bodies. The third thing is child care and elder care. It does fall primarily on women, and we are devalued because of it. If men had these responsibilites fall to them, corporations and government would help. Corporations would come up with perks to keep their men employed – their talent at the office – and the government would help out knowing they didn’t want to lose a valuable sector of the work force. I try to keep it simple on these three things, let’s get that acommplished and then move on.

You are also one of the founders/directors of the nonprofit organization Give It Up for the ARTS! Tell us about more about your involvement and the vision/work of the organization?

It’s to expose children who are at-risk or in a school which may be impoverished… to the arts. It’s dance, drama, music, fine arts, and usually we find a grass roots group, somebody out there working their butt off trying to bring something to a group of kids in at-risk neighborhoods. And that’s who I write a check to every year, and that’s who we look for.

Look to the Stars and Delinda thank Amy Sewell for speaking with us. For more information, please visit What’s Your Point, Honey.

Jessica Alba Wants You To Declare Yourself

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Jessica Alba has appeared in a new advertisement and public service announcement aimed at energizing young adults to register and vote in the 2008 US election.

The 27-year-old actress – who appears in the adverts naked and wrapped in black electrical tape – is part of the “Only You Can Silence Yourself” campaign being run by Declare Yourself, a non-profit organization initiated in 2004 to energize and empower a new movement of young voters.

“If you don’t register and vote and make a difference, and hopefully change the bad things that are happening in our country, you are essentially just binding and muzzling yourself,” she said. “I really don’t see the point in not registering to vote. We sign up for MySpace pages and Facebook pages, and download music off the internet. The least people can do is register to vote online, actually making a difference in their world, not just making their lives a little bit cooler. It makes more sense to spend your time making a change in society—and it actually doesn’t take that much time! It takes more time to make a music playlist than it does to register to vote.”

According to their website, Declare Yourself registered over one million young people in the 2004 and 2006 elections. Founded by television producer and philanthropist Norman Lear, the campaign has gathered support from a wide range of stars, including Ben Affleck, Christina Aguilera, Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore and many more. Declare Yourself aims to empower and encourage every eligible 18-year-old in America to register and vote in the presidential primaries and 2008 presidential election, using the power of media partnerships, celebrity spokespeople, the sports arena, and mobile and Internet technology.

Death Cab For Cutie Offers Free Concert

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:30:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Death Cab for Cutie is offering to play a free gig at the college that registers the most youth voters for the upcoming US elections.

Any college is eligible, and students are also eligible for scholarships by signing up their friends. The initiative is being supported by the Ultimate College Bowl – a voter registration drive that unites the nation’s largest voter registration organizations and aims to get every US college student to register and vote in the 2008 election – and is also being supported by Declare Yourself, WhyTuesday?, and Headcount.

In addition to winning the concert, there are also six $10,000 scholarships up for grabs to the students who are directly responsible for registering the most of their friends, as well as 15 Guitar Hero 2 video game set-ups (hardware and software) to the top 15 students.

Death Cab for Cutie – who talked to Look To The Stars earlier this month – attended the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, in August, where they performed at a few shows in support of Barack Obama.

The winning school will be named in November, and the concert will take place some time in the 2008-2009 academic year. More information can be found at www.ultimatecollegebowl.com.

Brad Pitt Says No To Proposition 8

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Brad Pitt has donated $100,000 to the campaign to defeat Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that would ban same-sex marriage in California.

The donation is the largest so far in the fight against Prop 8, and follows David Geffen's recent contribution of $50,000 towards the fight against the Bill. Other opponents include Barack Obama and Arnold Schwarzenegger. If passed, Proposition 8 would amend the California Constitution with a new section that would read “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”

“Because no one has the right to deny another their life even though they disagree with it, because everyone has the right to live the life they so desire if it doesn’t harm another and because discrimination has no place in America, my vote will be for equality and against Proposition 8,” Pitt said in a statement.

It is an issue the star has supported in the past – in 2006 he told Esquire Magazine: “Angie and I will consider tying the knot when everyone else in the country who wants to be married is legally able.”

“I think Brad sees this as a human rights issue and an issue of justice,” said political consultant Trevor Neilson, who advises Pitt and Angelina Jolie on their philanthropic campaigns. “I would say the entertainment community needs to step up to the plate and fight this.”

Encouraging other celebrities to support the cause is an issue that is hot in Hollywood at the moment, with political strategist Chad Griffin saying: “It is our hope that others in the entertainment industry will step up and match Brad Pitt’s heroic commitment to quality and defeating Prop. 8. This isn’t a special interest issue – this measure affects every business and every family. With California’s budget and the national economy in chaos, the last thing we need is an unnecessary measure that threatens health benefits and protections for children.”

More information about the campaign against Proposition 8 can be found at www.votenoonproposition8.com.

Steven Spielberg Says No To Proposition 8

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, are the latest members of the entertainment industry to donate money in the fight against Proposition 8, the Californian referendum seeking to ban same-sex marriages.

Spielberg has donated $100,000 towards the campaign, which follows Brad Pitt's donation of the same amount last week.

“By writing discrimination into our state constitution, Proposition 8 seeks to eliminate the right of each and every citizen in our state to marry regardless of sexual orientation,” said Spielberg and Capshaw in a statement. “Such discrimination has no place in California’s constitution, or any other.”

Same-sex marriage is legal in only two US states – California and Massachusetts, where gay weddings have been legal since 2004. If passed, Proposition 8 would amend the California Constitution with a new section that would read “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”

More information on the campaign can be found at www.votenoonproposition8.com.

Giving Back Fund Announces Top 30 Celebrity Givers

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:30:00 +0000

The Giving Back Fund has released its second annual Giving Back 30 survey, a ranking of the celebrities who have made the largest donations to charity in 2007 according to public records.

Heading the list was Oprah Winfrey, who donated $50.2 million to the Oprah Winfrey Foundation and Oprah's Angel Network to “support the
inspiration, empowerment and education of women, children, and families around the world and to encourage people around the world to make a difference in the lives of others”. Coming in second was Herb Alpert, who donated a total of $13 million to the Herb Alpert Foundation, followed by Barbra Streisand, who gave over $11 million to the Streisand Foundation.

To compile the most accurate rankings, The Giving Back Fund culled media reports of charitable giving by sports and entertainment professionals; reviewed PF-990 tax-forms; contacted more than 250 publicists, attorneys, agents, agencies, and managers for information about their clients; sent inquiries to more than 150 charities known for their celebrity associations; and contacted the major sports leagues.

“Our hope is that celebrities will begin to become more comfortable sharing information about their charitable giving - perhaps not disclosing everything they give, but sharing enough that they will serve as role-models to their peers and fans,” said Marc Pollick, President and Founder of The Giving Back Fund. “We know that many celebrities re-direct income from sponsorship and merchandising deals to charity, or help to raise funds in other ways. We are researching reliable means to report this information in a separate list.”

The Giving Back Fund did not include grants made by foundations in the list so as to avoid counting the same funds twice - once when the donor gave money to a foundation and again when the donor decided on a beneficiary for that money. The Giving Back did not calculate giving as a percentage of the celebrities income because there is no consistent way to calculate income when taking into account income from sponsorship and merchandise sales.

Donations to private foundations are disclosed in public documents. However, donations to public charities are not publicly disclosed and therefore may not be reported in the Giving Back 30.

The rest of the list included Paul Newman, who gave away over $10 million; Mel Gibson, who gave $9.9 million to the AP Reilly Foundation, the tax-exempt entity named for his late mother, which supports Holy Family Catholic Church in Malibu, California; Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who collectively donated over $8 million to good causes; and Lance Armstrong, who pledged $5 million to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Other celebrities listed included Michael Jordan, Rosie O'Donnell, Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Hefner, and Tiger Woods.

To see the full list of celebrities and their donations, see the Giving Back Fund website.

Kanye West Supports Live To Give Campaign

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:30:00 +0000

The Dr. Donda West Foundation and Washington Redskins NFL hall of famer Darrell Green have teamed up with the Live to Give Campaign for the Give Back Concert Benefit taking place November 4, 2008 at Ibiza.

The show will benefit the work of Kanye West's foundation named in honor of his mother, Dr. Donda West. The Give Back Concert Benefit will mark the first hip-hop concert benefit in the nation’s capital to encourage giving back to the community.

The campaign specifically focuses on inspiring young adults to give back by voting in the upcoming historic election. The Dr. Donda West foundation will also receive the Give Back award, which honors philanthropists who inspire and encourage young adults to give back to their community and for their dedication to impacting the community through their socially engaged philanthropic efforts. Although Kanye West will be overseas on tour, attendees will be able to gain access to view Kanye’s exclusive video tribute for private viewing only.

The Give Back Concert Benefit will kick off with a meet and greet and voter registration drive with Washington Wizards Star Antawn Jamison for pre-sale ticket purchasers. On October 10 and October 20, the two surprise mega performers will be revealed. The performer who will be revealed on October 10 is a hip-hop heavyweight with his first two albums debuting at number 1 on the billboard charts. The second performer who will be announced has won various prestigious awards including 1 Grammy, 4 BET Awards, and 1 teen choice award.

Keep guessing who these stars might be, and all will be revealed on Look To The Stars when the announcements are made.

The Live to Give campaign encourages and inspires young adults to live their lives accomplishing their dreams but also giving back on their journey to success. Although there are many ways to give, the focus for this event will be to fundraise for underprivileged youth by selling concert benefit tickets and increasing voter turnout for young adults in this year’s upcoming historic election.

General admission to the Give Back Benefit is $85.00. All proceeds will be given to select charities including the Dr. Donda West Foundation, Rick Ross Charities, the Antawn Jamison Foundation, and the Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation. Tickets are available through www.livetogiveback.org; or charge by phone (301) 605- 5324. The first 200 ticket purchasers will attend a private pre-concert celebrity meet and greet for young adults who vote in this year’s upcoming election. On October 10, 2008 and October 20, ticket prices will increase once each performer is revealed.

Ellen DeGeneres Says No To Proposition 8

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Ellen DeGeneres has joined the fight against Proposition 8.

“There’s a California Proposition on the ballot that’s a little confusing,” said the talk show host on her Blog. "It’s Proposition 8. It’s called, ‘The California Marriage Protection Act’ – but don’t let the name fool you. It’s not protecting anyone’s marriage. Not yours. Not mine. The wording of Prop 8 is tricky. It’s like if someone asked you, ‘You don’t want dessert, right?’ But you do want dessert so you say, ‘Yes,’ which really means you don’t want dessert. And if you say, ‘No,’ which means you do want dessert – it sounds like you don’t. Either way, you don’t get what you want. See – confusing. Just like Prop. 8.

“So, in case I haven’t made myself clear, I’m FOR gay marriage. And in order to protect that right – please VOTE NO on Proposition 8. And now that you’re informed, spread the word. I’m begging you. I can’t return the wedding gifts – I love my new toaster.”

DeGeneres attended the “Yes on Prop 2” party with her new wife Portia De Rossi in Los Angeles on Sunday and last night appeared on Jay Leno's The Tonight Show to talk about Proposition 8 and what it would mean for people’s freedom.

Her support of the issue follows recent donations to the cause by Brad Pitt ($100,000), Steven Spielberg ($100,000), David Geffen ($50,000), and support from Barack Obama and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

More information about the campaign against Proposition 8 can be found at www.votenoonproposition8.com.

Hollywood Urges US To Vote

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of the brightest stars in Hollywood have joined forces in a new video encouraging people to vote in the upcoming US elections.

The 5-minute film, which is called 5 Friends and can be viewed here, features appearances from Amy Adams, Tatyana Ali, will.i.am, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Bacon, Maria Bello, Halle Berry, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Connolly, Courteney Cox, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Jonah Hill, Djimon Hounsou, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Kiedis, Ashton Kutcher, Adam Levine, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Esai Morales, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Ethan Suplee, Kyra Sedgwick, Michelle Trachtenberg, Usher, and Forest Whitaker.

The video, which uses a little bit of reverse psychology to get people to the polls, was organized by Declare Yourself, a national nonprofit campaign initiated in 2004 to energize and empower a new movement of young voters.

“If you’re not going to vote I don’t even know what to say to you anymore,” says DiCaprio in the video, which was shot in his home in LA. “You know you have to vote.”

Declare Yourself has also launched a new print and internet advertisement featuring Jessica Alba.

Last month the star appeared gagged and wrapped in plastic in an ad for the organization. In the new campaign, Alba appears wearing only a Hannibal Lecter-type mask called “The Muzzler.”

The advertisement can be seen at the Declare Yourself website.

Ask Rosario Dawson Your Politcal Questions

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:27:00 +0000

VOTO LATINO & MTV TR3S want to hear TU VOZ

Voto Latino founder and Sin City star Rosario Dawson will be online today, Oct. 6th, from 4:00 EST to answer your questions about the upcoming elections.

The actress founded Voto Latino four years ago to encourage young hispanic people to learn about the issues and register to vote.

TUS PREGUNTAS POLITÍCAS – Ask Rosario while she blogs live from the taping of MI TRL!

For more information, visit the Voto Latino website.

Celebrity Endorsement Pulls Young Voters

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:30:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A new study has revealed how celebrity endorsement can encourage young people to vote.

“Celebrities have the power to motivate civic engagement regardless of their own grasp of the issues at hand,” reported a study by Washington State University published in the Mass Communication and Society journal. “Celebrity endorsed campaigns successfully lowered complacency and helped young people believe in their own impact on the political system. Young people got involved at higher levels and became increasingly aware of societal issues.”

According to the study, initiatives from stars such as Jessica Alba – who recently featured in several ad campaigns for Declare Yourself – as well as Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé Knowles have influenced the youth vote in America. 44% of newly registered voters in 2004 were between 18 and 25.

This year’s voters have been encouraged by a host of celebrity campaigns, such as Death Cab for Cutie's free concert offer and the recent 5 Friends video that featured will.i.am, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Bacon, Maria Bello, Halle Berry, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Connolly, Courteney Cox, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Jonah Hill, Djimon Hounsou, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Kiedis, Ashton Kutcher, Adam Levine, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Esai Morales, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Ethan Suplee, Kyra Sedgwick, Michelle Trachtenberg, Usher, and Forest Whitaker.

About 44 million people aged 18 to 29 are eligible to vote in the November 4 presidential election. If young voter turnout exceeds 50%, it will be only the third time since the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1972.

Brooke Burke Wants You To Vote

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:30:00 +0000

American television personality and entrepreneur Brooke Burke, frontrunner on ABC’s #1 television show “Dancing with the Stars,” is set to host One Vote Counts: Pledge to Vote at famed Hollywood hotspot Les Deux next week.

Exactly one week prior to Election Day, this event will support a nonpartisan effort to bring voters together. 12% of registered voters did not vote in the 2004 presidential election – this event aims to change that! One vote counts! It counts for Brooke on her hit show, and it is vital for the nation on November 4.

Confirmed guests include: 2008 Emmy nominee Julianne Hough and Lacey Schwimmer of “Dancing with the Stars,” Ryan Eggold of “90210,” Alaina Huffman of “Smallville,” Roma Maffia of “Nip/Tuck,” Romi Dames of “Hannah Montana,” Emmy winners Michelle Stafford and Adrienne Frantz of “The Young and the Restless,” Shirly Brener of “Righteous Kills,” model Simona Fusco of “Beerfest,” Jesse Garcia of “American Identity,” Jareb Dauplaise from “Drillbit Taylor,” Manny Guevara from the “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” radio show, Karli Henriquez of MTV3’s “Karlifornia” and more to be announced.

The event starts at 9pm on Tuesday, October 28, and is being produced in association with Rock the Vote.

5 Friends Voting Video Makes A Comeback

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:30:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Hollywood is a land of sequels – and so be prepared for another one. Hot on the heals of last month’s 5 Friends video organized by Declare Yourself comes 5 Friends 2.

With only days until the US elections, a new video has been produced to encourage people to get out and vote, with stars such as Orlando Bloom, Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Snoop Dogg, Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts, Ben Stiller, Will Smith, Steven Spielberg, Justin Timberlake, Zach Braff, Colin Farrell, Neil Patrick Harris, Scarlett Johansson, Shia LeBeouf, Tobey Maguire, Ryan Reynolds, and Jason Segal making an appearance.

Along with a selection of people off the street, the stars say exactly why they are voting.

Even Sacha Baron Cohen makes an appearance as Borat.

“What you do inside a voting booth is a secret,” he says as only Borat can. “Nice…!”

And they are not the only ones encouraging people to vote. Zac Efron, Monique Coleman, and the rest of the cast of High School Musical 3 have lent their voices to the Declare Yourself organization with a series of voting videos.

All the videos can be found on the Declare Yourself website. But hurry, you’ve only got until November 4 to make yourself heard and be counted.

Brooke Burke Joins Voting Campaign

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:00:00 +0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

Brooke Burke and other celebrities came out to rally attention to voting one week before election on Tuesday.

When asked about the importantance fans voting on for their favorite dancing duo on Dancing with the Stars, Burke – who is currently starring on the show – responded, " It makes a difference on the show when people do not vote in regards Dancing with the Stars, and more importantly it makes a difference when registered voters do not vote."

Fiance David Charvet (Melrose Place/Baywatch) graciously stood off the red carpet as Burke entertained questions from the press. Burke shared the message, “It is important to let you voice be heard through your vote. This is an important election.”

Other celebrities on hand to support the Rock the Vote event hailed from reality TV and Daytime. Luenell Campbell of the new Comedy Network program the Chocolate News did the politically correct thing by showing her support for the Rock the Vote despite attaining stardom from the very politically incorrect hit film Borat.

The event was sponsored in part by the Reality Cares organization, which links reality stars with serving the community at large.

(Photo copyright Jeffrey Neal)

Melissa Etheridge Sings Against Proposition 8

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:33:00 +0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Melissa Etheridge has once again spoken out against Proposition 8, a move to ban same-sex marriage in California. Last month Etheridge performed at a Beverly Hills gala that raised nearly $4 million to fight the ban.

She seems confident, though, that the proposition, to be voted on this week, will not go through: “Prop 8 is a blatantly hateful and fearful proposition that I believe the great citizens of California can see through,” World Entertainment News Network reported.

Appealing to reason and responsibility, she said, “I know my preference of life mate freaks some people out. I know that they hold up the bible and say that it’s wrong. Fine. Let me stand before my creator and take any consequences there might be to living my life in truth and balance with my spirit.”

Planning to marry her own (female) partner for the second time – they married five years ago before same-sex marriage became legal – she says, “We have four children and we’re trying to find the right time.”

Proposition 8 will be voted on November 4.

LTTS Exclusive: Celebrity Babes Come Out To PLAY For Charity

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Last weekend in Los Angeles celebrities showed up at infamous Saddle Ranch Chop House on Sunset Boulevard for the second annual ‘Babes on the Bull’ charity event to benefit P.L.A.Y. (Providing Laughter and Amusement for Youth), an organization that collects new toys, books and games and distributes them to children in hospitals, shelters and other organizations.

Guests packed the Saddle Ranch for an afternoon of ’LA’s hottest girls’ riding the mechanical bull for charity with extra entertainment in the form of fire dancers (Fire Groove) and a live auction which included amazing seats at a Laker’s game, VIP booths at LA’s hippest clubs, golf outings, LA Dodgers baseball tickets and others. The best aspect of the auction was that everyone entering the Ranch-including the general public- received a hundred-dollar voucher to use towards auction items.

Celebrities who lent their name and came out to PLAY for the cause included: Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean, actress AnnaLynne McCord (90210), MTV’s ‘Wild N Out’ stars D.J. D-Wrek and Leonard Robinson, Warrant front man Jani Lane, actress Claudia Jordon, David Faustino (Married w/Children, STAR-VING), Gladiator Romeo, Cory & Susie Feldman, Amanda Detmer, Colleen Shannon, Jaimarie Bjorge, model/actress Kaki West, recording artist Oryon, ‘Vacancy 2’ star Lola Davidson, and actress Kelly Monaco.

Warrant front man Jani Lane was all smiles as he arrived and admitted that he’s never ridden a mechanical bull.

Actor David Faustino, who lives within walking distance of the venue, was happy to lend his support for a great cause. “I figured I’d come out today and support the cause” he said on the red carpet, “I live in the neighborhood, so you know, I give a little cheer, a little money and you know-promote, the whole package.”

Corey and Susie Feldman, the power couple who star in the A&E hit show ‘The Two Coreys’, were genuinely excited to take part in the event. “We’re here to support the kids of course,” said Corey. Granted, Corey is no stranger to giving back big-time to the community while also promoting animal rights. He’s a spokesperson for PETA, Farm Sanctuary, The Humane Society, MoveOn, and Greenpeace, and was awarded the Paws of Fame Award by the Wildlife Way Station for his dedication to animal rights.

Inside the venue, the crowd was pumped up as girls took to the bull to raise cash for the kids. And it wasn’t just "babes’ who rode the bull, a few celebrities gave it a try. First to give it a shot was actress Jaimarie Bjorge, who remained in the saddle for the duration of the ride and got the crowd pumped up for the rest of the riders.

All in all, this was a great event for a great cause and no doubt, there are quite a few grateful children in Los Angeles today.

The Grateful Dead Sign Guitar For Charity Auction

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Deadheads – otherwise known as fans of The Grateful Dead – will want to get their hands on a signed guitar up for auction at the moment.

The reunited remaining members of the band – now known simply as The Dead – have signed the guitar to benefit HeadCount, an organization that encourages young people to vote. Established in 2004 by a group of artists, music industry professionals and fans – all determined to make sure the live music community is well-represented at the polls – the organization has registered over 200,000 new voters. Over 12,000 of these were registered at concerts performed by the Dave Matthews Band in 2004. The organization currently fields street teams in nearly 50 cities, and has ties to a diverse group of artists including Pearl Jam, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Nine Inch Nails, My Morning Jacket, Maroon 5, Wilco, Death Cab for Cutie, The Indigo Girls, Gov’t Mule and the Disco Biscuits.

Joining The Dead – Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Warren Haynes, and Mickey Hart – in signing the guitar are Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, President Barack Obama’s transition team Co-Chair (and former White House Chief of Staff) John Podesta, and FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adlestein.

The auction runs until February 11 and can be accessed here.

Buy Guitar String Bracelets And Support Charity

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Music fans now have the chance to wear their love of Rock on their sleeves for charity.

Wear Your Music is a New York-based organization that creates 100% eco-friendly jewelry that rocks – literally. The company makes used guitar strings from artists spanning the musical spectrum into stylish bracelets. 100% of the proceeds from the bracelets goes to charities of the artists’ choice, such as UNICEF, Rock the Vote, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Nordoff Robbins, MusiCares, PETA, HeadCount, The Nature Conservancy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Keep A Child Alive, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Smile Train and many more.

Over 150 musicians have personally donated guitar strings to the initiative, including Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Metallica, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Ben Harper, Avril Lavigne, Carrie Underwood, Carlos Santana and Death Cab for Cutie.

“These are strings that these musicians have used and would normally throw away,” says co-president and designer Hannah Garrison, “It’s great that we can recycle them and also offer people a chance to wear rock n roll on their wrists.” In addition, the fine silver used on each bracelet is also 100% recycled, as is the DVD case each bracelet comes in. “Supporting good causes and the environment have always been important, but even more so now.”

To check out the bracelets and make a purchase, visit the official Wear Your Music website.

Barbra Streisand To Launch Massive Charity Auction

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Barbra Streisand is set to auction many of her personal items for charity.

Julien’s Auctions will host the auction, to be held October 17-18, with more than 400 items to go under the hammer.

“What good does it do in storage,” said the 67-year-old. “Let someone else enjoy it. These things, they’re not forever. We pass them on and reap the benefits for something important.”

Proceeds from the auction – to be held at the Beverly Hills Hotel – will go to the Streisand Foundation, which gives grants to “national organizations working on preservation of the environment, voter education, the protection of civil liberties and civil rights, women’s issues and nuclear disarmament” and has given large donations to programs related to women’s health.

Among the beneficiaries will be City Year, which Streisand said “brings together a core of diverse young leaders that provide vital resources to youth in local neighborhoods”; the Clinton Foundation (“We gave a big chunk to the climate change initiative”); and the Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Health Center, which supports cardiac research for women.

“For decades women have been treated based on medical research done on men,” said Streisand. “So it’s about time that proper research be done and communicated to women so they’ll be more informed about their health.”

Auction lots include a wicker chair from her sunroom, a baby grand piano, many designer dresses, costumes from films such as “Funny Lady,” “The Way We Were” and “Meet the Fockers,” an old phonograph she bought when she was 18 and “one of the first pieces of furniture I ever bought: A dental cabinet. That’s hard to part with actually. I wish I had room for it. I don’t.”

Selections from the auction will be on public view aboard the Queen Mary 2 during its trans-Atlantic cruise this month and then in Ireland, New York and Beverly Hills.

“The community is better served if I get rid of it and give all the proceeds to my foundation, which does really good work,” she said.

To view the lots and find out more, visit the Julien’s Auctions website.

Heather Graham Plays The Public Option

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:30:00 +0000

As the public option makes a comeback in the House and Senate, a new video by MoveOn Political Action features actress Heather Graham revising her role as the public health insurance option.

The video, released in advance of the White House Health Care summit, shows that the public option is making a political comeback thanks to its continued popularity with voters, and reinforces the message that the public option is the best way to help lower costs for American families and keep private insurance companies honest by forcing them to compete.

Heather Graham first played the public option in a television ad released by MoveOn in October. You can see the original ad here.

 While many thought it was dead, in the last few weeks the public health insurance option has made a remarkable comeback, with 22 Senators and 119 members of the House of Representative signing letters urging the passage of the public health insurance option through reconciliation. On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said that he would support holding a vote on the public option if health care moves via reconciliation, something he said on Saturday was likely.

The video, which states “the public option is making a comeback,” depicts lazy and out-of-shape insurance company executives from CIGNA, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, United Health and Humana being forced to compete in a track meet with Heather Graham playing the public option.  

 "This video shows, in a creative way, that the public option is making a comeback: because of its popularity and because competition helps lower the price of health care," said Justin Ruben, Executive Director of MoveOn. “With insurance companies continuing to dramatically raise their rates, it’s obvious that the insurance industry will not reform itself. While we wish the President had included the public option in his plan, Congress can and should act and use reconciliation to pass real health care reform including a public option.”

You can see the new video here.

Barbra Streisand To Be Honored As 2011 MusiCares Person Of The Year

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:30:00 +0000

Barbra Streisand will be honored as the 2011 MusiCares Person of the Year at its 21st annual benefit gala.

Proceeds from the dinner and concert honoring Streisand — to be held in Los Angeles during GRAMMY Week on Friday, Feb. 11, 2011, two days prior to the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards — will provide essential support for MusiCares, which ensures that music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need.

The legendary artist is being honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year in recognition of her renowned creative accomplishments as well as her philanthropic work, which has included an extraordinary range of charitable activities over the years.

“Barbra Streisand is a genuine Renaissance woman, someone for whom artistry and philanthropy go hand in hand,” said Neil Portnow, president of the MusiCares Foundation. “The enormous talent, passion and dedication she brings to her creative projects — whether film, television or music — are matched by the generosity and commitment she devotes to her charitable causes. It is fitting to celebrate the incredible legacy of Barbra at our 21st Annual MusiCares Person of the Year tribute.”

“For me, being able to create is both a gift and a responsibility, and I have seen firsthand the power of philanthropy to make the world a safer, healthier and more peaceful place,” said Streisand. “It is an honor to be recognized as the 2011 MusiCares Person of the Year. I have so much respect for the work they do to create a lifeline of resources — whether it’s emergency financial assistance or access to addiction recovery resources — for music people in times of need.”

The 2011 MusiCares Person of the Year gala will begin with a reception and silent auction offering an exclusive and unparalleled selection of luxury items, VIP experiences and one-of-a-kind celebrity memorabilia for bidding guests. The reception and silent auction will be followed by a dinner, the award presentation and a star-studded tribute concert. The MusiCares Person of the Year tribute ceremony is one of the most prestigious events held during GRAMMY Week. The celebration culminates with the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011. The telecast will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
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Barbra Streisand’s career has been marked by bold creative achievements and highlighted by a series of firsts. An unparalleled talent, Streisand is the only artist ever to receive Oscar, Tony, Emmy, GRAMMY, Directors Guild of America, Golden Globe, National Medal of Arts, and Peabody awards, as well as France’s Legion d’honneur and the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She is also the first female film director to receive the Kennedy Center Honors.

Streisand is the only performer to have a No. 1 album in five consecutive decades. She has earned 51 gold, 30 platinum and 18 multi-platinum albums, each of which exceeds all other female singers, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The RIAA also notes that her 71.5 million album sales top the RIAA list of album sales by a female singer. With the debut of Love Is The Answer at No. 1 in 2009, the time span between her first and most recent No. 1 albums is 46 years — exceeding that of any other performer or act.

Her civil rights activism and philanthropic pursuits are just as impressive. The Streisand Foundation has given millions of dollars through 2,100 grants to nonprofit organizations and she has raised many millions more through her performances. Streisand supports an impressive range of causes from AIDS organizations to nonprofits that work on issues of women’s equality, the protection of both human rights and civil rights, the needs of children at risk in society, the preservation of the environment, Jewish/Arab relations, and relations between African-Americans and Jews.

For information on purchasing tables and tickets to the event, please contact Dana Tomarken at MusiCares, 310.392.3777.

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