Look To The Stars News: Gene Hackman

Ricky Gervais Says No To Chimpanzee Mistreatment

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Comedian Ricky Gervais is taking a break from making ‘em laugh about Charlie Sheen, God, Tom Cruise, and Hollywood. Now the outspoken comedian says there’s nothing funny about the U.S. federal government’s backing for chimpanzee experimentation — he’s leading an effort to save 14 chimpanzees recently moved to a Texas research laboratory for use in painful experiments.

“Scientists around the world are deeply concerned about the ethical and scientific problems associated with using humankind’s closest living genetic relatives in painful and invasive experiments,” writes Gervais in his letter to the director to the National Institutes of Health. "Over the past few decades, we’ve learned that chimpanzees are astonishingly smart and deeply sensitive beings. That is a key reason why the United Kingdom banned licenses for experiments on chimpanzees more than a decade ago.

Charlotte Ross Objects To Crimes Against Chimpanzees

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:30:00 +0000

Charlotte Ross, who played a detective on “NYPD Blue” and has appeared on “Glee,” and “Law & Order,” is urging the National Institutes Of Health to halt what she considers a crime against chimpanzees.

As Ross writes in a letter dated Dec. 16 to NIH director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., she is determined to block 200 chimpanzees from being turned over to a Texas research laboratory for invasive experiments.

True Blood's Kristin Bauer Leads Chimpanzee Rescue Campaign

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:00:00 +0000

True Blood’s Kristin Bauer is sinking her teeth into a real-life drama – she’s leading an effort to save 200 chimpanzees from being turned over to a Texas research laboratory for invasive experiments.

As Bauer writes in a letter going this week to the National Institutes of Health, she is outraged by the plan to put these aging chimpanzees back into laboratory cages.

Gene Hackman Speaks Out Over Chimpanzee Experiments

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Gene Hackman, star of “The French Connection” and other films, is speaking out on behalf of about 200 chimpanzees who are in danger of being used in invasive experiments.

The “tough guy” actor has a soft spot for the chimpanzees, and he is asking that they remain in New Mexico in a non-research facility rather than being sent to Texas for experimentation.

Brian Austin Green Wins Celebrity Charity Grand Prix

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Brian Austin Green has won this year’s Toyota Pro/Celebrity Charity Race at the the Long Beach Grand Prix, finishing fractions of a second in front of Adrien Brody and Zachary Levi.

The celebrity race has been held every year since 1977, and has attracted stars such as Gene Hackman, Jason Bateman, Rick Schroder, Stephen Baldwin, Donny Osmond, Sean Patrick Flanery, Nancy Lieberman, Daniel Goddard and Josh Brolin.

2008’s race was won by ESPN/ABC pit reporter for NASCAR Nationwide Jamie Little, while last year’s race was taken out by Keanu Reeves. Reeves took part this year as well, but finished 11th, ahead of Christian Slater and Tony Hawk.

Keanu Reeves To Race For Charity Again

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:30:00 +0000

After winning last year’s event, actor Keanu Reeves will once again get behind the wheel for the annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity charity race at the 36th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach next month.

Every year, Toyota donates $5,000 to Racing for Kids, a non-profit program benefiting children’s hospitals in Southern California, in the name of each celebrity racer, and another $5,000 to the winner’s charity of choice. The car company has donated close to $1.6 million to various children’s organizations since 1991.

Keanu Reeves To Race For Charity

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Actors Keanu Reeves and Luke Wilson are among the many stars set to take to the race track in this year’s Toyota Pro/Celebrity Grand Prix.

Jamie Little Wins Pro/Celebrity Race

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:47:10 +0000

Car enthusiasts, racing fans, petrol heads – call them what you will, a large crowd of them turned out to watch ESPN pit reporter Jamie Little win the 32nd annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race at the 34th Toyota Grand Prix in Long Beach on Saturday.

A field of 18 celebrities and professional drivers slipped into gear and battled it out through 10 laps on the 1.97-mile street circuit, with 17 of them finishing – basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman got stuck on a tire wall on Lap 6. The field were racing Toyota Scion tCs, and it was a tight duel all the way, with Pixar producer/director Brad Lewis leading for the first 8 laps. A small altercation with the tire wall saw Lewis finish 9th overall, with Little holding off 2nd-placed NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion Mike Skinner by 0.324 seconds.

“When you interview a winning driver after the race, they always tell you how they just try to get through that last lap,” said Little. “Well, now I know exactly what they’re talking about.”

Celebrities Take Pole Position For Charity

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:30:07 +0000

You will not have to be a car enthusiast, racing fan, petrol head, or even an average, ordinary sports fanatic to enjoy the celebrity specticle that will take place next weekend in downtown Long Beach. The peaceful silence of Southern California will be ripped asunder as engines are revved and a host of stars take to the track in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race at the 34th annual Toyota Grand Prix.

A field of 18 is primed and ready to vie for the checkered flag in the world’s longest-running and most successful celebrity racing event. The 10-lap race will trace a 1.97-mile street circuit, and will raise money for Racing for Kids, a program that benefits children’s hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County. Toyota has generously pledged $5,000 to the charity in the name of each celebrity driver, and another $5,000 to the race winner’s charity of choice.