Look To The Stars News: Jason Bateman

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.

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. Last year’s race was won by ESPN/ABC pit reporter for NASCAR Nationwide Jamie Little.

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.

This year’s participants will drive Scion tCs in a 10-lap race, as part of the 35th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, on April 18. Other celebrities taking part this year include Adrien Brody, Alex Trebek, Tyson Beckford, Raven Symone, Jon Hamm, Tim Daly, Eric Close, 24’s Mary Lynn Rajskub, comedian Carlos Mencia and E!’s Ken Baker.

More info about the event can be found here.

“We Have to Do This:” Stars Urge Answer To Obama’s Call To Service

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Isra Shah

Actors Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore have recorded a star-studded “Presidential Pledge” in collaboration with MySpace and Katalyst Films to encourage Americans to get involved in community service via USAService.org. The move is part of an effort to answer President Barack Obama’s call to begin the “work of remaking America.”

During his inauguration speech on January 20th, President Obama asserted that despite all that “government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.”

“The price and promise of citizenship,” according to Obama, is that “we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world.”

It was this call to duty that inspired Kutcher and Moore to record the commercial. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Kutcher explained that, “The truth is it’s going to take millions, hundreds of millions, of people for that [change in the world] to happen.”

“It’s going to be because of what all of us do. He’s the catalyst. It’s his inspiring message that asks us to be of service to each other. "

“Someone came into our office and had the idea of doing pledges for Obama, and instantly it was like, ‘We have to do this’,” he said.

The commercial, aired online and viewable here, features celebrities sharing their personal commitments to service. The pledges range from simple tasks (“I pledge to turn the lights off”) to grand endeavors (“I pledge to find a cure for Alzheimer’s”). Participants included famous faces such as George Lopez, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jason Bateman, Dakota Fanning, Nicole Richie, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Kevin Connolly, Lucy Liu, Cameron Diaz, and Molly Sims, amongst others.

In a statement, Kutcher emphasized the interactive nature of the PSA announcement, saying, “We are honored to be working with MySpace to rally the entertainment industry to answer President-elect Barack Obama’s call to service. The ‘Presidential Pledge’ is a platform for people across the nation and throughout the world to make a first-person commitment of service to our new president, articulating a specific intent or action to become an agent of positive change.”

Read the full text of President Obama’s Inaugural Address here.

To record and post your own ‘Presidential Pledge,’ visit the MySpace site .

David Arquette Helps Feed America

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor David Arquette hosted a star-studded charity cocktail evening for Feeding America over the weekend.

The event – held in Los Angeles on Friday, January 9 – attracted an amazing array of celebrities, including Arquette’s wife Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Sheryl Crow, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Tobey Maguire, Josh Groban, Amanda Peet, Nick Lachey, Kevin Connelly, Lukas Haas, Jason Bateman and many more.

The event was held to help Shepard Fairey unveil his new range of artworks that raise awareness about Feeding America, an organization that increases public awareness of domestic hunger and advocates for public policies that benefit America’s hungry. Fairey is one of the world’s best known street artists.

Each year, the Feeding America network provides food assistance to more than 25 million low-income people facing hunger in the United States, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors.

Stars To Shine In Charity Heaven

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Art of Elysium will celebrate their 2nd annual Black Tie Charity Gala in a star-studded event this weekend.

Subtitled Heaven, the event will honor Jim Sheridan and Eva Mendes for their work with the charity, which encourages working actors, artists and musicians to voluntarily dedicate their time and talent to children who are battling serious medical conditions.

The event will be hosted by Rosetta Millington Getty and Relativity Media’s Ryan Kavanaugh, and celebrities expected to attend include Casey Affleck, Jason Bateman, David Arquette, Patricia Arquette, Justin Bartha, Sophia Bush, Courteney Cox, Eric Dane, Kirsten Dunst, Rebecca Gayheart-Dane, Topher Grace, Rachel Griffiths, Jake Gyllenhaal, Melissa Joan Hart, Thomas Jane, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Ali Larter, Jared Leto, Lisa Love, Tobey Maguire, Joaquin Phoenix, Natalie Portman and many others.

The Art of Elysium was established in 1997 and is dedicated to enriching the lives of artists and critically ill children.

“The Art of Elysium exists because of the passion that artists hold in their hearts,” said Jennifer Howell, founder of the organization. “By serving children in need, the artist is allowed to express this passion in ways that could never be revealed on stage, in a gallery or behind a camera. We invite you to join in our efforts to make a difference or to invent your own way to reach out and share yourself with others.”

The Heaven Gala takes place on Saturday, January 10, at the The Vibiana, 210 Main Street, Los Angeles. More info can be found here.

Get Ready For The Carousel Of Hope This Weekend

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The annual Carousel of Hope Gala will take place this weekend to raise money for the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes.

Presented by Jay Leno, the gala will take place at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, October 25, and will honor Denzel Washington for his charity work.

This year celebrates 30 years of helping children with diabetes through the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes. Held every two years, this is the 18th Carousel of Hope. From its inception in 1978, the Ball has raised over $70 million.

The gala will feature performances from Josh Groban, the Jonas Brothers, Katharine McPhee and many more under the music direction of David Foster. The guest list is expected to be huge, with stars such as Tom Arnold, Melanie Griffith & Antonio Banderas, Halle Berry, Valerie Bertinelli, Lara Flynn Boyle, Bo Derek, Geena Davis, Daisy Fuentes, Selena Gomez, Kelsey Grammar, Tom Hanks, Taraji P. Henson, Anjelica Huston, Magic Johnson, Dr. Phil McGraw, Holly Robinson-Peete & Rodney Peete, Nicole Richie, Jane Seymour, Nicollette Sheridan, Forest Whitaker and James Woods all expected to attend. Clive Davis, Quincy Jones and Sidney Poitier will take part in Denzel Washington’s presentation.

The evening will feature a silent auction that includes an array of eco-friendly shirts donated by Guess and signed by Jason Bateman, Halle Berry, Robert DeNiro, Clint Eastwood, Will Ferrell, Harrison Ford, Cuba Gooding Jr., Whitney Houston, Scarlett Johansson, Jason Lee, Jared Leto, Bill Maher, Steve Martin, Jack Nicholson, Ray Romano, Maria Shriver & Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rod Stewart, Usher and many more. There will also be handbags signed by Joan Collins, Courteney Cox, Cindy Crawford, Dakota Fanning, Mariska Hargitay, Fergie, Susan Sarandon, Britney Spears and Racquel Welch, as well as items from Trace Adkins, P. Diddy, Marcia Cross, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Andie MacDowell, Alyssa Milano, Eva Longoria, Dolly Parton, Priscilla Presley, Denise Richards, Joel Madden, Sharon Stone, John Travolta, Carrie Underwood and many more.

Proceeds from the gala will benefit clinical care and research at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes (BDC) where over 5,000 children and young adults receive specialized care.

Big Names Flock to 7th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:38:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

On Saturday May 31, stars converged at a private estate in Brentwood California to attend the 7th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball. Each year, Chrysalis helps more than 2,300 men and women transition from poverty, regain their dignity, and radically change their lives through jobs. And the impressive celebrity turnout speaks volumes to the good work being done by Chrysalis.

Rebecca Gayheart-Dane and her ‘McSteamy’ husband Eric Dane were the first couple to arrive.

“I feel very honored to be part of Chrysalis and that I get to do the work that I do,” said Rebecca Gayheart-Dane before the event. “It’s a great cause and this community has been so supportive and I so appreciate it.”

Eric Dane was equally impressed with his wife’s work as a co-chair member: “Every year I marvel at the commitment and the dedication and the time she puts aside for this event,” he told the media.

Charlie Sheen and his new wife Brooke Mueller made their first public appearance as a married couple, just one day after the two exchanged vows in front of about 60 close friends and family. The “Two and a Half Men” star and real estate developer were engaged last summer after meeting at the Chrysalis Butterfly Ball in 2006.

Among the list of stars supporting the cause and creating a media frenzy during arrivals were Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Kate Walsh, Katherine Heigl, Eva Mendes, Mila Kunis, Amaury Nolasco, Brett Ratner, Jason Lewis, T.R. Knight, Justin Chambers, Jason Bateman, and the night’s emcee, Chris Kattan.

“The charity is certainly worth while,” said Bateman from the red carpet. “I love this – instead of just throwing money at something, you actually give them a very proactive tool to eliminate their problem of homelessness.”

Chris Kattan was proud to play host for the evening, as he is a regular supporter of Chrysalis: “I think it’s a great cause to help the homeless situation here. I’ve been here four years in a row now.”

All proceeds from the Butterfly Ball directly fund Chrysalis employment programs, and this years’ event is said to have raised close to one million dollars for the organization.

Jamie Little Wins Pro/Celebrity Race

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

Written by Tim Saunders

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.”

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, and Josh Brolin. 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.

“You go into the event with everyone out here wanting to help raise money for charity and have fun,” said Little, who will give her winnings to the UCI Reeve/Irvine Center in California, a facility that specializes in spinal cord injury research. “But when the race starts, the competitive juices take over and everyone wants to win.”

Another big-hearted participant in the race was fine jewelry designer and part-time Grand Am driver Sarena Traver, who earned her spot in the Pros with an $80,000 winning bid in the Boys’ and Girls’ Club annual charity auction.

Celebrities Take Pole Position For Charity

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

Written by Tim Saunders

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.

Wilmer Valderrama, best known for the role of Fez in That ’70s Show and host of MTV’s Yo Momma.
Drew Lachey, best known as the second-season winner of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and member of the group 98 Degrees.
Raymond Cruz, best known for his roles in The Closer, Clear and Present Danger, The Substitute, The Rock, and Training Day.
Eric Dickerson, Pro Football Hall of Famer.
John Salley, Sportscaster.
Daniel Goddard from The Young And The Restless.
Jamie Little, ESPN/ABC pit reporter for NASCAR Nationwide.
Nancy Lieberman, ESPN women’s basketball analyst.
Brad Lewis, Executive Producer of Ratatouille, Broken Arrow, Forces of Nature, and Antz.

Race fans should also check out the Honda Performance Development auction over at www.clothesoffourback.org. There are a large selection of racing gloves, shoes, suits, and more donated by some of today’s hottest drivers, including Helio Castroneves, Ryan Briscoe, Darren Manning, and Ed Carpenter. Proceeds will benefit Clothes Off Our Back and American Honda supported charities.

But you had better slip into a higher gear and be quick – the auction ends April 21.

Look To The Stars News: Jason Bateman

Keanu Reeves To Race For Charity

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