Look To The Stars News: Madonna

Britney Hits The Charity Auctions One More Time

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:30:00 -0000

“Do you want a piece of me?” asked Britney Spears in one of her latest singles. Well, if you answered “Yes”, then now is your chance – the singer is offering up seven pieces of clothing in a new charity auction.

The items include a Mickey Mouse Club T-shirt signed by Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Keri Russell, as well as the blue and white Santa dress she wore in a Pepsi Christmas commercial in 2000; the orange coat and pants she wore to the Billboard Music Awards; costumes from her “Drive Me Crazy” and “Oops, I Did it Again” tours; and a pair of jeans that Marilyn Monroe wore in the film River of No Return – a gift Spears received from Tommy Hilfiger.

Proceeds from the auction, which was provided by Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group on behalf of the singer, will go to a charity of Tri Star’s choosing. The sale is part of online auctioneer “Gotta Have It’s” upcoming Rock & Roll Pop Art Auction, which will run between July 21 and August 6 and feature items from Elvis Presley and Madonna.

The auction can be accessed via Gotta Have It’s website.

Madonna’s Malawi Efforts Get Multiple Recognition

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Malawi is awarding Madonna with citizenship in honor of the work she’s done through her charity, Raising Malawi, for AIDS orphans of the impoverished country.

However, Malawi’s government offices aren’t the only ones noticing Madonna’s work. Michael Moore asked to show her new film, I am Because We Are, at the Traverse City Film Festival and for her to attend the showing in person.

“She said she’d be thrilled to come here and be part of the film festival,” said Moore. “We were pleasantly surprised.”

The documentary, written, produced and narrated by Madonna, follows her through Malawi, a country devastated by poverty and AIDS, exploring the lives of the orphans. The message, though, is optimistic: there is hope. No child without vision has a future – this future exists when children believe “they are their own potential.”

Former U.S. president Bill Clinton, activist Jeffrey Sachs, Archbishop Desmund Tutu and various experts are also interviewed.

“When I saw it, I thought, ‘Wow, it’s like she’s been making these films for years,’” said Moore. “She takes the viewer through a very personal journey and tries to connect us, living here in the U.S., giving us a window into the way it is for other people in the world. You understand very clearly why she’s devoted so much of her life to the people of Malawi.”

“The film is a labor of love and I am happy that I can bring it home to my roots,” Madonna told The Associated Press. “I am also honored that the film will be screening at this particular festival arranged by Michael, as he is a genius and I am a huge fan.”

The Traverse City Film Festival will run July 29 through August 3. Madonna will introduce I am Because We Are, playing at 8:00 p.m. August 2 at the State Theatre, and take questions from the audience afterwards. Proceeds of the $25 tickets will go to the Raising Malawi foundation.

Icons Of Music Rock On For Charity

Mon, 26 May 2008 11:12:57 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The second annual Music Rising Icons Of Music auction will be held on 31 May at NYC’s Hard Rock Café, and is to broadcast live by the Auction Network.

Music Rising is a charity founded by U2’s The Edge, producer Bob Ezrin, and Gibson Guitars CEO Henry Juszkiewicz to help replace musical instruments that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The auction will feature over 400 exciting lots, including one of The Edge’s famous 1976 Gibson Explorers (with an estimated price of $80,000), a Fender Stratocaster previously owned by David Gilmour, a snare drum signed by John Lennon, and Eric Clapton’s Roland G-505 guitar used on his Behind The Sun album and on tour with Roger Waters.

The evening will also feature a very special performance from four-time Grammy Award winner Aaron Neville, who has helped bring major attention to some of the charity work being done in New Orleans today. Neville lost everything in the storms of Katrina and brings a unique personal experience to Music Rising, giving guests a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness his great musicianship when he brings the spirit of New Orleans to the auction.

A limited number of tickets for the event are currently available for $250.00 each through either Ticketmaster or Hard Rock Cafe New York, with all proceeds going directly to Music Rising. Tickets include entry into the evening portion of the event, special catered services, and a complimentary Icons of Music II collectible auction catalog.

Highlights from the Icons of Music II auction have already toured the world, and have been seen at The Museo De La Moda in Santiago, Chile, The Museum of Style Icons in Ireland, and the Celebrity Vault in Beverly Hills. The auction lots will be on display at the Hard Rock Cafe New York from 11am to 10pm daily from Monday, May 26th – Friday, May 30th.

Other items include a hat once owned by Elvis Presley, Madonna’s high school yearbook, Elton John’s toaster, and Jimi Hendrix’s personalized guitar straps. The auction can be accessed at the Auction Network website.

Naomi Judd Heads Up Exciting Auction

Mon, 26 May 2008 11:08:45 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Now here’s something really exciting: Country singer Naomi Judd has teamed up with The Autograph Store, a leading online auction dealer of celebrity autographed photos and signed memorabilia, to sponsor the Huntington, West Virginia, Ronald McDonald House’s Charity Auction.

The auction, which also includes a dinner and dance, will be held on May 31 at the Bellefonte Golf and Country Club in Ashland, Kentucky, and will feature some awesome items including guitars autographed by the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton, CDs signed by U2 and Madonna, and photos autographed by Johnny Depp and others.

The Huntington Ronald McDonald House has served more than 8,300 families from southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and southeastern Ohio, and the Autograph Store is proud to be the exclusive supplier of all celebrity autographed items for this fundraiser.

“We are extremely excited to partner up with a wonderful organization such as the Ronald McDonald House Charity and Naomi Judd,” said Matthew Raines, Executive Vice President of the Autograph Store. “We look forward to furthering our relationship with this organization that gives so much back to its community. The mission of the Ronald McDonald House is to provide families of seriously ill children a place to stay while their child is in the hospital…a home-away-from-home that will enable them to remain together and function as a family in an environment of love, strength and support…an expression of the warmth and caring of the community. It is our distinct honor to help them take another step toward achieving their mission.”

More information can be found at www.autographstore.com.

Madonna Gets Into The Groove At Cannes

Mon, 26 May 2008 10:52:57 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Madonna auctioned off a private concert during the 61st annual Cannes International Film Festival late last week at the annual Cinema Against AIDS fundraiser to raise money for amfAR.

Hosted by Sharon Stone, the Gala is one of the hottest tickets at the Cannes film festival each year, with hundreds of guests traveling to nearby Mougins for an auction dinner held in a giant marquee. This year’s event attracted a plethora of celebrity guests intent on raising money for the cause, including P. Diddy, Natalie Portman, Dennis Hopper, and Miramax chief Harvey Weinstein, all of whom were keen to get their hands on some of the items up for auction on the night.

“I hope we all leave a little poorer,” said amfAR chairman Kenneth Cole prior to the festivities, although he needn’t have worried – a total of $10 million was raised for the American Foundation for AIDS Research on the night.

As well as Madonna’s private concert – which sold for $560,000 – other popular items up for grabs included a restored 1976 Porsche 911, which went for $790,000 after rap mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs stopped bidding at $710,000. A diamond-encrusted Christian Dior mobile phone also fetched $189,000. Tickets for the event started at $4,000 and rose to $15,000 nearer the stage.

Combs auctioned 24 hours in his company, promising: “I will fulfill your wildest dreams for amfAR and the children,” and “I will wake up with you.” The winning bid was $315,000.

Madonna and Tyson Fight For AIDS Awareness

Fri, 23 May 2008 10:53:10 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Pop superstar Madonna is joining forces with former boxing champion Mike Tyson for a charity campaign to promote awareness of children with HIV and AIDS.

The pair met at the Cannes Film Festival while promoting their documentary films.

A source told Britain’s Daily Mirror, “Madonna thinks Mike is amazing and asked if she could have a private screening of his documentary Tyson while she was in the Riviera.

“Mike agreed immediately and offered to do a favour in return. He has promised to fly with her to Malawi this summer to promote awareness of children with AIDS there.”

Madonna produced and narrated the documentary film I Am Because We Are, which highlights the plight of Malawi’s one million orphan AIDS sufferers.

Madonna to Build Girls' School in Malawi

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:59:33 -0000

Written by Linda Burton

Following in Oprah Winfrey’s footsteps, pop icon Madonna is planning to finance the construction of a multi-million dollar girls’ school in Malawi for underprivileged children this year.

“A task force of four prominent Malawians has already been formed to head the project which will be on the scale of what Oprah Winfrey has in South Africa,” Madonna’s lawyer Alan Chinula told Reuters.

“It is a multi-million dollar project and we will get the real costs in the next two weeks.”

Billionaire U.S. television magnate Winfrey has built a $40 million all-girl leadership academy in South Africa which boasts state-of-the-art facilities including laboratories, a yoga studio and beauty salon.

This isn’t Madonna’s first philanthropic foray in Malawi. Malawi’s High Court is expected to approve Madonna’s bid to adopt two-year-old Malawian David Banda on Thursday. Malawi’s government and David’s father – his only surviving parent – have endorsed the adoption.

Madonna To Attend AIDS Charity Cannes Event

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:52:37 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Madonna, the Queen of Pop herself, will join Sharon Stone and Michelle Yeoh at this year’s annual amfAR Cinema Against AIDS fundraiser on May 22, during the 61st annual Cannes International Film Festival.

The event, which will benefit the American Foundation for AIDS Research, will take place at Le Moulin de Mougins and will include a formal dinner and a live auction. In addition, this year’s event will feature a short clip of I Am Because We Are , the Madonna-produced and -narrated documentary about children orphaned by AIDS in Malawi.

The organization’s annual Cinema Against AIDS galas have generated more than $33 million for essential AIDS research since 1993, and have been hosted by Elizabeth Taylor, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, and Sir Elton John. Last year’s live auction raised $4 million, making a total of $7 million for the night, and featured a surprise performance by Kylie Minogue.

A full screening of I Am Because We Are is scheduled to take place in Cannes the evening before the gala, and will tie in with amfAR’s Cinema Against AIDS event.

Tables for this year’s Cinema Against AIDS will range in price from $40,000 to $150,000. For event reservations and details, visit www.amfar.org.

A Little Madonna Madness

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:05:26 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

“Strike a pose, there’s nothing to it, grab a globe, and then donate it to charity…” OK, so it may not rhyme and it may not live up to the songwriting standards of modern music, but it does explain what Madonna is up to over at eBay this week.

Starting today, one lucky bidder will get into the groove and thank their lucky star when the Material Girl auctions off the polystyrene and plaster globe she posed beside on the upcoming May cover of Vanity Fair magazine.

The singer has signed the globe and also drawn a heart around Africa – almost like a borderline. Proceeds from the auction will benefit her Raising Malawi organization, a charity she established to raise money for one of the poorest nations in the world.

As an added bonus, which any Madonna fan will cherish, the Queen of Pop is also auctioning two tickets for a show in New York later this month, including accommodation and dinner. Fans are guaranteed to want to live to tell about the holiday experience, which will be like a prayer come true.

So open your heart, express yourself, and try to count exactly how many Madonna song titles I just included in that story…

Artists Create Celebrity Easter Eggs

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:11:45 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

What do two graffiti-style artists, a tattooist, a fashion designer and a patissier all have in common? They have all joined with British chocolatiers Thornton’s to create special Easter Eggs for an auction benefitting Barnardo’s.

Art and design duo Id-Iom hand-painted the likenesses of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Victoria Beckham, David Beckham, singer Lily Allen, and Prince Harry on their lot, while fashion designer Henry Holland used purple, pink, yellow, green, and turquoise icing to decorate a 1kg chocolate egg. Eric Lanlard, famous for creating Madonna’s wedding cake and Brooklyn Beckham’s first birthday cake, turned his hand from cakes to chocolate for his edible work of art. Tattooist to the stars Louis Molloy, whose impressive client list includes David Beckham, created a design incorporating swallows and bluebirds.

The eggs are currently available on eBay, and will help Barnardo’s continue it’s mission to ensure that all all children and young people are free from poverty, abuse and discrimination.

Annie Lennox And Friends Sing For Africa

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:59:52 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Momentum is building behind Annie Lennox’s Sing Campaign, and the singer is now offering fans the chance to download the song that started it all for free in an initiative to raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS problem in South Africa.

US residents will be able to download the song from Amazon MP3 until March 17 and support the Treatment Action Campaign, an orgainization that provides much needed support in the country’s struggle against the deadly virus.

The single, which was made available in the UK through the Body Shop, has sold out in countries such as Ireland and cities such as London. The entire UK has sold half of its stock in only two days, an unprecedented occurrence in the music industry, especially in relation to a charity single.

“One third of pregnant women in South Africa are HIV positive,” said the 53-year-old in a recent CNN interview. “We can prevent their children being born with the virus if we let the women have access to treatment. If you do not allow that to happen, you’re going to have future generations simply being wiped out.”

Lennox was joined by a choir of 23 well-known female performers for the song, which was originally released on her Songs of Mass Destruction album in 2007. The former Eurythmics lead singer believed that a group of female voices would make the message of the song stronger, so she enlisted the talents of Madonna, Céline Dion, Dido, Faith Hill, Joss Stone, Pink, Melissa Etheridge, Fergie, Bonnie Raitt, KT Tunstall, Shakira, Beth Orton, Sarah McLachlan, Anastacia, the Sugababes, KD Lang, Martha Wainwright, Angélique Kidjo, Beverley Knight, Shingai Shoniwa, Gladys Knight, and Isobel Campbell in the recording.

“Because I had written a song called ‘Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves’ in the 80s, which became a fairly well-known feminist anthem really, [I thought] perhaps it would be possible to try to attempt to write another kind of anthemic song for women,” said Lennox. “So I started to write a song and it ended up being called ‘Sing’. I sort of melded the song in with an HIV activist song written by a group of activists living in Khayelitsa in South Africa.”

The Sing Campaign, which Lennox launched in 2007, has also just set up a new video on YouTube, in which the public can leave comments in support of the campaign.

More information about the campaign, visit the Sing Campaign website.

Shakira Sheds Threads For Charity

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:11:47 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Although the Northern Hemisphere is still gripped with winter chills, it has not stopped some celebrities from shedding their clothes… for a good cause, of course.

Latin American pop princess Shakira leads the pack by donating more than 40 items of clothing from her 2007 Oral Fixation Tour to a massive internet auction.

There is an impressive list of garments from the hip-shaking performer’s wardrobe, including a lavender skirt with turqoise and coral beading and a blue tank top emblazoned with the words “For Those Who Love To Rock”. And the demand has been overwhelming, with one dress attracting bids of $10,000, and a custom-made bra reaching $1,126.

“We have bids from all over the world,” said Eric Ganzin, president of Auction Cause. “It’s very exciting.”

Proceeds from the auction will go to the singer’s Pies Descalzos Foundation, and the money will be used for the construction of a school for impoverished children in North Colombia.

But bidders had better be quick – the eBay auction ends in just a few hours.

Former Buffy The Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar has pushed the envelope a little further by allowing naked photos of herself to be auctioned on eBay.

But before you get too excited, they are not all that they appear: the 30-year-old actress originally posed for the photos in a little black dress that was later removed digitally.

The proceeds from the photos will go to the Coalition of Skin Diseases.

And even Donald Trump is getting in on the act… although thankfully he is keeping his clothes on.

A tie signed by Trump is currently up for auction on eBay, with proceeds going to the Spirit Fund, a fund established by radio station Warm 101.3 to help children in the Rochester area.

The story behind the tie is twisty and, you could say, knotty: When a Kodak executive arrived on set for a recent taping of The Celebrity Apprentice, Trump objected to his tie. He ordered the executive to replace it with one belonging to one of the security guards.

There are only a few hours left in the auction, and bids have already reached $759.

But the biggest celebrity auction on the Net right now is the 50th Grammy Awards Charity Auction on eBay. Over 100 items from some of music’s hottest stars is up for grabs, with all proceeds going to MusiCares.

The auction, which runs until February 21, features exciting and priceless items such as the chance to visit the set of LL Cool J’s next video, a guitar lesson with Joe Satriani, VIP tickets to concerts by Linkin Park, John Legend, and Rihanna, guitars signed by Richie Sambora, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, and Neil Diamond, a microphone signed by Joss Stone, posters and photos signed by Rod Stewart ($167), John Mayer ($170), and Sting ($482), as well as items from Avril Lavigne, Slash, Reba McEntire, Quincy Jones, Beyoncé Knowles, and Snoop Dogg.

The internet auction follows a live auction held on February 8 at Aretha Franklin’s MusiCare’s Person Of The Year Award ceremony. Items that were up for sale on that night included a private painting lesson with Tony Bennett, a saxophone signed by Bill Clinton, sheet music to Stairway To Heaven signed by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, as well as clothing and instruments donated by Elton John, Slash, Madonna, and Bruce Springsteen.

MusiCares is the charitable arm of the Recording Academy, the group that gives out the Grammys, and focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly impact the health and welfare of the music community.

Madonna And Friends Shine A Light On Malawi

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:23:58 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

If you were to look on a map, you could be excused for missing Malawi completely. Bordered by Tanzania, Zambia, and Mozambique in South East Africa, the nation of Malawi is shaped like a lightning bolt, with much of its land area covered by a massive lake. But it a country that is in dire need of help, and a host of celebrities turned out to a dazzling evening of fun on Wednesday, February 6, to raise awareness for what is one of the poorest countries in the world.

The gala event was hosted by Madonna on the lawns of the United Nations Headquarters in New York, with the $3.7 million raised going to UNICEF and her own Raising Malawi organization. A long list of stars, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Lopez, Tea Leoni, Lucy Liu, Billy Joel, Gwen Stefani, and Djimon Hounsou, attended the event, with tickets ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. The evening also featured performances by Alicia Keys, Timbaland, and Rihanna.

“I want to put Raising Malawi on the map,” said Madonna. “I want credibility as a philanthropic organisation. I want to inspire people. I don’t want them to just write me a cheque: I want them to give me a piece of their heart.”

Comedian Chris Rock hosted an auction during the evening, which featured some exciting items donated by celebrity guests. Priceless, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities were up for grabs, such as a dance class with Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow (which sold for $600,000), and a trip to Château Latour – including lunch with Salma Hayek – which was sold to Donald Trump for $120,000.

Tom Cruise, who attended the event with wife Katie Holmes, narrowly missed out on buying a sports package that included baseball practice with Yankee Alex Rodriguez and soccer practice with David Beckham.

“It was an extraordinary evening,” said Cruise. “The whole evening was quite moving. [Saving Malawi] is an absolute necessity.”

Saving Malawi was co-founded by Madonna in 2006, after she witnessed the plight of the country firsthand. And it is a plight she hopes to make more people aware of.

Recent UNICEF figures state that almost 1 million people in Malawi (whose total population is 13 million) suffer from HIV/AIDS, including 83,000 children. 267 people are infected with the virus every day, and half of the country’s 1 million orphans have lost their parents to the disease.

It is a country where 48% of children are severely malnourished, and many are subjected to the horrors of exploitation. The infant and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world, and 133 children out of 1000 die before they reach the age of five. They suffer from lack of food, shelter, clothing, education, clean water and sanitation, as well as basic medical services, and the average life expectancy is only 37 years.

Raising Malawi hopes to ease the suffering of the children of Malawi by providing smart solutions to the most challenging problems. Instead of just throwing money at the nightmare, they provide grassroots initiatives in the way of healthcare, education, and agriculture at a community level. To do this, they have partnered with some of the best organizations that work in the country, including the Millennium Promise Alliance, the Network of Organizations for Vulnerable and Orphan Children, and Spirituality for Kids.

One of Raising Malawi’s greatest initiatives is the Orphan Care Center recently built in the village of Mphandula. Designed to serve 4000 children, it provides a safe haven for orphans, and supplies nutritious meals, basic education, and crucial life skills. Along with programs to introduce solar power, clean water systems, and self-sustenance, Madonna hopes the Orphan Care Center will help Malawi overcome its problems.

“I’ve earned a reputation for many things,” said Madonna during Wednesday’s gala evening. “For pushing the envelope, for being a provocateur, for never taking no for an answer, for endlessly reinventing myself, for being a cult member, a kidnapper, for being ambitious, outrageous, and irreverent. And for never settling for second best. I don’t just want you to write me a check. I’m more interested in your heart. I want to take you on that journey with me tonight. I want you to feel as inspired as I do right now.

“Yes, I want to raise Malawi. But if I can do that – if we can do that – then the sky’s the limit.”

2007 - The Year The Stars Gave Back

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:11:14 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

2007 was a year of giving, both on grand and not-so-grand scales. Celebrities from all fields, be it movies, music, sport or general entertainment, showed compassion beyond the call of duty, and in most cases had a lot of fun doing it.

Without a doubt, one of the biggest events of the year was Live Earth in July, where stars new and old shone in all of the corners of the Earth to raise awareness of the plight of the planet. The shows were generally well-received, and led to organizer Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

But celebrities also participated in smaller, more personal acts of kindness in 2007. Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Melissa Gilbert, and Michael Douglas all donated their time to feed the hungry at the Los Angeles Mission, Fran Drescher launched the Cancer Schmancer Movement, and Ewan McGregor visited UNICEF projects during his epic motorcycle trip across Africa.

In January, Kevin Bacon launched www.sixdegrees.org, a website designed to marry the concepts of social internet networks and charities. The site aims to help people fundraise for their chosen causes, and features celebrities such as Kyra Sedgwick and Ashley Judd.

Bette Midler, founder of the New York Restoration Project, launched the Million Trees NYC initiative with Mayor Michael Bloomberg in October, to get city dwellers to plant more trees. The project plans to increase New York’s urban forest by 20% in the next ten years.

“To walk under the branches of a tree that you have planted connects you to the roots of our past and the aspirations of our future,” said the 62-year-old singer and actress.

Another singer with a sense of community in 2007 was Jon Bon Jovi who, as well as participating in various benefit concerts, also worked with Project HOME to revitalize a deteriorated lot in Philadelphia and transform it into homes for fifteen families.

And then there was Shakira, co-founder of the Latin America for Solidarity Fund and Pies Descalzos, who donated $40 million to victims of natural disasters in Peru and Nicaragua, and another $5 million to benefit education programs for children across Latin America.

The California wildfires that ravaged much of the state in November also spawned a spate of celebrity donations, with Linkin Park, the Eagles, and Gwen Stefani all making substantial contributions to both victims and firefighters.

American Idol gave back in April, with two shows that raised over $60 million to benefit organizations funding relief programs in America and Africa, featuring performances by Kelly Clarkson, Madonna, and others. Organized by Simon Cowell, American Idol Gives Back also led to a $100,000 donation by talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Another talk show host to shine this year was Oprah Winfrey, who opened a state-of-the-art school in South Africa for disadvantaged girls.

“I am creating everything in this school that I would have wanted for myself—so the girls will have the absolute best that my imagination can offer,“ said the 53-year-old, who poured $40 million of her own money into the project.

Brad Pitt took on the mission of rebuilding New Orleans by donating $5 million towards new houses, and also set up the Make It Right Foundation to assist in his work. Meanwhile, his wife Angelina Jolie set out to do what her character Lara Croft does best – save the world. As well as donating $100,000 to build the Duk Lost Boys Medical Clinic in the Sudan in March, Jolie also traveled to Iraq and Syria to raise support for those displaced by war.

Although literally tonnes of articles were written about Jolie’s efforts during 2007, even more was reported on Don Cheadle’s and George Clooney’s work to publicize the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The stars of Ocean’s Thirteen established a charity for the Sudanese region called Not On Our Watch, and personally raised over $9 million to help those affected by conflict in the region. The pair were awarded a special peace prize by Nobel laureates for their efforts.

And no round up of the year’s events can be complete without mention of Bono, who continued being Bono by doing what Bono does best – raising awareness for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the needy, and the disadvantaged.

We at Look To The Stars would like to wish all of our readers a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year, and we look forward to continuing to bring you celebrity charity news in 2008.

A Very Special Christmas

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 09:14:56 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Christmas may already be upon us, and Santa may at this very moment be squeezing his way down your chimney, but there is still time for one last fix of Christmas shopping.

Jon Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow, U2, and Eric Clapton are just some of the stars to be featured on the first ever DVD collection from the “A Very Special Christmas” holiday music series to benefit the Special Olympics.

“A Very Special Christmas – 20th Anniversary Music Video Collection” is out now, and is the latest release in the series that has already raised more than $100 million for Special Olympics programs around the world.

“A Very Special Christmas is a fitting way to spread holiday cheer,” said Timothy Shriver, Special Olympics chairman. “But more importantly, this gift will help bring the joy of Special Olympics to many more children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing them the chance of a new life – a life of participation, pride, friendship, and joy.”

The project was launched in 1987, when record producer Jimmy Iovine decided a Christmas album would be a suitable memorial to his father. His wife Vicki suggested that the album benefit the Special Olympics, which she was working for as a volunteer. Bobby Shriver, son of Special Olympics founder Eunice Shriver, signed on as producer, and A&M Records backed the project with an agreement to cover all costs.

Over the years, A Very Special Christmas has attracted a plethora of heavy-weight artists, and past releases have featured songs donated by Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, the Smashing Pumpkins, Stevie Nicks, Enrique Iglesias, Aretha Franklin, Tom Petty, and Reba McEntire.

“I am full of admiration for the many artists who have helped us,” said Eunice Shriver. “It’s a great tribute that these men and women say to themselves ‘I’ll use my talent to help others’.”

The full list of songs on the 20th Anniversary Music Video Collection is:

Run DMC – Christmas In Hollis
U2 – Christmas (Baby Please Come Here)
No Doubt – Oi To The World
John Mellencamp – I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Sting – Gabriel’s Message
Jon Bon Jovi – Please Come Home For Christmas
Vanessa Williams – What Child Is This?
Eric Clapton – Christmas Tears
Tracy Chapman – Oh Holy Night
Sheryl Crow – Run Rudolph Run
Wyclef Jean – Little Drummer Boy/Hot Hot Hot
Stevie Wonder – Merry Christmas Baby

Stars Keep On Giving

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:28:26 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The giving just keeps on going this holiday season, with a whole bunch of celebrities donating items to charity auctions, and others taking the time to attend events and fork out massive amounts of money for good causes.

Such was the case on December 11, when the husband and wife team of Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith paid $50,000 for a pair of artworks by Joan Miro and Salvador Dali at an auction in Chile.

“They bought the two works for a price much higher than their commercial value, because the proceeds of the auction went to UNICEF,” said Denise Ratinoff, head of the auction house that ran the event. “It was virtually a donation to UNICEF, and it helped a lot. Their presence in the auction made many other people also pay steeply for what they purchased.”

The previous day, on the other side of the world, another auction also saw generous donations for a good cause. A classic car belonging to actress Sharon Stone was sold for $400,000 at a charity auction during Dubai’s fourth international film festival, with the money going to the American Foundation for AIDS Research, of which Stone is the Global Fundraising Chairperson.

The 1961 Lincoln Continental was valued at only a fraction of the price it attracted, and went to a mystery bidder. It was the biggest item to be sold at the event, which drew other celebrity guests such as Michelle Yeoh and Hayden Christenson, and raised a total of $3 million for the charity.

Rockers Linkin Park launched their third charity auction through their non-profit organization, Music for Relief, last week, and raised thousands of dollars for survivors of the November 15 cyclone in Bangladesh.

The band donated items such as VIP concert tickets and a customized Xbox to the eBay auction, and were joined by donations from Avril Lavigne, the Smashing Pumpkins, Madonna, Avenged Sevenfold, Slayer, and the Deftones, with all proceeds going to the humanitarian organization, CARE.

Over 3,500 people were killed during the cyclone, and many more were left homeless, with the government seeking $2.2 billion in foreign aid to assist with helping survivors. The auction followed Linkin Park’s auction in November to raise money for victims of the California wildfires.

That auction may have finished, but one still running right now offers bidders a vehicle with a difference – a BugE. If you don’t know what a BugE is (or even how to pronounce it – the advertising information says it is pronounced “Bugeeeeeeeee”), then you are not the only one. However, to enlighten you a little bit, a BugE is a clean, green cross between a motorcycle and a three-wheeled car that draws its power from electricity stored in batteries, instead of from harmful liquid fuels. And this particular BugE up for sale has been signed by nearly 100 different celebrities, such as John Legend, Rodney Peete, Ne-Yo, and Chris Daughtry.

The eBay auction runs until December 20, and 30% of the proceeds will go to Autism Speaks to help people who struggle with this debilitating condition.

Another celebrity stepping into the world of internet auctions this month is Brad Pitt, who is going to part with his favorite gray hat. Pitt and his gray cap have seemed inseparable since he moved to New Orleans, and he has worn it for photos, at the Beowulf movie premier, and even during his recent Larry King Live interview. But now he is going to throw his hat into the ring, so to speak, for charity, with all proceeds going to his Make It Right organization. There will be more information when the auction dates are finalized.

And finally today, Paris Hilton is set to make a splash with her new champagne in a can, Rich Prosecco.

The hotel heiress was in Berlin, Germany, last week to launch her new “bubbly blonde” drink – which comes in original, passion fruit, and strawberry flavors – and to announce that 20% of all sales will go to a charity that provides fresh drinking water to those in need.

“It is the perfect ‘starter drink’ for your night out,” said the 26-year-old. “Or a special pleasure as a reward for the end of your day.”

The drink will be released in the US early next year.

Kite Runner Auction Raises Afghan Hopes

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 18:38:15 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Madonna, Will Ferrell and Angelina Jolie are among the many celebrities who have joined the Kite Runner Auction, which runs until the 15th of December.

The auction corresponds with the theater release of The Kite Runner on December 14th. Based on the book of the same name, the film explores the world of Amir, who returns to Afghanistan after 20 years in America to set right his past mistakes.

The book’s author Khaled Hosseini is joined in the auction by tail-signers Edward Norton, Steve Nash, Cher and Halle Berry. 75% of the auction’s proceeds will be donated to the Afghanistan Relief Organization.

Other items on the auction block include a visit to the set of the new James Bond film with director Marc Forster, who also directed The Kite Runner film, dinner with Khaled Hosseini, or the chance to name a character in one of his future works.

To see the full list of celebrities, or to bid on kites and tails signed by Jessica Biel, Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal or Reese Witherspoon, go to The Kite Runner Auction page.

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