Look To The Stars News: Will Ferrell

Will Ferrell To Host Charity Auction

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Comedy actor Will Ferrell is to host a live fundraising auction for a charity founded by a friend who survived cancer.

The 41-year-old star will host the auction during the 15th Annual Cancer for College Golf Classic, an event that also includes a golf tournament, banquet and after-party. Cancer For College – an organization which helps cancer survivors seeking college education – was established by Chris Pollard, Ferrell’s frat brother at USC, in 1993 after a life-threatening infection and two long battles with Hodgkin’s lymphoma caused him to lose both his feet below the ankles.

“A lot of the credit for our growth has to go to Will Ferrell and his wife, Viveca Paulin,” said Pollard. “They bring an instant awareness to the charity that we probably couldn’t have achieved on our own. In life, people can choose to be charitable with their time or their money. Will and Viveca have been extremely generous to Cancer for College with both.”

Ferrell has been a supporter of the charity since 2006, and has called it one of the “purest” charities he has ever seen. In 2007 he auctioned a movie role in Step Brothers to benefit the charity, which raised $47,000

“Will is one of the most down-to-earth celebrities you will ever meet,” said Pollard. “He really goes out of his way to make sure everyone from the participants to the scholarship recipients and their families have a memorable day.”

The event takes place on September 19, and more information can be found at the Cancer for College website.

Celebrities Raising Voices For Burma

Wed, 07 May 2008 10:46:12 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Will Ferrell and Jennifer Aniston have joined the US Campaign for Burma, and are asking others to do the same for the Burma: It Can’t Wait Campaign. Stars are on a mission to raise one million voices in 30 days against the human rights atrocities occurring in the Southeast Asian country.

The people of Burma are being attacked by their own government, and, just as the world stood together to demand the freedom of Nelson Mandela, the campaign is asking people to speak up for the leader of Burma’s democratic party, Aung San Suu Kyi. The world’s only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Suu Kyi has been deprived of her freedom for 12 of the last 18 years. She has appealed to people around the world, saying, “Please, use your liberty to promote ours.”

To make matters even worse, southwestern Burma was hit by a cyclone on Friday, May 2, leaving up to 60,000 dead, with tens of thousands missing and hundreds of thousands displaced or homeless. It is being called the worst natural disaster in Asia since the 2004 tsunami. Despite knowing about the approaching cyclone days in advance, the government did not warn its citizens. The U.S. Campaign For Burma is accepting donations to help with relief efforts in the medium-term, as the Burmese government is currently blocking international aid agencies from offering their support.

Join Woody Harrelson, Sarah Silverman, Julie Benz, Eddie Izzard and the others who are speaking out for the brave young people fighting for democracy and struggling through the wake of Cyclone Nargis. For more information visit the U.S. Campaign For Burma, and to view the celebrity videos, go to BurmaItCantWait.org.

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.

Bid Now For Christmas Gifts

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:21:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The countdown to Christmas has begun, and celebrities are doing their best to make holiday shopping easy this year. Several charity auctions have already kicked off to raise money for good causes, including one that may be eBay’s largest sale of celebrity items… ever!

The Bid 2 Beat AIDS online auction will open on December 1, World AIDS Day, and will feature over 1000 specially signed items, ranging from posters to iPods. The annual auction will raise money for LIFEbeat, the music industry’s AIDS fundraising and service charity, and in the past has raised up to $175,000.

The array of memorabilia up for sale this year is simply colossal, with perhaps the most interesting items being a series of “Lend a Hand to LIFEbeat” cards that feature the handprints of over 100 celebrities. Stars such as Britney Spears, Jack Black, and Kathy Griffin traced around the outlines of their hands and decorated their artworks for the auction, and the finished products will make a unique addition to any Christmas stocking.

Also included in the auction is a selection of signed musical instruments. Rapper 50 Cent has donated the tambourines he used during his performance at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, and Metallica and the Foo Fighters have both donated guitars. There are also over 200 official RIAA gold and platinum record awards up for sale, from artists such as Annie Lennox, Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Green Day. Rare tour crew jackets from Guns N Roses, Cher, George Michael, and Prince are also available.

There are a stack of autographed CDs and DVDs on offer in the auction, from Mariah Carey, Elton John, Rihanna, Fall Out Boy, Maroon 5, Amy Winehouse, and Val Kilmer, as well as books signed by Madonna, Bill Clinton, Rosie O’Donnell, Martha Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Ethan Hawke. Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Elijah Wood, and Usher have all signed posters for the auction.

For those people after something a little different, the auction also includes an iPod designed by Yoko Ono, a box of cereal signed by Will Ferrell, Borat’s hat signed by Sacha Baron Cohen, and a Spiderman action figure autographed by Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

And if nothing mentioned so far whets your appetite, there are also signed items from Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Nelly, Joan Collins, John Travolta, Kanye West, The Cure, Jay-Z, Cameron Diaz, Victoria Beckham, Robin Williams, Hilary Duff, Jason Alexander, Jack Nicholson, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Adam Sandler, John Legend, Jessica Simpson, Whoopi Goldberg, Aerosmith, Denzel Washington, Good Charlotte, James Blunt, Jeremy Piven, Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Norah Jones, Razorlight, Wyclef Jean, and many more… far too many to list here.

More information and a full list of items can be found at www.bid2beataids.com.

As if this wasn’t enough choice for Christmas shoppers, there are also several other auctions and events on the go at the moment. The biggest of these is the 10th Annual Collaborating For A Cure Benefit Dinner and Auction, a massive black tie gala to be held on November 29. It also happens to be one of the highest grossing charity events held every year in New York, and last year raised over $4 million for the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, a non-profit organization that has provided over $55 million in grants to cancer research, and has been instrumental in the development of new cancer drugs.

The gala dinner and live auction will be held at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue, New York City, and over 1200 guests are expected to attend. The host for the evening is Chevy Chase, and attendees will be treated to a very special performance by Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh, members of 70’s rock group, the Eagles.

Selected items up for auction on the night as well as online include dinner with Chevy Chase, the chance to play tennis with Andre Agassi, and a meet and greet with Aerosmith.

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

Also on the Charitybuzz website is an auction to raise funding for Stand Up For A Cure, an organization dedicated to lung cancer research and awareness.

The auction runs from November 28 until December 12, and features unique items such as the chance to have Andrea Bocelli perform in your own home, the opportunity to have Patti LaBelle host your cocktail party, and VIP tickets to see Céline Dion at Madison Square Gardens.

And if you still can’t find a suitable gift, have a look at the Have A Heart Auction on Charitybuzz. All proceeds from the auction, which features the chance to meet Avril Lavigne, a copy of “An Inconvenient Truth” signed by Al Gore, and a “Godfather II” DVD signed by Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, will benefit HEART, an organization that aims to foster compassion and respect for all living beings.

But you have to be in quick, as the auction ends on November 29.

Alba, Cook Raise $260K for Variety

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:06:35 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

A Knoxville screening of “Good Luck Chuck” has benefitted the children’s charity Variety of Eastern Tennessee, thanks to the presence of Jessica Alba and Dane Cook. Fans paid $75 to attend the screening and see the actors, raising a total of $260,000 to help disabled children.

The Variety charity screenings began in 2003 with “Radio” and Cuba Gooding Jr., and “Walking Tall” raised funds the following year. 2005 saw “The Dukes of Hazzard” with Jessica Simpson, Seann William Scott and Knoxville native Johnny Knoxville, and last year’s benefit featured “Talladega Nights” with Will Ferrell. Altogether, nearly $1 million has been raised by the screenings.

The funds are used to purchase mobility equipment for children with physical disabilities and are also shared with other children’s agencies such as Second Harvest, Tennessee School for the Deaf and the Empty Stocking Fund.

Ferrell Attends Cancer for College Golf Tournament

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 10:42:52 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

On Friday, September 28th, at the Temecula Creek Inn, actor Will Ferrell took part in the 2007 Cancer for College Golf Tournament and Dinner Banquet to benefit cancer survivors and help them reach their goal of a college education. The event was hosted by Cancer for College founder Craig Pollard, who is a two-time Hodgkin’s disease survivor and fraternity brother of Ferrell’s.

“Each year I’ve gotten more and more involved directly, I think Craig first just invited me as a friend, you know a former fraternity brother to come and have a good time, and each year we started thinking of more ways to give time to charity and so you know its grown” said Ferrell.

With about 240 golfers eagerly awaiting tee-off, Ferrell mingled among the participants who enjoyed a stellar BBQ complimented by island music. He was nothing short of down to earth and extremely sincere. When asked about the recent extra role in his new film Step Bothers that was sold at auctioned last week to benefit Cancer for College, Ferrell’s comedic nature surfaced.

“We auctioned off an extra role in the current film I’m working on now, called Step Brothers, it’s myself and John C. Reilly. We’re the new Abbott and Costello maybe?” He also was thrilled at the final bid of $47,100, and when asked if 100% of the proceeds will go to Cancer for College, the funny man was quick to respond, “No, I think I get it?” he said, “No 100% goes to charity and that’s another reason why this is such a special event because I don’t think I’ve ever been involved in a charity that gives so much directly to the kids.”

Thanks to Ferrell’s role in the charity, the 2007 Cancer for Charity event raised more than $150,000 for this very worthwhile foundation. And I say worthwhile because Ferrell himself put it onto perspective, “There is such a sweet nature to this whole event, and it’s really only run by Craig and his wife Stacey, so to see how far its grown- it just makes you want to help people in any way you can, and also to meet the kids it effects and the fact that they don’t turn any applicant away.”

Although Pollard has both legs amputated below the knees, he took to the greens and hit a line drive that seemed to disappear into space. Not only does he have a wicked swing, but a fierce spirit that inspires everyone who meets him.

“Craig is one of the more special individuals you’ll ever get to meet,” said Ferrell, “Between surviving cancer and having the (leg) amputations, it’s just someone that you really look up to. If you feel sorry for yourself for some reason one day, you kind of think about someone like Craig Pollard and you don’t really have a reason to [feel bad for yourself].”

Ferrell wasn’t the only one entertaining golfers along the greens. Minnesota based BogeyPro.com teamed up with Cancer for College by placing 18 different humorous sponsorship signs around the course. ‘Today’s opportunity to flirt with the beer cart girl’ sponsored by Marriott is just one example. Others sponsored signs along the greens included ‘That tree on the right side of the fairway’; ‘the painfully slow play in front of you’; ‘the nagging guilt for taking today off’, and ‘the really bad player on your team’ were just a few that kept players smiling throughout the day. “With Will as host, it only seemed fitting that we throw something fun into each hole,” said Craig Pollard.

It’s also important to take note of the participants who shelled out big bucks to tee off for the greater good. Many were eagerly waiting tee time in their golf carts, while others mingled around the BBQ as Ferrell enjoyed his time with Pollard. All persons involved, from Will Ferrell and his wife Viveca Paulin, to Pollard and his family, to the participants, gathered together for an amazingly admirable quest to help those in need. The Cancer for College golf tournament and dinner banquet was one spectacular fundraiser that will no doubt continue to grow as word spreads about its heartfelt efforts.

Ferrell Movie Role Brings $47,000 For Cancer Charity

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:23:26 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

A 10-year-old boy has won Will Ferrell’s charity auction after the boy’s father bid $47,100, all of which will go to the Cancer For College foundation.

The boy will get a non-speaking part as an extra in Ferrell’s new movie, Step Brothers, and in a statement released by the foundation he said:

“Winning this auction means a lot to me on a very personal basis. I lost my mother to ovarian cancer a few years ago, so I feel fortunate that my 10-year-old and I are able to participate in an event involving Cancer for College and Will Ferrell.”

Ferrell was delighted with the result, saying, “We are overwhelmed with the response and generosity to the auction. This money will help so many young people with their dreams of attending college.”

The winner will meet Ferrell on Friday at the 14th annual Cancer For College golf tournament dinner in Temecula, and will join the actor on the movie set next month.

Ferrell’s friend Craig Pollard founded Cancer For College to provide scholarships to current and former cancer patients. The foundation has awarded $200,000 to 50 cancer survivors since 1993.

Will Ferrell Auctions Cameo Appearance

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:11:24 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Actor Will Ferrell is auctioning a cameo appearance in his latest film to raise money for the Cancer For College foundation. Founded by Craig Pollard, Ferrell’s friend from university and cancer survivor, the charity provides college scholarships to current and former cancer patients.

Online bidding opens at $5,000 on September 17, and the auction runs until September 26. The winner will visit the set of Step Brothers in October and appear in a scene. The movie, due out next year, stars Ferrell and John C. Reilly as the spoiled sons of single parents who become competitive stepbrothers when their parents marry.

Ferrell says the brief appearance is a “perfect Christmas present for your son or daughter. It is the surefire way to win the parent of the year award. Support this amazing cause, by buying them me.”

The winner of the auction will be announced the day after bidding ends.

Last year Ferrell took part in a golf tournament supporting the same charity.

Ferrell Helps Friend's Cancer Charity

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 11:44:30 -0000

Written by Hannah Coone

On September 22nd, Will Ferrell took part in a golf tournament for his favorite charity, Cancer For College. The event was hosted by charity founder Craig Pollard, one of the comedic actor’s former fraternity brothers at University of Southern California.

Cancer for College began with a business plan Pollard wrote up during senior year at University. It was established in 1993 to provide college scholarships to current and former cancer patients. In February 2006, Pollard himself was hospitalized when a bacterial blood infection forced doctors to put him in a sedated coma for 3 weeks. Consequent blood circulation problems led to the amputation of both legs below the knees. After this ordeal, Pollard extended the scholarships to include amputees.

To date, Cancer for College has donated $67,000 in scholarships to 50 students. This year’s 10 new scholars will share $53,000 thanks to Will Ferrell and his wife, Viveca Paulin. Pollard said, “Ferrell did some Sprint commercials and said he would donate the check, thinking it’d be $10,000. He later called saying, ‘I was way off.’” The actual fee donated was $100,000.

Will Ferrell commented on the lighthearted event, “This is such a fun day for everyone. It’s a chance for old friends to get together and badly play golf and celebrate survival. This is the 6th year I have been involved. There’s been some lewd conduct in the past; I shot a guy last year because he picked up my ball.”

Pollard spoke of the benefits of celebrity support, saying, “Our program has increased considerably in the past 4 years especially thanks to Will’s support. Scholarship amounts and the number of winners selected have more than tripled. We’re so blessed to be able to provide this gift to kids and their families who have endured so much in their lives.”

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