Look To The Stars News: James Denton

Band From TV To Flex Their Musical Muscles For Rally

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0000

June 21 will see the Ford Flex Rally, a scavenger hunt-style car challenge, take to the streets of greater Los Angeles for charity. And the event will be hosted by Band from TV, a music group made up of some of your favorite TV stars.

Band From TV – whose members will drive in the rally and then perform at a red carpet event at the race finish – is a charity rock band of television actors who donate the proceeds of their performances and recordings to the charities of their choice. Formed by Greg Grunberg after performing at the House of Blues with several other celebrities, the band includes Hugh Laurie on keyboards, Teri Hatcher on vocals, and the talents of James Denton on guitar.

“The new Flex from Ford is cool, man,” said Greg Grunberg. “I’ve got 3 kids and I’m the drummer in the band and this car works for my lifestyle. Any time my band gets to play a big party like the Flex Launch and raise a ton of money for our charities is a great day in my book.”

The band will donate their proceeds to their favorite charities, and anyone wishing to join in the fun can register for the event at www.flexrally.com.

Hugh Laurie - Band From TV For Charity

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 16:13:32 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A rock group comprising of some of television’s biggest stars has scored a hit on iTunes with their new version of the Cab Calloway classic, Minnie The Moocher.

Band From TV is a 9 piece musical ensemble set up by Heroes’ star Greg Grunberg, who plays drums, and features the talents of Desperate Housewives’ James Denton on guitar and House’s Hugh Laurie on keyboards.

“There’s about 50 versions of Minnie The Moocher on iTunes, and I’m afraid ours is the most popular,” joked Laurie about the song’s current success. “It’s a funky version of it… it was a real thrill.”

The Band From TV Global Charity Trust was created to provide funding for several worthwhile charities, and to raise money through music to help those in need. Grunberg started the band after being asked to get a few celebrities to play together at the House Of Blues for charity. The event sparked a great amount of interest, and has led to a number of gigs in the US which have, according to Hugh Laurie, “raised a gargantuan sum of money for charity.”

Money from the gigs is split between the members of the group to go to the cause they feel most passionately about, including The Art of Elysium and The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Laurie’s charity of choice is Save the Children, an organization he has close family ties to – his sister, Susan Lassen, helped found the Save The Children Long Island Volunteer Chapter and was a member of the Board of Trustees.

Greg Grunberg also has close personal ties to his chosen beneficiary. “My oldest son has epilepsy,” he said. “And I saw this band as a wonderful vehicle to help raise money for the Pediatric Epilepsy Project. Having band mates who also happen to be in some of the most popular shows on television creates an amazing opportunity to really reach out to our fans to help support these wonderful causes.”

The band, which also includes Bonnie Somerville, Brad Savage and The Bachelor’s Bob Guiney, is currently preparing the final touches to their first album, due to be released this Fall in the US. The CD/DVD package, to be called “Hoggin’ All The Covers”, features reworked versions of classic songs such as Mustang Sally, Lean On Me, and Pink Cadillac. They have also had their take on the old Rolling Stones song, You Can’t Always Get What You Want, included on the recently released House soundtrack.

Band From TV’s versions of Minnie The Moocher and You Can’t Always Get What You Want can be heard on www.myspace.com/bandfromtv, and more information about concert dates and the new album can be found at www.bandfromtv.org.

Buffett Auctions Celebrity Dinner For Charity

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 12:58:33 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Businessman and philanthropist extraordinare Warren Buffett is to auction off a meal with himself and celebrity friends.

A similar auction last year raised $620,000 for a business lunch with the world’s second richest man. The dinner now under auction will see the winner join Buffett, Robert Redford, musician Tim McGraw and actor James Denton of “Desperate Housewives” at the home of Buffett’s daughter Susie in Omaha, Nebraska.

The auction is taking place online at charityfolks.com, ending at 6pm on Monday 5th March. Proceeds will go to the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness, which advocates organ and tissue donation.

The Hollywood Cookbook Launch Party

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 20:32:59 -0000

Written by Charles Harder

Stars and food converged at Kitchen Academy in Hollywood last night for a party launching The Hollywood Cookbook—a beautiful 271-page hardcover collection of sumptuous recipes, each accompanied by a large photo, from the personal kitchens of 20 celebrities and 6 world-class chefs. Five dollars from each purchase benefits 20 important charities dear to the hearts of the celebrity contributors.

The cookbook covers the spectrum of food and beverage, from appetizers, soups and salads, to main courses, desserts, and even cocktails. Michael J. Fox’s Barn Dance Chicken, and Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford’s Savory Fall Stew are just two of the 107 creative and simple dishes that can be duplicated in any kitchen regardless of culinary skill level. Chefs Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali, Joachim Splichal, Nick Stellino, Michael Cimarusti and Rocco DiSpirito also contributed recipes to the book.

At the event, the students of Kitchen Academy prepared and served 20 recipes featured in the cookbook, each one tastier than the last. This reporter’s favorite: Door Knob Sweet Potato Balls (an appetizer) from designer Paige Hemmis of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Yum!

Chef Jamie Gwen’s movie-star looks and talk-show host’s presence kept attendees laughing and entertained as the event’s emcee. The evening included a cooking demonstration by actor Greg Grunberg, and an informal awards ceremony. Eric Close of TV’s Without a Trace gave a heartfelt tribute to his charity, Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, which pairs abused children with rescued horses and adult leaders at 24 wilderness ranches around the U.S. and Canada, to help restore the heart, soul, mind and strength of the kids.

Written by screenwriter Jackie Zabel and actress Morgan Most, and published by Silverback Books, The Hollywood Cookbook is a perfect holiday gift (retails for $35, but presently is featured at Amazon.com for only $23). The event was co-sponsored by Maurice Le Croix Swiss Watches and The Kitchen Academy.

Celebrities & Charities: Thora Birch (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation), Michael Chiklis (The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation), Eric Close (Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch), Mark Dacascos (Reel Angels), James Denton (Cure Autism Now), Michael J. Fox & Tracy Pollan (The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research), Afton Fraser & Brendan Fraser (P.S. ARTS), Greg Grunberg (Pediatric Epilepsy Project), Anne Hathaway (Lollipop Theater Network), Paige Hemmis (Habitat For Humanity), Ron Howard (Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America), Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford (Clothes Off Our Back), Esai Morales (TreePeople), Don Most (City of Hope), Bob Saget (Scleroderma Research Foundation), Marlo Thomas (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital), Kerry Washington (Step Up), Treat Williams (Save the Children), Alicia Witt (The Art of Elysium), and Kelly Wolf & Scott Wolf (Camp Heartland).

Look To The Stars News: James Denton

Band From TV To Flex Their Musical Muscles For Rally

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