Look To The Stars News: Christina Aguilera

Celebrity Women Honored At Humanitarian Awards

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Some of the hottest female stars in show business, including Christina Applegate, Christina Aguilera, Maria Bello and Anne Hathaway, were honored for their charity work at Variety’s first annual Power Of Women Luncheon last week.

Held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and hosted by Jane Lynch, the event highlighted the humanitarian work carried out by women in the entertainment business.

“These are very busy, successful women who have found time and a place in their heart to give back to others and make a huge impact,” said Lynch.

Among the honorees, Applegate was honored for her fight against cancer and her establishment of the Right Action for Women organization.

“The women I talk to really inspire me,” Applegate said. “The women who come up to me every day and say, ‘I was high-risk; I thought I had to wait until I was 45 to find out, but I went and got an MRI and I have cancer.’ Hopefully one day we’ll have a system that covers this.”

Maria Bello was also honored, for her work with the Save Darfur Coallition.

“The genocide in Darfur has been going on for the last seven years,” she said. "The violence against women there, rape is a weapon of war and an instrument of genocide. It’s outrageous, something needs to be addressed – not only in Darfur but all over the world.

“What makes a woman powerful is using the gifts that you’ve been given to give back to the world.”

“To be honest, I feel a little weird getting an award for it,” said Anne Hathaway, who was honored for her work with Service Nation. “There are so many people who do so much more than what I do. But I also understand that this is an amazing opportunity for exposure and fundraising.”

Other honorees included Sherry Lansing and Sigourney Weaver.

Christina Aguilera Highlights Hunger In Guatemala

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Christina Aguilera and her husband Jordan Bratman recently traveled with the UN World Food Programme to villages in the Guatemalan highlands near Lake Atitlan, where up to 80 percent of the indigenous children are malnourished. Guatemala has the fourth highest child malnutrition rate in the world.

“I wanted to see with my own eyes what hunger means,” she said. “I don’t think I can ever forget these images. The people of WFP do such a great job helping hungry children and mothers. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be part of such a wonderful project and incredible team.”

WFP brings life-saving food assistance to some 350,000 people in Guatemala – mostly women and children. It works closely with the Guatemalan government to battle chronic hunger.

“WFP urgently needs donations to keep feeding some 150,000 women and undernourished children – I want to raise awareness and open people’s eyes so they can get the funds they need to keep on working,” said Aguilera.
Many of the children Aguilera saw were much shorter than normal for their age – a consequence of not getting enough healthy food at an early age.

“One of the biggest lessons I’m taking away from this trip is the importance of healthy food. If a child under two doesn’t get the nutrients they need, we can never fix the damage later on,” the singer said.

Aguilera is also raising awareness of the hunger issue by appearing in the World Hunger Relief campaign’s new global public service announcement and advertisement, made possible by KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, that will start airing at the end of September. The black and white PSA captures Aguilera, accompanied by a guitarist, attracting a crowd on a busy corner in Los Angeles as she sings Beautiful to raise money for hunger relief. Graphics illustrate that everyone can do something to help, “all it takes is a dollar and you, hope is in your hands.”

Aguilera will also appear in World Hunger Relief restaurant posters with the quote, “Together, we have the power to save lives and go from hunger to hope” and online efforts, including the campaign’s web site FromHungertoHope.com.

Global hunger has reached epic proportions this year – with more than 1 billion hungry people around the world – due to the convergence of the global economic slowdown; high food prices; increased competition for products that produce energy; severe droughts and floods due to climate change; and increasing demand from growing economies in Asia and South America.

“As a mother, I think it’s unacceptable that a child dies every six seconds somewhere around the world from hunger and I want to do something about it,” said Aguilera. “By lending my voice in the new PSA for World Hunger Relief, I hope to raise even more awareness about the issue and move millions of people from hunger to hope.”

“As a society, we should not tolerate that global hunger is worse than ever this year with more than 1 billion people going to bed hungry every day,” said David Novak, Chairman and CEO, Yum! Brands, Inc. “We are thankful for Christina’s passion to join us in the fight against hunger and help us raise attention to this critical issue and save millions of lives. We believe it is our privilege and responsibility to find a meaningful solution to this problem.”

Novak, the presidents from KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, other senior executives and franchise leaders traveled to El Salvador in August to see WFP’s relief efforts. Yum! is announcing that it will donate the first $1 million it raises this year to El Salvador.
WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organization fighting hunger worldwide. WFP is currently facing critical funding shortfalls which means it is being forced to reduce, and in some cases, cut food rations to the world’s hungry, making the World Hunger Relief campaign even more crucial this year.

“WFP knows how to reach those most in need and will do what it takes to get a cup of food to any kid in the world,” said WFP’s Executive Director, Josette Sheeran. “But without funding, we can’t reach these kids. It takes just 25 cents to fill a cup with food. The World Hunger Relief campaign helps fill the cup for tens of thousands of kids – and we’re so grateful for it.”

This year, Yum! plans to generate the equivalent of nearly $50 million in awareness of the hunger issue through a PSA, advertising, public relations, web-based communications and in-restaurant posters. The Company’s employees and franchisees will be volunteering their time around the globe at hunger relief agencies, food banks, soup kitchens and launching fundraisers.

World Hunger Relief kicks off its month-long campaign in the U.S. starting Sept. 24 (Long John Silver’s/A&W All-American Food), Sept. 27 (Pizza Hut), Sept. 28 (KFC) and Oct. 8 (Taco Bell). Every U.S. dollar raised will provide four meals for hungry children.

Since World Hunger Relief launched in 2007, more than 1 million of the Company’s employees, franchisees and their families have volunteered more than 9 million hours to aid hunger relief efforts in communities worldwide. The effort has raised $36 million for WFP and other hunger relief organizations and is helping to provide approximately 160 million meals and save the lives of about 4 million people in remote corners of the world.

Stars To Come Out For An Evening Of Women

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of celebrities will attend tonight’s (April 24) “An Evening Of Women: Celebrating Art, Music and Equality” at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Presented by the LA Gay and Lesbian Center, the annual event is widely regarded as one of the premier events for women in California and the nation. According to the Center, “It continues to fulfill the purpose of its founder by inspiring women to participate in civil rights and social service causes, by showcasing the accomplishments of women leaders.”

The evening will feature performances by Christina Aguilera and Linda Perry, and a live auction hosted by Sharon Stone that includes items donated by Bette Midler, Pink, Gwen Stefani and Alicia Keys. Cybill Shepherd, Sarah Silverman, DJ Samantha Ronson, Eliza Dushku, Rosario Dawson, Leisha Hailey, Clementine Ford, Perez Hilton and many others are also expected to attend. The host committee includes Cher, Kristen Bell Eric Dane, Jared Leto, Alicia Silverstone, Ben Silverman, Slash and many more. Past presenters have included Kathy Bates, Ellen DeGeneres, Gillian Anderson, Stockard Channing, Lily Tomlin, Melissa Etheridge.

Previously known as Women’s Night, the event raises much-needed funds for the women-specific services of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. Gay & Lesbian Center programs and services supported by An Evening with Women include women’s health, legal assistance, domestic violence prevention & education, cultural programs, self-enrichment courses, social events and discussion groups.

General tickets to the event cost $300. To purchase tickets or find out more about the event, click here.

Grammy Charity Auction Set To Rock

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

With the Grammy Awards only days away, now is the time to bid on exclusive celebrity items in the annual Grammy Awards Charity Auction and help a good cause.

Going under the hammer this year are VIP experiences with Katy Perry and Kathy Griffin, guitars signed by AC/DC, Taylor Swift, John Mayer, Fall Out Boy and the Jonas Brothers, books signed by Mariah Carey, Slash, and Céline Dion, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the set of a Rihanna music video or photo shoot.

Also on offer are DVDs signed by Flight of the Conchords, drums signed by the Foo Fighters, and memorabilia signed by Sheryl Crow, Katherine McPhee, Jesse McCartney, Tom Jones, Christina Aguilera, Robert Plant, and Sarah McLachlan.

And for the person who thinks they have everything, the auction also offers the opportunity to receive a personal phone call from Aretha Franklin, who will share her favorite recipes with you!

The auction will benefit MusiCares – which works to help those in need in the music industry – and the Grammy Foundation, which works with industries, cultural communities and the public to raise awareness of music and arts education. It runs until February 19 and can be accessed here.

Christina Aguilera Performs At CNN Heroes Event

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Pop singer Christina Aguilera joined fellow Grammy Award winners Alicia Keys and John Legend at the CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute event that aired on CNN last night.

The event honored the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008, and was taped in front of an audience of 2,500 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

Liz McCartney, dedicated to helping survivors of Hurricane Katrina rebuild their homes, was named 2008 CNN Hero of the Year, and will receive $100,000 to carry on her humanitarian work.

“In this time of economic turmoil, it is such a relief to know that there are people like these heroes, people who care more for others than they do for themselves,” said Anderson Cooper, who hosted the show.

Cameron Diaz, Salma Hayek, John Krasinski, Forest Whitaker, Meg Ryan, Terrence Howard, Lucy Liu, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale and Selena Gomez were among the stars that attended the event.

Aguilera has also spoken out about the recent Prop 8 decision and leant her support to the same-sex marriage campaign.

“They’re [gay couples] constantly pushing to be heard and given equal rights,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of unfairness that goes along with being gay, so the more I can do to give them a voice, then I’ll do so. But I think we’d be fooling ourselves if we thought that everywhere was accepting of gay rights and marriages. I think it’s unfair there has to be some kind of standard for marriage. Marriage should be about two people celebrating their love for each other. It shouldn’t have anything to do with someone’s sexual preference.”

Celebrity Endorsement Pulls Young Voters

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A new study has revealed how celebrity endorsement can encourage young people to vote.

“Celebrities have the power to motivate civic engagement regardless of their own grasp of the issues at hand,” reported a study by Washington State University published in the Mass Communication and Society journal. “Celebrity endorsed campaigns successfully lowered complacency and helped young people believe in their own impact on the political system. Young people got involved at higher levels and became increasingly aware of societal issues.”

According to the study, initiatives from stars such as Jessica Alba – who recently featured in several ad campaigns for Declare Yourself – as well as Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé Knowles have influenced the youth vote in America. 44% of newly registered voters in 2004 were between 18 and 25.

This year’s voters have been encouraged by a host of celebrity campaigns, such as Death Cab for Cutie’s free concert offer and the recent 5 Friends video that featured will.i.am, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Bacon, Maria Bello, Halle Berry, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Connolly, Courteney Cox, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Jonah Hill, Djimon Hounsou, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Kiedis, Ashton Kutcher, Adam Levine, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Esai Morales, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Ethan Suplee, Kyra Sedgwick, Michelle Trachtenberg, Usher, and Forest Whitaker.

About 44 million people aged 18 to 29 are eligible to vote in the November 4 presidential election. If young voter turnout exceeds 50%, it will be only the third time since the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1972.

Colin Powell Gets Funky For Africa

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Christina Aguilera and Seal may have headlined last night’s Africa Rising THISDAY Gala in London, but it was former US Secretary of State Colin Powell who stole the show with his funky Hip Hop dance.

The 71-year-old joined Nigerian rappers Olu Maintain on stage at the Royal Albert Hall for the show, which aimed to highlight the continent’s culture and talents.

“I stand before you as an African American,” he said before joining the group for their item. “Many people have said to me you became Secretary of State of the USA, is it still necessary to say that you are an African American or that you are black, and I say yes, so that we can remind our children. It took a lot of people struggling to bring me to this point in history. I didn’t just drop out of the sky, people came from my continent in chains.”

The musical acts were followed by a fashion show featuring Sudanese model Alek Wek and Tyson Beckford and the latest trends from the House of Momo.

“Asia is expanding, it created jobs for people, and Eastern Europeans are doing the same, in my continent – Latin America, it’s happening also – it’s now Africa’s turn,” continued Powell. “[With] all this wealth creation going on in the world, it won’t happen with just wishing, it will be done with hard work. Africa needs aid, but more than that it needs trade – it needs capital, but it has the same potential as Asia and Eastern European countries. There’s no reason a new Africa can’t be created here and now.”

The concert was the final leg in a four-show series that kicked off in Abuja in July before heading to Lagos and Washington DC, and featured performances from Youssou N’Dour, Jay-Z and John Legend. The shows also raised money for Africa Rising, an organization established in 2006 to reflect the culture and positive attributes of Africa’s social, political and economic progress.

“As Secretary of State, I pushed for support for the continent,” said Powell. “Aid quadrupled during my tenure. We supported the fight against HIV/AIDS with over $15 billion. However, Africans must rise and take the responsibility for the development of the continent. They must end the wars. They must fight corruption.”

John Mayer Explores Arts With Tony Bennett

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

John Mayer joined Jerry Seinfeld, Whoopi Goldberg, and Terrence Howard at a special art’s education benefit on Tuesday night.

The 30-year-old singer/songwriter performed 3 songs – “Waiting on the World to Change,” “Daughters,” and “Find Another You” – at Tony Bennett’s Exploring The Arts gala held at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. Hosted by Goldberg, the evening raised over $1.2 million for Bennett’s charity that supports arts education in public schools. Honored at the event were Reed Hastings, Chairman, President and CEO of Netflix; Sumner Redstone, Executive Chairman of Viacom and CBS Corporation; and Steve Wynn, Chairman of Wynn Resorts. Also in attendance were Katie Couric, Quincy Jones, and Rachael Ray. Tony Bennett closed the evening with trademark renditions of “Watch What Happens,” “For Once In My Life,” “I Got Rhythm,” “Who Cares,” “Fly Me To The Moon” and “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

As part of Bennett’s charity drive for the Exploring The Arts organization, an online auction is also currently running. Items up for grabs include meet-and-greets with Elton John, Katie Holmes, Andre Agassi, Bette Midler, Stephen Colbert, Kevin Spacey, Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire, as well as a dress owned by Christina Aguilera, signed prints and sunglasses from Bono, guitars signed by KD Lang and Sting, and many more items from Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Bruce Springsteen and others.

The auction – which ends on October 1 – can be accessed through the Charity Buzz website.

Jessica Alba Wants You To Declare Yourself

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Jessica Alba has appeared in a new advertisement and public service announcement aimed at energizing young adults to register and vote in the 2008 US election.

The 27-year-old actress – who appears in the adverts naked and wrapped in black electrical tape – is part of the “Only You Can Silence Yourself” campaign being run by Declare Yourself, a non-profit organization initiated in 2004 to energize and empower a new movement of young voters.

“If you don’t register and vote and make a difference, and hopefully change the bad things that are happening in our country, you are essentially just binding and muzzling yourself,” she said. “I really don’t see the point in not registering to vote. We sign up for MySpace pages and Facebook pages, and download music off the internet. The least people can do is register to vote online, actually making a difference in their world, not just making their lives a little bit cooler. It makes more sense to spend your time making a change in society—and it actually doesn’t take that much time! It takes more time to make a music playlist than it does to register to vote.”

According to their website, Declare Yourself registered over one million young people in the 2004 and 2006 elections. Founded by television producer and philanthropist Norman Lear, the campaign has gathered support from a wide range of stars, including Ben Affleck, Christina Aguilera, Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore and many more. Declare Yourself aims to empower and encourage every eligible 18-year-old in America to register and vote in the presidential primaries and 2008 presidential election, using the power of media partnerships, celebrity spokespeople, the sports arena, and mobile and Internet technology.

Britney Hits The Charity Auctions One More Time

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

Written by Tim Saunders

“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.

Celebrities Hair the Call of Charity

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:44:09 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

When most people think of Ken Paves, they think of big hair. The “hairstylist of the stars”, dubbed by the world’s media as the “hottest hairdresser in Hollywood”, is the man responsible for taming the locks of celebrities such as Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria, and many more of the most beautiful people on the planet.

But now the stylist with the golden scissors has moved from big hair to big give with a new online auction he has organized through the Kompolt Online Auction Agency.

Inspired by the good deeds being achieved by the hit series “Oprah’s Big Give”, Paves has teamed up with a host of his celebrity friends to launch what could be the hottest auction this year, with all proceeds going to the EB Medical Research Foundation. So if it is once-in-a-lifetime celebrity items and experiences you want, hold on to your toupées and read on.

The auction, which can be accessed through eBay, runs until April 7, and features items from stars such as Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Sharon Stone, Marcia Cross, Bette Midler, and the Eagles. There are signed posters from Jessica Simpson, Eva Longoria, Carmen Electra, and John Travolta, and enough autographed photographs to cover the inside of even the biggest make-up trailer, including snaps from Courteney Cox, Jewel, and Christina Aguilera. And if it is clothes you are after, why not bid on a T-shirt signed by David Arquette, Ashlee Simpson, or Pete Wentz, a soccer jersey autographed by David Beckham, or slip into Victoria Beckham’s jeans.

If that is not enough to send shivers of anticipation through any star-hungry bidder, there is also the opportunity to snap up concert tickets – including meet-and-greets – to shows by Duran Duran and Céline Dion, as well as the chance to hang out with Ashlee Simpson and to visit the set of Scrubs with Donald Faison. There is even the opportunity to take a trip to Ken Paves’ salon with Eva Longoria.

Paves, who is also a spokesperson for Operation Smile, has chosen the EB Medical Research Foundation to recieve 100% of the proceeds from the auction.

The EBMRF is dedicated to increasing awareness of Epidermolysis Bullosa, a condition that affects the skin and can cause painful wounds, similar to burns, to form over up to 75% of a child’s body. Courteney Cox and David Arquette recently pledged to raise $1 million for the foundation.
More information about the disease, as well as the opportunity to purchase a special necklace designed by Cox and Arquette, can be found at www.ebkids.org.

Celebrity Designed Corsets On Auction

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:06:55 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Some of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities have teamed up to design a series of corsets to be auctioned off in October.

Scarlett Johansson, Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, and Jessica Biel are just some of the stars who have submitted designs for the 4th annual Frederick’s Of Hollywood Celebrity Corset Auction. The event, which is being run in conjunction with the internet charity auction site Clothes Off Our Back, will raise money for a variety of children’s charities, including Second Harvest, a non-profit organization that benefits the hungry, The Art of Elysium, which uses art to help the sick, and World Education, a charity that provides training to underprivileged children around the world. Some of the proceeds will also go towards research into autism.

“In previous years, we got $18,000 for [”Charlize Theron’s":http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/34-charlize-theron] corset and $10,000 for Nicole Kidman’s," said Frederick’s of Hollywood’s Erin Dominguez. “Each year we set the bar higher and hope to get more.”

To create the pieces, the celebrities were each given a special design kit to make a sketch of their creation. It was then up to costume designer Linda Stokes, best known for dressing Gwen Stefani on tour, to produce the garments.

“You get to draw and sketch,” said Eva Longoria about her design. “And I sketched some tulle at the top and it has all of this beading.”

Andy Garcia, star of the Ocean’s 11 movies, was inspired in his design by the flag of his native Cuba. Others took a more fanciful approach, with Ashley Olsen’s design dripping black feathers, and Kyra Sedgwick’s creation appearing to have garbage trailing off the hem. Other celebrities involved in the campaign include Christina Aguilera, actress and Clothes Off Our Back founder Jane Kaczmarek, Maria Menounos, Gabrielle Union, Ashlee Simpson, Mandy Moore, Debra Messing, Fergie, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette.

The event kicked off on October 25, with a live auction hosted at Frederick’s flagship store on Hollywood Boulevard, and the online auction runs until November 5 on www.clothesoffourback.org.

“I think you should bid on any and all of them,” said Oscar nominee Julianne Moore, whose peacock inspired design is featured in the auction. “I love them, and it’s a great cause.”

New CD To Raise Aid For Darfur

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 07:28:22 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign To Save Darfur is a new CD that seeks to raise aid for the humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur. It features the music of John Lennon recorded by some of the world’s best known musicians.

U2, Green Day, Christina Aguilera, and Avril Lavigne are some of the 50 musical artists and groups that are included in the Amnesty International project.

The album was released around the world on 12 June by Warner Bros Records, and was put together by Amnesty International’s “Make Some Noise” initiative.

“Make Some Noise” is a global venture that hopes to inspire a new generation to stand up for human rights. It mixes music, celebration and action to protect people wherever freedom is denied. Yoko Ono has been a longtime supporter of the initiative, and donated the rights to the entire John Lennon songbook to the project.

“Music speaks the language of freedom, revolution and solidarity. Without that freedom – without music that is angry, joyful and necessary – we are nothing” she said of the album’s release.

The CD calls attention to the war-torn countries of Darfur and Chad. All proceeds from the album and music downloads will go towards alleviating the risk of starvation and disease in these areas.

Other artists featured on the CD include Aerosmith, Lenny Kravitz, Jack Johnson, and Ben Harper. REM is also featured, and drummer Bill Berry came out of retirement to record the track “#9 Dream”. It is the first time the original four band members, including singer Michael Stipe, have been in the studio together since 1997.

Look To The Stars News: Christina Aguilera

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