Look To The Stars News: Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys Holds Charity Ball In London

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Singer Alicia Keys hosted a gala in London last week to raise cash for orphans suffering from HIV/AIDS in Africa, and attracted some of the biggest names in showbiz.

The lavish ball – held last Thursday – raised money for Keep A Child Alive, the charity Keys co-founded to provide life-saving anti-retroviral treatment to children and their families with HIV/AIDS in Africa. Guests such as Kelly Rowland, Mischa Barton, Russell Brand, and Jennifer Hudson each paid over $2,000 to be part of the ball.

“Any time you’re helping someone is very important and, of course, when children are involved,” said Hudson. “I feel like your celebrity is not about the fortune or the fame. But if you can’t help anyone then it’s in vain, it’s pointless.”

27-year-old Alicia Keys, who stunned the audience by performing a duet of the Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams and REM’s Everybody Hurts with Annie Lennox at the gala, helped found Keep A Child Alive after visiting South Africa in 2003 and witnessing the effects of the AIDS pandemic firsthand. She told BBC Newsbeat that people need to remember that AIDS is a global problem.

“It scares me… it really does. Thinking of myself, thinking of younger generations, my brother’s generation. We have a lot to really be careful about and it’s such a major thing that we have to be cautious. But we can totally avoid it by practicing safe sex and, if you can, just abstinence. And definitely being aware of what’s going on so that you know that you want to protect yourself every time, all the time.”

The ball raised almost $700,000 for the charity.

Bid For Yoga With Russell Simmons

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

One lucky bidder will have the chance to stretch their limbs with Russell Simmons at a private yoga lesson in a new charity auction the hip hop mogul has launched on eBay.

The 50-year-old has launched the auction to raise money for the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, a charity he established to provide arts and education programming to New York City youth. Over 75 items have been donated to the auction by a variety of celebrities, all of whom want to reach out to urban youth and offer personal testimony to the transformative power of creative expression.

As well as the yoga opportunity, items up for auction include a one week internship with Simmons at his executive office, a personalized George Clooney cell phone, the chance to meet Alicia Keys, Snoop Dogg, and Dionne Warwick, the opportunity to attend a baseball game with Petra Nemcova, and a personal rendition of Happy Birthday from John Legend.

The auction runs until July 24, and can be accessed through Charity Buzz.

Alicia Keys Raises a Small Fortune for Keep a Child Alive

Fri, 09 May 2008 09:08:21 -0000

Written by Regina Walton

Keep A Child Alive spokesperson Alicia Keys is asking her fans to contribute to the charity’s Text Alive Campaign. This simple act allows the non-profit organization continue its work distributing life-saving medication, support and orphan care to children and families living with HIV and AIDS in Africa.

During her concert in Los Angeles on April 5, 2008, Keys asked her audience to send a text message from their cellular phones to 90999 with the word “Alive”. Making a donation couldn’t be easier; a one-time $5.00 charge is added to the sender’s phone bill for each text Keep a Child Alive gets. Service is available on most United States cellular phone carriers.

Keep a Child Alive provides anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment to children with AIDS. It also provides medical services needed to make treatment possible. This includes doctors, nutrition, testing, transportation, and treatment for opportunistic infections because these are all necessary for successful ARV treatment. Furthermore, currently 15 million children have lost one or both parents to AIDS. By 2010 this number is expected to reach 25 million. Keep a Child Alive builds and sustains orphanages to keep the most vulnerable children out of harm’s way.

Idol Talk From Alicia Keys

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:34:53 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

While Idol Gives Back sang and danced its way into the hearts and pockets of America on Wednesday night, it was the words of Alicia Keys that perhaps reflected the thoughts of many people around the world.

“If AIDS got half the attention that the media give to celebrity dramas, this issue would be well on the way to being solved,” said the singer. “It’s crazy… how you can change the lives of people forever for the price of a pair of shoes.”

The singer appeared on the show in a clip filmed during a recent trip to Africa, and urged viewers to donate. Keys established the Keep A Child Alive Foundation to directly assist children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa, and although her charity did not benefit from Wednesday’s show, other organizations such as the Children’s Defense Fund, the Global Fund For AIDS, and Save the Children will receive some of the $22 million already raised from donations to Idol Gives Back.

Keys’ words should make us all stop and think about what we watch and read, and start to act with our hearts.

Look To The Stars Asks The Neelys

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:04:14 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

Besides serving up delicious ribs, Get Yo’ Man Chicken, and strawberry shortcut cake, the Food Network’s latest stars Pat and Gina Neely have a long-standing tradition of serving the community.

Down Home with the Neely’s drew an audience of two million viewers at its launch in February, and the dynamic husband and wife team of Pat and Gina Neely has broken all sorts of Food Network records since then. Yet they still manage to find the time to run their three restaurants, where their famous diners have included Robert Plant, Robert Clay, Steve Miller, Jay Leno, Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, John Legend, Stacy Spencer, and Alicia Keys.

Despite the soaring ratings, the pair have remained grounded and interested in making a difference.

Look To The Stars recently had a chance to catch up with the Neelys and share recipes on how to make the world a better place.

How important is it to give back to the community?

GINA: I’m not sure people understand the importance of giving back. It is important for us to give back. When you give, your blessings are unbelievable. You can’t put a price tag on it. Pat and I have always given. I remember how instrumental it was when I was growing up and people stepped up and helped us, so it is so important for us to give that back.

PAT: What people have to understand is that Gina and I come from very humble beginnings. We didn’t have a whole lot. My mother’s home was in foreclosure when I was a senior in high school. I lost my father when I was eleven… there was never enough money. Gina and I have pretty similar backgrounds. When I opened my first restaurant, I had twenty thousand dollars that was borrowed from my grandmother’s home, that she put up for collateral – and she was 90 years of age. That was all I had first day I opened the doors. I was dead broke… One of the things I remembered early was when I start making some money and when things start turning around for me that I am going help somebody. One of the best feelings in the world is to be able to give… Gina and I give away 30 home tickets away every single home ball game for years now. Since we’ve been involved with the Memphis Grizzlies NBA team, nothing is more rewarding than when my mail comes in and there is a big brown envelope with 30 letters from 30 kids’ middle and elementary schools thanking us for being able to go to the game. Letters say, “Mr. Neely, without you I would not have been able to go to an NBA game.”

Do you find yourselves feeding people such as the homeless?

PAT: I know several years ago, along with some other good people who decided to participate, we opened up on Christmas Day or Thanksgiving Day.

GINA: Thanksgiving.

PAT: And then we invited everyone off the streets to come in and eat free. I don’t know how many… [maybe] 1500. These were people off the street that were homeless. But there are so many other things; what you try to do is really spread it around. I give what I can give. One of our proudest moments is that there is a huge plaque on the wall at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. A couple of years ago Gina and I were approached to give to a substantial donation to the museum while at a dinner. I told Gina we can’t afford it… I get back to the restaurant – I have some high school kids working for me so I am all in the civil rights mood – and I ask the kids, “Who is Rosa Parks?” You know they did not know.

GINA: They said, “Is that a rapper?” Can you believe that?

PAT: Gina and I get back in the car, and I am like, “What the hell is going on?” It was only a generation or so a go that these people fought us… If it was not for Rosa Parks, or Dr King, I may not be running my own business. So I looked over at Gina and said that we have to make this contribution. Fortunately, the Civil Rights Museum put us on a payment plan… To make a long story short, it was I along with twenty other African-American businesses that made that contribution. The money was matched by corporate Memphis. Together we were able to raise 9 million dollars, and that is where the expansion took place at the National Civil Rights Museum… I feel very proud that our grandchildren will one day see their grandmother and grandaddy’s plaque on the wall.

Thanks so much for taking the time out to talk with us.

More information about Down Home With The Neelys can be found at their Food Network website.

Ellen DeGeneres Makes It Right For Brad Pitt

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:49:50 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Comedienne, actress, and New Orleans native Ellen DeGeneres has raised over $10 million for the city since it was devastated by Hurricane Katrina over two years ago.

Besides her own financial donations, awareness raising, and gifts – like a new car to a single mother who lost her home to the hurricane – DeGeneres has raised over $800,000 so far for Brad Pitt’s Make It Right campaign from viewer donations through her talk show.

Make It Right is building 150 environmentally friendly, self sustaining homes in the Lower Ninth Ward, one of the hardest hit areas by the hurricane. People whose homes were flattened by the storm are quite happy about the project.

“I lost everything,” said one owner, walking around his now vacant lot. “[This] makes me feel good. It makes me feel good.”

“We lived in this neighborhood all our lives,” said another homeowner in waiting. “I feel great. I feel great because I want to come back home. We love it down here. I want to come back to my property, to my home.”

DeGeneres’ philanthropy doesn’t end in New Orleans. She has been involved in food drives, and has supported animal shelters, AIDs campaigns, children’s charities and more. Last year she partnered with the American Express’ Members Project along with singers Sheryl Crow, Alicia Keys, tennis pro Andre Agassi, and others.

The Members Project asked American Express members to register, submit, discuss, and rate ideas to make a positive impact in the world. Amex then donated $1 to the chosen project for every card member who registered. In August, $2 million went to UNICEF to organize the Children’s Safe Drinking Water project for children in the developing world.

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.”

Alica Keys' Mission To Find A Superwoman

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:18:23 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Alicia Keys continues her efforts to raise awareness for Keep A Child Alive with the launch of the “As I Am” Contest. Based on the song Superwoman from Keys’ As I Am album, the contest seeks modern day women leading extraordinary lives.

The contest is supported by Treemo, an online community that will donate $1 for every entry, up to a limit of $10,000. Nominations can be submitted online at alicia.treemo.com, or via a text message, and can be a photo, video, image or text explaining why the nominee is a “Superwoman”. The Grand Prize is a VIP All Access trip for two to an Alicia Keys concert.

Keep A Child Alive was co-founded by Keys to provide life-saving medication, support, and orphan care to families battling the AIDS pandemic in Africa.

Leigh Blake, President of Keep a Child Alive, said, “This contest and Treemo’s support will not only increase our ability to spread the word about the realities of this pandemic, but also recruit more potential donors who can easily see they can indeed save the life of someone who needs their help. It’s only $1 a day to sustain a life; it’s time we all start giving a buck.”

Celebrities On Show For AIDS Relief

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:52:49 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

“A Dollar Saves A Life” is the catchphrase of a new advertising campaign featuring Alicia Keys, Jessica Alba, and Somalia-born model Iman, launched to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.

The stars will join actress Lisa Bonet, Indian model Padma Lakshmi, and Zöe Kravitz – daughter of Lenny Kravitz – in a series of advertisements in magazines across America, as part of Keys’ Keep A Child Alive Foundation’s new “Good Cents Initiative”.

The advertisements will see the stars dressed in stylish black clothes, striking simple yet elegant poses surrounded by accessories and props to promote the new campaign. Keys has been photographed clutching a large pink piggybank, and Alba smiles under an umbrella as coins rain down from above.

“Every penny counts,” read the advertisements. “We see every penny as something worth saving. Please join us in helping children in Africa and India get the vital AIDS drugs they need.”

The Good Cents Initiative was launched in September, 2007, when Keys took part in a roundtable discussion on youth activism with Bono, Shakira, Chris Rock, and Bill Clinton. The event was hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative.

Another star to be involved in an HIV/AIDS related project is singer Johnny Clegg, who has reworked his classic song “Great Heart” with an all-star cast of South African musicians as a fundraiser for the Starfish Greathearts Foundation.

Clegg appears alongside 17 other acts on the recording, including Arno Carstens, Chris Chameleon, Sipho “Hotstixs” Mabuse, and Kahn Morbee from indie-pop group The Parlotones.

The song, released as a radio-only single, is also included on a new benefit album – “Spirit of the Great Heart” – which will raise money for children affected by South Africa’s HIV/AIDS pandemic.

2008 Golden Globes Roundup

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 09:54:19 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

There may have been no red carpet, acceptance speeches, or flash of cameras for the winners of the 2008 Golden Globe Awards, but Look To The Stars takes this golden opportunity to recognize some of those who were honored and nominated.

Johnny Depp won his first Golden Globe after being nominated seven times since his career began, picking up the Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical award for Sweeney Todd. Despite his dark performance, there really is a lighter side to the actor. In the past, Depp’s charitable work garnered him the Courage to Care Award for his contributions to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

The Best Actress Award went to veteran Julie Christie, who was up against heavyweights such as Angelina Jolie, an outstanding supporter and contributor to charitable causes. Some of the charities she has supported include the Afghanistan Relief Organization, the Alliance For The Lost Boys, Fran Drescher’s Cancer Schmancer Movement, Doctors Without Borders, and the Daniel Pearl Foundation.

Daniel Day Lewis won Best Actor for his performance in “There Will Be Blood”, beating out celebrity humanitarians George Clooney and Denzel Washington. Like Jolie, Clooney is a major force in trying to make the world a better place, and he is a noted supporter of Cinema For Peace, Make Poverty History, Rock For Darfur, United Way, and the World Food Programme. Washington has spent time visiting wounded soldiers at Fisher Houses, hospitals which provide housing for injured soldiers’ families at little or no cost, and once made a large donation to the Fisher House Foundation. He is also the spokesperson for the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, honorary chairperson for Save Africa’s Children, and a founding member of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

Australian-born Cate Blanchett took home the gold in the category for Best Supporting Actress. Charities Blanchett supports include the Australian Conservation Foundation, Kids Help Line, and SolarAid. In the past, Blanchett filmed a special appeal for SolarAid that was screened at the Hay Festival. The video is available to view on YouTube.

Queen Latifah took home the Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a TV Movie/Miniseries, for her role in “Life Support”. A supporter of several charities, Queen Latifah once helped design a pair of shoes for the Stuart Weitzman charity shoe auction benefiting ovarian cancer awareness and research, and has been involved with Citymeals On Wheels and the Harry Holmberg Memorial Foundation.

Jeremy Piven beat his “Entourage” co-star Kevin Dillon to win his second award for Best Supporting TV Actor. Piven once hosted the fourth annual Fashion Rocks event, which benefited Alicia Keys’ Keep A Child Alive Foundation.

Congratulations to all the winners and the nominees for all the work that you do in front of the camera and behind the scenes to inspire a better world.

Alicia Keys - As I Am

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 09:02:56 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Pop star and philanthropist Alicia Keys has written a personal message for fans – “Don’t Forget Africa”.

The message, published in the December issue of Seventeen magazine, urges fans to support Keep A Child Alive, the charity Keys co-founded in 2002 to raise support and money for children affected by AIDS in Africa.

“Keep A Child Alive funds the testing and treatment of HIV/AIDS in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda,” said the 26-year-old singer in her message. “One hundred percent of the donations go to clinics and orphanages in Africa and India. By visiting www.keepachildalive.org, and by starting a chapter in your high school or college, you can help save lives. You don’t want to grow up and say ‘How could millions of people be allowed to die from this illness when all the tools were there to prevent it?’”

HIV/AIDS has become a true pandemic on the African continent, and in the last 25 years it has left 28 million dead and 15 million orphaned. It has wiped out whole communities, it threatens economic infrastructure, and continues to ravage families. It is an issue close to the Grammy winner’s heart.

“AIDS is 25,” she said in 2006. “As am I. And when I think that AIDS has been around my entire life, a mix of sadness, compassion and anger overcomes me. While the statistics on AIDS are staggering, especially in Africa, we cannot allow their magnitude to immobilize us into inactivity. Rather, we must harness our sadness and anger into action!”

Born as Alicia J. Augello-Cook in Harlem, New York, the singer got her nickname of Keys as a seven year old, when she showed a natural talent on the piano. But life in the Bronx was tough, and Keys describes herself as an “only child, a lonely child”, living in an area “cluttered with crime, dark alleys, drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes, and X-rated movies”.

“My father just wasn’t there, and didn’t live close by,” said the singer. “And since my mother worked so hard, I was on my own a lot.”

She took solace in her piano and music, and in 2001, at the age of just 19, Alicia Keys released her debut album, “Songs In A Minor”. Five Grammy Awards (and over 12 million album sales) later, Keys returned with “The Diary of Alicia Keys” in 2003, “Unplugged” in 2005, and “As I Am” in 2007.

It has been a meteoric rise for the young singer, but unlike many in the industry who acquire such heady fame at such a young age, Keys has managed not just to keep both feet on the ground, but also to use her fame to help those less fortunate. She co-founded Keep A Child Alive after visiting countries such as Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa, and is also a spokesperson for Frum Tha Ground Up, a charity dedicated to inspiring and motivating American youths to achieve success on all levels.

“Keep striving for your dreams and your vision,” she said on the Frum Tha Ground Up website. Even when you feel that nobody else feels what you’re going through and all you see is negative, just keep on keeping on. There comes a point and time when you are no longer a victim of your circumstance, and you can’t blame your parents or anybody else for whatever’s going on in your life. It’s only you… you can be whatever you wanna be, you just have to believe it. Say this is who I am, and you will grow into the person you want to become.”

Keys’ positive outlook on life has flowed like a river through her songs, and has been reflected in her appearances at the New Jersey Live Earth concert, the Philadelphia Live 8 concert, as well as several concerts to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. In December 2007, she also appeared at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Norway to honor Al Gore, alongside Kylie Minogue, Annie Lennox, Melissa Etheridge, and KT Tunstall.

But the AIDS pandemic in Africa is her greatest concern, and she has appeared at many events and concerts to raise awareness of the issue. She even recorded a duet of Peter Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up” with Bono for World AIDS Day 2006, with all proceeds going to Keep A Child Alive.

“We must come together – individuals, governments, corporations, philanthropists and artists – as one and fight for the rights of children and families suffering unnecessarily from this dreadful disease,” she told guests at the 16th International AIDS Conference in Toronto in 2006. “We must never give up until AIDS treatment and realistic prevention messages go hand in hand across the world; until we realize that keeping mothers alive is critical to the well being of the world’s children; and until we can stand together and say, “We did not sit idly by and watch an entire continent perish.”

As well as being a singer and philanthropist, Alicia Keys is a role model and actively pursues issues she feels moved about. She urges her fans to “be generous, be courageous, be cool, be volunteers, be heartfelt, be global, be respectful, be child friendly, be compassionate, and be human.”

She has faced adversity and come out with a desire to help others, using her own experiences to illustrate the importance of positive thinking.

“Life is adversity, something that is trying to get in your way or hold you down. Obstacles are gonna come every day. Don’t get it twisted, don’t think because you have your mother and father and a ‘traditional family’ that you won’t face adversity. It’s not just facing adversity, because we all do that, it’s how you overcome it that defines who you are.”

For more information on Alicia Keys, visit www.aliciakeys.net.

Celebrities Lend Their Hands To Charity

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:58:29 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Over 40 celebrities from around the world are featured in a special new book to be released in time for Christmas.

“Celebrity Handprints”, set to be published on December 1, is the culmination of two years work for author James Preston. Since November 2005, Preston has scoured the globe in search of famous names who were willing to dip their hands in ink and leave a lasting mark on paper. And his peculiar pursuit opened doors to some of entertainment’s biggest stars, including Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Matt Damon, and Keira Knightley.

Over the course of his travels, Preston collected more than 100 handprints and accompanying photos of some of the brightest stars in film, television, music and sports, 42 of which are to be included in the new book. All of the proceeds from the publication will go to benefit two British children’s charities – Children in Need and the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Also available is a series of limited edition prints of the handprints, suitable for framing. The cost for each print, which also includes a photograph of the star involved, is $100. 30% of the total will go to both charities.

Other stars involved in the project include David Beckham, Robbie Williams, Will Smith, Joss Stone, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Sir Richard Branson, Sir Tom Jones, Linkin Park, Avril Lavigne, Snoop Dogg, Samuel L. Jackson, Wyclef Jean, the Kaiser Chiefs, the Smashing Pumpkins, Snow Patrol, Star Wars creator George Lucas, and many more.

The book will be available for $40 from bookstores and Amazon, and both the book and the prints will be able to be purchased from www.celebrityhandprints.org.

Bono Awarded For AIDS Work

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 10:32:08 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Nobel Peace Prize nominee Bono has received an award at an AIDS charity event in New York.

The U2 frontman was honored for his humanitarian work at The Black Ball, a ceremony held at the Hammerstein Ballroom on October 25 to raise money for the Keep A Child Alive foundation, a non-profit organization that provides treatment to AIDS victims in Africa.

The sparkling evening of cocktails, dinner, and rare musical performances was organized and co-hosted by Alicia Keys, a Global Ambassador for the foundation, who described Bono as “an amazing man [who] works tirelessly at really having a cause and fighting for it. He is an inspiration and single-handedly made it cool to have something to speak about.”

“Rock stars always want to do two things,” said Bono, who was honored to accept the award but insisted he would rather be giving out the accolades. “They want to have fun and change the world. If you can do both at the same time, you’re OK.”

The event, which featured performances by Gwen Stefani and Sheryl Crow, as well as by Bono and Keys, attracted a host of celebrities who are both known for their support of the foundation and who wanted to show their respect for Bono’s work. David Bowie, Jay-Z, P. Diddy, Petra Nemcova, and members of Green Day were all spotted during the evening.

“This is an awesome opportunity to step up out of compassion and try to do the smallest of things,” said Crow, a few minutes before performing a duet with Keys. “Just to play some music and raise some money. I’m really proud of Alicia for doing it, and obviously I’m a huge fan of Bono and all the work he’s done.”

“I love Bono,” added Keys, who teamed up with the Irish singer in 2005 to record a version of Peter Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up” for Keep A Child Alive. “I really respect what he has done for Africa, and how he has used his fame to do good in the world. I hope I can do half as much in my life. Keep A Child Alive is my passion and heartfelt mission. I believe AIDS is the most important issue we face, because how we treat the poor is a reflection of who we are as people. I urge everyone to recognize the extreme disaster Africa is facing.”

Africa currently has 12 million AIDS orphans, and less than 5% of the population has access to life-saving anti-retroviral treatment. It is estimated that there are 40 million people infected with the disease, 3 million of them children, with 700,000 more children becoming infected every year. Through its fundraising, Keep A Child Alive has funded several AIDS clinics in Africa, saving lives in Kenya, Durban, Johannesburg, Kigali, Rwanda, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Uganda. They also provide funds for the Agape Orphanage and the Go Go Grannies in South Africa. Keep A Child Alive is a partner of the ONE Campaign, which aims to help Americans to work against the worldwide emergency of AIDS and extreme poverty.

“I am a Global Ambassador for Keep A Child Alive,” said Iman, who co-hosted the Black Ball with Keys. “So it is something I have been doing for quite a while. I am from Africa, and there are a lot of orphan children in Africa whose parents have died from AIDS, and also there are a lot of kids infected with HIV. So we want to provide the drugs that are available in the West, and to make them affordable for poor countries as well, especially the continent of Africa.”

More information on Keep A Child Alive, whose Global Ambassadors also include Liv Tyler and Jessica Alba, can be found at www.keepachildalive.org.

Celebrity Auction Roundup, September 2007

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:27:03 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

September 2007 is shaping up to be a busy month for celebrity charity auctions, with proceeds going towards a variety of causes, including the disadvantaged, the sick, the environment, and an endangered species of seal.

One of the most anticipated auctions of the year, the Chevy Chase Green School Auction, kicked off on September 6, and runs until September 20 on www.charitybuzz.com. This is the fourth year the auction has been running, with proceeds going to the Centre For Environmental Education Online. CEE Online is a non-profit organization set up 17 years ago by actor Chevy Chase and his wife Jayni, and grew out of their belief that for environmental understanding to change, it must begin with the education of children. This year’s fundraising will benefit initiatives involving sustainability, the science of climate change, and the support of healthy food in schools.

There are 43 items on auction, with the most popular being a lunch with Bill Clinton and Chevy Chase for two people. This was expected to raise $35,000, but is already attracting bids of over $45,000. Other popular items are a day on the set of a movie with Cameron Diaz (expected to reach $10,000), and backstage passes to The Rachael Ray Show in New York, including a meet and greet with the star, a personal tour of the studios, and a set of signed cookbooks and Rachael Ray cooking utensils (valued at $2,500). Simon Cowell has donated tickets to American Idol to the auction, and other lots include a tour of Martha Stewart’s garden, the opportunity to spend an afternoon filming with Daryl Hannah for her environmental website, and the chance to meet Ben Stiller at the world premier of his next movie.

Another major auction underway on the Charitybuzz website is The Christie Brinkley Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools, Healthy Environment Auction. The 53 items up for sale will benefit the New York Coalition For Healthy School Food and Wellness In The Schools.

Lots include the chance to meet Bill Clinton (valued at $50,000), a backstage meet and greet with Alicia Keys (expected to raise $1,500), VIP packages to see Dr. Phil McGraw, signed photos of celebrities such as Cindy Crawford, as well as a variety of dinner and vacation packages. The auction runs until September 27.

Also on auction at Charitybuzz is a very special chalk drawing of Princess Diana, by Russian born artist, Zohar. This exquisite work of art was commissioned in 1990 by the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary’s Own), of which the Princess was Colonel-in-Chief, and is expected to raise $275,000 at auction. Proceeds will go to The People’s Princess Charitable Foundation, and will provide support to those suffering from Aids, cancer, and the effects of landmines.

Ebay has several auctions running in September, as part of their Giving Works initiative. The most popular of these is a vehicle belonging to Black Eyed Peas singer, Fergie. The 4 Wheel Drive Hummer H2 has belonged to the singer since 2005, and is expected to reach $65,000 at auction. Proceeds will go to Global Green USA, an organization that works with governments and individuals to create a sustainable and secure future for the planet. More information is available at www.globalgreen.org, and the auction can be viewed at www.ebay.com/fergie.

Five double tickets to a concert featuring Vince Gill and Amy Grant in Tennessee on September 27 are also up for auction. The VIP packages include a pre-show reception, front row seats at the gig, a meet and greet with the stars, and an autographed Hatch Show print commemorating the event. Proceeds are going to Community High School, a facility for teenagers in recovery from alcohol and drug addictions, operated by Creative Recovery Communities. The ticket packages are expected to reach $500 each, and the auction runs until September 18. It can be viewed at www.givingworks.ebay.com.

Finally in September, a special auction is to be held to benefit the plight of the Canadian Harp Seal. Thousands of these creatures are clubbed to death annually for their pelts, and several celebrities have banded together in an effort to stop the slaughter. An auction is to be launched through www.harpseals.org, in association with eBay, and will include a pair of autographed pants worn by Guns & Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist, Slash, as well as Tiffani Amber Theissen’s parasol and signed CDs from KD Lang and Shania Twain.

Keys, Lee Help Keep Children Alive

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:56:19 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

A group of dedicated charity workers teamed up with Spike Lee and Alicia Keys to help save children in Africa through an auction of modern technology and celebrity glamour.

Determined representatives of Keep A Child Alive were the first in line at Apple’s SoHo store in New York in order to purchase the first highly anticipated iPhone. They arrived at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, June 26 and maintained their prized place by sharing shifts over the four days of waiting. Director Spike Lee personally purchased the first phone on behalf of the charity when they went on sale Friday, June 29th.

The organisation, which gets anti-retroviral treatment to children infected with AIDS in Africa, then offered the iPhone to the highest bidder, along with two Jawbone Bluetooth headsets, two round-trip domestic airline tickets, and two VIP passes to the “Black Ball” charity concert in New York. Keep A Child Alive Ambassador Alicia Keys will leave a personalized voice mail greeting on the phone, and will present it to the winner at the ball honoring Bono this October.

The winning bid at the auction, which ended July 6th, raised $100,000, and 100% of the proceeds go to the organization. Elizabeth Santiso of Keep A Child Alive commented, “We’re thrilled, this iPhone is saving thousands of lives in Africa. We’re so grateful to all of the people who contributed their time, money and energy on behalf of the cause.”

Live Earth Rocks the Planet

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:16:25 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

They came, they rocked, they conquered. 07/07/07 saw the Live Earth concerts take place on 7 continents, and the event will go down in history and in people’s hearts as one of the greatest spectacles ever staged.

The nine concerts held around the globe attracted hundreds of thousands of music lovers, and another 9 million internet streams – a world record internet audience. Many more are expected to watch replays over the next few weeks. Concert-goers partied for a total of 22 hours at the events organized by Al Gore to raise awareness of climate change and environmental issues.

“You are Live Earth,” Gore told the crowd in New Jersey, on a stage made from recycled tires. “Today 2 billion of us have come together in over 130 countries… Times like these demand action.”

Despite the rain and low temperatures, 30,000 fans in Hamburg enjoyed stunning and energetic performances by Yusuf – formerly known as Cat Stevens – Shakira, Snoop Dogg, Enrique Iglesias, and former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. German comedian Elton joked about the inclement conditions with the comment “We’re here to fight against global warming in such c—p weather.”

It was also a cold affair in Antarctica, where a previously unknown band Nunatak – made up of polar researchers – played for 17 fellow scientists, allowing Gore to keep his promise to hold concerts in all seven continents.

45,000 people turned out in warmer circumstances in Sydney, where they were treated to performances by Jack Johnson, Toni Collette’s band The Finish, and a newly reformed Crowded House. Sydney was the first of the concerts to open, and was followed by Japan, where thousands rocked to performances by Linkin Park, Rihanna, and a host of local acts.

Johannesburg, experiencing its first snow in ten years, swayed to the rhythms of some of their best known local acts, as well as an intense performance by Joss Stone.

It was a smaller and quieter affair in Washington, where a subdued crowd was entertained by a few lesser known blues and hip hop acts.

The most popular concerts were held in London and New York. The newly refurbished Wembley Stadium was rocking under the weight of 70,000 concert-goers, all enthralled by stellar performances from the Beastie Boys, Kasabian, Metallica, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 1980’s comedy rock act Spinal Tap reformed for the event to perform their new single, “Warmer Than Hell”, and there was also a touching performance by singer/songwriter Terra Naomi. Naomi wrote the track “Say It’s Possible” after seeing An Inconvenient Truth, and was asked personally by Al Gore to perform it at Live Earth.

The finale of the Wembley show was a set by Madonna, which included “Hey You”, the song she wrote especially for Live Earth. She also thanked Gore “for giving the world the wake-up call it so badly needs, and for starting the avalanche of awareness that we are running out of time.”

Over 50,000 people crammed Giants Stadium in New Jersey to join Al Gore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, and Kevin Bacon for a night to remember. Cool rhythms from Alicia Keys and the Dave Matthews Band gave way to rockier beats later in the evening from Kelly Clarkson, Melissa Etheridge, and Jon Bon Jovi. The show ended with Sting and The Police performing a duet of their hit, “Message In A Bottle”, with rapper Kanye West . The free show in Rio De Janeiro, almost cancelled over security concerns, drew a crowd of 600,000 to listen to sun-drenched performances by Lenny Kravitz and Macy Gray, and the show in Shanghai was also a success.

The Chinese crowd were made aware of the International Energy Agency warning that China could become the top emitter of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, by later this year.

The Live Earth concerts were a great day’s entertainment for those who witnessed them, and only time will tell if they achieved their goals.

“Thank you for coming to Live Earth,” said Al Gore as the concerts ended. “Harness the energy in your hearts and help us solve the climate crisis.”

Vanity Fair Charity Issue Edited By Bono

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:35:36 -0000

Written by Saskia Akyil

Bono is putting his philanthropic energy into Vanity Fair’s July 2007 special issue about Africa. The issue has 20 different cover photos of high-profile individuals, all taken by renowned photographer Annie Liebowitz.

The magazine includes information about the issues and charities supported by actors, athletes, models, politicians, musicians, activists, and billionaire philanthropists, all of whom are using their celebrity status and the publicity they receive to bring attention to the complex set of problems faced by the inhabitants of Africa.

Africa is a continent with great need, and has been given a disproportionately low amount of attention and aid from wealthy nations. It is the first Vanity Fair issue to have a guest editor, and Bono’s highly publicized commitment to aiding Africa makes him an obvious choice for editor of this issue. In recent years, celebrities have used their status to bring a great deal of attention to Africa.

The covers of the Africa issue include portraits of: Bono, Barack Obama, Queen Rania, George Bush, Condaleeza Rice, Muhammad Ali, Desmond Tutu, Brad Pitt, Djimon Hounsou, Madonna, Maya Angelou, Chris Rock, Warren Buffett, Melinda & Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Iman, and Don Cheadle.

The issue features numerous in-depth articles about a variety of subjects concerning Africa, including: Kenya; Desmond Tutu and the fight for equality in South Africa and worldwide; Tunisia’s success and the threat of Islamic extremism; the role of China in fueling some of the conflict in Africa; Jeffrey Sachs dream of how to eradicate extreme poverty; the consumer-action strategy of (Product) Red to make miracle AIDS treatment drugs accessible to the millions who need them; the role of the Congo’s blacklisted airline pilots in keeping trade flowing; Bill Clinton’s stories of Nelson Mandela African music; Africans defying the status quo of poverty, disease, and corruption; suggestions for platform topics for the US 2008 presidential election; the genetic data that links all people on Earth to Africa; identifying the current literary talents of Africa; Princess Diana’s post-divorce charity work, in particular her mission to ban land mines; and the Africa connection of the high-profile individuals on Vanity Fair’s July 2007 issue covers.

The Vanity Fair website offers links and information about Africa, charities that benefit the continent, and full-text versions of some of the articles.

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