Look To The Stars News: David Letterman

See Sienna Miller's Congo Documentary

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Actress Sienna Miller was a guest on David Letterman’s show earlier this week and talked about her trip to the Congo that she made earlier this year.

During the trip – which she made with International Medical Corps – Miller made a short documentary about the situation in the country, where over 5.5 million people have been killed since 1998. The documentary focuses on the horrors experienced by women in the country at the hands of soldiers, who use rape as a weapon of war.

To view the documentary, visit TakePart.org. The site also tells you how you can help stop the war in the Congo by supporting relief work and ceasing the trade of minerals mined in the country.

Russell Crowe Promotes Environmental Petition

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

New Zealand-born actor Russell Crowe is currently trying to stop Australian officials from strip mining in Steve Irwin’s wildlife in Queensland.

Over 130,000 hectares of wilderness land was gifted to conservationists by politicians after Irwin’s tragic death in 2006 as a tribute to his work. But now the government plans to allow a local aluminum company to mine a portion of the wildlife reserve.

“That site actually operates as a water filter, and there are some species of plants and animals that don’t really appear in other places, and the river the water runs into, the Wenlock River, has the largest bio-diversity range of any freshwater river in the country – it has things like saw-toothed sharks and estuarine crocodiles,” said Crowe. “He’s [Irwin] not here to stand up for himself and I just feel, as his friend, that we can’t do that… I made an offer to the environmental minister to have a talk about it but he hasn’t bothered to respond.”

Crowe continued his protests on The Late Show with David Letterman last week, and publicized a petition that calls for a halt to the plans.

“If any of you were ever touched by Steve’s attitude towards conservation… and making conservation an important subject for us to discuss… go to the website and sign up on that petition because that man deserves to be honored and respected, whether he’s alive or not. He was a fantastic person.”

The petition can be found here.

John Mayer To Appear On Sesame Street Special

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

John Mayer is set to join Elmo, Big Bird and the rest of the Sesame Street gang in a TV special raising children’s awareness of the struggles of military families.

“Coming Home: Military Families Cope with Change” will air on PBS on April 1, and tells the stories of U.S. service members who return home with injuries — visible and invisible — and explores the struggles their families face. Produced by Sesame Workshop and David Letterman’s production company Worldwide Pants Inc, the show will also feature other famous faces such as Queen Latifah.

“As America’s public broadcaster, PBS is proud to bring resources and tools to families that help them navigate their way through life,” John F. Wilson, chief TV programming executive for PBS, said in a statement. “These stories of courage and strength from military moms and dads will not only help reach and support families facing similar challenges, but also illustrate to all Americans the extraordinary sacrifices these military families make every day.”

Sesame Workshop has spent the past two years creating outreach materials to help military families with young children cope with deployments, homecomings and changes. In 2007, they produced a PBS another primetime special with Cuba Gooding Jr.. When Parents Are Deployed went on to earn an Emmy nomination.

“The men and women of our military have made indescribable sacrifices,” said David Letterman. “The very least we can do is tell their stories, and to honor the bravery and strength of both the soldiers and their families.”

Paul Newman - A Life Spent Giving

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor and philanthropist Paul Newman leaves behind a legacy modern celebrities will find hard to match.

83-year-old Newman – who passed away after a short illness on Friday – made his movie debut in 1954, and went on to become one of the most well known faces to grace the silver screen, appearing in over 50 films. Born in Ohio, Newman made his acting debut at the age of seven, but didn’t start acting professionally until after serving as a gunner in the Pacific in World War II. When the acting bug did bite, it went on to net Newman 10 Oscar nominations in his five-decade-long career – winning the best actor accolade for his role opposite Tom Cruise in The Color Of Money in 1986 – two Golden Globe awards, a Screen Actors Guild award, a Cannes Film Festival award and an Emmy award.

But it is Newman’s humanitarian and philanthropic efforts that gained him true popularity in the American heart. Much has been written about his Newman’s Own Food Company, the initiative he established in 1982 to manufacture his special salad dressings. Over $200 million were generated by the company for charity over the years, and earlier in 2008 the actor announced he had signed ownership of the company to charity. He wrote a book – titled Shameless Exploitation in the Pursuit of the Common Good – about his work with the company, explaining that the inspiration behind his humanitarian outlook was the death of his son from a drug overdose in 1978, which led him to set up the Scott Newman Center for Drug Abuse Prevention. Much of the money Newman raised went to the Hole in the Wall Gang summer camps he established in 1988. The camps allow ill children to participate in activities such as boating, fishing, swimming, archery, arts and crafts, woodworking, performing arts, horseback riding, overnight camping and group adventures, all while receiving superior 24-hour medical care free of charge. More than 100,000 children from 31 countries have attended the Hole in the Wall camps.

Newman was also one of the founders of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP), an organization of CEOs and corporate chairpersons committed to raising the level and quality of global corporate philanthropy. He regularly donated to causes around the world, including a donation of $40,000 to a Welsh Breast Cancer Center and $10 million to Kenyon College last year, and $250,000 to aid refugees in Kosovo in 1999. At the age of 79, he flew to Britain to entertain sick and disabled children in north London by performing as a clown in a special version of Zippo’s Circus.

Newman was a huge fan of car racing, and competed in the San Jose Grand Prix (where he came in second) in 2004 to help raise money for the Canary Foundation. His love of racing led him to narrate the film Dale – based on the life of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt – in 2007, the last film project Newman was to be involved in.

In 2007, Newman announced he was retiring from acting to concentrate on charity work. Last month he was named as one of the top celebrity givers of 2007 in the Giving Back Foundation’s Top 30, with over $10 million donated to needy causes.

“He was really all about philanthropy, and people caring, and people voting, and that’s really who he was,” said Newman’s daughter, Melissa. “So many of his ideas were reaching out. That is what he would like people to remember. Reach out, keep doing it. If we all did something for somebody or some organization today, can you imagine the change that would happen?”

Tributes for Newman have poured in from around the world, and many of the actor’s fellow philanthropic celebrities have been quick to praise the man who inspired several generations, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elizabeth Taylor, Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, David Letterman, Julia Roberts, Kevin Spacey, and many others.

“He was purity of heart,” said Taylor. “Working with him was such a joy. Knowing him, being his friend, was as golden as the sunset and a privilege I’ll never forget.”

But perhaps the most poignant tribute came from Robert Redford, Newman’s co-star from 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: “There is a point where feelings go beyond words. I have lost a real friend. My life – and this country – is better for his being in it.”

Newman is survived by his wife – actress Joanne Woodward – and their three daughters, Elinor, Melissa and Claire. He also has two daughters, Susan and Stephanie, from his first marriage to Jackie Witte.

Look To The Stars News: David Letterman

See Sienna Miller's Congo Documentary

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