Look To The Stars News: Mariah Carey

Bid2Beat AIDS For Special Christmas Gifts

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0000

One of the biggest celebrity charity auction events of the year is currently gearing up for its launch on December 1.

Bid2Beat AIDS is an annual event that will feature over 1000 items from top stars such as 50 Cent, Adam Sandler, Adrian Grenier, Aerosmith, Alec Baldwin, Amy Winehouse, Antonio Banderas, Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz, Common , Death Cab for Cutie, Denzel Washington, P. Diddy, Donny Osmond, Elton John, Fall Out Boy, Foo Fighters, Good Charlotte, Green Day, Hanson, Hilary Duff, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Blunt, James Earl Jones, James Morrison, Jamie Foxx, Jay-Z , Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jeremy Piven, Jessica Alba, John Legend, Johnny Depp, Kanye West, Kirsten Dunst, Ludacris , M.I.A., Madonna, Mariah Carey, Neil Patrick Harris, Ozzy Osbourne, Phil Collins, Raven Symone, Razorlight, Rihanna , Sacha Baron Cohen, Sharon Osbourne, Victoria Beckham, Whoopi Goldberg, Will Ferrell, Wyclef Jean, and many, many more. Also up for grabs will be VIP tickets to concerts and backstage visits with stars like Bernadette Peters, Jewel, Aimee Mann, Joan Rivers, and Michael Feinstein.

The annual auction will raise money for LIFEbeat, the music industry’s AIDS fundraising and service charity. The first three Bid2Beat AIDS auctions raised nearly $250,000, and this year’s looks set to be the biggest yet.

More info about the auction can be found at the Bid2Beat AIDS website, and the auction will go live on World AIDS Day here.

Look To The Stars will keep you posted as the items are announced.

American Idol Gives Back $67 Million

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

David Beckham, Bono, Annie Lennox and Carrie Underwood have all accepted cheques from April’s Idol Gives Back event on behalf of the charities they support.

The show raised over US$67 million for charities such as the Global Fund, Malaria No More, the Children’s Health Fund, Save the Children, and the Children’s Defense Fund.

“I saw first hand with my visit to Sierra Leone with UNICEF last year how devastating malaria can be to a country,“ said Beckham, who was presented with US$12 million by Idol winner David Cook on behalf of Malaria No More. “This money will help buy millions of bed nets and also protect many people, particularly the young children who are most vulnerable.”

Annie Lennox was also delighted to receive $500,000 for the Treatment Action Campaign.

“This is just to express my gratitude to everyone on Idol Gives Back, for putting together a show with a difference, and for inviting me to be part of it,“ she said in a statement. “Because of this event, and the generosity of the viewers, who donated so kindly, I have been able to hand over a cheque for the amazing sum of $500,000 to Treatment Action Campaign, in South Africa. I can assure everyone that every single dollar contributed will go to excellent use, in the work to educate, assist and support people living on the frontline of the HIV/Aids pandemic, many of whom are women and children. Thank you so much.“

Bono received US$10 million on behalf of the Global Fund For AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

“The Global Fund will keep thousands of people safe from HIV/AIDS because American Idol has donated $10 million,” said the U2 frontman. “That’s YOU people, who sent in your hard earned cash.”

The Idol Gives Back show featured appearances and performances by Snoop Dogg, John Legend, Miley Ray Cyrus, Annie Lennox, Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan, Sheila E., Fergie, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Peyton and Eli Manning, and Reese Witherspoon, and pre-taped messages from David and Victoria Beckham, Kiefer Sutherland, Ellen DeGeneres, Jim Carrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama. Britney Spears, who couldn’t be at the event, donate $25,000 to the cause.

X Factor Charity Single Stays At The Top

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A remake of Mariah Carey’s ‘Hero’ by finalists in this year’s X Factor competition has topped the British music charts for the second week in a row.

As reported earlier, the track was recorded to benefit Help for Heroes, which provides support for wounded servicemen and women, and the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

“We’re doing this for one simple reason,” said Simon Cowell, who is behind the single’s release. “These are decent people who need a bit of help, a bit of support and all the proceeds of this record will go to these guys.”

The song has become the fastest selling charity release of the decade and the fastest selling single of 2008. British prime minister Gordon Brown has waived the usual 17.5 percent sales tax on each record sold, which means even more money than expected will go to charity.

The track is available through iTunes and wherever good music is sold.

X Factor Stars Top The Charts For Charity

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A remake of Mariah Carey’s ‘Hero’ by finalists in this year’s X Factor competition is expected to become 2008’s fastest-selling single.

The track – which is currently the top seller at iTunes – was recorded to benefit Help for Heroes, which provides support for wounded servicemen and women, and the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

“We predict it will become the fastest-selling single of this year,” added HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo. “Single releases tend not to be such a big event these days, but this one is definitely bucking the trend.”

The track is out now and ready to download.

Andre Agassi's Grand Slam A Success

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Sheryl Crow, Natasha Bedingfield, The Killers, Lifehouse, Ray Romano, Rod Stewart and David Spade were among the performers at the 13th annual Agassi Grand Slam for Children benefit concert in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

The concert raised funds for the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, which provides recreational and educational opportunities for at-risk boys and girls, and was preceded by an invitation-only concert on Friday that featured James Taylor and Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik.

Among the 1,900 guests at Saturday’s Grand Slam were Stefi Graf, Mariah Carey and her husband Nick Cannon, the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, Donny Osmond, comedian George Wallace, and many more.

Andre Agassi said that while the event was a benefit, this year’s focus was not on counting the dollars, but instead celebrating accomplishments made possible through the support of talented performers, generous sponsors, enthusiastic attendees and hard-working volunteers. Agassi summed it up as “a night full of heart.

Mariah Carey Becomes Poster Girl For Charity

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Pop’s favorite princess Mariah Carey has been named an Ambassador for a major hunger relief charity.

The 38-year-old singer will front the Yum! Foundation’s appeal to raise money for the United Nations’ World Food Program. She will appear in a series of posters at Yum’s restaurant brands – including KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silver’s and A&W – in 36,000 stores in over 112 countries. The posters will be accompanied by a television campaign voiced by Muhammad Ali’s wife, Lonnie Ali.

Carey’s part in the campaign is to encourage people to pick up a coded card at any of Yum’s restaurants. The card will allow fans to download her song, “Love Story,” off her latest album, E=MC2, at www.FromHungerToHope.com. For every download, Yum will donate $0.25 to the Yum! Foundation’s Hunger Relief campaign.

“Hunger is unacceptable,“ said David C. Novak, Chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands. “As a society, we should not and can not tolerate the fact that 850 million people are starving and go to bed hungry every day. As the world’s largest restaurant company, we believe it is our privilege and responsibility to find a meaningful solution to this critical problem. Yum! Brands is determined to be a leader in wiping out hunger. We are committed to raise awareness, volunteerism and money to address this problem. We hope to move millions of people from hunger to hope through our efforts.“

Yum! and its brands have donated more than $46 million of prepared food annually over the last decade to the underprivileged in the United States. The company is also the primary sponsor of the Dare To Care Food Bank based in Louisville, Kentucky, and has donated $8 million to the organization over the last 8 years.

Justin Timberlake Proves That Fashion Rocks

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus and Charlize Theron were some of the stars who appeared at the fifth annual Fashion Rocks concert celebrating the relationship between music and fashion last Friday.

Proceeds from the show – which was televised on CBS on Tuesday night – went to Stand Up To Cancer, which held its own star-studded telethon on the same evening. The Fashion Rocks show included a performance of more than a dozen divas — including Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Natasha Bedingfield, Fergie, Rihanna and Cyrus — who sung their new charity song Just Stand Up, which was beamed live to the Stand Up To Cancer television extravaganza.

“This is the first time we’re all together singing the song,” said Bedingfield. “It was really special. It was really like a sisterhood, like a bond… We’re all used to being the stars — the only star in the room — and it was really nice I think that everyone could just come together and really support each other.”

Also present at Fashion Rocks were Hilary Swank and Hayden Panettiere, with performances from Kid Rock, Keith Urban, Duffy, the Black Eyed Peas, and the Pussycat Dolls. But it was the sizzling duet between Timberlake and Beyonce on “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” that stole the show.

And just to prove that there really is nothing like the real thing, Timberlake has also confirmed he will once again host the Shriners Hospitals for Children Golf Open in October.

Following on from the success of last year’s event, the Open will take place October 13-19 at the TPC Summerlin course in Las Vegas.

The annual event has taken place every year since 1983 and has raised more than $10 million for Las Vegas area charities. Previous champions include Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Davis Love III, Paul Azinger, Jim Furyk, Curtis Strange and Fuzzy Zoeller.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a network of facilities in North America that provides superior medical care at no charge to children under the age of 18, and more information about the event – including how to get tickets – can be found at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Golf Open website.

Stand Up To Cancer A Huge Success

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A multitude of stars came out on Friday night as part of the Stand Up To Cancer television extravaganza to raise money for cancer research.

The hour-long program – simulcast live on NBC, ABC, and CBS – featured celebrities such as Jennifer Garner, Halle Berry, Forest Whitaker and Casey Affleck reading accounts of people battling cancer, as well as musical items, comedy sketches, and the opportunity for people to ring up and pledge donations – with stars such as Ellen DeGeneres, America Ferrera and Kirsten Dunst answering the phones.

“This is an absolutely historic night, thanks to the unbelievable generosity of the three networks,” event organiser, producer and cancer survivor Laura Ziskin told the audience at Los Angeles’ Kodak Theatre.

The biggest surprise of the night was the appearance of Patrick Swayze, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year.

“He looks amazing,” former basketball player Charles Barkley told People Magazine. “For me, seeing Patrick Swayze, someone who is actually fighting this disease, was the best part of the show. Seeing him in person was amazing.”

The idea behind the event was that it is the lack of funding – and not just research – that is slowing the advance of cancer prevention and treatment, and over $100 million has been raised since the Stand Up To Cancer initiative was launched earlier this year.

The telethon – which was viewed by over 10.5 million people – also featured performances by Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, and James Taylor, as well as the television premiere of the star-studded charitable single Just Stand Up performed by Mariah Carey, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Ray Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes, and Carrie Underwood. Everybody Loves Raymond star Brad Garrett underwent a prostate examination on the show, and cartoon character Homer Simpson had a colonoscopy.

Other stars who were part of the show included Jennifer Aniston, Scarlett Johansson, Meryl Streep, David Cook, Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, Jack Black, Hilary Swank, Jimmy Fallon, and Keanu Reeves, all of whom wanted to do something positive to help the 550,000 Americans and six million people worldwide who die from cancer each year.

As part of Stand Up To Cancer’s efforts, there is also an auction running on eBay that offers the chance to meet the cast of celebrities such as Katie Couric, Stephen Colbert, and Jay Leno. It runs until September 15, and can be accessed through eBay.

Lance Armstrong Stands Up To Cancer Tonight

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Don’t miss Stand Up To Cancer on ABC, CBS and NBC today, Friday, September 5, at 8 p.m. (EST).

A spectacular line up of talent including Jennifer Aniston, James Taylor, Scarlett Johansson, Meryl Streep, David Cook, Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, Jack Black, Kirsten Dunst, Charles Barkley, America Ferrera, Halle Berry, Hilary Swank, Forest Whitaker, Jimmy Fallon and Keanu Reeves will appear on the one-hour telecast. The celebrities are set to educate you, move you and entertain you, and will even be on hand to answer your calls in the celebrity phone bank.

The premiere TV performance of Just Stand Up – the star studded charitable single in support of Stand Up To Cancer – will be performed by legendary recording artists Mariah Carey, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Ray Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes, and Carrie Underwood.

Doug Ulman, President of the Lance Armstrong Foundation says, “Inspired to act by their own personal experiences with cancer, the Stand Up to Cancer team recognizes that we can no longer rely on the current system alone to give us the breakthroughs we need. They are calling on the public to help take matters into our own hands, investing in a revolution that will change the way scientists and clinicians work to understand and treat cancer. Stand Up To Cancer is more than a rallying cry. It is a galvanizing force created to urgently move cancer research forward.”

Tonight’s program is raising funds to build “Dream Teams” made up of scientists, clinicians, technicians and other experts.

For more information about Stand Up To Cancer, and a complete list of celebrities who will be appearing during the show, visit the Stand Up To Cancer Website.

Female Stars Unite For New Charity Single

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Fifteen of the hottest female stars on the planet are joining together for a brand new charity single to benefit Stand Up To Cancer.

Just Stand Up will be released on September 2 to coincide with the Stand Up To Cancer television special that will run on NBC, ABC, and CBS on September 5. The new song – which was conceived and produced by Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds – will feature the soaring voices of Mariah Carey, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes and Carrie Underwood, and all sales of the star-studded single will benefit cancer research.

All 15 singers will perform the song during the primetime television event, which will also feature appearances by Jennifer Aniston, Lance Armstrong, Katie Couric, Sally Field, Salma Hayek, Meryl Streep, Forest Whitaker and Reese Witherspoon.

The single will be available through iTunes, and more information can be found at www.standup2cancer.org.

Fashion Concert Stands Up To Cancer

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé Knowles and Rihanna have been revealed as some of the acts confirmed to perform at this year’s New York Fashion Rocks concert.

The concert, which will take place on September 5, first took New York Fashion Week by storm in 2004 and still remains one of the hottest events on the celebrity charity calendar. The legendary Radio City Music Hall will once again play host to the star-studded live event, celebrating the powerful relationship between fashion and music. The concert will air the following Tuesday night in a two-hour special on the CBS television network (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).

Proceeds from the event will benefit Stand Up To Cancer, whose own television special will go to air on September 5.

“In just five years, Fashion Rocks has become one of the most exciting multi-media events of the year,” said Richard Beckman, president of Conde Nast Media Group. “Whether on stage at the live event, during the show’s broadcast or in the pages of the magazine, Fashion Rocks uniquely celebrates the intersection of two of the most sexy cultural paradigms; fashion and music. This year, we have a spectacular line-up of talent and performances that will take the show to a whole new level.”

Other performers confirmed to appear include Keith Urban, Chris Brown, Kid Rock, Fergie, Lil Wayne, and the Black Eyed Peas.

More info can be found at the Fashion Rocks website.

Idol Gives Back On Wednesday

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:11:53 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

It will be raining philanthropic celebrities on Wednesday night when American Idol Gives Back airs on the Fox Network. The “star clouds” are set to burst with a gala of music, fun, appearances, and surprises – all in the name of charity.

Idol host Ryan Seacrest will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the event, which was taped in front of a lively audience at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night, and producers expect this year’s event to raise over $100 million for charity.

“Tonight isn’t just about raising money,” said Brad Pitt, one of the many guests to attend the gala. “Sometimes, to help people, we’ve got to travel outside of our comfort zone to really understand another situation.”

Pitt’s Make It Right campaign, which he launched to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, is one of many good causes to benefit from the event, which last year netted over $76 million for charity. Other organizations to benefit this year include the Global Fund, Malaria No More, the Children’s Health Fund, Save the Children, and the Children’s Defense Fund.

“It’s not about self-promoting,” said former Idol winner Carrie Underwood, who will perform on the show. “It’s not about singing your latest single. It’s not about trying to be the most downloaded whatever on iTunes. It’s all about getting people to call in and do something.”

Viewers of the show on Wednesday can expect performances by Snoop Dogg, John Legend, Miley Ray Cyrus, Annie Lennox, Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan, and Sheila E., as well as a surprise duet between Fergie and Heart. The show will also be sprinkled with appearances from Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Peyton and Eli Manning, and Reese Witherspoon, and pre-taped messages from David and Victoria Beckham, Kiefer Sutherland, Ellen DeGeneres, Jim Carrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama will also be shown.

American Idol Announces Second Annual Charity Show

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:37:27 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

American Idol fans and readers of Look To The Stars should mark April 9 in their diaries, as that is the date set for the second annual “Idol Gives Back” charity show.

The Fox Network announced the date yesterday, and the guest lineup already includes Bono, Brad Pitt, Miley Ray Cyrus, Fergie, Carrie Underwood, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, John Legend, Mariah Carey, Annie Lennox, Reese Witherspoon, Snoop Dogg, and Chris Daughtry, with more names to be added in the next few weeks.

Last year’s show, emceed by Ellen DeGeneres, raised a phenomenal $76 million to benefit underprivileged children in America and overseas.

American Idol is fast becoming a vehicle for good deeds. In 2007, former Idol winner Carrie Underwood visited children in Johannesburg, Clay Aiken took a trip to Mexico with UNICEF, and Idol judge Randy Jackson toured New Orleans and the region devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Jackson worked with programs backed by Save the Children, and because of that trip has been named the organization’s first U.S. programs ambassador.

Mark Shriver, managing director of US programs for Save the Children, said “Idol Gives Back” is crucial for raising awareness about children in poverty and quickly provides money to programs that help.

“American Idol is fantastic for raising the visibility of poverty in the U.S.,” he said.

Celebrities Clean Out Their Closets For Charity

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:09:39 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Is your closet looking a little empty? Or maybe a little boring? Have the moths eaten holes in your favorite frock? Well, never fear, help is here – in the form of a couple of celebrity auctions for great causes.

March will see the opening of Katherine Heigl’s new film 27 Dresses, and to mark the occasion, 20th Century Fox is auctioning 27 celebrity dresses on eBay. Fabulous frocks from Heidi Klum, Thandie Newton, Mariah Carey, Geri Halliwell, Naomi Campbell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Alesha Dixon will be up for sale in the special event, with all proceeds going to the Lavender Trust, an initiative of the UK charity Breast Cancer Care to raise money for young breast cancer sufferers.

The auction also features a stunning white John Galliano dress worn by Kylie Minogue to Cannes 2007, and a full length silver halter top belonging to her sister, Danni Minogue. The auction starts on eBay at 7pm on March 4, and a different dress will be auctioned every day.

If accessories are more your thing, then an exciting auction being held in Britain may be of interest. The Grace House North East Children’s Appeal Celebrity Bag Auction features a range of bags donated by some of England’s top stars, including members of Girls Aloud, as well as Dame Judi Dench, Twiggy, Sarah Ferguson, celebrity chef Ainsley Hariott, and newsreader Kirsty Young.

The event, to be held at the Apartment Bar in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on March 6, is sponsored by Makoosh, an online jewelry store, and will raise money to build the region’s first hospice for terminally ill children. The auction follows a similar event held last year, which raised $19,500, and featured items donated by Annie Lennox and Graham Norton.

“It is fabulous to see so many household names come out in force to support Grace House by donating their favourite handbags and manbags to be auctioned,” said Grace House Fundraising Assistant Sumera Bashir. “I would like to thank them all for making this event possible.”

More information about the auction can be found at www.gracehouse.co.uk.

Melua Calls On TV Bosses To Support Charity

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:57:12 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Katie Melua has asked the producers of the hit British TV talent show The X Factor to donate the proceeds from the show’s forthcoming Christmas single to charity.

The winner of the series final on December 15th will release a for-profit cover of Mariah Carey’s song When You Believe. Melua is herself releasing a duet rendition of What A Wonderful World with late jazz singer Eva Cassidy to raise money for the Red Cross this Christmas, and wants charities to benefit more from the annual race for the number-one spot in the charts.

“In recent years the whole Christmas number one thing hasn’t been focused on the Christmas spirit,” said Melua.

“I’m not saying What A Wonderful World is a Christmas song, it obviously isn’t, but what it’s raising money for and awareness for is very much in the Christmas spirit. Maybe this will encourage The X Factor to donate all their money to charity. I think they should.

“To me Christmas is about families and giving. It should not just be about giving each other the latest iPods and Nintendo games. The reason why the Christmas number one is such a big deal is because that’s the song people buy to give each other presents. So if all that money was to go to charity that would be great.”

Melua is no stranger to charity; she is an Ambassador for Save the Children, performed at Nelson Mandela’s 46664 concert, and supports a host of other charities.

Black Eyed Peas Hold Charity Party

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:35:34 -0000

Written by Adrienne Phillip

It was a balmy night in Hollywood, but that did not keep celebrities devoted to friendship and charity away from a birthday fundraiser for apl.de.ap (Allan Pineda Lindo) of hip hop group the Black Eyed Peas. The red carpet arrivals streamed into the Vanguard Nightclub on November 27 with their party shoes on and their hearts on their sleeves – they were there to have fun and raise money for charities in the Philippines.

Black Eyed Peas members Taboo and will.i.am organized the event to celebrate apl.de.ap’s 33rd birthday and to pay tribute to the charities that have helped him in the past. Will.i.am was the first of the group to arrive, and he spoke with the press about his holiday plans and new musical ventures with Mariah Carey and Michael Jackson. Will was excited about the fundraiser because it showed how far he and his friends had come – they were now able to bring their blessings full circle and give back to the communities that raised them.

Taboo was next to arrive. He was excited to be back in the States, and was happy to spend time with his fourteen year old son Joshua. He also said that events like this showed the love the Black Eyed Peas had for others. When they established The Black Eyed Peas Foundation in the early nineties, the band wanted to be sure to give something back to each of their diverse backgrounds – wil.i.am represents the USA, Taboo is of Mexican descent, and apl.de.ap was born and raised in the Philippines.

“For me to go to the Philippines and for him to go to Mexico to integrate our cultures is beyond success, beyond selling millions of records”, Taboo said to explain how the Black Eyed Peas were more than just about music. But the best part of putting this evening together for him was “being able to be with my best friends. Giving back to our community and our fans and doing it to make a difference not only in the States but overseas… to be able to be a part of that and to express our music and talent is a great thing because, beyond selling records, its about giving back for us…We have already won Grammy’s, MTV awards, sold 27 million records. What is there left to do? So now we are giving back and letting people know we are humans before artists.”

Apl. was beaming with pride when he arrived, excited that he was able to be part of an evening to raise money for charities… because he was raised by a charity himself. As a child in the Philippines, the singer was sponsored by an American through the Pearl S. Buck Foundation. His sponsor then decided to adopt him and brought him to the United States were he was able to achieve his dreams.

“It is very important to me to give back the same opportunity that was given to me,” Apl. said on the red carpet. “That’s the only way I know how to do it.”

Apl. is now going to try to hold a benefit annually, and give most of the money to the Pearl S. Buck Foundation, as well as to other Filipino Charities. The most challenging part of the evening for him was getting sponsors, but as soon as the name of a group as successful as the Black Eyed Peas was attached, sponsors came right on board.

The partygoers were from television, music, sport, and movies, as well as many from Los Angeles’ Filipino community. The celebrities who attended spoke of their own charities and how good they feel during the holiday season when they can help others.

Ultimate Fighting Champion Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, said he was there to support the charities of his friends. “I think it is real important to give back because God giveth and God taketh away…. I support my old high school wrestling team…charity starts at home too – I help out a lot of my family.”

Nate Parker, who will be starring in the new film The Great Debaters with Denzel Washington, was happy to be part of the evening. He is learning from some of the biggest givers in Hollywood that you have to be proud of where you come from and support the people who are still there. “Working with Denzel was a learning experience, not just about acting, but life and how to appreciate what you have. Helping out charities is the way to show you care.”

The celebrities that attended the event included Bi Ling, Bobby Brown, as well as funny guys Chris Reed, Aries Spears, and Ken Davitian. Young Filipino rapper Lil Jordan spit some lyrics on the red carpet for the crowd and showed his support for his ancestral country. VH1’s Celebrity Rap Superstar winner Shar Jackson was there in support of Apl. because he was a friend who always put others before his own needs.

“Hollywood needs more groups like the Black Eyed Peas to give back to the world,” she said.

After greeting the fans, Apl. performed some of his solo music and then shined the spotlight on the up-and-coming groups that the Black Eyed Peas were producing. The evening was deemed a success as it raised money for a great cause, created awareness for the Pearl S. Buck Foundation and other charities, and showed how giving to charities can make a difference in the life of a child.

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