Look To The Stars News: Maria Menounos

Stars Say No To McDonald's Chicken Cruelty

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

A number of celebrities have written a letter to McDonald’s on behalf of Mercy For Animals, crying foul over the fast food giant’s treatment of egg-laying hens.

A MFA investigation exposed the abhorrent cruelty at one of McDonald’s suppliers, and a host of stars – including Ryan Gosling, Zooey Deschanel, Alicia Silverstone, Maria Menounos, Kristin Bauer, Ed Begley Jr., Bryan Adams and Steve-O – have added their names to the letter.

“On behalf of compassionate people everywhere, I implore you to help end the needless suffering of these animals by adopting strict and meaningful animal welfare policies worldwide, including the commitment to prohibit the purchase of eggs produced by hens who spend their miserable lives crammed into tiny wire cages,” reads the letter. "In MFA’s investigative video, McDonald’s egg suppliers are shown burning off the beaks of baby birds without painkillers, chicks are shown trapped and mangled in cage wire suffering from untreated wounds, live chicks are slowly suffocated in trash bags, and dead and rotting corpses are left in cages with hens still laying eggs for McDonald’s Egg McMuffins.

Photos: Maria Menounos Honored By LA Animal Lovers

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Maria Menounos was honored for her outstanding contributions made to Los Angeles Animal Shelters at a special celebrity charity event last week.

Maria Menounos and Apollo. Photo: Michael Kovac

Annual Charity Autumn Party Gets Massive Celebrity Support

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Rochelle Gores Fredston, ARCADE Boutique and Philanthropic Society Los Angeles (PSLA) have announced they will host The 2nd Annual Autumn Party benefiting Children’s Institute, Inc. (CII) on October 26, 2011 at The London West Hollywood Rooftop.

The evening will begin with a fashion show by famed New York designer Yigal Azrouël, marking his first-ever Los Angeles show. Yigal Azrouël will present his Spring 2012 Collection. The collection combines masculinity and femininity through silhouettes that are simplistic yet architectural. Using lambskin, wool, gabardine and silk chiffon in variations of nude punctured with periodic pops of citrine, mars, and cognac, it evokes a fresh, modern ease. Following the fashion show, guests will enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while listening to music from DJ Myles Hendrik.

Maria Menounos To Be Honored By LA Animal Lovers

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:05:00 +0000

K-9’s Only is pleased to present the Friends of LA Animal Shelters (FLLAS) launch party this week. Special Guest Maria Menounos will be honored for her outstanding contributions made to Los Angeles Animal Shelters.

Friends of LA Animal Shelters is a nonprofit dedicated to the helping of animals in LA shelters. The organization raises awareness about our large city shelter system (amazingly unfamiliar even to many animal lovers) and promotes the fantastic dogs, cats and other animals who temporarily call our city shelters home. FLAAS works to break down barriers to adoption which impacts our city’s homeless pets. FLAAS is a volunteer-run organization that funds life-saving surgeries and special projects for orphaned animals. Their goal is to increase adoptions and help the animals in our city shelters.

Joining Maria at the event will be Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Jamie Kennedy (Malibu’s Most Wanted), Ashlan Gorse (E! News), Nikki De Loach (MTV’s Awkward), and more. The host committee includes Bill and Giuliana Rancic.

Stars Donate Shoes To Celebrity Charity Auction

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Soles4Souls, the international shoe charity, has announced a complete line-up of A-list celebrities who decided to take off their shoes for a good cause.

What began as a staff shoe drive internally at NBCUniversal 30 Rock studios for the charity’s Japan relief efforts quickly caught on to stars such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Sir Elton John, sisters Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian, Jessica Simpson, Justin Timberlake, John Krasinski, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mariska Hargitay, Yoko Ono, the TODAY show cast, and many more. Jennifer Wilson, an NBCUniversal employee who helped initiate the celebrity shoe auction, said it was the kindness of organizations like Soles4Souls during Hurricane Katrina that drew her to help.

“I’m a Louisiana girl with family in New Orleans, so I saw first-hand the destruction, pain, and uncertainty that comes with a natural disaster,” Wilson said. “I started this to help those that helped us.”

Leeza Gibbons And LeAnn Rimes Dare2Care For Charity

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Leeza Gibbons and David Foster teamed up earlier this month to present Dare2Care, a pre-Oscar cocktail party at BOA on Sunset.

The sensational bash and “party with a purpose” raised funds to benefit the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation and its signature program, Leeza’s Place. On the event’s bustling red carpet, conversation changed from “what are you wearing” to “how are you caring” as the stars celebrated the importance of philanthropy and giving back. The evening’s entertainment featured performances by world renowned artists such as Grammy Award winning artist LeAnn Rimes, musical prodigy David Foster, Broadway star Eden Espinosa and singer/songwriter Chantelle Delaney.

RumbaTime Launches Celebrity Charity Watch Auction

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:30:00 +0000

During October 2010, watch brand RumbaTime will host its 1st Annual Celebrity Breast Cancer Charity Auction, donating 100% of the proceeds to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Celebrities including Kourtney Kardashian, Vanessa Hudgens, Rachel Zoe, Lisa Rinna, Laila Ali, Faith Evans, Maria Menounos, Ashlan Gorse and Gretchen Rossi have all lent their signature to help raise money and awareness for breast cancer research.

Stars Line Up For Reality Cares' Emmy Weekend Charity Events

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Reality Cares will celebrate Emmy weekend with a whole host of celebrity charity events this week.

Friday August 27 – Daytime, 11:00 am – 4:00 p.m.
Reality Cares is hosting a Giving Lounge where celebrities will be asked to “give back” in order to receive the event sponsors’ hottest products. The Lounge’s beauty section is sponsored by Joico and features celebrity hairstylists & manicures. Evolve Wellness will help celebrities relax with massage therapy & acupuncture services. The Lounge will promote numerous non-profits and offer multiple charitable activities including celebrity PSAs, text to donate and an online auction.

Jessica Simpson Honored At Gracie Awards

Thu, 27 May 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Jessica Simpson was one of the honorees of Tuesday night’s Gracie Awards – sponsored by the Alliance For Women in Media – hosted by Maria Menounos.

Held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, the Gracies honored exemplary programming created for women, by women, and about women in all facets of media, including radio, television, cable and new media. The Gracies are presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Alliance for Women in Media that supports educational programs, charitable activities, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public, the electronic media and allied fields. The Gracie Awards, established in 1975, honors programming and individuals of the highest caliber in all facets of radio, television, cable and web-based media, including news, drama, comedy, commercials, public service, documentary and sports.

Jessica Simpson was the recipient of the 2010 Dove Real Beauty Award, which honors an individual who best embodies and expresses the “substance and spirit” of real beauty through her life and career. As an entertainer and business woman growing up in the spotlight, Jessica Simpson represents real women’s challenges with beauty and demonstrates how to face them with grace and courage. Jessica is now using her own experiences to inspire and encourage women everywhere to believe in themselves.

Pat Benatar To Rock For Variety - The Children's Charity

Wed, 05 May 2010 11:00:00 +0000

Pat Benatar will perform a special show in LA tonight, May 4, to benefit Variety – The Children’s Charity and the Will Rogers Institute.

It will be a night of Kansas City hospitality in Los Angeles complete with cocktails, authentic Kansas-City style BBQ, from Fiorella’s Jack Stack, and Texas Hold’em. AMC Theaters will bring together high-powered studio executives and industry influencers all while supporting two of Hollywood’s most revered institutions.

Guests expected to attend the event include Maria Menounos (“Access Hollywood”), Gilles Marini (“Brothers & Sisters”), Sean Patrick Flannery (BOONDOCK SAINTS), Dean Norris (“Breaking Bad”), Rich Sommer (“Mad Men”), Steve Ward (“Tough Love”), Olivia Munn (G4 Attack of Show/ DATE NIGHT), Aimee Garcia (“Trauma”) and many more.

Renee Zellweger To Attend Charity Evening With Women

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Renee Zellweger and Sarah Silverman will make special appearances at the LA Gay and Lesbian Center’s An Evening With Women this weekend.

An Evening with Women is an annual event that raises much-needed funds for the women-specific services of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. This year’s event, held for the second year in the posh International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, will be steeped in rock ‘n’ roll chic and include a hosted reception, dinner, star-studded show and auction of unique, exclusive and exotic items.

L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center programs and services supported by An Evening with Women include women’s health and medical, legal assistance, domestic violence prevention & education, cultural programs, self-enrichment courses, social events and discussion groups.

Carmen Electra And Friends Donate Clothes To Charity Auction

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:30:00 +0000

A group of celebs were out in Los Angeles on Monday to help launch a new fashion store, and the dresses they wore are now up for auction for charity.

“Found By” celebrated its grand opening with a host of stars present, and will benefit Chrysalis with its new auction. Some of the famous faces who are auctioning outfits include Carmen Electra, Maria Menounos, Erika Christensen, Kate Mara, Dexter’s Julie Benz and Taryn Manning, with a whole range of different fashion labels.

Chrysalis is a LA-based charity that is dedicated to helping economically disadvantaged and homeless individuals become self-sufficient through employment opportunities.

Patrick Dempsey And Friends Attend Ferrari Charity Event

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0000

A host of stars came out last week to celebrate the first 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia in the US and help Haiti last week.

The event, held in Los Angeles, saw stars such as Patrick Dempsey, Michael Bay, Aaron Eckhart, Olivia Munn, Maria Menounos, Molly Sims and The Hurt Locker star Jeremy Renner turn out to watch as the Ferrari car went under the hammer for $530,000. Also auctioned were the opportunity to be a Ferrari team member at the Canadian Grand Prix in June, and Ferrari Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso’s original racing suit.

John Mayer was also on hand to perform at the event, which raised over $600,000 to help victims of Haiti’s earthquake through the Catholic Medical Mission Board. CMMB has been working in Haiti since 1912. It was also announced during the evening’s program that the Department of Orthopedics and Hand Surgery of the University of Modena, which has a longtime relationship with Ferrari, will make its knowledge and resources available to help CMMB in Haiti.

The Cove And Hotel For Dogs Win Big At Humane Society Awards

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Animal activists were out in force at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, March 20, for The Humane Society of the United States’ 24th annual Genesis Awards.

Stars such as Kristen Bell, Pierce Brosnan, Emily Deschanel, Jon Lovitz, Ginnifer Goodwin, Teri Hatcher, Tricia Helfer, Carrie Ann Inaba, Maria Menounos and many more were on hand to present awards to a variety of celebrities, shows, and activists who have spent the last year making the world a better place for animals. Veteran actress Tippi Hedren received a special lifetime achievement award from her daughter, Melanie Griffith, for her work raising awareness of the exotic pet trade.

The big winners of the night were the films Up, Hotel For Dogs and The Cove. Also picking up awards were an episode of Family Guy that featured animal exploitation issues, and an episode of Bones.

Humane Society To Hold Star-Studded Genesis Awards This Weekend

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Animal welfare warriors shouldn’t forget The Humane Society’s 24th annual Genesis Awards this Saturday, March 20.

This year will see Melanie Griffith present a lifetime achievement award to her mother, 80-year-old Tippi Hedren, for dedicating the last 40 years to the protection of animals and raising awareness of the exotic pet trade.

“Tippi is an extraordinary woman – both a hands-on caregiver to 63 discarded big cats at the Shambala Preserve, as well as a tireless activist who continues to work in support of federal legislation that would ban the breeding of and the trade in exotic animals in the U.S.,” said Beverly Kaskey, senior director of the Hollywood office of The Humane Society of the United States and executive producer of the annual Genesis Awards.

Stars Give Eggs And Plates To Feed America

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Premier charity auction site Clothes Off Our Back is hosting two very special celebrity auctions for Feeding America… and one only has a few hours left to run.

A host of stars – including David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Adrian Grenier, Isla Fisher, Marcia Cross, Melissa Etheridge, Tori Spelling, Alison Sweeney, Jewel, Molly Sims, Maria Menounos, Denise Richards and many more – have decorated eggs for an “eggs-cellent” auction.

The eggs were decorated at the recent Diet Pepsi Holiday House event to support the cause of fighting hunger in America. United Egg Producers donated a truckload of eggs to Feeding America for every egg decorated.

Stars To Give Big At Big Game Charity Event

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:30:00 +0000

The Giving Back Fund will host their “Big Game—Big Give” VIP Charity Event in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, January 31st, during Super Bowl XLIII weekend.

This exclusive event will be held at an exquisite waterfront estate from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served. A limited number of $1000 tickets will be available to the public online at Givingback.org. All proceeds go to charity and all tickets are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Confirmed guests include Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Maria Menounos, Drew Brees, Warrick Dunn, Matt Cassel, Reggie Wayne, World Series MVP Cole Hamels, John Lynch, Mike Allstott, Matt Ryan, and Antwaan Randle El.

Check Out The Best In Drag This Weekend

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:00:00 +0000

A beauty pageant with a difference will hit the stage in Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre this Sunday, October 19, as a bevy of divas take part in the 6th annual Best In Drag show.

Best In Drag is Aid For AIDS’ largest fundraiser, and features the very best in drag queen entertainment. You can expect all the glamour, the highest heels, the finest evening gowns, the most outrageous makeup in a show that has become a staple of hilarious entertainment.

This year’s judges include Charlie Sheen, Kathy Griffin, Jennifer Coolidge, Maria Menounos, John C. Reilly, and Holland Taylor, who must put all of their red carpet skills together to find the ultimate Best in Drag.

Jeans Engineered For Celebs On Auction

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Anybody walking through Times Square may be surprised to find hundreds of jeans and shirts hanging like laundry from clotheslines above the streets. Don’t be too concerned… it’s all part of the Pair in the Square Celebrity Jeans Auction.

Alison Sweeney, host of The Biggest Loser and cast member of Days of Our Lives, kicked off the auction yesterday by auctioning off Ryan Seacrest’s jeans to benefit the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation. The remaining celebrity jeans from Miley Cyrus, Nick Lachey, Ashlee Simpson, Lauren Conrad, Rachael Ray, Minnie Driver, Debra Messing, Brittany Snow, Terrence Howard, Forest Whitaker, Neil Patrick Harris, and many more are available at www.clothesoffourback.org. A sweepstakes will also be held at www.washingmyjeans.com to win the new GE Profile Frontload Washer and Dryer as part of the auction.

Proceeds from the auction, which runs until September 8, will go to Feeding America, The Art of Elysium, Hope North, and H.E.L.P. Malawi.

Reality Cares Helps Dogs in Danger

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:34:00 +0000

On Saturday, June 14, reality TV stars and their furry friends will attend the ‘Reality Cares Dogs Next Door’ event benefiting www.DogsInDanger.com, being held at a private estate in Los Angeles and to be hosted by ‘Dogs in Danger’ spokesperson Shana Wall of ‘The Amazing Race.’

“Every four seconds a dog is needlessly euthanized in our country alone, simply due to lack of space in our shelters,” stated Shana Wall. " When I learned about the mission of Dogs In Danger, I jumped at the opportunity to be their national spokesperson. My hope is that our fundraiser brings awareness to this issue so that we can continue to save these dogs from their otherwise tragic fates."

Actor Jai Rodriguez, star of Animal Planet’s “Groomer Has It,” will emcee a Doggy Fashion Show starring some of the dogs that were saved from euthanasia by Dogs In Danger.

Maria Menounos To Host New Environmental Celebrity Show

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:32:00 +0000

Maria Menounos is to host a new weekly one-hour entertainment magazine series that follows up-to-the-minute Hollywood news on the hottest stars making environmental headlines in movies, television, music and fashion around the world.

Hollywood Green With Maria Menounos is a production of NBC Universal for Planet Green, Discovery Channel’s global, cross-company initiative to document, preserve and celebrate the planet. The 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network is being launched today, June 4, in the US.

Menounos is excited about the new show on the new channel, and promises to reveal exactly how Hollywood stars are doing their bit to reduce their carbon footprints and clean up the environment.

Celebrity Designed Corsets On Auction

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:06:00 +0000

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 Feeding America, 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 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.”

VH1 Save the Music Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 09:52:01 +0000

Music television channel VH1 will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their charitable arm, VH1 Save The Music Foundation, on September 20 by hosting a celebrity gala in New York.

The event, to be held at the Lincoln Centre, will pay tribute to the humanitarian work of Hillary Clinton, Mariah Carey, and VH1 Save The Music founder, John Sykes. Bill Clinton, who donated his saxophone to the charity in 1998, will also be honored.

“Throughout the years, Bill and Hillary Clinton have exemplified incredible dedication and support for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation,” said Executive Director, Paul Cothran. “It is an honor to have them join in celebrating our 10th anniversary.”