Look To The Stars News: Cuba Gooding Jr.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Leads Diabetes Campaign

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Dwayne Johnson has joined with Novo Nordisk, a world-leader in diabetes care, and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a leading charitable organization of the entertainment industry, to encourage families to get active together as a means to help prevent diabetes.

As an ambassador for the Diabetes Aware campaign, Johnson will appear in a public service announcement (PSA) to educate families about the prevalence of diabetes and the importance of an active, healthy lifestyle.

The PSA is part of the ongoing Diabetes Aware educational campaign sponsored by Novo Nordisk and the EIF. The campaign aims to reach the 24 million Americans who are living with diabetes, as well as the estimated 6.2 million Americans who are unaware that they have the disease, to underline the importance of detection, monitoring and proper management of diabetes.

A lifelong athlete and known for starring in family-friendly movies, Johnson recognizes the value of a healthy lifestyle in helping to prevent and manage diabetes for both children and adults.

“I’m honored to serve as an ambassador to the Diabetes Aware campaign, and I want to encourage families to be active and eat right,” said Johnson. “Small steps can go a long way in managing diabetes, its complications, and raising healthy, active children.”

With the launch of this new PSA, Johnson becomes the latest celebrity ambassador to join the Diabetes Aware program since its inception in 2004. Past ambassadors include Halle Berry, Cuba Gooding Jr., Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Kline and Jon Lovitz among others.

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation and believe Dwayne Johnson is a great ambassador for the Diabetes Aware program based on his dedication to reaching families, both on-screen and off-screen,” said Andrew Purcell, Vice-President of Strategic Business Development at Novo Nordisk. “This partnership truly exemplifies Novo Nordisk’s dedication to prevention and ultimately changing diabetes.”

For additional free patient education resources, visit www.ChangingDiabetes-us.com.

Usher Urges Youth To Be Great

Mon, 11 May 2009 12:00:00 -0000

As part of Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America’s (BGCA) new advocacy campaign — BE GREAT — five-time Grammy award winner, philanthropist and Boys & Girls Club alumnus Usher has unveiled a new billboard featuring his childhood picture and a call-to-action — BE ICONIC. Usher joins 25 prominent alumni in the new advocacy campaign to help increase public awareness and understanding about the positive impact of Clubs.

From academic failure and gang violence to poverty, drugs and obesity, America’s youth face a daunting array of problems — with serious consequences and fewer safety nets at home and in the community. According to a 2007 BGCA alumni survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 57 percent of alumni reported, “The Club saved my life,” while another 28 percent credited Boys & Girls Clubs with keeping them in school.

“Growing up in the Club, I had the chance to experience a lot of positive things; it helped reinforce the values I learned at home including good character, leadership and giving back to my community, my country and my world,” said Usher. “It’s where I developed my love of singing and performing, received help with my homework, and it’s where I found a safe place to go after school.”

In addition to unveiling the billboard, Usher recently visited the Brookhaven Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta where he was greeted by screams from more than 200 young members. He addressed the crowd with a simple message: “work hard to achieve your goals and you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.” During his visit he taped a short film about the positive impact the Club played in his life, which will be the first of several films of prominent alumni for BGCA. The film will debut on BGCA’s Web site www.BeGreatAmerica.org in May, and will also appear on BGCA’s social networking pages including Facebook and YouTube.

Other Club alumni joining Usher in the BE GREAT advocacy campaign include: Academy award-winning actor and national spokesperson for BGCA – Denzel Washington, Muhammad Ali, Ashanti, Swin Cash, Gen. Wesley Clark, Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby, Cuba Gooding Jr., Michael Jordan, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Queen Latifah, Mario Lopez, John Mellencamp, Edward James Olmos, Shaquille O’Neal, Smokey Robinson, Martin Sheen, John Singleton, Ruben Studdard, Courtney B. Vance, Mark Wahlberg and Kerry Washington.

On May 14, Usher will be inducted into BGCA’s prestigious Alumni Hall of Fame (AHOF) at the organization’s 103rd National Conference in Atlanta.

“We are very excited about Usher joining our BE GREAT campaign and the awareness he will bring to the effectiveness of our generation-changing programs,” said BGCA President and CEO Roxanne Spillett. “He is a shining example of the impact of Clubs, and we are so proud of the great things he has gone on to accomplish.”

Usher will collaborate with BGCA and other alumni to urge the country’s political and business leaders to make the young people of America a priority and encourage every citizen to make a difference by supporting organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs — ensuring that every child has a safe, supervised and structured environment during the critical after-school hours.

Kevin Coster Rocks For Charity

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Kevin Costner and his band Modern West rocked out during Super Bowl weekend in an effort to show people how serious he is about music, and to raise money for charity.

The 54-year-old actor said he’d be happy to ditch the fame of celebrity for the chance to just perform.

“It’s clearly not the need for attention. I’ve had enough of that for a lifetime,” Costner said laughing. “It’s no fun being a celebrity. I’d rather be a performer. I’d rather sing for my supper.”

Look to the Stars caught Costner and Modern West’s performance at last years Celebrity Fight Night and highly recommends catching a performance if given the chance.

Costner’s Saturday Night bash was co-hosted by ex-New York Giant Michael Strahan, and a portion of the proceeds went to several good causes via a foundation set up by Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Matt Bryant to honor his 3-month-old son, who died suddenly in September.

Costner says the charity aspect was part of the attraction.

“Can you imagine the loss?” he said of the Bryants’ tragedy. “The charity made it easy for me to come down here. Otherwise, I’d watch the game at home on TV.”

Strahan also said he wanted to help Matt Bryant and his family. Strahan and Bryant were former teammates in New York. “It makes me feel really good to give something back to someone I care about,” Strahan said. “Once you play with somebody and they’re your teammate, they’re your family.”

Costner and his band Modern West are currently touring- playing clubs and theaters in Omaha, Neb., Des Moines, Iowa, and Columbia, Mo and others. He hopes people will come because he’s Kevin Costner but leave as fans of Modern West. “We’re playing original music, so the difficulty in that is inherent with any performer playing songs that [people] can’t tap their toe to because they’ve never heard it,” he says. “I kind of like the challenge of everything that probably goes with being me, the curiosity factor and everything else, and doing songs that they’ve never heard and holding that audience.”

The Saturday Night Spectacular served to benefit the Matthew Tryson Bryant Foundation, as well as several children’s charities and to help fund research into SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Celebrities in attendance included: Baseball hall of famer Wade Boggs and Tampa Bay Rays’ first baseman Carlos Pena, Jerry Cantrell – guitarist for the seminal grunge band Alice In Chains – Academy Award winning-actor Cuba Gooding Jr., and Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez of NBC’s hit series “Chuck.”

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.”

Get Ready For The Carousel Of Hope This Weekend

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The annual Carousel of Hope Gala will take place this weekend to raise money for the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes.

Presented by Jay Leno, the gala will take place at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, October 25, and will honor Denzel Washington for his charity work.

This year celebrates 30 years of helping children with diabetes through the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes. Held every two years, this is the 18th Carousel of Hope. From its inception in 1978, the Ball has raised over $70 million.

The gala will feature performances from Josh Groban, the Jonas Brothers, Katharine McPhee and many more under the music direction of David Foster. The guest list is expected to be huge, with stars such as Tom Arnold, Melanie Griffith & Antonio Banderas, Halle Berry, Valerie Bertinelli, Lara Flynn Boyle, Bo Derek, Geena Davis, Daisy Fuentes, Selena Gomez, Kelsey Grammar, Tom Hanks, Taraji P. Henson, Anjelica Huston, Magic Johnson, Dr. Phil McGraw, Holly Robinson-Peete & Rodney Peete, Nicole Richie, Jane Seymour, Nicollette Sheridan, Forest Whitaker and James Woods all expected to attend. Clive Davis, Quincy Jones and Sidney Poitier will take part in Denzel Washington’s presentation.

The evening will feature a silent auction that includes an array of eco-friendly shirts donated by Guess and signed by Jason Bateman, Halle Berry, Robert DeNiro, Clint Eastwood, Will Ferrell, Harrison Ford, Cuba Gooding Jr., Whitney Houston, Scarlett Johansson, Jason Lee, Jared Leto, Bill Maher, Steve Martin, Jack Nicholson, Ray Romano, Maria Shriver & Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rod Stewart, Usher and many more. There will also be handbags signed by Joan Collins, Courteney Cox, Cindy Crawford, Dakota Fanning, Mariska Hargitay, Fergie, Susan Sarandon, Britney Spears and Racquel Welch, as well as items from Trace Adkins, P. Diddy, Marcia Cross, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Andie MacDowell, Alyssa Milano, Eva Longoria, Dolly Parton, Priscilla Presley, Denise Richards, Joel Madden, Sharon Stone, John Travolta, Carrie Underwood and many more.

Proceeds from the gala will benefit clinical care and research at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes (BDC) where over 5,000 children and young adults receive specialized care.

Denzel Washington Urges Kids To Be Great

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Denzel Washington, Martin Sheen, and Shaquille O’Neal have lent their childhood photos to the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America for a new advertising campaign.

The “BE GREAT” campaign launched last week, and aims to encourage volunteers to work at the clubs.

“What’s going on with children doesn’t worry me,“ said the Oscar-winning actor. “What’s going on with adults worries me. If we are not more committed to these young people … they will go as far as we take them, so the onus is on us, not on the children. We’ve created this world for them, we are the ones that fall and we are the ones that can rectify it.”

All of the stars involved in the new campaign attended Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs as children, and include Bill Cosby, Muhammad Ali, Swin Cash, Bill Clinton, Cuba Gooding Jr., Michael Jordan, Queen Latifah, Mario Lopez, John Mellencamp, Edward James Olmos, Smokey Robinson, John Singleton, Ruben Studdard, Usher, Courtney Vance, Mark Wahlberg, and Kerry Washington.

“As someone whose life was changed dramatically by the Boys & Girls Club, I can think of no better organization to lead the country in addressing the pressing needs of today’s young people,” said Washington. “I also believe that as adults, we must assume responsibility for many of the conditions that are preventing our young people from achieving their full potential.”

The full advertising campaign can be seen at the BE GREAT website.

Fifth Annual First Star Celebration Features Major Star Power

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:40:00 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

A bevy of stars, including Youth Ambassador and actress Dakota Fanning, came out to support the First Star organization’s Celebration for Children’s Rights on June 7, held at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles.

Industry moguls were honored for their extraordinary contributions, such as Ryan Kavanaugh, CEO of Relativity Media, receiving the Humanitarian Award. Additionally, Peter Levinsohn, President of Fox Interactive Media received the Community Award.

Celebrities from the worlds of music, television and film showed their support for the mission of First Star to improve the life of child victims of abuse and neglect. That’s So Raven/Corey in the House star Kyle Massey and his older brother Chris Massey – featured on Zoey 101 – have been involved with First Star since 2005. Kyle expressed, “This is a great organization… It gives the children hope.” He added that he hopes to be a part of the organization for a really long time.

First Star and the Child Advocacy Institute are pushing for changes in state and federal laws. They support changes that would clarify and strengthen disclosure requirements so states know how to comply with the intent of the legislation. Another matter of great concern relates to the release of information about child fatality or near fatality unless a person is criminally charged. The First Star advocacy group believes that disclosures should not be dependent on a district attorney’s decision to prosecute.

When asked how she came to be involved with an organization which deals with such heavy issues, Dakota Fanning replied, “Peter Samuelson is someone that I came to know through Starlight Children’s Foundation. He told me be about this, and I thought would be another really great organization to be a part of.”

Other young stars in attendance included Maria Lark of the hit show Medium, and actress Alexandra Rose Rieger. Before the awards ceremony took place, kids got the opportunity to indulge in play in a carnival environment. Celebrity kids joined in the festivities.

Big time celebrity support also came from Val Kilmer, Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr., Every Body Hates Chris actress Tichina Arnold, actor Robert Knepper of Prison Break, host Spike Feresten of Talk Show With Spike, film & TV star Arlen Escarpeta, and rap artist David Banner.

Alba, Cook Raise $260K for Variety

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:06:35 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

A Knoxville screening of “Good Luck Chuck” has benefitted the children’s charity Variety of Eastern Tennessee, thanks to the presence of Jessica Alba and Dane Cook. Fans paid $75 to attend the screening and see the actors, raising a total of $260,000 to help disabled children.

The Variety charity screenings began in 2003 with “Radio” and Cuba Gooding Jr., and “Walking Tall” raised funds the following year. 2005 saw “The Dukes of Hazzard” with Jessica Simpson, Seann William Scott and Knoxville native Johnny Knoxville, and last year’s benefit featured “Talladega Nights” with Will Ferrell. Altogether, nearly $1 million has been raised by the screenings.

The funds are used to purchase mobility equipment for children with physical disabilities and are also shared with other children’s agencies such as Second Harvest, Tennessee School for the Deaf and the Empty Stocking Fund.

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