Look To The Stars News: Blair Underwood

Stars Come Out For HollyRod Foundation

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:30:00 -0000

On Saturday, July 21st, the stars came out in support of DesignCare 2007, an annual fundraiser from The HollyRod Foundation to benefit adults and children battling debilitating disease and life circumstances.

Actress Holly Robinson-Peete and her husband, retired NFL quarterback and Best Damn Sports Show Period co-host Rodney Peete celebrated the 9th year of this popular fundraiser, hosting a star-studded couture fashion show, an electrifying musical performance, and both live and silent auctions at a beautiful private residence in Malibu.

The night was a huge success for the HollyRod Foundation, raising more than $350,000 with the help of comedians and live auctioneers, Chris Tucker & Cedric the Entertainer. Holly, Rodney, and celebrity supporters such as Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey, Jenny McCarthy, Angie Harmon, Jason Seahorn, Sanaa Lathan, Quincy Jones, Amy Yasbeck, Blair Underwood and Gayle King were among those who enjoyed the breathtaking designs of Naeem Khan and danced to the funky sounds of Morris Day & The Time.

Cedric the Entertainer provided hilarious commentary for the live auction, where one special guest came away as a proud owner of the new Smart Car, which is not yet available in the U.S. and currently has a huge waiting list. Special honors were also handed out, as Maurice White, of the iconic, Grammy Award-winning music group Earth, Wind & Fire, received the Matthew T. Robinson, Jr. Award of Courage for the inspiration he provides to others as he valiantly battles Parkinson’s. The award is named after Holly’s father, Matthew T. Robinson Jr., who battled Parkinson’s Disease for over 20 years before succumbing in 2002, and inspired the formation of the HollyRod Foundation. Future NFL Hall of Fame inductee Jerome Bettis and television producers Yvette and Kyle Bowser also received awards in recognition of their commitment to providing invaluable aid to underserved individuals and groups.

“We are overjoyed by the show of support DesignCare received this year,” says Holly Robinson Peete of the exhilarating night, which included a check presentation from Anheuser-Busch, who pledged $200,000 in support of the HollyRod Foundation over the next two years. Since establishing the HollyRod Foundation in 1997 with Rodney, the annual DesignCare (formerly DesignCure) and Gridiron Glamour events have kept growing, drawing hundreds of supporters and raising millions to enhance the quality of life for adults and children all over the world facing devastating life circumstances.

The foundation recently expanded its mission to address more children’s issues, creating HollyRod4Kids. This organization is the brainchild of the Peete children, twins Ryan and RJ (9), Robinson (4) and Roman (2), and seeks to improve the lives of children living along the Gulf Coast who were affected by Hurricane Katrina and children in sub-Saharan Africa whose communities have been ravaged by civil war, famine and the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Chris Tucker taking the mic from Cedric the Entertainer and donating $100,000 to the HollyRod Foundation. Tucker then put fellow actor/comedian Eddie Murphy on the spot by asking him to match his donation. Eddie complies.

Jim Carrey bidding $30,000 and winning a private dinner at the home of Holly Robinson Peete & Rodney Peete hosted by fellow comedians Chris Tucker, Cedric the Entertainer, Sinbad and Chris Rock.

The fashions of Naeem Khan were such a hit that actress Angie Harmon matched the winning bid of $10,000 to take home a one-of-a-kind Naeem Khan design for herself.

Eddie Murphy and current love, Tracey Edmonds, skipping the red carpet and arriving just in time for the show.

The legendary Quincy Jones showing love and gratitude to Maurice White, the famous lead singer and founder of Earth, Wind & Fire who’s been struggling with Parkinson’s disease since the late 1990’s.

Stars Record Nelson Mandela's Favorite Tales For Charity

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:00:00 -0000

In honor of Nelson Mandela, Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA) and Hachette Audio have produced an audiobook edition of Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales, an award-winning book of stories hand-picked by the Nobel laureate.

Diverse, acclaimed performers donated their talents to the charitable endeavor by voicing stories, including: Gillian Anderson, Benjamin Bratt, LeVar Burton, Ricardo Chavira, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Whoopi Goldberg, Sean Hayes, Hugh Jackman, Samuel L. Jackson, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Debra Messing, Helen Mirren, Parminder Nagra, Sophie Okonedo, CCH Pounder, Alan Rickman, Jurnee Smollett, Charlize Theron, Blair Underwood, Forest Whitaker, and Alfre Woodard. Archbishop Desmond Tutu recorded a message to the world’s children, and African music legends Johnny Clegg and Vusi Mahlasela composed original music.

Academy Award nominee, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Alfre Woodard, who co-founded ANSA in 1989, served as the audiobook’s director. She said, “I was privileged to be with Nelson Mandela last year in London, where he challenged us, saying, ‘…our work is far from complete. Where there is poverty and sickness, including AIDS, where human beings are oppressed, there is more work to be done. It is in your hands now.’ With this audiobook, ANSA pays tribute to our friend and hero, Nelson Mandela. It will take the hands of all mankind to lift that burden and carry on the work. We hope you will join us and support this effort.”

Samuel L. Jackson, a leading ANSA supporter, commented, “I’ve traveled with ANSA to rural villages and met children whose lives will be changed by this audiobook. This is our way of honoring Mr. Mandela, by assisting children who are the future of his nation and our world.”

“We hope the audiobook will be enjoyed by people of all ages, increasing awareness of Africa’s rich cultures while creating a better future for South Africa’s vulnerable children,” said ANSA Executive Director Sharon Gelman.

In his foreword for the book, Nelson Mandela wrote, “It is my wish that the voice of the storyteller may never die in Africa, that all the children of the world may experience the wonder of books.” The audiobook brings these timeless tales to a new oral tradition to be heard around the world.

ANSA is a nonprofit organization working in South Africa and the U.S. to combat HIV/AIDS, assist children orphaned by the disease, educate and empower youth, advance human rights, and build bonds between our nations through arts, culture, and the shared pursuit of social justice.

To find out more about the recording, click here.

Celebrities Join African First Ladies At Health Conference

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Fifteen first ladies from African nations have joined a host of celebrities in attending a two-day summit in Los Angeles on health, women’s issues and HIV/AIDS.

The conference – organized by U.S. Doctors for Africa (USDFA) and the African Synergy Against AIDS and Suffering, a nonprofit organization formed by 22 first ladies from Africa – will feature appearances by Hillary Clinton, Maria Shriver (wife of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jessica Alba, Natalie Cole, Sharon Stone, Kristin Davis, Maria Bello, Diane Lane, Blair Underwood, Joely Fisher, Lawrence Bender, Pras Michel, Wolfgang Puck, Steven Seagal, Selita Ebanks (VS model), Vince Young (NFL QB), Robert Horry (former Laker), Emeka Okafor (NBA Player) and the first ladies from Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Swaziland and Zambia.

“Empowering Africa’s first ladies is an innovative approach to bettering the lives of millions of Africans,” said USDFA Chairman Ted Alemayhu. “The summit will pair these leaders with U.S. experts, key political figures and important organizations to create ongoing partnerships.”

Celebrities Sign Bags For Earth Day

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Sak’s is joining a host of companies celebrating Earth Day by offering a celebrity bag auction.

Earth Day will be celebrated on April 22 to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. Founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970, the Earth Day Network promotes environmental citizenship and year round progressive action worldwide. Their mission is to grow and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable planet.

The celebrity bags have been signed by celebs such as Robin Wright Penn, Rosie Perez, Blair Underwood, Justine Bateman, Jessica Alba, Alec Baldwin, Sandra Oh and Mena Suvari. The bag auction will support The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign and for each dollar contributed, one tree will be planted. The conservancy has already protected over 119 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide.

To make a bid, click here. But be quick – the auction ends on April 22.

Take The Clothes From Celebrities' Backs For Awards Season

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:02:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

February is already upon us and that can mean only one thing: the start of the Hollywood Awards Season! And to celebrate, Clothes Off Our Back is giving you the chance to bid on red carpet clothing and Hollywood memorabilia to raise money for charity.

From now until March 10 you have the opportunity to bid on items such as sunglasses owned by Robert Downey Jr and Pushing Daisies’ Kristin Chenoweth, a shirt worn and autographed by David Duchovny, clothing and a book signed by Blair Underwood, a jacket worn and signed by Mark Harmon, the gown America Ferrera wore to the Directors Guild Awards, gowns belonging to Melora Hardin, Carrie Underwood and Tricia Helfer, Teri Hatcher’s handbag, a book autographed by Jodie Foster, and much much more.

Proceeds from the auction will go to Feeding America, The Art of Elysium, Hope North and H.E.L.P. Malawi. The auction can be accessed by clicking here.

Tom Arnold Joins Love Our Children USA

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Tom Arnold is certainly no stranger to charity work, and he now adds another organization to the many non-profits he supports.

Arnold recently joined the Board of Governors for Love Our Children USA, the leading national charity that honors and respects children.

Established over 10 years ago, the goals of the organization are prevention, keeping children safe and strengthening families. Its message is positive and filled with hope. Love Our Children USA has become the go-to prevention organization for all forms of violence and neglect against children in the U.S.

Among the other charities Arnold supports are the Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis, Operation Homefront, After School All Stars, and Comic Relief. He also provides two full scholarships every year to students attending Indian Hills Community College and established the First Chance Scholarship Program with the University of Phoenix.

Arnold joins Love Our Children USA’s other celebrity board members Mario Batali, Tom Bergeron, Melissa Etheridge, Mandy Moore, Alan Thicke, and Blair Underwood.

Mischa Barton Joins Nicole Richie At Children's Carnival

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:34:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The sun shone on a host of familiar celebrity faces attending a special charity children’s carnival in LA during the weekend.

Mischa Barton joined Nicole Richie and Joel Madden at the “A Time For Heroes Celebrity Carnival” in Brentwood on Sunday afternoon to raise funds for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and there was face painting and fun galore as the stars mingled with some of their youngest fans. The former OC babe sported a pair of pink angel wings for the event, and even read a children’s book – Olive My Love – to a bunch of kids who were eager to see their heroes in person.

The annual event, which has raised over $25 million over the last 18 years, also drew a plethora of other special guests, including Robin Williams, Blair Underwood, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, and Denise Richards. This year’s carnival was expected to generate a further $1 million for the charity.

Artists Come Out To Shake the Blues

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 15:17:00 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

The charity Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA) held its annual concert and auctions on Thursday November, 15, 2007 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. The “Shaking the Blues” benefit supports ANSA’s work fighting HIV/AIDS in the U.S. and Africa, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Treatment Action Campaign, a grassroots organization at the forefront of South Africa’s fight against AIDS.

Among the celebrities in attendance were Blair Underwood, Eric Benet, Anthony Anderson, Alfre Woodard, Heroes star Jimmy Jean-Louis, and Grey’s Anatomy star James Pickens Jr. Event chairs include Jackson Browne, Morgan Freeman, Samuel L. Jackson, George Lopez, Carlos Santana’s wife Deborah, Alfre Woodard and Forest Whitaker.

Not only was a baseball signed by Hall of Famer Dave Winfield on hand at the silent auction, but Dave and his wife Tonya attended the event. Close friends with Samuel and Latonya Jackson, the Winfields hope to personally visit South Africa soon.

The musical line-up featured stirring performances by The Roots and friends, Erykah Badu with Edith Funker, Nikka Costa, Doyle Bramhall II, Keb Mo, and Taj Mahal. The Roots roused the crowd with a rendition of Bob Dylan’s Masters of War, and the audience rose for Erykah Badu’s performance of her classic On and On.

In keeping with many other recent celebrity events, acknowledgement was given to the writers’ strike; James Pickens Jr spoke of supporting the writers before he introduced the grand finale performance by Taj Mahal.

Movie and K-ville star Anthony Anderson served as auctioneer for the live auction. As Blair Underwood battled for a diamond earring lot, Anderson comically referred to him only as “the man with the orange leather jacket on”. Underwood’s counter-bidder upped the ante, requesting a date with her opponent be included along with the earrings, which she won at $9,000. Not only did Underwood accept, but he promised it would be a dinner at the world-famous restaurant Spagos.

To encourage higher bids on a private lunch with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Anderson jokingly suggested that the winner could take a picture with Tutu and put it on Myspace.com to be the envy of their friends. The lunch went for $15,500.

Los Angeles-based non-profit organization ANSA was originally founded in 1989 by noted members of the entertainment community, with an initial goal of supporting the struggle against apartheid. Over time, the organization’s focus has shifted to the fight against the African AIDS pandemic, advancing democracy, and equality in South Africa.

The effort to raise money is not over. If you want help the cause their are several items available at the online auction. To bid on the online items: www.charityfolks.com/ansa.

ANSA Shakes the Blues With Stars in Los Angeles

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 08:42:33 -0000

On Thursday, November 15, 2007, Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA) will host “Shaking The Blues,” a star-studded benefit, at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. The evening combines the power of music and activism to shake off our blues – from the personal to the global – and make a difference in the world. The event will feature blues-influenced musical artists as well as a multi-cultural array of renowned entertainers who are donating their time and talents to the fight against HIV/AIDS in the US and Africa.

The event begins with a pre-show cocktail party for major donors at 6 PM. Shaking The Blues performances start at 7:45, immediately followed by a VIP after-party. Those confirmed to appear include Erykah Badu, Nikka Costa, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal Trio and The Roots, with Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson serving as the event’s musical director. Additional highlights include appearances by George Lopez, Jurnee Smollett, Blair Underwood and other special guest stars soon to be announced.

Shaking The Blues, which continues ANSA’s tradition of presenting one unique and extraordinary major fundraiser annually, is chaired by Dianna Cohen & Jackson Browne, Myrna Colley-Lee & Morgan Freeman, LaTanya Richardson Jackson & Samuel L. Jackson, Ann & George Lopez, Deborah Santana, Alfre Woodard & Roderick Spencer and Keisha Nash-Whitaker & Forest Whitaker. Host committee members include J.J. Abrams, Gillian Anderson, Johnny Clegg, Danny Glover, Dulé Hill, Quincy Jones, Norman Lear, Lebo M, Alexandra Paul, Chris Rock, Cicely Tyson, Blair Underwood, Alice Walker, Denzel Washington and other luminaries.

“Last year, ANSA was honored to host the 75th birthday celebration for our dear friend and advisor [”Archbishop Desmond Tutu":http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/580-desmond-tutu]," said ANSA’s Executive Director Sharon Gelman. “He embodies the belief that justice and love will ultimately triumph and maintains a remarkable sense of humor, even in the face of enormous challenges. It is activists like him who inspire us to shake off the blues and take action to fix our world. That’s the spirit of Shaking the Blues, which promises to be one of ANSA’s best events ever.”

Proceeds from the event will support ANSA’s work in the US and Africa. ANSA will also donate a portion of the proceeds to the Treatment Action Campaign, the grassroots organization that is at the forefront of South Africa’s fight against AIDS.

Tickets range from $45 to $100, and are available through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com and (213) 480-3232. For major donor and VIP tickets, ranging from $250 to $75,000, contact Blue Room Events: (310) 491-1401.

A Shaking The Blues online auction of one-of-a-kind items and experiences from President Bill Clinton, Denzel Washington, J.J. Abrams, Dulé Hill, and many others, launched October 29 at www.charityfolks.com/ansa.

ANSA is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization working to combat HIV/AIDS, safeguard voting rights and democracy, advance human rights and equality, and assist and empower AIDS orphans and other at-risk youth. By working in partnership with effective grassroots organizations and pivotal movements on the frontlines of these issues, ANSA makes a substantial difference. Founded in 1989 to support South Africa’s quest to end apartheid and build a new democracy, ANSA is now dedicated to eradicating social and health inequities that are the legacies of apartheid, segregation, and generations of poverty. In the past decade alone, ANSA has raised $9 million for effective African programs, shipped 70 tons of medical supplies and books to impoverished communities, and educated millions of adults and young people in the US, South Africa, and across the African continent about HIV/AIDS and voting rights. For more information go to www.ansafrica.org

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