Look To The Stars News: Neil Patrick Harris

Star-Studded Event Honors CNN Everyday Heroes

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0000

This year’s CNN Heroes event featured a host of famous presenters including Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Neil Patrick Harris, Pierce Brosnan, Dwayne Johnson, Eva Mendes, Randy Jackson, Greg Kinnear, George Lopez and Julia Louis Dreyfus.

Presented by Anderson Cooper, the third annual event honored the top 10 CNN Everyday Heroes of 2009, and was taped in front of an audience of 2,500 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Performances by Leona Lewis, Carrie Underwood and R&B singer Maxwell enhanced the evening, which took place on November 21 and will be broadcast on CNN on November 26.

The winners of the awards were selected by a panel that included Elton John, Whoopi Goldberg, Malaak Compton-Rock, Kirk Cameron, Masi Oka, Shakira, Ted Turner and Colin Powell.

The honorees – as listed by CNN – were:

Brad Blauser is providing hope and mobility to disabled children and their families in Iraq. Since 2005, his Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids program has distributed nearly 650 free pediatric wheelchairs to children in need.  
Roy Foster started Stand Down House to help veterans struggling with addiction and homelessness in Florida. Since 2000, his program has provided life-changing services to nearly 900 veterans. 
Doc Hendley is providing clean water to communities worldwide. Through creative fundraising, his nonprofit Wine to Water has brought sustainable water systems to 25,000 people in five countries. 
Breast cancer survivor Andrea Ivory is bringing early detection to the doorsteps of uninsured women. With mobile mammography vans, her group has provided more than 500 free screenings in Miami, Florida. 
Zimbabwe native Betty Makoni founded the Girl Child Network to provide a haven for young victims of sexual abuse. The organization has rescued more than 35,000 girls since 2001.  
 School bus driver Jorge Munoz is helping hungry New Yorkers make it through tough times. Since 2004, he has handed out more than 70,000 meals from his mobile soup kitchen in Queens — for free.  
Efren Peñaflorida gives Filipino youth an alternative to gang membership through education. His Dynamic Teen Company’s 10,000 members have taught basic reading and writing to 1,500 kids living in the slums. 
 Budi Soehardi founded a children’s home in one of the poorest areas of Indonesia. Today, Roslin Orphanage in West Timor provides food, shelter and education to more than 45 children.  
 Derrick Tabb started The Roots of Music to give young people an alternative to New Orleans’ streets. His music education program provides free tutoring, instruments and music instruction to more than 100 students. 
Jordan Thomas, 20, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, lost both of his legs in a boating accident in 2005. Since then, his Jordan Thomas Foundation has raised more than $400,000 to provide prosthetics for children in need.

Each of the top 10 Heroes receives $25,000, with the top Hero – Efren Peñaflorida – winning $100,000.

“With the recognition they receive on our stage,” said Anderson Cooper, “they’ll be able to help thousands and thousands of people. Through their efforts, lives will be changed and lives will be saved.”

To find out more about the winners, visit the CNN Heroes website.

Neil Patrick Harris To Be Honored By The Trevor Project

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Ashley Parker

How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris is to be honored by The Trevor Project, the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.

Along with Harris, AT&T Inc. will be honored at Cracked Xmas 12, which takes place on December 6 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. Cracked Xmas is the organization’s largest annual fundraiser. It brings top entertainers together to support the organization’s programs.

Harris has become a compelling example for LGBTQ youth. He will be given the Trevor Life Award, which annually honors an individual who is an inspiration to LGBTQ youth through example, support, volunteerism, and/or occupation.

Harris said, “For many years, I have been a passionate and enthusiastic supporter of The Trevor Project’s lifesaving work, and I’m deeply honored to be recognized by an organization which has such a vital mission. Everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, should be able to live their lives proudly as exactly who they are. I’m hopeful that in accepting this award, and in helping to build further awareness of the Trevor Project’s resources, I can in some small way make a difference in the lives of LGBTQ youth.”

Charles Robbins, executive director and CEO of The Trevor Project, said he applauds Harris for “having the courage and conviction to set positive examples for young people, and for inspiring them to take pride in themselves and each other.”

The Trevor Project works to save lives through its free and confidential helpline, in-school workshops, education materials, online resources and advocacy. To find out more, visit www.TheTrevorProject.org.

Stars Play Poker For Children's Institute

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Celebrities and other high profile guests will wage their bets on Saturday afternoon, October 17, 2009, at the Commerce Casino, in support of Children’s Institute, Inc.’s (CII) work with children who are affected by violence, abuse and other trauma.

Top players have a chance to win several top prizes, including $5,000 in cash, a 2010 World Poker Tour Celebrity Invitational Tournament Seat (valued at $25,000), or a business class personal computer system.

A host of stars will attend, including Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actress Camryn Manheim, who will act as host of CII’s “First Annual Celebrity Poker Tournament”. Also attending are Brandon Beemer, Maria Bello, Dean Cain, Kevin Davitian, Tony Denison, Joely Fisher, Willie Garson, Jennie Garth, Kelli Gates, Nicholas Gonzalez, Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Cheryl Hines, Jamie Kennedy, Ricki Lake, Kevin Nealon, Mekhi Phifer, Kevin Rahm, Mimi Rogers, J.K. Simmons, Jon Tenney, Alison Sweeney, Greg Vaughn, Tuc Watkins, Brian White, Jay Wilkison and Susan Yeagley.

The event will take place at Commerce Casino, 6131 Telegraph Road, Commerce, California.

Children’s Institute, Inc. helps children who have been affected by violence in their homes or communities. Since 1906, CII has served at-risk children and families in some of Los Angeles’ most devastated neighborhoods. CII provides healing and support so that traumatized children can recover and lead healthy lives. They lead children away from tragic outcomes and on a path toward opportunity and achievement.

Catherine Zeta Jones and Hugh Jackman Host A Fine Romance

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Melanie Mitchell

Catherine Zeta Jones and Hugh Jackman will be hosting the 5th annual event ‘A Fine Romance’, which has previously been held at Sony Centre, California. The ‘A Fine Romance’ event is one of the many charitable events held throughout the year in order to raise money for the Motion Picture & Television Fund. The event is due to take place on 7th November 2009, and celebrates the undeniable love affair between Hollywood and Broadway.

The Motion Picture and Television Fund (MPTF) was first created in 1921 by big stars such as Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Conrad Nagel, Milton Sills, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith as well as many others. The MPTF aims to offer assistance to members of the movie and television industry as well as their families. The services that the MPTF offers range from child care support, health care assistance through to help with retirement living.

The ‘A Fine Romance’ event takes its name from the Darcie Denkert book also titled ‘A Fine Romance.’ In this book Denkert explores the relationship between Broadway and Hollywood by examining how a musical such as Pygmalion became a Hollywood blockbuster and re-titled My Fair Lady. In the MPTF event performers are accompanied by a live orchestra under the baton of the Hollywood Bowl’s John Mauceri and perform the songs that have tied both film and stage together for decades.

Previous performers have included Audra McDonald, Dick Van Dyke, Vanessa Williams, Jennifer Hudson, Kristin Chenoweth, Chita Rivera, Shirley MacLaine, Raul Esparza and Jamie Campbell Bower.

This year the event will again be attended by star-studded cast, and some of whom will also perform for their fellow members of the movie and television industry. Performers include Catherine Zeta-Jones and Hugh Jackman, as well as Amy Adams, James Marsden and Neil Patrick Harris.

More info about the event can be found here

Stars Support First Book Campaign

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Following last year’s successful What Book Got You Hooked campaign, literacy charity First Book is once again joining with the stars to raise awareness.

What Book Got You Hooked is an initiative of First Book, a charity whose mission is to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. The online campaign highlights the importance of books in the lives of children – especially for those in need.

From now through September 30, visitors to the First Book website are asked to share their memory of the first book that made reading fun, then help get more children hooked by voting for the state to receive a special donation of 50,000 new books for children in need. Visitors are also invited to make a $10 donation, to help provide four brand new books for a child in need.

Many celebrities have already shown their support for the campaign, with Morgan Freeman, Ed Asner, Selena Gomez, Marlee Matlin, Joan Allen, John Krasinski, Neil Patrick Harris, Patti LaBelle, David Duchovny and many more sharing thoughts about their favorite childhood books.

To find out more about the campaign, click here.

Celebrities Donate Ties To A Good Cause

Thu, 07 May 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Looking for the perfect father’s day gift that benefits a good cause? Jack Nicholson, Patrick Dempsey and Jimmy Kimmel are just a few of the stars who have taken off their ties for a good cause.

In honor of its tenth anniversary, Career Gear, a nonprofit that assists disadvantaged men find and retain employment, will auction off the ties of some of the biggest style icons from the worlds of film, television, music and sports to raise money for sustaining its career counseling workshops and retention services that lead to quality-of-life improvements.

You can own the tie of Josh Brolin, who doffed the tie he wore to the W. premiere, Kevin Spacey, who signed his silver Armani, or John Waters, whose expressive tie reflects his creative sensibilities. Eric Bana, Matt Dillon, James Marsden, Christopher Meloni, Neil Patrick Harris and Tony Shalhoub have also loosened their collars in honor of Career Gear’s decade of helping men in need. Additionally, a full suit donated by professional hockey player and fashion enthusiast Sean Avery will be up for bid, as well as a selection of ties from André “3000” Benjamin’s clothing line, Benjamin Bixby.

The ten-day auction launches on June 5, with 100 percent of funds raised going directly to Career Gear.

Natasha Richardson To Be Honored By AmfAR

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Bravo’s second annual A-List Awards will be taped in LA this weekend – ready for a broadcast later this month – and will include a special tribute to Natasha Richardson by the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR).

Hosted by Kathy Griffin, the awards show will feature appearances from Gwen Stefani, Neil Patrick Harris, Jenny McCarthy, Emily Procter, Chelsea Handler, Tori Spelling, Kim Kardashian, Kelly Rowland and many more.

“The A-List Awards” will team up with amfAR, the organization dedicated to ending the global AIDS epidemic through innovative research, to pay tribute to Natasha Richardson, who was a passionate spokesperson for the cause. Richardson most recently captured Bravo fans’ attention when she appeared on “Top Chef” to promote amfAR, a personal commitment since her father’s death of AIDS-related causes. amfAR – along with Richardson’s family – created a special fund for those who wish to donate in her honor all donations can be made at www.amfAR.org.

Also as part of the event, Housewives from all three Bravo series Orange County, New York City and Atlanta will meet up for a fashion face-off for charity. The women will join together for an interactive fashion show in which the A-List audience at home will vote to award $10,000 to the winning housewife’s charity of choice. Viewers can text which housewife they think deserves to win, or go online on www.BravoTV.com for video, photo galleries and to vote for their favorite.

The show will be broadcast on April 15 on Bravo.

Stars Sign Posters For Charity Foundation

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Now is the time to deck your walls with a selection of movie posters signed by your favorite stars in a new charity auction being run by ClothesOffOurBack.org.

Going under the hammer are a Brokeback Mountain poster signed by the late Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams, a Big Love poster and DVD set signed by Bill Paxton, a Philadelphia poster signed by Denzel Washington, and SAG Conversation Series posters signed by stars such as Kirk Douglas, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Greg Grunberg, Neil Patrick Harris, Holly Hunter, Rob Schneider, Kyra Sedgwick, Tom Selleck, Forest Whitaker, Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Ben Affleck, Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, Tim Robbins, Ali Larter, Jesse Spencer and many more.

Proceeds from the auction will go to the Screen Actor’s Guild Foundation, an organization that offers substantive services to Guild members in its mission to assist, educate and inspire actors in their professional endeavors and to give back to the communities in which they live. Founded in 1985, the non-profit SAG Foundation is governed independently of the Guild and funded through the generosity of grants, donations, volunteering and fundraising efforts.

The auction runs until March 23 and can be accessed here.

Stars Set To Shine At Global Green Pre-Oscar Party

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Environmental organization Global Green USA will hold their annual pre-Oscar party this week and have invited some stellar performers and hosts.

Entertainment at this year’s party will include Sheryl Crow and Gavin Rossdale and co-hosting the event are stars such as Orlando Bloom, Leonardo DiCaprio, Penelope Cruz , Rosario Dawson, Marisa Tomei, Kate Bosworth, Sebastian Copeland, Lyn & Norman Lear, Damien Rice, Heather Graham, Roland Emmerich, Dominic Monaghan, Matt Petersen, Neil Patrick Harris, Sharon Lawrence and Esai Morales.

Proceeds from the evening – which includes drinks and a gift bag – will go to Global Green USA’s Green Schools Initiative. Green Schools are community facilities that are designed, built, renovated, operated, or reused in an ecological and resource-efficient manner. Green schools protect occupant health, provide a productive learning environment, connect students to the natural world, increase average daily attendance, reduce operating costs, improve teacher satisfaction and retention, and reduce overall impact to the environment.

General tickets to the party – which will be held on Thursday, February 19, at Avalon in Hollywood – range from $125 – 250. VIP tickets are available for $1000 and give you access to exclusive VIP lounge with hosted bar, unreserved seat in VIP balcony area for the musical performance, an eco gift bag, & access to the after party.

More info and tickets are available from the Global Green USA website.

Celebrity Skiers Go Downhill For The Environment

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of stars hit the slopes earlier this month to raise money for environmental causes.

The annual Deer Valley Celebrity Skifest took place at Utah’s Deer Valley Resort and kicked off the winter ski season by raising money for Waterkeeper Alliance, a group that protects waterways and ecosystems from pollution.

Among the celebrities seen on the piste were Gwen Stefani, Larry David, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Matthew Modine, Scott Wolf, Ian Ziering, Joe Pantoliano, Neil Patrick Harris, Dylan Bruno, and many others.

“It’s always a thrill to start our ski season with a celebration,” says Deer Valley Marketing Director Coleen Reardon. “We celebrate the arrival of winter, the start of a new season, the excitement of hosting celebrity guests to ski our mountain, and the satisfaction of helping out a non-profit organization we feel strongly about: the Waterkeeper Alliance.”

Project Angel Food Hosts Celebrity Shopping Spree

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:30:00 -0000

With the Holidays around the corner, Project Angel Food kicked off their annual DIVINE DESIGN on Thursday December 4th, celebrating style and philanthropy with a big dose of holiday shopping.

David Arquette, Eric McCormack, and Elton John’s partner David Furnish were some of the stars who helped out during the weeklong event, in which top designers sold fashion, furniture, beauty and gift items, with proceeds going to provide meals for victims of HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. For every $5 spent at Divine Design, Project Angel Food can cook and deliver a meal to someone facing HIV/AIDS, cancer and other debilitating illnesses.

Divine Design kicked off in the heart of Beverly Hills with a special gala evening held at the Beverly Hilton, featuring a runway show presented by Divine Designer honoree, Tadashi Shoji, and an awards presentation. Honors were also given to Man of Style, David Furnish and Woman of Style, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Over 500 celebrities, designers and supporters of Project Angel Food attended the opening night which also included a live fantasy auction and an exclusive night of VIP shopping. Following the awards ceremony, the gala attendees returned to shopping in the marketplace at 9900 Wilshire Boulevard (formerly Robinson’s May building and generously donated by Candy & Candy), where cash registers rang in the holiday shopping season all in the name of love. The Divine Design marketplace opened to the public on Friday December 5th at 11am.

Opening night attendees enjoyed NUVO Cosmopolitans and listened to jazz and blues by KJAZZ.This year’s gala night also featured one-of-a- kind Live Auction items to bid on including a unique BARBIE Holiday Tree donated by Mattel and created by the lead designer for Barbie; a New York Fashion Week package which includes first class airfare for two on American Airlines, front row tickets to the Tadashi Shoji Show at New York Fashion Week in Bryant Park and a dress made especially for you by Tadashi Shoji himself; sponsor a day of meals for Project Angel Food clients. These fantastic auction items and others were auctioned off by the vivacious auctioneer, Ed Beardsley of Bonhams & Butterfields and the beautiful actress and Project Angel Food supporter, Lisa Rinna.

One of the companies that donated items to the event was luxury bag designers Trina, who provided over $20,000 worth of products to the event. For anyone who wasn’t able to make it to the shopping event last week, Trina are currently auctioning off some celebrity-sign bags online, with all proceeds to go to Project Angel Food.

Visit eBay to bid on bags autographed by John Mayer, Adam Sandler, Ryan Seacrest, Neil Patrick Harris, and the casts of Ugly Betty and Lost.

Divine Design was born 16 years ago in response to the devastation the design community was experiencing from HIV/AIDS. Since its inception Divine Design has raised more than $13 million to help fund Project Angel Food’s meal-delivery program throughout Los Angeles County. Founded in 1989, Project Angel Food provides life-sustaining meals and nutritional counseling each day to more than 1,400 men, women and children disabled by HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Thanks to a devoted core of 1,500 volunteers, meals are cooked and delivered daily to people’s homes throughout Los Angeles County.

(Photos copyright Alex J. Berliner)

Bid2Beat AIDS For Special Christmas Gifts

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

Written by Tim Saunders

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 BID 2 BEAT 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.

Catherine Zeta-Jones to Host A Fine Romance - Hollywood Loves Broadway

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

On Saturday, November 8, Oscar winner Catherine Zeta Jones will be hosting the fourth annual ‘Fine Romance’ event at Sony Pictures in Culver City California to benefit the Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation. Decorating her side as co-host will be Hugh Jackman.

The star-studded evening celebrates the love affair between Broadway and Hollywood. Accompanied by a live orchestra, various celebrities from film and stage will perform songs from musicals that have tied both coasts together for decades.

‘A Fine Romance – Hollywood Loves Broadway’ is produced by Laurence Mark and Dan Jinks. Confirmed performers to date: Amy Adams, Kristin Chenoweth,  Alan Cumming, Sandy Duncan, Victor Garber, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Elijah Kelly, Zachary Levi, Audra MacDonald, James Marsden, Donna Murphy, and John Lloyd Young. 

Ellen Degeneres Dunks Neil Patrick Harris

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:31:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Comedienne Ellen DeGeneres reran her Ellen for the Cure Campaign this year during the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, from her variety talk show platform.

To kick off the Campaign, she filled the studio audience of the television show, Ellen, with breast cancer survivors and their families, and throughout the month she brought in guests stars to either talk about their own cancer battles or to sit in her dunk tank to help raise money for the cause.

Neil Patrick Harris was one of the dunked. Strongly affected by the death of his partner’s mother, Harris wanted to somehow contribute to fighting the disease. “It took her out really quickly, in just four and a half weeks,” Harris said. “To watch someone go through that [cancer], it’s so bizarre to see how many terrible steps there are in that process. It’s been a really sad time.”

His contribution, as well as those from private and corporate fans of the Ellen show, helped to raise over a half million dollars, which will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a cancer research charity.

5 Friends Voting Video Makes A Comeback

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Hollywood is a land of sequels – and so be prepared for another one. Hot on the heals of last month’s 5 Friends video organized by Declare Yourself comes 5 Friends 2.

With only days until the US elections, a new video has been produced to encourage people to get out and vote, with stars such as Orlando Bloom, Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Snoop Dogg, Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts, Ben Stiller, Will Smith, Steven Spielberg, Justin Timberlake, Zach Braff, Colin Farrell, Neil Patrick Harris, Scarlett Johansson, Shia LeBeouf, Tobey Maguire, Ryan Reynolds, and Jason Segal making an appearance.

Along with a selection of people off the street, the stars say exactly why they are voting.

Even Sacha Baron Cohen makes an appearance as Borat.

“What you do inside a voting booth is a secret,” he says as only Borat can. “Nice…!”

And they are not the only ones encouraging people to vote. Zac Efron, Monique Coleman, and the rest of the cast of High School Musical 3 have lent their voices to the Declare Yourself organization with a series of voting videos.

All the videos can be found on the Declare Yourself website. But hurry, you’ve only got until November 4 to make yourself heard and be counted.

Hope North To Benefit From Celebrity Clothes Auction

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Clothes Off Our Back has just launched an exciting new auction to benefit Hope North.

Clothes Off Our Back, founded by actors and philanthropists Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford, is currently holding an online auction with clothing, accessories & memorabilia from the Emmy Awards, Teen Choice Awards, Fashion Week & more. This auction includes items worn by Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, Scarlett Johansson, Neil Patrick Harris, Jorge Garcia, Tommy Hilfiger, Helen Mirren and many others. The auction ends on October 21, and all proceeds will benefit Hope North along with three other charitable organizations.

Hope North is a 40-acre campus in northern Uganda where refugees, orphans and escaped child soldiers find a place to call home. With an accredited secondary school and vocational training center, this safe and vibrant cultural setting provides a haven for resident students to rebuild their lives through education and job training. A monthly donation as little as $10 can help these youth develop the skills and strength to build Uganda’s future after a brutal 22-year civil war.

This year, Hope North is one of four charitable organizations selected by Clothes Off Our Back to be beneficiaries of all online auctions held between June 2008 and May 2009. Over 500 celebrities and 200 designers have participated in Clothes Off Our Back auctions since its inception in 2002, helping raise nearly $3 million for various children’s charities.

“The Clothes Off Our Back Foundation started as a way for celebrities to literally give the clothes off their back and make them available to the public to help children in need,” said Michel Schneider, Executive Director of Clothes Off Our Back. “It is our pleasure to support Hope North as one of our current beneficiaries. If you love, fashion, entertainment and charity, make a bid and help a child.”

If you are interested in making a bid in the “Clothes Off Our Back” Emmy Awards Auction, visit Clothesoffourback.com.

World Magic Awards To Feed The Children

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

You can help make the problem of starving children disappear by attending the 2008 World Magic Awards this Saturday, October 11.

Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, the show will benefit Feed the Children, an organization that provides food, medicine, clothing and other necessities to individuals, children and families who lack these essentials due to famine, war, poverty, or natural disaster.

Featuring a host of the world’s best magicians – including Hans Klok – the World Magic Awards will attract John Schneider, Corbin Bernsen, Melora Hardin, Jonathan Schaech, Debbie Matenopolous, Ernie Hudson, Buzz Aldrin, Cristian de la Fuente, Ashley Jones and many others.

Last year’s show was hosted by Roger Moore and was attended by Joan Collins, Pamela Anderson, Marla Maples, John Schneider, Robert Vaughn, and Eric Roberts.

More information about the event – which has an organizing committee that includes Tony Hawk, Vince Gill, Adrian Paul, Montel Williams, Michael Caine, Pat Boone, Monique Coleman, and Jason Alexander – can be found at www.worldmagicawards.com.

Jeans Engineered For Celebs On Auction

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

Written by Tim Saunders

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 America’s Second Harvest, The Art of Elysium, Hope North, and H.E.L.P. Malawi.

Other stars offering to split their jeans with you include Alan Alda, Maria Menounos, Nancy O’Dell, Chris Rose, John Salley, Toni Collette, Jeff Probst, Kristian Alfonso, Shaun Robinson, John Krasinski, John McCrea, Melissa Joan Hart, Angie Harmon, Jillian Michaels, Christian Slater, Zachary Levi, Tony Shalhoub, Dule Hill, Greg Grunberg, and Coolio.

Stars Prove They Are Hot In Hollywood

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

America Ferrera, Katherine Heigl, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jaime Pressly were among the celebs who helped raise almost $300,000 to fight HIV/AIDS at the Hot in Hollywood benefit gala held at The Avalon in Hollywood last weekend.

Hot In Hollywood is a celebration benefiting charities dedicated to the education, prevention, testing and treatment of HIV/AIDS. In just three years, this celebrity fundraiser has become one of the hottest events in Los Angeles and this year featured live musical performances, DJs, and an exciting auction – in which Katherine Heigl paid $8,000 for a package trip to Jamaica.

“I had so much fun hosting Hot In Hollywood III,” said Ferrara. “It is such a great space to make a fool out of myself! It was professional chaos!”

The evening raised money for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the Real Medicine Foundation, and creator of the event Michael Medico said: “I am once again stunned by the generosity of our participating talent! Each year we keep getting better and better and raising more money for our beneficiaries. I am forever grateful.”

Jaime Pressly, who has hosted the show for the last two years, was honored with an award for her dedication to the fight for HIV/AIDS awareness. She also shared her personal story of her uncle’s tragic death from the disease.

Other stars to attend the event included Ana Ortiz and Jason Biggs.

What Book Got The Stars Hooked?

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Before they were famous, they were reading under the covers with flashlights like the rest of us, and now, stars are sharing their love of reading with us through the What Got You Hooked? campaign.

What Book Got You Hooked is an initiative of First Book, a charity whose mission is to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. The online campaign highlights the importance of books in the lives of children – especially for those in need.

From now through September 15, visitors to the First Book Web site are asked to share their memory of the first book that made reading fun, then help get more children hooked by voting for the state to receive a special donation of 50,000 new books for children in need. Oklahoma was last year’s campaign winner with over 34,000 votes in its favor. Visitors are also invited to make a $10 donation, to help provide four brand new books for a child in need.

So far, the campaign has generated celebrity support from an eclectic mix of stars including Stephen Colbert, Emma Thompson, Edward Norton, Scarlett Johansson, David Duchovny, Neil Patrick Harris, John Krasinski, Rebecca Romijn, Barry Manilow, Ira Glass, John Hodgman, Bow Wow, Patti LaBelle, and many more. Each celebrity has given the charity information on what their favorite books were when they were younger, and their choices can be found at the organization’s website.

The choice was clear for John Hodgman, the author and humorist best known for his personification of PC in the popular “Get a Mac” advertising campaign: Tintin. “I don’t remember the moment I learned to read, but I do remember the moment Tintin’s captions – always in cursive, which might as well have been hieroglyphics to me – suddenly became clear to me,” Mr. Hodgman explains. “It’s the first time I remember a book actually, physically altering my brain. Though, I am glad to say, not the last.”

First Book was founded in 1992. The First Book model was developed to leverage the work of local heroes who reach children through existing literacy programs in a variety of settings, such as Head Start centers, libraries, soup kitchens, churches, housing projects, and afterschool initiatives. Working through this vast network of organizations, First Book plays a critical role in transforming the quality of preschool and after-school programs nationwide.

To find out more about First Book, or to donate books, visit www.firstbook.org.

Daytime's Brightest Stars Shine For One Night Only Performance

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:36:55 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

Young & Restless (Y&R) star Judith Chapman has gathered award-winning daytime television actors to perform a play to benefit micro-loan charity Kiva.

The inspiration to help others in a very unique way came one night when Chapman (who plays Gloria) watched a very special reading of Daniel Berrigan’s play The Trial of the Catonsville 9, which was based on the author’s experience of protesting the Vietnam war in the Catonsville incident.

Performed by the Actor’s Gang in Los Angeles, the performance Chapman saw featured the talent of Martin Sheen, Beau Bridges, Neil Patrick Harris and others. Moved by the story and the caliber of talent, Chapman decided to put together a production of the same play with daytime’s best and brightest for a worthy cause.

The cast features many daytime Emmy award winning actors. Fellow Y&R stars to perform include Christian LeBlanc (Michael), Michelle Stafford (Phyllis), Vincent Irizarry (David), Kristoff St. John (Neil), Greg Rikkaart (Kevin), Daniel Goddard (Cane), Eyal Podell (Adrian), and Emily O’Brien (Jana). Soap veterans John Hale (ex-Mike) of General Hospital and John Callahan (ex-Edmund) of All My Children will also perform. Further soap actors are to be announced later.

Berrigan’s play is a period piece which epitomizes the climate of the times and the common sentiment about the Vietnam War. The story centers around the May 17, 1968 incident when nine men and women entered the Selective Service Offices in Catonsville, Maryland, removed several hundred draft records, and burned them with homemade napalm in protest against the war in Vietnam. The nine were arrested and, in a highly publicized trial, sentenced to jail.

This act of civil disobedience intensified protest against the draft, prompted debate in households in Maryland and across the nation, and stirred angry reaction on the part of many Americans. It also propelled the nine Catholic participants – especially priest brothers Daniel and Philip Berrigan – into the national spotlight.

The proceeds for the one-night-only production of The Trial of the Catonsville 9 will go to Kiva, an organization that enables people in the West make small loans to individuals around the developing world so that they might grow a business and become more self sustaining. The event will take place on January 19, 2008 at the Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs, CA. For more information on the Actors Gang, go to: http://www.theactorsgang.com/main.htm

Sir Roger Moore to Host a Magical Night for Charity

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:33:49 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

Sir Roger Moore of James Bond fame will host one of the most magical events of the year, the “World Magic Awards” on Saturday October 13th at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, CA. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Feed the Children Organization.

The black-tie star studded event will include some of the top names in magic and entertainment. Lance Burton, Neil Patrick Harris, Hans Klok, Pamela Anderson, Arthur Trace, Kevin James, Tony Chapek and Jason Alexander are among the list of presenters and performers. And what would a magic show be without a few surprises?

Feed the Children helps with programs to feed children and their families, responds to disasters worldwide, helps with babies who have been abandoned, lost parents to epidemic or have endured violence or poverty. To learn more about Feed the Children visit their website at www.feedthechildren.org.

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