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Hollywood Shows Their Support for Hurricane Katrina Victims: Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jay-Z Pledge $1 Million, BET to Hold Telethon
posted on Sep 2, 2005
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According to the Associated Press, Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jay-Z have pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. The two rappers announced their donation yestertoday, saying they hoped to inspire others, especially blacks, to give. Jay-Z said he had put in calls to NBA star LeBron James and rapper Kanye West for donations.
At a press conference yesterday held in the Manhattan headquarters of the American Red Cross of Greater New York, Black Entertainment Television (BET) announced that they are partnering with the National Urban League, American Red Cross, Hip-Hop Summit Action Network chairman, Russell Simmons, Kevin Liles and the Warner Music Group, Essence Communications and numerous "concerned" celebrities to raise money for 'Hurricane Katrina' victims.
The telethon is set for Friday, September 9 from 7:30 pm - 10 pm after a special benefit episode of "106 & Park" and "BET Top 10 Live." at 5 p.m. followed by the telethon from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Debra Lee, President and CEO of BET said, "We urge all BET viewers to dig deep and sacrifice financially to help our own people at a level that has never been seen before." National Urban League president and CEO, Marc Morial, also a former New Orleans, Louisiana mayor, said the telethon will be an effort to focus the eyes, hearts and minds of the viewers of BET and the nation on the need to contribute money for food, for water and for shelter for the thousands of evacuees. "We now have our own citizens who are refugees in their own country," Mr. Morial stressed.
Other artists who have shown interest in participating in the telethon are R&B legend Stevie Wonder, comedian Chris Rock, trumpeter Winton Marsalis, a New Orleans native and rappers Master P and Juvenile, also New Orleans natives. "If we do not help the millions of people in Mississippi, Alabama and New Orleans this country will be destroyed," Chris Rock emphasized.
Master P lost all of his homes in New Orleans and all of his family members lost their homes as well. "Can't nobody tell you about New Orleans the way I can," Master P said. He said there were a lot of great people in New Orleans, and right now they are hurting.
Other relief efforts underway include:
Celine Dion and the partners of her Las Vegas show, "A New Day" - companies Concerts West/AEG Live and Dragone - pledged a $1 million donation to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Jerry Lewis' annual Labor Day Telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association will include celebrity appeals for hurricane relief. MDA also will donate $1 million to help victims in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, he said.
NBC Universal Television announced "A Concert for Hurricane Relief" which will air on NBC, MSNBC and CNBC at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2. Performers will include Green Day, Ludacris, Gretchen Wilson, Usher, Alicia Keys and others. The special also will be available on MTV2, mtvU and VH1 Classic, as well as broadband video networks MTV Overdrive and VSpot.
MTV, VH1, and CMT have also launched the first stage of an ongoing Hurricane Katrina Relief Campaign. A live multi-artist, multi-genre, multi-platform special has been set to air across all three networks on Saturday, September 10th. Scheduled performers include Ludacris, Green Day, Gretchen Wilson, Usher, Alicia Keys, John Mellencamp, and the Dave Matthews Band. The special will seek to raise much needed funds for The American Red Cross and similar organizations as they continue their relief efforts. The campaign will also seek to activate the diverse audiences across MTV, VH1, and CMT to drive volunteerism, donations, and general awareness.
"In the face of a tragedy of this scope, we simply have to do everything in our power to offer support, comfort and hope to all the people directly impacted by the hurricane. This is always the first and best instinct of all our millions of viewers, and the artists we know so well. If we can offer a platform to contribute in some meaningful way, all of our MTV Networks brands will be there," said Judy McGrath, Chair and CEO, MTV Networks. "Our goal is to join forces on every medium to get involved, to volunteer, to contribute in any way we can."
"There's been an outpouring of support and concern and a desire to help from the artist community, our audiences and our employees. We feel fortunate to be able to provide a forum to channel all of this energy and good will and to let the people in the affected states know that we're there for them," said Van Toffler, President MTV Networks Music Group. "Many of the artists across our channels are from the affected areas and have a strong connection to the south. We are looking to activate every hip-hop, rock, country, R&B, and pop music fan out there to get involved and help support the relief efforts."
mtvU also announced that it will be partnering with its nearly 7 million college students, national fraternities and sororities, other student organizations and Urban Outfitters to mobilize clothing drives, donations and volunteer relief efforts. mtvU will also continue to broadcast special features from the universities most affected by the hurricane, and will highlight the relief work of the thousands of college students who have been displaced and cannot return to their schools.
On Wednesday, MTV Networks' parent company, Viacom, announced a $1 million cash donation to the American Red Cross and a worldwide matching gift program for employee donations. For any donation made by a Viacom employee to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Effort, Viacom will match the amount, over and above the company's direct cash contribution. Other support efforts are planned by Viacom media properties including CBS and UPN, the company said.
The American Red Cross is asking people to help by making an online contribution to the Disaster Relief Fund at http://www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-HELP-NOW to donate, signing up with a local chapter to volunteer or making a blood donation.
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