Friday, September 02, 2005

The Entertainment World

has also responded.

Celebrities including Ellen DeGeneres, Jay Leno, Master P and Dave Matthews are contributing star power to relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

DeGeneres, a New Orleans native whose 82-year-old aunt, cousins and friends had their Gulf Coast homes destroyed, has taped an episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" to air on Monday, the start of the syndicated talk show's third season that will discuss the disaster. Warner Bros. Entertainment, producer of "Ellen", will dontate $500,000 and match viewer contributions up to $500,000.

A Harley-Davidson motorcyle will be put up for auction on eBay later in September. Tonight Show host Jay Leno is going to go with an idea that worked raising funds for Tsunami victims. Tuesday night he will begin to ask his guests to sign a Harley-Davidson motorcycle which will be put up for auction on eBay later in September.

Rapper Master P has formed a foundation called Team Rescue to "save the neighborhood and rebuild our communities."

The Dave Matthews Band, announced a Sept. 12 benefit concert in Denver.

E! Networks announced that it would produce a public service announcement to support the American Red Cross featuring Eva Longoria, Pamela Anderson, Destiny's Child, Steve Carell, Nicole Richie, John Larroquette, Mariah Carey, Carlos Santana and Paula Abdul. Larroquette, a New Orleans native, said Friday he would also contribute artwork to an online auction organized by actor Morgan Freeman.

Alan Jackson, Keith Urban and Alison Krauss will perform a Grand Ole Opry benefit concert in Nashville, Tenn., on Sept. 27. It will air live on cable network Great American Country.

Velvet Revolver will play a benefit concert at the Orlando, Fla., Hard Rock live concert venue.

Jazz will also get into the act. Wynton Marsalis, Bill Cosby, Elvis Costello and Diana Krall will perform the Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert for Jazz at Lincoln Center Sept. 17 in New York.

Many stars have also pledged money directly to the Red Cross.

Celine Dion and the partners of her Las Vegas show, "A New Day" - companies Concerts West/AEG Live and Dragone - pledged $1 million.

Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jay-Z jointly pledged $1 million.

Nicolas Cage, who has a home in New Orleans, also pledged $1 million.

Hilary Duff said she will give $200,000 to the Red Cross and $50,000 to USA Harvest, which is supplying food to shelters. The 17-year-old actress-singer is encouraging fans to bring canned food donations to her concerts.

Pat Sajak, who was taping "Wheel of Fortune" in New Orleans last week before the show canceled early to get out of town, said he had donated $100,000 through the Lesley and Pat Sajak Foundation.

Some of the most visible work by celebrities will be seen on TV.

NBC's "A Concert for Hurricane Relief," to air Friday night on NBC, MSNBC and CNBC, was to include Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., Tim McGraw and Aaron Neville. Also appear on the special: Leonardo DiCaprio, Lindsay Lohan, Mike Myers, Hilary Swank, Claire Danes and John Goodman.

Jerry Lewis said his annual telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which begins Sunday night (check local listings), would also include appeals for donations to hurricane victims.

Chris Rock, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Diddy, Russell Simmons, Wynton Marsalis and Master P will participate in a telethon Sept. 9 on BET.

The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Green Day, Paul McCartney, Kanye West, Brian Wilson, Sheryl Crow, Ludacris, Gretchen Wilson, Usher, Alicia Keys, John Mellencamp and Rob Thomas are set to appear on a Sept. 10 special that will air on MTV, VH1 and CMT.

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