Celeb Acts of Charity

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people.comCHEERED: <strong>Christina Aguilera</strong>, 23, who hails from the Pittsburgh suburb of Wexford, on Sunday visited the Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh where she has donated $200,000, reports the Associated Press. Aguilera spent two hours signing autographs and talking to the 18 women and 23 children at the shelter in Pittsburgh's Oakland section. She also helped wrap Christmas presents for children at the shelter.

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EOnline.com CONNICK CONNECTION: <strong>Harry Connick, Jr.</strong> establishing a Tulane Law School scholarship honoring his late mother Angela and his father Harry who both graduated from the school and went to successful legal careers.

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People.comDONATED: "American Idol" star <strong>Clay Aiken</strong> returned to his alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, on Saturday to present a $20,000 donation to the school and perform during halftime at a men's basketball game (against East Carolina), reports AP. "It's great to be back here," Aiken told the crowd of 9,105. Aiken, 25, waived his appearance fee in exchange for the donation, which was paid by private sponsors. ... <strong>Paul Newman</strong> , 78, has given $10,000 to help build an 18-mile trail system for runners, bicyclists, walkers and skiers in central Maine, reports the Associated Press. The veteran actor, food king and humanitarian made the gift in response to a letter from Peter Garrett, president of Kennebec Messalonskee Trails Inc., who explained what opening up the trail would mean to the public. Newman spent much of last year in central Maine filming "Empire Falls," an HBO movie based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Maine author Richard Russo.

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Tom Green Yuks His Way Through IraqSTEPHEN M. SILVERMANpeople.comFollowing in the footsteps of David Letterman, Robin Williams and Ben Affleck, "Freddy Got Fingered" actor-comedian <strong>Tom Green</strong> is in Iraq to entertain U.S. troops, the Associated Press reports."He's hanging out, shaking hands, making people laugh. Trying to give them a light moment in a very stressful place," confirmed publicist Ann Gurrola.Green, 32 -- who's been through everything from a televised operation for testicular cancer to marrying (and then divorcing) Drew Barrymore -- is expected to return from Iraq in mid- to late January, Gurrola said.This is the second United Service Organizations tour for the Canadian-born Green, who went to Kosovo last year, notes AP.Joining Green on this USO visit is Glenn Humplik, his sidekick from "The Tom Green Show," which debuted on MTV in January 1999, and the short-lived "The New Tom Green Show," which ran last summer.At the time of the second show's debut, Green quipped: "We don't have a budget to do rehearsal shows, so I've been interviewing a broomstick with a picture of Reese Witherspoon duct-taped to it."

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<img src='http://i.timeinc.net/people/images/photo/celebsnaps/040126/ashanti.jpg' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>ASHANTI?S CALL TO BATTLE: Ashanti rallies the crowd as she performs at the charitable Battle of Hope concert in the National Stadium in Nigeria. The event was organized to support the fight against human trafficking and HIV/AIDS in Africa?s most populous country.</p><p>(Nic Bothma/EPA/Landov)</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>

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bono Not Welcome at the Super BowlSTEPHEN M. SILVERMANpeople.comNational Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has rejected an offer by <strong>Bono</strong> to sing during the Feb. 1 Super Bowl halftime show in Houston, as part of an effort to raise awareness about the AIDS epidemic in Africa, New York's Daily News reports.The <strong>U2 frontman</strong>, 43, had hoped to perform "An American Prayer," which he wrote and recorded last year in response to the crisis in Africa that last year alone killed more than 2 million people.Bono, who with U2 had played at a tribute to the victims of September 11th during the 2002 Super Bowl, also reportedly secured the approval of MTV, which is producing the halftime show. But the NFL is saying that the break in the game should be used for amusement, not to promote causes.NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the Daily News, "We simply decided that we were going to have our halftime show, and we were going to deliver, as we do annually, an extremely entertaining halftime show ... we don't believe it's appropriate to focus on a single issue."The NFL, however, still plans to participate in Bono's spring visit to Africa, where football players will accompany the musician, says the paper.So far, Janet Jackson is the only performer who has been announced to perform at halftime this year. Beyonce Knowles, a Houston native, is booked to sing the national anthem before the game.

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EOnline.com GIVING IS BETTER: Oscar-winning actor and producer <strong>Michael Douglas</strong> donating $1 million to his alma mater, the University of California, Santa Barbara, for the school's new Center for Film, Television and New Media. The building's lobby will be named in honor of Douglas.

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people.comSUPPORTED: Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott are among the new spokespeople for MAC cosmetics' Viva Glam products, according to published reports. <strong>Proceeds from Viva Glam V Lipstick will benefit the MAC AIDS Fund</strong>, the cosmetic maker says. Aguilera and Elliott are joined by actress Chloe Sevigny and former "Taboo" star Boy George.

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Field and Fonda Protest Mexico Killingsimdb.comActresses <strong>Jane Fonda and Sally Field </strong>marched through a Mexican border city on Saturday, urging authorities to investigate the brutal slayings of hundreds of young females. Mexican authorities say 258 women have been killed over the past decade in Ciudad Juarez. Many of the victims were sexually assaulted, strangled and dumped in the desert near Juarez, across the Rio Grande river from El Paso, Texas. Field said, "I'm here because 300 young, vibrant women are not. Now is the time on this planet when we have to stand up and shine the light on injustice." The demonstration was sponsored by Amnesty International and the V- Day Foundation, led by Vagina Monologues playwright Eve Ensler , which combats violence against women worldwide. Fonda, who met with mothers of the victims and heard how the authorities have ignored their cry for justice, notes, "I have a daughter and a granddaughter and I know that if they were killed the authorities would do everything possible to solve the murder. Mexico, Juarez, Chihuahua deserve better than the authorities that are now ruling. These mothers deserve better."

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EOnline.com WITH HEART: <strong>Oprah Winfrey</strong> donating $5 million in scholarship funds to Atlanta's Morehouse College, where on Saturday she accepted the school's first "Candle for Lifetime Achievement in Humanitarian Service" award.

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people.com LAUNCHED: "Seinfeld" star and KFC spokesman <strong>Jason Alexander</strong> wasn't talking chicken when he spoke out about a grassroots Middle East peace plan in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Tuesday. Alexander was trumpeting the "One Voice" campaign, which hopes to get Israelis and Palestinians to vote on a peace agreement via the Internet, the Associated Press reports. IBM will tabulate the votes at its Israeli headquarters, and proponents of the group hope they can use those results to hammer out an agreement. The campaign has received support from such celebrities as Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston.

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Nixon Takes Up the Education Funding Fightimdb.comSex And The City star <strong>Cynthia Nixon</strong> appeared before New York state's Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver yesterday - to campaign for more funding in education. The flame-haired actress - who played lawyer Miranda Hobbes in the sassy series - hopes her high-profile involvement in the cause will improve the conditions for school children in the state. Her appearance in Albany was sponsored by the Alliance For Quality Education, who hope she will bring "sizzle and spice" to the issue. Chairman Steven Sanders says, "Celebrities come with a cachet and a personality. Does it in the final analysis make a real difference in terms of the outcome of the issue? I'm not sure it does."

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Reality Stars Give Back(Monday, March 15 09:00 AM)LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Finally something to suggest that unscripted programming and its sometimes-unwitting heroes may be getting a bad rap.The stars of some of television's most popular reality shows are aware that both their fame and their new-found wealth arrived in the blink of an eye, but now a few of them are prepared to give something back. <strong>Reality vets including Brad Holcman of "Average Joe," Reichen Lehmkuhl of "The Amazing Race," James Getzlaff and Andra Stasko of "Boy Meets Boy," Tonya Cooley of "Real World," Adam Larson of "Road Rules," and Joanne Newborn of "Who Wants to Marry My Dad?" have formed The Reality Cares Foundation to help join the fight against diseases including Alzheimer's, breast cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS.Dr. Will Kirby, the winner of "Big Brother 2," serves as the Foundation's Chief Medical Advisor</strong>."Our Foundation provides reality show stars with a unique opportunity to use their sudden fame to make a real difference in their communities and to help those in need," says Todd Michael Krim, founder of The Reality Cares Foundation. "I hope our Foundation not only helps those most in need, but inspires a new spirit of philanthropy among a younger group of television stars and viewers."The first event for The Reality Cares Foundation will be held on April 22 in Chicago. Titled "The Real Deal," it will raise money for HIV/AIDS care, prevention and treatment. Presented by The Advocate, and sponsored by The Giving Back Fund, "The Real Deal" will feature appearances by popular lesbian and gay reality show stars."We are proud to be sponsoring The Reality Cares Foundation and using our management expertise to help ensure its long-term success," says Marc Pollick, president of The Giving Back Fund. "With the continued growth in popularity of reality shows such as 'The Apprentice' and 'The Simple Life,' we see tremendous potential for The Reality Cares Foundation and are delighted to be working with this enthusiastic group of young stars."

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people.com

 

....Ben Affleck was very much a Boston boy on Tuesday as he emceed an auction to benefit the charitable foundation of his beloved home team, the Boston Red Sox..... Affleck's appearance helped organizers sell four items -- including World Series tickets, the chance to throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park and front-row tickets to the next concert at the ballpark -- that went for between $12,000 and $15,000.

 

All told, ticket sales and donations to the fund-raiser, which also included a luncheon, pulled in more than $400,000 on top of the sale of the auction items, according to a spokesman for the Sox.

 

Proceeds will benefit the Red Sox Foundation, which supports children's health, education, recreation and urban social programs.

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EOnline.com

 

GOOD CAUSE: Dick Clark , 74, has announced that he has type 2 diabetes and that he plans to work as a spokesman for the American Association of Diabetes Educators and pharmaceutical company Merck & Co.

 

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EOnline.com

 

NICE JOB: Tom Cruise helping to raise $1.2 million for World Trade Center workers who were exposed to potentially hazardous materials following 9-11.

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EOnline.com

 

A CALL FOR HELP: The tiny western Indiana town of Waveland, population 500, organizing a June 5 benefit concert headlining Kenny Rogers, Sara Evans and Ricky Van Shelton to help raise funds to revitalize the community, including repairing sidewalks and improving playgrounds.

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EOnline.com

 

SOLID CITIZENS: Emilio and Gloria Estefan tapped to receive the Spirit of Life Award from the Latin Entertainment Industry Group for City of Hope. The award, honoring both their charity work and their showbiz success, will be presented Nov. 18 in Miami.

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BAR BELLES

Page Six

 

BABEALICIOUS bold-faced bartenders were out in force at Marquee this week. Gina Gershon and Marisa Tomei dished out drinks at Level vodka's Cocktails for a Cause (benefitting Project ALS) Wednesday night to the likes of Chris Noth (who asked about getting his gorgeous girlfriend, Tara Wilson, a bartending job at the club), former flames Tara Reid and Carson Daly, Shannon Elizabeth, Mariska Hargitay, Chris Heinz, Tony Sirico and the legendary David Lee Roth, who later partied at Bungalow 8 and Scores West until past 4.

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people.com

 

PLANET ROCK: It's time to rock for the rainforest again. Sting and other environmentally conscious celebs will gather for the 12th Rainforest Foundation benefit concert at New York City's Carnegie Hall on Wednesday, April 21. Joining Sting -- who co-founded the environmental organization -- are James Taylor and Elton John, as well as Billy Joel, Bette Midler, Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith. The theme of the event? "Singing in the Rain 'Forest': Great Songs from the Movies." Sting's wife, Trudie Styler, who's producing the evening, said in a statement, "The combination of some of the greatest performers of today and classic songs from the silver screen is going to result in a truly unforgettable evening for a cause that must never be forgotten."

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TAXING PARTIES

By JEFFREY SLONIM

NY Post

 

MONDAY, APRIL 12: While most poor schlubs were home calculating their taxes, celebs still had their charity work. "For God's sake, I hope [these awards] are important," Carson Kressley sniffed on his way into Absolut's GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Media Awards at the Marriott Marquis hotel. "We bought new outfits and had our hair blown out."

 

Julianne Moore, who once upon a time played Franny Hughes Crawford on "As the World Turns," received applause when she acknowledged her debt to the gay community. "I was recognized for the very first time in my entire career on Christopher Street," she said. "I was walking down the street and this guy yells, 'Hey, Franny.'"

 

Now, says Moore, she can't take two steps in Chelsea without someone blurting, "Oh, my God!"

 

A considerably straighter crowd convened at Butter: Carmen Kass, planning to run for European Parliament in Estonia's June election; Spike Lee; Jay-Z and Beyonce; Vincent Gallo, and loads of models.

 

TUESDAY, APRIL 12: After lunching at the Four Seasons, Martha Stewart told an acquaintance who hadn't seen her in some time, "Well, I definitely haven't been hiding."

 

Stewart endured the rain to join her photographer friend Terry O'Neill - and director Mike Nichols - for the launch of O'Neill's book, "Celebrity." "She's an old friend," said O'Neill. "Martha's a great girl."

 

At Crobar, for an Outkast fete, Andre 3000 and his school chum Farnsworth Bentley, Lukas Haas and Natalie Portman danced into the club at 1:30 a.m.

 

 

 

But top kudos for stamina go to author Plum Sykes. After launching her book, "Bergdorf Blondes," at Bergdorf's, dining at the Plaza Athenee on Tim and Helen Schifter's dime, and after-partying at Adrien Brody's birthday party at Chez Essada, Sykes and her brother-in-law Euan Rellie were up for still more partying at Bungalow 8.

 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14: "I've never bartended before in my life," claimed "American Pie" star Shannon Elizabeth, before her turn behind the bar at Marquee with her co-star Tara Reid, who was wearing an impossibly short mini. However, the duo managed to mix $50 vodka cocktails to benefit a great cause - research on A.L.S., a rare but fast-progressing disease that struck Lou Gehrig, as well as the father of The Post's own Page Six scribe, Chris Wilson.

 

Meanwhile, Mayor Bloomberg and Derek Jeter (not together) toured the brick vaults of Level V, the lounge underneath Vento Trattoria, Steve Hanson's new restaurant in the Meatpacking District.

 

Before Kimora Lee Simmons' tony dinner at the Plaza hotel, honoring Andre Leon Talley's performance with Martha Graham, interior designer Mario Buatta unleashed a scurrying faux cockroach that fooled leggy society lady CeCe Cord.

 

THURSDAY, APRIL 15: "We just threw this together," said designer Rebecca Taylor of her own funky-chic getup. Taylor was opening her first American boutique on Mott Street in NoLIta. She said that before the party she kept asking her staff about her outfit, "Is this all right?"

 

Undergrad Lauren Bush, back on the party circuit after being pelted with eggs and ice by a hostile neighbor during Brody's b-day blowout, missed her train in from Princeton and showed up at the store five minutes before closing.

 

She said she was on her way to dine at Soho House - almost as rowdy as those Princeton dining clubs.

 

 

 

 

 

'APPRENTICE' BOOM

HIP-HOP'S NEXT EXTRAVAGANZA

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Chrysalis Third Annual Butterfly Ball Will Raise Money to Help Economically Disadvantaged and Homeless Find Jobs.

 

Amanda Bynes

 

Andre 3000 of Outkast

 

Jackie Chan

 

Chris Tucker

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Kristin of E!

 

Q: From jennerb: You said on E! News Live that James Marsters would be shaving his head on On Air with Ryan Seacrest, but I haven't heard or seen anything more about that...

 

A: He told me that himself last week--tune in April 27, and you'll see him shaving his head live on Ryan Seacrest. He's doing it to raise money for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

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. . TOBEY Maguire, Heather Graham, Sean Hayes, Owen Wilson and Ellen DeGeneres watching Leonardo DiCaprio get out-bluffed by Jack Black in the poker final at Amanda Scheer-Demme's tournament benefitting the Peace Games in Los Angeles . . .

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Page Six

We Hear....

 

THAT Beyoncé will perform Saturday aboard the Queen Mary 2, where Katie Couric will have a boatload of stars - including Nicole Kidman, Antonio Banderas, Whoopi Goldberg, Tina Fey, Nathan Lane and James Gandolfini - for a cancer benefit . .