Full Version: Celeb Acts of Charity
CHEERED: Christina Aguilera, 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.]]>
CONNICK CONNECTION: Harry Connick, Jr. 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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DONATED: "American Idol" star Clay Aiken 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. ... Paul Newman , 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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STEPHEN M. SILVERMAN
people.com
Following in the footsteps of David Letterman, Robin Williams and Ben Affleck, "Freddy Got Fingered" actor-comedian Tom Green 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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people.com
Following in the footsteps of David Letterman, Robin Williams and Ben Affleck, "Freddy Got Fingered" actor-comedian Tom Green 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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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.
(Nic Bothma/EPA/Landov)
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STEPHEN M. SILVERMAN
people.com
National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has rejected an offer by Bono 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 U2 frontman, 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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people.com
National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has rejected an offer by Bono 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 U2 frontman, 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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GIVING IS BETTER: Oscar-winning actor and producer Michael Douglas 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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SUPPORTED: Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott are among the new spokespeople for MAC cosmetics' Viva Glam products, according to published reports. Proceeds from Viva Glam V Lipstick will benefit the MAC AIDS Fund, the cosmetic maker says. Aguilera and Elliott are joined by actress Chloe Sevigny and former "Taboo" star Boy George.
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imdb.com
Actresses Jane Fonda and Sally Field 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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Actresses Jane Fonda and Sally Field 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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WITH HEART: Oprah Winfrey 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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LAUNCHED: "Seinfeld" star and KFC spokesman Jason Alexander 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.]]>
imdb.com
Sex And The City star Cynthia Nixon 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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Sex And The City star Cynthia Nixon 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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(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. 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.
"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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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. 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.
"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.
....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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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."
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
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
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
Amanda Bynes
Andre 3000 of Outkast
Jackie Chan
Chris Tucker
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.
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.
Page Six
. . 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 . . .
. . 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 . . .
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 . .
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 . .
BIRDS OF A FEATHER: Sting sprouts wings (far left), while Elton John's performance is a beak above the rest as the two British musicians come out for the 13th annual Rainforest Foundation fund-raiser in New York. The organization, founded by Sting and wife Trudie Styler in 1989, has also found friends in Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith, who played hosts for the evening.
(Kevin Mazur/WireImage; SWF/ABACA)
Branagh Auctions His Acting Tips
imdb.com
British thespian Kenneth Branagh is giving aspiring actors the chance to learn from the best - by auctioning a master class with him for charity. The Much Ado About Nothing actor, 43, is an acclaimed performer on- stage and on the silver screen, and has offered a two-hour intense session on any William Shakespeare scene to the highest bidder. All proceeds will go to the Paul Bevan Cancer Foundation, which is building an information and support center for patients suffering from the disease and their families. A spokesperson for the foundation says, "The winner will get a two-hour one-to- one lesson with him. They will discuss and act a scene from a Shakespeare play of their choice - either a soliloquy or a two-hander with Kenneth. He'll then explain what makes the scene work and how one can get the most out of the writing."
imdb.com
British thespian Kenneth Branagh is giving aspiring actors the chance to learn from the best - by auctioning a master class with him for charity. The Much Ado About Nothing actor, 43, is an acclaimed performer on- stage and on the silver screen, and has offered a two-hour intense session on any William Shakespeare scene to the highest bidder. All proceeds will go to the Paul Bevan Cancer Foundation, which is building an information and support center for patients suffering from the disease and their families. A spokesperson for the foundation says, "The winner will get a two-hour one-to- one lesson with him. They will discuss and act a scene from a Shakespeare play of their choice - either a soliloquy or a two-hander with Kenneth. He'll then explain what makes the scene work and how one can get the most out of the writing."
EOnline.com
GOOD CAUSE: Natalie Portman touring Uganda to raise funds for African women dealing with poverty and the AIDS epidemic.
GOOD CAUSE: Natalie Portman touring Uganda to raise funds for African women dealing with poverty and the AIDS epidemic.
Ted C. of E!
Charity Police
I suggest we take a benevolent breather. Back to the bawdy types in a sec, but first, wanted to let you all know I just flew (with E!'s Melissa Rivers) to co-grand-marshal the Miami Aids Walk again. Slept for two seconds at Todd Oldham's Hotel, which the Queer Eye boys blessed moments before my arrival.
Was glad to help: Care Resource was able to raise over $200,000 through the walk. You can click that second link if you want to add to the total. You know, maybe help heal in this country, not harm it. Just a thought.
Tito Puente Jr. helped entertain, by the by, and there was a big-ass party Saturday night at Jimmy'z and the Forge, whose owners are such good pals with Michael Jackson. Michael wasn't there, however. Last time he was, I'm told his date was the dude who's suing him. Interesting.
Charity Police
I suggest we take a benevolent breather. Back to the bawdy types in a sec, but first, wanted to let you all know I just flew (with E!'s Melissa Rivers) to co-grand-marshal the Miami Aids Walk again. Slept for two seconds at Todd Oldham's Hotel, which the Queer Eye boys blessed moments before my arrival.
Was glad to help: Care Resource was able to raise over $200,000 through the walk. You can click that second link if you want to add to the total. You know, maybe help heal in this country, not harm it. Just a thought.
Tito Puente Jr. helped entertain, by the by, and there was a big-ass party Saturday night at Jimmy'z and the Forge, whose owners are such good pals with Michael Jackson. Michael wasn't there, however. Last time he was, I'm told his date was the dude who's suing him. Interesting.
histar.com
CHEVY CHASE and his wife are having an online auction beginning today and goes through May 6th... to benefit a nonprofit organization called the Center for Environmental Education. First and foremost, there's an opportunity for some lucky guy to realize his "Caddyshack" fantasy by joining a golf foursome with Chevy and BILL MURRAY!!! Here's the web address if you're interested... http://www.charityfolks.com/charity_calendar.htm
CHEVY CHASE and his wife are having an online auction beginning today and goes through May 6th... to benefit a nonprofit organization called the Center for Environmental Education. First and foremost, there's an opportunity for some lucky guy to realize his "Caddyshack" fantasy by joining a golf foursome with Chevy and BILL MURRAY!!! Here's the web address if you're interested... http://www.charityfolks.com/charity_calendar.htm
GQ Charity Poker Game to Benefit Peace GamesCard Sharps? Ellen DeGeneres and Sean Hayes can't keep their poker faces in this high-stakes game
Natalie, Jackie in World Tour for Good
STEPHEN M. SILVERMAN
people.com
Natalie Portman and Jackie Chan haven't starred in any movies together, but they're both sharing an even larger role when it comes to humanitarian work.
On Wednesday, Portman toured charity projects in Uganda and appealed to the international community to help African women fight poverty and the AIDS epidemic ravaging the continent, the Associated Press reports.
Actually, the "Star Wars" actress, 22, made her visit on a high note, meeting with local business women in the village of Iganga who have benefited from the Washington-based Foundation for International Community Assistance.
"It is amazing and it is an opportunity to see women with such courage and diligence creating money from such little funds," said Portman, dressed in a creased long-sleeved white shirt, faded jeans and brown boots. "It is giving hope. The women are resourceful. And it is amazing that the world is not capitalizing on this resource."
Taking the message to another part of the world, action star Chan plans to a three-day humanitarian visit Cambodia starting Monday to promote the work of the United Nations children's and AIDS agencies, the U.N. has announced.
Chan, 50, is expected in the capital of Phnom Penh, and in Siem Reap, home to the country's 900-year-old cultural shrine of Angkor Wat. He plans to tour projects focusing on HIV/AIDS, rehabilitation for land mine victims and land mine education, the U.N. says.
STEPHEN M. SILVERMAN
people.com
Natalie Portman and Jackie Chan haven't starred in any movies together, but they're both sharing an even larger role when it comes to humanitarian work.
On Wednesday, Portman toured charity projects in Uganda and appealed to the international community to help African women fight poverty and the AIDS epidemic ravaging the continent, the Associated Press reports.
Actually, the "Star Wars" actress, 22, made her visit on a high note, meeting with local business women in the village of Iganga who have benefited from the Washington-based Foundation for International Community Assistance.
"It is amazing and it is an opportunity to see women with such courage and diligence creating money from such little funds," said Portman, dressed in a creased long-sleeved white shirt, faded jeans and brown boots. "It is giving hope. The women are resourceful. And it is amazing that the world is not capitalizing on this resource."
Taking the message to another part of the world, action star Chan plans to a three-day humanitarian visit Cambodia starting Monday to promote the work of the United Nations children's and AIDS agencies, the U.N. has announced.
Chan, 50, is expected in the capital of Phnom Penh, and in Siem Reap, home to the country's 900-year-old cultural shrine of Angkor Wat. He plans to tour projects focusing on HIV/AIDS, rehabilitation for land mine victims and land mine education, the U.N. says.
Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog and Sting at the rehearsal for the 12th Rainforest Foundation Benefit Concert
I can't believe they did a closeup shot! 
Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog at the rehearsal for the 12th Rainforest Foundation Benefit Concert
Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog at the rehearsal for the 12th Rainforest Foundation Benefit Concert
Bette Midler at the 12th Rainforest Foundation Benefit Concert
QUOTE (princess @ Apr 23 2004, 08:33 AM)
I can't believe they did a closeup shot!
Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog at the rehearsal for the 12th Rainforest Foundation Benefit Concert
Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog at the rehearsal for the 12th Rainforest Foundation Benefit Concert
My hero!!
EOnline.com
FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Jackie Chan visiting AIDS and land-mine victims in war-scarred Cambodia on Monday to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS in the region after being tapped as a U.N. goodwill ambassador.
FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Jackie Chan visiting AIDS and land-mine victims in war-scarred Cambodia on Monday to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS in the region after being tapped as a U.N. goodwill ambassador.
Entertainment Industry Foundation's Colon Cancer Benefit on the QM2
Melanie Griffith and Glenn Close
Anne Hathaway and Dakota Fanning
Elizabeth Hurley
Liz Hurley and Jon Bon Jovi
Donald Trump and Melania Knauss
Melanie Griffith and Glenn Close
Anne Hathaway and Dakota Fanning
Elizabeth Hurley
Liz Hurley and Jon Bon Jovi
Donald Trump and Melania Knauss
Trump is the celebrity of the moment. He's on/in everything!
people.com
DONATED: Russell Crowe, 40, was so upset by a fire-bombing at a Jewish elementary school in Montreal that he called the school to offer a donation to help rebuild its library, a school spokeswoman tells Reuters, calling the gesture, "a huge morale boost for the school community." Crowe is in Toronto to film "Cinderella Man," a film directed by Ron Howard about the life of boxer James J. Braddock. "He said he was very upset about what had happened that a place of learning should be attacked that way," said the school rep, Shelley Paris.
DONATED: Russell Crowe, 40, was so upset by a fire-bombing at a Jewish elementary school in Montreal that he called the school to offer a donation to help rebuild its library, a school spokeswoman tells Reuters, calling the gesture, "a huge morale boost for the school community." Crowe is in Toronto to film "Cinderella Man," a film directed by Ron Howard about the life of boxer James J. Braddock. "He said he was very upset about what had happened that a place of learning should be attacked that way," said the school rep, Shelley Paris.
EOnline.com
FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Perry Farrell, Macy Gray, Michelle Branch and Talvin Singh among the artists set to perform at a June 8 charity concert in Los Angeles to raise money for HIV/AIDS initiatives in India.
FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Perry Farrell, Macy Gray, Michelle Branch and Talvin Singh among the artists set to perform at a June 8 charity concert in Los Angeles to raise money for HIV/AIDS initiatives in India.
EOnline.com
BIG GIG: Jessica Simpson set to perform at Allure magazine's Play Safe In the Park Benefit concert to be held in Central Park on May 22. Money raised will go to the Skin Cancer Foundation
BIG GIG: Jessica Simpson set to perform at Allure magazine's Play Safe In the Park Benefit concert to be held in Central Park on May 22. Money raised will go to the Skin Cancer Foundation
The 2004 Annual Lint Roller Party - Celebrities bringing their dogs
Charlize Theron, Tori Spelling, Marina Sirtis, Marisa Ramirez, Amy Smart, Elisabeth Shue, Courtney Peld, Peter Falk
Visit colourpress.com
here. to see the pics. Be sure to click red arrow top right of screen for more pages of pics.
Charlize Theron, Tori Spelling, Marina Sirtis, Marisa Ramirez, Amy Smart, Elisabeth Shue, Courtney Peld, Peter Falk
Visit colourpress.com
here. to see the pics. Be sure to click red arrow top right of screen for more pages of pics.
QUOTE (princess @ Apr 27 2004, 08:21 AM)
Entertainment Industry Foundation's Colon Cancer Benefit on the QM2
Melanie Griffith and Glenn Close
Melanie Griffith and Glenn Close
They're discussing plastic surgeons.
Joel's Car Wreckage Sold to Fans
imdb.com
Wreckage from rock legend Billy Joel's smashed car is being auctioned by a radio station to raise money for an anti-drink driving campaign. The Uptown Girl star, 54, who escaped the crash unscathed, is allowing American station WBIL to sell the remains of his Citroen car to fans on the eBay website. Last week's accident was the third in two years for the New York-born singer who is battling with alcoholism. Police say the accident was caused by bad weather and was not alcohol-related.
imdb.com
Wreckage from rock legend Billy Joel's smashed car is being auctioned by a radio station to raise money for an anti-drink driving campaign. The Uptown Girl star, 54, who escaped the crash unscathed, is allowing American station WBIL to sell the remains of his Citroen car to fans on the eBay website. Last week's accident was the third in two years for the New York-born singer who is battling with alcoholism. Police say the accident was caused by bad weather and was not alcohol-related.
QUOTE (Jade @ Apr 30 2004, 11:01 AM)
They're discussing plastic surgeons.
HA! Melanie hasn't looked this good in a long time. I sure she has got, um, a lot of help in that department. Glenn looks sleepy, like she drank too much wine.
STAR CHARITIES' WASTEFUL WAYS
Page Six
YOU might want to think twice before forking over your hard-earned cash to certain celebrity charities.
An investigation into celebrity-fronted charitable foundations by industry watchdog Charity Navigator found that nearly half of them did a mediocre or downright miserable job of distributing funds to the programs they were supposed to support in 2003. The group evaluated the charities' tax returns on the basis of money spent on administrative costs and fund-raising versus the amount that actually went to those in need.
Steven Spielberg's (right) Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, for instance, scored only one star on a scale of zero to five. The foundation, which seeks to preserve Holocaust awareness, spent 30 cents of every dollar it raised on administration, roughly three times the industry average. It also managed to lose $6 million last year.
Another dismal performer is the one-star Gorilla Foundation, to which Robin Williams donates plenty of face time.
"He might want to know that they spend 45 cents of every dollar on fund-raising," Navigator executive director Trent Stamp tells PAGE SIX's Ian Spiegelman. "Everybody would like to save the gorillas - but not to pay for other fund-raisers."
Operation Smile, which provides reconstructive surgery to disfigured children in the Third World and counts Jessica Simpson among its boosters, also scored a lowly one star for spending 30 cents per dollar on fund-raising.
Two-star groups include the Christopher Reeve Foundation, Jimmy Carter's Habitat for Humanity, Greenpeace and Amnesty International.
Plenty of charities, however, scored high. The four-star Lance Armstrong Foundation spent only six cents on the dollar for administrative costs and raised $10 million to fight cancer - a more than 50 percent revenue jump from 2002.
The Bill Cosby-fronted V Foundation - named for late North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano - also scored four stars for giving 90 percent of the $4 million it raised last year to leukemia researchers.
Other winners include Muhammad Ali's American Parkinson's Disease Association, Mariah Carey's Fresh Air Fund, Laura Bush's National Childhood Cancer Foundation, Nelson Mandela's Africare, and Jerry Lewis' Muscular Dystrophy Foundation.
Page Six
YOU might want to think twice before forking over your hard-earned cash to certain celebrity charities.
An investigation into celebrity-fronted charitable foundations by industry watchdog Charity Navigator found that nearly half of them did a mediocre or downright miserable job of distributing funds to the programs they were supposed to support in 2003. The group evaluated the charities' tax returns on the basis of money spent on administrative costs and fund-raising versus the amount that actually went to those in need.
Steven Spielberg's (right) Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, for instance, scored only one star on a scale of zero to five. The foundation, which seeks to preserve Holocaust awareness, spent 30 cents of every dollar it raised on administration, roughly three times the industry average. It also managed to lose $6 million last year.
Another dismal performer is the one-star Gorilla Foundation, to which Robin Williams donates plenty of face time.
"He might want to know that they spend 45 cents of every dollar on fund-raising," Navigator executive director Trent Stamp tells PAGE SIX's Ian Spiegelman. "Everybody would like to save the gorillas - but not to pay for other fund-raisers."
Operation Smile, which provides reconstructive surgery to disfigured children in the Third World and counts Jessica Simpson among its boosters, also scored a lowly one star for spending 30 cents per dollar on fund-raising.
Two-star groups include the Christopher Reeve Foundation, Jimmy Carter's Habitat for Humanity, Greenpeace and Amnesty International.
Plenty of charities, however, scored high. The four-star Lance Armstrong Foundation spent only six cents on the dollar for administrative costs and raised $10 million to fight cancer - a more than 50 percent revenue jump from 2002.
The Bill Cosby-fronted V Foundation - named for late North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano - also scored four stars for giving 90 percent of the $4 million it raised last year to leukemia researchers.
Other winners include Muhammad Ali's American Parkinson's Disease Association, Mariah Carey's Fresh Air Fund, Laura Bush's National Childhood Cancer Foundation, Nelson Mandela's Africare, and Jerry Lewis' Muscular Dystrophy Foundation.
QUOTE (princess @ May 30 2004, 09:25 AM)
Two-star groups include the Christopher Reeve Foundation, Jimmy Carter's Habitat for Humanity, Greenpeace and Amnesty International.
This is disappointing to me. I would have expected them to rate higher.
Good for Lance Armstrong.
people.com
OFFERED: Just a little bit of cash can win you fans a lunch date in Germany with Tom Cruise and a visit to the Mission: Impossible 3, Charlize Theron's The Italian Job red Mini-Cooper, set visits to CSI and Six Feet Under, and a kiss from Sharon Stone. It's all part of a celebrity auction to raise money for Project Angel Food, which delivers free meals to disabled people in Los Angeles. The bidding, conducted by the auction house Bonhams and Butterfields (see its Web site to participate), began Sunday. Bidding for the Cruise lunch starts at $12,500.
OFFERED: Just a little bit of cash can win you fans a lunch date in Germany with Tom Cruise and a visit to the Mission: Impossible 3, Charlize Theron's The Italian Job red Mini-Cooper, set visits to CSI and Six Feet Under, and a kiss from Sharon Stone. It's all part of a celebrity auction to raise money for Project Angel Food, which delivers free meals to disabled people in Los Angeles. The bidding, conducted by the auction house Bonhams and Butterfields (see its Web site to participate), began Sunday. Bidding for the Cruise lunch starts at $12,500.
people.com
FETCHED: Some 421 items up for auction from the Barbra Streisand collection fetched an estimated $600,000, Darren Julien of Julien Entertainment, which organized the event (to benefit Streisand's charitable foundation), tells the Associated Press. A North Carolina dentist offered $23,000 for a satin shirt that the star wore on The Judy Garland Show in 1963, but was outbid by an Internet buyer. Still, the good doc reportedly went home with a rhinestone-covered gold silk and chiffon gown Streisand wore to the 1968 premiere of Funny Girl. Price: $5,250.
FETCHED: Some 421 items up for auction from the Barbra Streisand collection fetched an estimated $600,000, Darren Julien of Julien Entertainment, which organized the event (to benefit Streisand's charitable foundation), tells the Associated Press. A North Carolina dentist offered $23,000 for a satin shirt that the star wore on The Judy Garland Show in 1963, but was outbid by an Internet buyer. Still, the good doc reportedly went home with a rhinestone-covered gold silk and chiffon gown Streisand wore to the 1968 premiere of Funny Girl. Price: $5,250.
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