The Emmy landscape has changed drastically in the past two decades. Going in to the 54th Emmy Awards, which took place on Sept. 22, 2002, it was a broadcast network — NBC — that led the nominations with 47. Emmy powerhouse HBO came in second with 38. FX and VH1 earned their first nominations while the first major streaming series, Netflix’s “House of Cards,” was still 11 years away. Several of this year’s contenders for Emmy gold were either nominated or won 20 years ago.
Laura Linney, who has been nominated nine times and won four statuettes, is nominated this year for her lead role in the final season of Netflix’s “Ozark” and as co-executive producer of this drama series contender. Two decades ago, she won her first Emmy for her lead role in the Showtime telefilm “Wild Iris.”
HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm, which has been nominated 51 times and has won two Emmys, is...
Laura Linney, who has been nominated nine times and won four statuettes, is nominated this year for her lead role in the final season of Netflix’s “Ozark” and as co-executive producer of this drama series contender. Two decades ago, she won her first Emmy for her lead role in the Showtime telefilm “Wild Iris.”
HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm, which has been nominated 51 times and has won two Emmys, is...
- 8/22/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Brad Pitt uses his power for good. The A-lister could easily hang his hat on a cavalcade of franchise films and call it a day. Instead, he throws himself on the occasional blockbuster sword (see: Troy" or "World War Z") for the cred to make movies that strive for something beyond pure entertainment. His Plan B Entertainment, run by Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner, has produced a number of highly acclaimed films over the years, including "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," "The Tree of Life," "Moneyball," the Best Picture-winning "12 Years a Slave," HBO's "The Normal Heart" and next year's "True Story." This December will see the release of Plan B's "Selma," which prompted the PGA to pay its respects to Pitt’s company in the form of the organization’s Visionary Award. The Producers Guild Visionary Award recognizes "television, film or new media...
- 12/22/2014
- by Matt Patches
- Hitfix
Stand Up to Cancer, a bi-annual special that has raised more than $260 million for cancer research, will return on Friday, Sept. 5, at 8/7c via ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and 26 other channels simultaneously.
The special features performances from music, film and TV stars. Gwyneth Paltrow and Joel Gallen (America: A Tribute to Heroes) will return as executive producers. The goal: To build public support for new cancer research and promising new treatments.
Read More >...
The special features performances from music, film and TV stars. Gwyneth Paltrow and Joel Gallen (America: A Tribute to Heroes) will return as executive producers. The goal: To build public support for new cancer research and promising new treatments.
Read More >...
- 7/9/2014
- by Michael Schneider
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Not too long ago, we were all living in the New Millennium, less affectionately known as the age of Y2K. Or if you want to be technical about it, it was the first decade of the 21st century. And during those 10 years, pop culture thrived. Not only did Nipplegate change the way we looked at Super Bowl halftime shows, but things like Laguna Beach made us rethink “reality,” Heath Ledger’s performance in The Dark Knight redefined the term “Oscar-worthy,” and Glee revived the television musical.
So with VH1′s I Love the 2000s wrapping up tonight, we thought...
So with VH1′s I Love the 2000s wrapping up tonight, we thought...
- 6/21/2014
- by Samantha Highfill
- EW.com - PopWatch
Founder and CEO of Illumination Entertainment, Chris Meledandri. Photo Credit: Suzanne Hanover © 2013 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today that Chris Meledandri, Founder and CEO of Illumination Entertainment, will receive the 2014 Visionary Award. The award will be presented to Meledandri at the 25th Anniversary Producers Guild Awards ceremony on Sunday, January 19, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
The Producers Guild Visionary Award recognizes a television, film or new media producer for his or her unique or uplifting contributions to our culture through inspiring storytelling or performance.
Meledandri is being recognized with the Visionary Award as one of the definitive producers of contemporary animation. He receives this award just as the latest blockbuster hit that he has produced, Universal and Illumination’s Despicable Me 2, becomes the 5th highest-grossing animated film of all time worldwide at the global box office.
“I have spent my career working alongside brilliant,...
The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today that Chris Meledandri, Founder and CEO of Illumination Entertainment, will receive the 2014 Visionary Award. The award will be presented to Meledandri at the 25th Anniversary Producers Guild Awards ceremony on Sunday, January 19, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
The Producers Guild Visionary Award recognizes a television, film or new media producer for his or her unique or uplifting contributions to our culture through inspiring storytelling or performance.
Meledandri is being recognized with the Visionary Award as one of the definitive producers of contemporary animation. He receives this award just as the latest blockbuster hit that he has produced, Universal and Illumination’s Despicable Me 2, becomes the 5th highest-grossing animated film of all time worldwide at the global box office.
“I have spent my career working alongside brilliant,...
- 10/28/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Just as with Ben Affleck on the feature film side, three actors turned TV helmers reaped bids from the Directors Guild of America Wednesday. Louis C.K. contends for directing the "New Year's Eve" episode of his FX laffer "Louie"; Lena Dunham is up for the pilot of her HBO series "Girls"; and three-time Emmy winner Bryan Cranston landed a nod for overseeing "Election Day" on "Modern Family." -Insertgroups:12- The other laffmeisters in the mix are Mark Cendrowski for "The Date Night Variable" episode of "The Big Bang Theory" and Beth McCarthy-Miller, who handled the "Live From Studio 6H" episode of "30 Rock." McCarthy-Miller is a two-time DGA champ for overseeing live programs "America: A Tribute to Heroes" and "Saturday Night Live." On the drama front, "Homeland" picked up two bids for returning nominees: Lesli Lin...
- 1/9/2013
- Gold Derby
When the Concert for Sandy Relief was announced and its lineup began to build -- then bulge -- with superstar acts, it was tempting to think back to the post-9/11 telethon America: A Tribute to Heroes. Big names performed live and raised lots of money at both, but Wednesday's mega-concert was a different beast entirely. It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, to be sure: Along with the obvious difference of this show playing out in front of an audience -- a packed arena, at that -- and was distributed around the world, it became apparent early on that the 121212 extravaganza's tone would
read more...
read more...
- 12/12/2012
- by Erik Pedersen
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Phil Rosenthal, David Wild To Pen 2012 Environmental Media Awards The Environmental Media Association says Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal and TV writer David Wild will team up to pen the 22nd annual Environmental Media Awards. The pair first worked together on America: A Tribute To Heroes telethon in 2001. Wild’s TV writing credits include the Grammy Awards and The Primetime Emmy Awards. Rosenthal directed and stars in the feature documentary Exporting Raymond. The awards will be held September 29 at Warner Bros Studios in Burbank. Russell Brand, Christopher Eccleston Sue Over Phone-Hacking Russell Brand and Christopher Eccleston have added their names to the list of News Of The World litigants. News Corp’s News International, which published the now-defunct paper, is now facing about 174 invasion of privacy claims over alleged phone-hacking claims. Those cases are expected to go to trial next year, The Guardian reports. Along with the British actors,...
- 9/19/2012
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
"America: A Tribute to Heroes" was a two-hour primetime television special that aired on Sept. 21, 2001 -- 10 days after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and one week after the idea was first broached to producer Joel Gallen. The special, which aired simultaneously on the four major broadcast networks and on scores of other cable and international networks, featured performances by Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, U2, Paul Simon and 17 others, and short speeches by another two dozen celebrities, including Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Will...
- 9/9/2011
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The DGA revealed their nominees for the best direction of 2010 today and for the most part, they were pretty expected. Modern Family, Boardwalk Empire, and The Pacific all had multiple episodes/installments nominated in their respective categories, but joining them in being nominated (though not necessarily in the same category) were an episode from The Hills, an episode of Glee that wasn't received terribly well, and Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear. You can read the full list of nominees below in the press release.
Los Angeles – Directors Guild of America President Taylor Hackford today announced the DGA’s nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television and Commercials for the year 2010.
“Whether it’s a 30-second commercial or a multi-part miniseries, television directors are crucial to the success of any television project.” said Hackford. “As the DGA celebrates its 75th anniversary this year,...
Los Angeles – Directors Guild of America President Taylor Hackford today announced the DGA’s nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television and Commercials for the year 2010.
“Whether it’s a 30-second commercial or a multi-part miniseries, television directors are crucial to the success of any television project.” said Hackford. “As the DGA celebrates its 75th anniversary this year,...
- 1/11/2011
- by Shilo Adams
- TVovermind.com
hollywoodnews.com: Directors Guild of America President Taylor Hackford today announced the DGA’s nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television and Commercials for the year 2010.
‘Whether it’s a 30-second commercial or a multi-part miniseries, television directors are crucial to the success of any television project.’ said Hackford. ‘As the DGA celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, we salute the critical role of the director in TV and are proud to honor the tremendous range of excellence found in the projects nominated today. Congratulations to all of the nominees.’
The winners will be announced at the 63rd Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 29, 2011 at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles.
***
Movies For Television And Mini-series
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series for 2010 are (in alphabetical order):
Mick Jackson
Temple Grandin
(HBO...
‘Whether it’s a 30-second commercial or a multi-part miniseries, television directors are crucial to the success of any television project.’ said Hackford. ‘As the DGA celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, we salute the critical role of the director in TV and are proud to honor the tremendous range of excellence found in the projects nominated today. Congratulations to all of the nominees.’
The winners will be announced at the 63rd Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 29, 2011 at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles.
***
Movies For Television And Mini-series
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series for 2010 are (in alphabetical order):
Mick Jackson
Temple Grandin
(HBO...
- 1/11/2011
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
Hot off the success of the second cycle of NBC's reality series The Sing-Off, the show's executive producer Joel Gallen and his production company Tenth Planet Prods. have signed a one-year first look deal with Sony Pictures TV, the studio behind the singing competition. After 25 years of working in specials, including executive producing the last 7 Comedy Central Roasts, all 4 years of CNN Heroes, the MTV Movie Awards for 12 consecutive years from 1995 to 2006, George Clooney's Hope for Haiti telethon as well as the 2001 telethon America: a Tribute to Heroes, Gallen expended to series with MTV's reality show America's Best Dance Crew. Gallen and Tenth Planet are now heading into Season 6 of the dance show. "I'm excited to be entrenched in the series business after so many years of focusing on Specials," Wme-repped Gallen said. "I feel rejuvenated and look forward to developing and producing many more projects with Sony." He...
- 12/16/2010
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Three decades ago today, John Lennon was shot to death outside his home in New York's Dakota building, and in the time since, the world has changed immeasurably ... and not necessarily for the better.
And while fans can endlessly debate how things would've been different had Lennon lived, the iconic musician's most lasting contribution to the planet is his music — songs of hope and ideals, protest and prosperity that still contain the power to make us strive for a better tomorrow. As a testament to this, one of his best-known compositions — "Imagine" — has (and seemingly ever will be) one of the most covered songs on the planet, having been sung by everyone from David Bowie to, well, Will Farrell and Manny Pacquiao.
Over the past decade, the covers have kept rolling in. Some of them miss the mark (and the true spirit) of Lennon's original, piling on the histrionics and...
And while fans can endlessly debate how things would've been different had Lennon lived, the iconic musician's most lasting contribution to the planet is his music — songs of hope and ideals, protest and prosperity that still contain the power to make us strive for a better tomorrow. As a testament to this, one of his best-known compositions — "Imagine" — has (and seemingly ever will be) one of the most covered songs on the planet, having been sung by everyone from David Bowie to, well, Will Farrell and Manny Pacquiao.
Over the past decade, the covers have kept rolling in. Some of them miss the mark (and the true spirit) of Lennon's original, piling on the histrionics and...
- 12/8/2010
- by James Montgomery
- MTV Newsroom
Moments before he accepted the Television Academy's Bob Hope Humanitarian Award from his lovely friend and former hospital co-worker Julianna Margulies last night at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, George Clooney proved once and for all what a truly great humanitarian he is. Mr. Clooney did so by taking time off from saving the world and sleeping with the cast of Modern Family to personally tell me that he "really enjoys those Huffington Post playlists you do." Accordingly, I now demand that we give this saint his own very special Nobel Peace Prize for Playlist Appreciation. Seriously, it's been a profound -- for me -- honor to work alongside George, Joel Gallen and many other volunteers on America: A Tribute To Heroes and subsequent TV events like most recently, the Hope For Haiti Now telethon. I feel privileged to...
- 8/30/2010
- by David Wild
- Huffington Post
The 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards delivered a night of genuine surprises and evenly distributed accolades, with "Mad Men" coming out on top for the third consecutive year as Outstanding Drama Series -- and "Modern Family" out-dysfunctioning "Glee" for Outstanding Comedy Series. Read on for the recap! Get the complete list of Emmy winners Here! The big upset of the night truly was achieved by "Modern Family," as the momentum and popularity of "Glee" was expected by many to out-sing the competition, which included powerhouse "30 Rock," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Nurse Jackie" and "The Office." On the drama side, many may have hoped that "Lost" would win, given that that this year marked its swan song, but "Mad Men" still beat out the Oceanic castaways as well as "Dexter," "The Good Wife," "True Blood" and "Breaking Bad." "Breaking Bad" still had a good night, with Bryan Cranston celebrating his third consecutive Emmy...
- 8/30/2010
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
George Clooney will receive a special Emmy Award during the primetime telecast on Aug. 29. He'll be handed the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award to acknowledge his extensive charity work. Notes the TV academy's press release: "Whether it is his advocacy to stop genocide in Darfur, his subsequent founding of Not On Our Watch with Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and Jerry Weintraub to focus global attention and resources on preventing mass atrocities, or quickly mobilizing the entertainment industry for the 'America: A Tribute to Heroes' in the wake of 9/11, 'Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope' in 2005, and most recently, the 'Hope For Haiti Now' telethon, Clooney’s personal dedication to humanitarian concerns makes...
- 7/21/2010
- by tomoneil
- Gold Derby
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced today that it honor George Clooney with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at this year’s Emmys. The award will be presented for the first time in six years to Clooney on Aug. 29 during the live presentation on NBC.
The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award goes to someone whose humanitarian work has brought credit to the industry and has had a lasting impact on society. Other recipients include Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, and Danny Thomas. Clooney remains committed to increasing awareness of human rights issues around the globe, from his mission to stop genocide in Darfur,...
The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award goes to someone whose humanitarian work has brought credit to the industry and has had a lasting impact on society. Other recipients include Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, and Danny Thomas. Clooney remains committed to increasing awareness of human rights issues around the globe, from his mission to stop genocide in Darfur,...
- 7/21/2010
- by Lynette Rice
- EW - Inside Movies
Robert Redford, Sting, Cameron Diaz and Justin Bieber are among the stars lined up for Larry King telethon in aid of Bp oil spill victims
With more than 6,000 boats and almost 35,000 people already deployed in the Gulf of Mexico, an army of celebrity reinforcements last night hurled themselves at the rescue mission surrounding the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Household names ranging from elder statesmen of film and pop – Robert Redford and Sting – to teenage heartthrob Justin Bieber sprinkled their stardust over an otherwise relentlessly grim unfolding of the environmental tragedy in the gulf. They appeared in a two-hour telethon on the CNN show Larry King Live. King said the aim was to raise money and awareness for the Gulf coast people and wildlife worst hit by the disaster. "For those who have lost their livelihoods, for those who can't wait but need help right now."
Among those who answered his...
With more than 6,000 boats and almost 35,000 people already deployed in the Gulf of Mexico, an army of celebrity reinforcements last night hurled themselves at the rescue mission surrounding the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Household names ranging from elder statesmen of film and pop – Robert Redford and Sting – to teenage heartthrob Justin Bieber sprinkled their stardust over an otherwise relentlessly grim unfolding of the environmental tragedy in the gulf. They appeared in a two-hour telethon on the CNN show Larry King Live. King said the aim was to raise money and awareness for the Gulf coast people and wildlife worst hit by the disaster. "For those who have lost their livelihoods, for those who can't wait but need help right now."
Among those who answered his...
- 6/22/2010
- by Ed Pilkington
- The Guardian - Film News
Benefits for Hurricane Katrina, 9/11 and the Asian tsunami similarly called on celebs to help raise money.
By Jayson Rodriguez
George Clooney
Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
George Clooney and Wyclef Jean have been burning the midnight oil, working furiously to raise funds and secure participants for the "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief" telethon, presented by MTV Networks on Friday at 8 p.m. Et/Pt.
The undertaking is expected to be one of the biggest charitable efforts ever. All proceeds from the telecast will be split among five relief organizations actively operating in Haiti: Oxfam America, Partners in Health, the Red Cross, Unicef and Wyclef's Yele Haiti foundation.
"Hope for Haiti" is the latest in a line of all-star charity events, following in the footsteps of the September 11 fundraiser "America: A Tribute to Heroes" and "Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast,...
By Jayson Rodriguez
George Clooney
Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
George Clooney and Wyclef Jean have been burning the midnight oil, working furiously to raise funds and secure participants for the "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief" telethon, presented by MTV Networks on Friday at 8 p.m. Et/Pt.
The undertaking is expected to be one of the biggest charitable efforts ever. All proceeds from the telecast will be split among five relief organizations actively operating in Haiti: Oxfam America, Partners in Health, the Red Cross, Unicef and Wyclef's Yele Haiti foundation.
"Hope for Haiti" is the latest in a line of all-star charity events, following in the footsteps of the September 11 fundraiser "America: A Tribute to Heroes" and "Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast,...
- 1/20/2010
- MTV Music News
In response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti that has killed up to tens of thousands of people, George Clooney and MTV Networks are organizing a megawatt line up of musicians, film and television stars for a national telethon looking to be successful in raising funds as previous disaster telethons have in the past. "He's been on the phone for three days straight with almost no sleep," Clooney's rep told People when he skipped the Critics' Choice Awards Friday in order to prepare for the Haiti telethon. "George knows how to do this well. It's his third one." The Up in the Air...
- 1/17/2010
- by Paul Chi and Elizabeth Leonard
- PEOPLE.com
Childhood Mariah Carey was born in Huntington, Long Island, New York on March 27, 1970. Mariah was born with music in her blood, her mother, Patricia Hickey, was an opera singer and vocal coach. Mariah’s father, Alfred Roy Carey, an aeronautical engineer, and at the age of three Carey’s parent got divorced. Mariah lived with her two siblings and mother in Greenlawn, New York. Mariah passion for singing began around the age of three when her mother began giving her vocal lessons. During high school Carey would work on her demo CD for local recording studios. After graduating and making a name for herself on the music scene in Long Island, Carey packed her bags and headed across the bridge to New York City. It was in 1988, when Carey met Columbia Record executive Tommy Mottola that she was given her big break. Music Mariah Carey is best known for her...
- 6/19/2008
- by rsw@corp.popstar.com (Robert Samuel White)
- PopStar
NEW YORK -- CNN has hired noted events producer-director Joel Gallen to lead its CNN Heroes awards fete, honoring ordinary people who do extraordinary things. It will be televised live worldwide Dec. 6.
The Emmy- and Peabody-winning Gallen produced and directed the musical telethon America: A Tribute to Heroes days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as well as Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and White House specials during the Clinton years.
"This is something that's important to CNN, and we feel it's important to those people we're going to showcase that we treat them with the class they deserve," CNN Worldwide president Jim Walton said. "We wanted to bring in a first-rate event producer, and that's Joel."
The CNN Heroes awards mark the extraordinary deeds done by regular people all around the world in areas like civil rights, health care and the environment. The telecast, set to air live at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec.
The Emmy- and Peabody-winning Gallen produced and directed the musical telethon America: A Tribute to Heroes days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as well as Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and White House specials during the Clinton years.
"This is something that's important to CNN, and we feel it's important to those people we're going to showcase that we treat them with the class they deserve," CNN Worldwide president Jim Walton said. "We wanted to bring in a first-rate event producer, and that's Joel."
The CNN Heroes awards mark the extraordinary deeds done by regular people all around the world in areas like civil rights, health care and the environment. The telecast, set to air live at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec.
- 7/12/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bruce Springsteen has reportedly split from his wife of 20 years, Patti Scialfa, and started a new relationship with a 9/11 widow. Friends of the rocker claim Springsteen and Scialfa have separated in secret, after he fell for a redhead he met when he organized September 11th telethon, America: A Tribute To Heroes. A source tells the New York Post newspaper, "They're separated, but everyone has been sworn to secrecy. We're not supposed to talk about it." Although Springsteen enjoyed a recent vacation with Scialfa and their three children, he has been spotted near his New Jersey home with the mystery woman. Scialfa's mother Victoria tells the newspaper, "I don't know anything about it; I don't want to talk about it." A rep for the singer has refused to comment.
- 8/25/2006
- WENN
Sheryl Crow, the Dixie Chicks, Randy Newman, Neil Young, Rod Stewart, Alicia Keys and Paul Simon are among the musicians who have committed to performing at Friday's "Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast" benefit organized by the major broadcast networks. The live, hourlong telecast will be carried commercial-free by more than two dozen other cable outlets as a simultaneous roadblock event to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina and to pay tribute to the rescue and recovery workers who have an arduous task ahead in cleaning up the devastated regions in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Cable networks confirmed to participate in the roadblock telecast include ABC Family, Bravo, E!, TBS, USA Network, FX and Oxygen. Jennifer Aniston, Ellen DeGeneres, Ray Romano, Jack Nicholson, Cameron Diaz, Sela Ward and Chris Rock are among the celebrities slated to appear on the telecast, to be executive produced by Joel Gallen, who directed many of the same artists four years ago when he exec produced the post-Sept. 11 America: A Tribute to Heroes telethon that was also roadblocked across dozens of media outlets.
As the magnitude of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina came into sharper focus Wednesday, top network executives hastily scheduled conference calls to organize a special to air across the six broadcast networks early next week as a fundraiser for hurricane victims in the hardest-hit Gulf Coast states. Sources said the broadcast networks are eyeing 8 p.m. Tuesday as the slot for an hourlong special that would air in "roadblock" fashion across the six broadcast networks and possibly additional cable channels. The television industry rallied in a similar way four years ago in the week after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with the America: A Tribute to Heroes telethon that generated nearly $130 million in pledges. Details of the Katrina program were sketchy late Wednesday. Sources said comedian and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres had been approached to participate in a significant way.
NEW YORK -- For the first time, ABC Sports will start off its NFL season with a league-sponsored entertainment extravaganza leading into the Thursday night season opener. Britney Spears, Aerosmith, Mary J Blige and Aretha Franklin are among those who will perform during NFL Kickoff Live on Sept. 4 on the National Mall in Washington before the New York Jets-Washington Redskins game. Pepsi Vanilla will sponsor the hour, which will be produced by Joel Gallen, who executive produced America: A Tribute to Heroes in September 2001. The show's theme is Operation Tribute to Freedom; it will have a military flavor and include 20,000 troops and their families attending the concert, ABC said. The network is recognizing the Defense Department's initiative that honors troops who have served in Iraq and the war on terrorism. Also, more than 800,000 members of the armed forces in 165 countries will be able to watch the event on American Armed Forces Radio and Television Service, ABC said. A year ago, when ESPN ran the Thursday night opener, the NFL kicked off the season with a late-afternoon concert by Bon Jovi from New York's Times Square. ESPN aired highlights of that show.
Muslim leaders across America are saluting Will Smith for embracing their religion after completing the Muhammad Ali biopic. Smith was introduced to the religion while learning about the legendary boxer's life - Islam is Ali's religion of choice. Friends close to Smith claim the megastar is now embracing the religion in his own life and is eager to learn more about it. Director of the American Muslim Association of North America, Sofian Zakkout says, "Muhammad Ali is one of the best examples of Muslims in this country. He's been a wonderful spokesperson for the religion and if Will Smith can continue Muhammad Ali's work that would be wonderful." He continues, "Islam is a peaceful religion and if good people such as Muhammad and Will can carry that message then it would be wonderful. It would be a positive message for peaceful Muslims all over the world." Smith appeared at the America: A Tribute To Heroes telethon in September alongside Ali, defending Islam in the wake of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
- 11/9/2001
- WENN
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