With tens of thousands feared dead after the huge Haiti earthquake, celebrities are stepping up in efforts to get charitable donations in the race to save thousands of lives. Hollywood Reporter columnist Roger Friedman spoke with George Clooney who told me last night at a private reception for his movie “Up in the Air,” that he is is planning to host a telethon to raise money for the people of Haiti next Friday on all the MTV channels. Clooney is putting out the call today to all his celebrity friends and performers to participate from both coasts on Friday, January 22nd — and he’s gotten MTV’s Judy McGrath to agree to air the show. No doubt there will be plenty of celebrities that will drop everything for this telethon, as many are already stepping up to help. Doctors Without Borders has announced that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were contributing one million dollars to the organizations emergency medical operations responding to the earthquake. Haitian bornRap star Wyclef Jean who has already flown home, is taking the lead in asking for help for the millions of people affected by the massive earthquake that struck Hait.The former The Fugees star Tweeted: “Your money will help with relief efforts. They need our help – please help if you can. Pray for the people of Haiti [and] me please.”brought to attention the seriousness of the situation in the Caribbean state hit with 7.0-magnitude quake.Since then, other celebrities have taken to Twitter to spread Jean’s message and to get people to donate to Jean’s nonprofit Yele Haiti Foundation and other assistance programs.“Anyone that may be listening’s attention. Call 1884074747 State Dept for Haitian Relief Please help them….. I know I will as much as I can,” Lindsay Lohan tweeted. “Yele Haiti now for the disaster. Please do all that you can.”
Adam Lambert did his part to spread the word about UNICEF’s campaign to help. “Please, everyone donate even the smallest of what you can,” he wrote. “We are so fortunate. Let us give where truly needed.”
Ben Stiller also tweeted his support, writing, “People in Haiti need our help and attention right now.”
