Celebrities contribute to Katrina relief
Published: Wednesday, September 7, 2005Updated: Saturday, September 10, 2005 (Travolta, Preston, Moore, Stones, Three Doors Down, Johnson, Smith)
After Hurricane Katrina passed across the United States, various artists and media stars have leapt at a call to action.
John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston flew his private plane to deliver a load of supplies and tetanus vaccine to Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Part of a Scientology project which has been using their non-massage "assists", in an interview Preston mentioned that "auditing" had also been performed on victims.
Kevin Smith is holding an online auction on his Web site.
Sean Penn actually went to Louisiana. After loading down a small boat with his entourage, it was discovered one of them had neglected to seal a hole in the bottom. Penn was wearing a white vest rather than a life vest while bailing. After the motor wouldn't start, the crew paddled down a flooded New Orleans street. Bystanders jeered at whether any victims could fit aboard the crowded craft. No report on rescue stunts. Local authorities had previously been criticized for not allowing volunteer boaters in to help.
Morgan Freeman, whose home fared well, is organizing an online auction of celebrity items at charityfolks.com, to benefit the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Curt Schilling opened his home to a family of nine driven out of their New Orleans home. The Schilling family will provide housing for the Fields for a year while their home in New Orleans is rebuilt and repaired.
Some celebrities "graced" disaster zones with their presence in the days following Katrina.
Singer Macy Gray and television personality Phil McGraw visited Houston's Astrodome.
Celebrities visiting New Orleans include Michael Moore (opposite side of lake), singer Harry Connick, Jr., CNN's Anderson Cooper, actor Jamie Foxx, singer Faith Hill, actor Matthew McConaughey, singer Lisa Marie Presley, comedian Chris Rock, and The Oprah Winfrey Show contributor Lisa Ling and interior decorator Nate Berkus.
Oprah Winfrey visited New Orleans, Houston, and Mississippi.
Donations with press releases
| Personality | Contributions | Beneficiary |
|---|---|---|
| Jerry Lewis | Half of Monday telethon | Salvation Army |
| Shelter From the Storm (US TV networks) | Friday telethon | |
| BET Relief Telethon | Friday BET telethon | National Urban League and the American Red Cross |
| MTV ReAct Now | Saturday MTV telethon | several |
| Dave Matthews Band | Sept 12 concert Red Rocks Amphitheatre |
|
| Grand Ole Opry Country Reaches Out | Sept 27 telethon | |
| Serena Williams | $100 for every ace she hits on the tennis court | |
| Jay Leno | celebrity motorcycle auction | |
| Barry Manilow | matching contributions manilowfund.com |
Red Cross |
| David Banner | Sept. 17 benefit concert in Atlanta | |
| Lance Armstrong | $500,000 | Affected cancer survivors. |
| Nicolas Cage | $1 million | Red Cross |
| George Clooney | $1 million | United Way |
| Ellen DeGeneres | $500,000 + donations | |
| Celine Dion | $1 million | Red Cross |
| Hilary Duff | $250,000 | Red Cross & USA Harvest |
| Michael Jackson | charity single | |
| Jay-Z and Diddy | $1 million | Red Cross |
| Magic Johnson | jobs | |
| Ludacris | $100,000 | |
| The Rolling Stones | $1 million | Red Cross |
| Steven Spielberg | $1.5 million | American Red Cross and Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund |
| Three Doors Down | $300,000 | Better Life Foundation |
Celebrities in the storm
Singer Fats Domino was missing during the New Orleans flood but has since reached safety.
Celebrities out of the storm
New Orleans residents who were out of town during the Hurricane included:
- Juvenile, who left New Orleans before the storm.
- Dave Pirner, who was visiting his Minneapolis hometown.
- Master P, whose family members are missing.
- The Neville Brothers have relocated to Round Rock, Texas.
Sources
- AFP. "Penn's rescue attempt springs a leak" — Sydney Morning Herald, September 5, 2005
- Joanna Wypior. "Hollywood Stars Auction Items For Hurricane Relief" — All Headline News, September 4, 2005
- "Big stars, big hearts" — Star-Telegram (Dallas-Fort Worth), September 4, 2005
- Jake Coyle and Nekesa Mumbi Moody. "Katrina's fury gives celebrities no quarter" — [[w:Florida Today/AP|Florida Today/AP]], September 3, 2005
- "R&B and Soul legends, New Orleans and something called Katrina" — Euskal Irrati Telebista, September 3, 2005
- Suzanne Condie Lambert. "Stars open wallets for Katrina victims" — The Arizona Republic, September 2, 2005
- Canadian Press. "Celebs pledge money and time to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts" — NATIONAL POST, September 6, 2005
- AP. "Schillings care for New Orleans family" — St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 6, 2005
- "Give 'em shelter: Stones offer $1M" — NY Daily News, September 9, 2005
- "Celebrity Katrina Benefits" — Montgomery Advertiser, September 9, 2005
- AP. "Celebs pledge help to Katrina victims" — Mercury News, September 9, 2005
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