Stars Concert To Support The Red Cross

[elizabethann]

Is anybody watching the show right now? Did you see that guy that was with Austin Powers (I think his name is Mike Myers)? He said "George Bush hates black people". I don't think that comment was in the script. You should have seen Mike Myers face!

[jennifert9]

Yes. That was Kanye West. I don't think anything he said was scripted.
However, I have to say, he is the first celebrity that I have seen so far say anything about giving some of his own money...He said he has asked his business manager to let him know the maximum he can give and still meet his own obligations.
I'm sure other celebrities are giving also but this is insane.....!!!
This is America...! We are RICH....why are these people suffering in our own backyard? It's so upsetting to me.
Trisha Yearwood was on the Today show this am and she said "What can we do? We're singers, we can raise money." I felt like screaming at the TV..."You can give 1/2 of the money you paid for your dress and that will pay for 12 mobile homes for these people to live in!! You have 2 arms and 2 legs. Go hand out water and food!!!!"
Unlike the majority of us who are just getting by and have 9 to 5 jobs that we HAVE to go to every day to feed our families, these celebrities should ALL be down there...
I wish the world would just stop for a week so we can ALL go down and help....It should not be this hard in the United States of America....It doesn't have to be this way....Ugh, I will get off my soapbox now....I am just so upset and feel so helpless....

[elizabethann]

Well said....sometimes you just got to get it off your chest.

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by elizabethann
Is anybody watching the show right now? Did you see that guy that was with Austin Powers (I think his name is Mike Myers)? He said "George Bush hates black people".

what a great guy!

To use your fame to make a inflammatory statement like that!

what an effing moron....We try to move ahead in the world and you get some jerk that sets up back a few decades.

Bravo!!!!!

Since I have no brains that means I can act too!!

[Daisy and Delilah]

jennifert9: I watched the show and I made a phone call to donate what I could. I couldn't give alot but if everybody would donate $1 or $5(or whatever we can), we can help alot of people. Small amounts add up to big amounts.
Bravo for you!! What you said here needed to be said. We small people do what we can do and sit in their homes helpless, in tears, and very worried about the outcome of this situation. We are a very rich country. Entertainers and sports figures are paid exorbitant amounts of money for their talent and it's business as usual. Most people have just turned their heads at the staggering numbers of people starving in our back yards every day(prior to Katrina). The time has come, that this should't be happening anymore. I can only hope that the rich and powerful in this country will get out there on the front lines and start distributing food, water, toiletries, and cash. There's no time left for just speculating about it. We all have to come to the aid of these people. I believe it's due time for people like the Wal-Mart execs to be heard. How about these people finding makeshift housing for these displaced people!! Has anyone heard of offers from that company? President Bush should declare Monday or Tuesday as a National Day of Mourning in my opinion. I realize Monday is a holiday but who feels like celebrating anyway when our neighbors are dieing and starving? I usually don't get involved too much in these discussions but I'm just plain sick over what I see(as are all of us). I'm just begging for those people to step up now that are able to do so. Oh how I wish we could all go there and help too.

Terry

[jennifert9]

Thank you Terry. It is comforting to know that others feel the same frustration and helplessness that I do...
I have spoken to people here and there (I am in a new town and don't know anyone) but I have talked to people at the pool in our complex (how extraneous does that sound...?! a pool? I was AT the pool, while these people suffered? See what I mean!? I can't even justify my own actions....it's so bad...) Anyway, I have spoken to people and everyone commisserates, but if I am at Walmart shopping and they are too, that 9 times out of 10, implies that they also, are just trying to get by in life....we're not talking about people that can AFFORD to give a paycheck or 3 weeks of their lives to help. Not that they don't WANT to, they just can't. There are people who can however. Are they so removed from the suffering in their own backyard? Or are they helping and we just don't hear about it? If I was a rich person.....(Don't we all say that!!) I would set up homes for these families....anything would be fine at this point I am sure....A mobile home park in a farmer's field in Texas would be heaven for these folks....I cannot understand why the rest of the world is not reacting the way I am?!! Perhaps they are and I just don't see it...I hope that is the case.....

[RICHARD]

I just saw the film clip.


'The army has been given permission to shoot us???'

WTF? is he a looter or is he making the accusation that only blacks were looting??

I did some cop grab a white guy by the collar and almost throttle him..



I have to laugh----You have to laugh at an effing bigot.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hmmm, let's make this fundraiser a political and racial forum.

[ChrisH]

With the Gulf Coast crisis continuing to mount, the American Red Cross has received $1 million donations from Nicolas Cage, Celine Dion, and similar pledges from Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jay-Z.

http://people.aol.com/people/article...100406,00.html

I am certain there are many, many more of the famous and/or wealthy people in America, and elsewhere, who have, along with 'ordinary' people, quietly donated or helped in some other way too.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Thank God for the celebrities that have already kicked in their time, money, and talent. There are a fairly large amount of them that have significantly offered support. I'm confident that most of them will contribute substantially before much more time has passed. This won't alter our frustrations however. I think we all have those "guilt" feelings that haunt us every time we watch tv. As a lady said on tv a few days ago, "It's not about black and white, it's about people". I couldn't agree more. It's so unfortunate that certain people have turned this into a racial disaster. We don't need a black person screaming "racial" when there are already enough problems in that respect. After the comment that Kanye West made last night, I suppose we'll hear today what the repercussions were on that situation. I'll just keep praying that this all works out for anyone and everyone involved in this horrifying ordeal. I'm even optimistic that some of these people will find that this has been a blessing in disguise in some wonderful way.

Terry

[sirrahbed]

The posts here have been very heartfelt and I read through this thread shaking my head in agreement. I did not watch the concert but just saw portions of it on the news this morning.

Celebrity status is such a curious thing - and we are fascinated by them - but I see benefits and always wonder if the money spent to produce these things is worth it? I mean - how about just donating the money they spent to fly to the location, to stay in nice motels, etc and the cost of the clothing, etc.

But I also think the celebrities are also people just like us and are crying and doing what they can privately. Some may be so above the real world I don't know. I remember looking through a People magazine and thinking that the cost of the ring that Paris Hilton has sure would go a long way towards feeding and sheltering hungry people.

It was encouaging to read that link that ChrisH posted. It made me feel better to read about these stars actually donating and not just performing somewhere to raise money though I know that concerts and the like DO raise money.

I have also been hearing about the Labor Day telethon being done by Jerry Lewis and I know that his annual televison event always makes lots of money - he will be sharing the money raised between the usual Muscular Dystrophy AND the hurricane victims. This makes me feel pretty good. He does this solely to raise money and not as publicity. Tony Orlando is part of it also - the guy who sang that "Yellow Ribbon" song years ago that still inspires those ribbons today.

OK - I am just putting out my thoughts also. Watching the news clip with Kanye West abusing his platform to say the things he did - made me just want to cry