The Shelter from the Storm telethon monopolized the first hour of prime time tonight. The six broadcast networks presented the one-hour, commercial-free simulcast.
It was also carried live on ABC Family, Black Family Channel, Bravo, E!, Fox Reality, FSN Ohio, FSN South, FSN West, FX, G4 Media, Ovation, Oxygen, PAX, PBS, SOAPnet, TBS, Tennis Channel, Trio, TV Guide Channel, TV One, USA Network and WGN.
Internationally, the special was scheduled to be broadcast in at least 95 countries on programming services in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and virtually all of Asia and the Middle East.
Joel Gallen, the producer of the "America: A Tribute to Heroes" telethon, which raised funds after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in September 2001, was the executive producer for the special.
In a telephone conference on Thursday, Gallen said, "People know that politicizing will certainly not be a smart thing to do, as far as inspiring people to want to call in and rally around this cause. It is not a concern."
He said there would be a normal time delay to allow for bleeping obscenities.
Obviously, the intent of the simulcast was to raise funds for the Red Cross and the Salvation Army's Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, not push a political agenda.
Unfortunately, Chris Rock was looking to stir things up just a bit, seizing the opportunity to make the event about himself.
He started his segment with this:
"George Bush hates midgets."
Rock clearly wanted to put the spotlight on himself rather than the victims. He wanted to make a headline.
It was a cheap, sleazy move.
Jack Black talked about channeling all the anger people felt last week, over the suffering that the victims were forced to endure, into contributions.
His statement wasn't overtly political, but it was a little edgy. He chose to speak about the negative rather than keep the focus solely on doing something positive. Too bad.
Kanye West performed "Jesus Walks."
Whatever.
The behavior of these spoiled, self-absorbed celebrities is sometimes more than I can bear.
Morgan Freeman was all class. He made an impassioned statement about healing.
If only all of the concert's participants could have been more like him.
Friday, September 9, 2005
GIMME SHELTER
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6 comments:
I didn't watch it. I had heard that ABC wasn't going to censor the comments made except for obscenities.
I figured it would take all of 5 minutes before one of the Bush hating moonbats would spew anti Bush hatred.
There are much better choices for viewing than that. Like the real estate channel or the all infomercial all the time channel.
Hollywood is so left that they can't put aside hatred even to be an American. I watched a few minutes and even having been a Salvation Army volunteer and served in 14 hurricanes, several tornadoes and 2 floods could not stomach the lefties as they were more self absorbed than interested in raising funds in a heartfelt manner for the victims of Katrina. That is why the left just doesn't get it. When you give, you give in humility not to stress a political agenda nor to spot light ones self! Thanks for a good and honest eveluation of tonights concert. Thank God those who recieve the donations will use them correctly even if in many ways it was raised for more selfish reasons!
Ken Taylor
I came home expecting to watch some WWE Smackdown (don't laugh!) and Battlestar Galactica....but it seems that concert pre-empted rasslin'; and I understand ABC 20/20 has Colin Powell interviewed by Barbara Walters tonight.
Well...at least they are raising money.
To me, the whole thing seemed kind of pointless.
http://philanthropy.com/free/
update/2005/09/2005090801.htm
Americans have contributed at least $670-million to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The pace of giving is unprecedented in American history. In the 10 days after the 2001 terrorist attacks, Americans donated $239-million to charitable causes, and in the nine days after the tsunamis hit, major American relief groups raised $163-million.
I think any money raised because of the telethon is great.
If the celebrities think that people are donating because of their star power, they're nuts.
Most Americans have donated because they want to help, not because of some concert.
When you put it like that...I think you're right.
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