Posts Tagged ‘Idol Gives Back’

Snoop Dogg Is a Giving Gangsta

April 7th, 2008

At Sunday night’s, Idol Gives Back taping, OK! caught up with the big dog himself, rap legend Snoop Dogg, who either hasn’t been watching this season of American Idol, or is being very political when it comes to saying who will win this year.

"The one who can sing!" the rapper joked to OK!. Meanwhile, the rapper turned reality star admits that, aside from bringing attention to his teen basketball program, the main reason he showed up was because his kids are big Hannah Montana fans. "My daughter thinks Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana are really two different people," he admitted. "She took a picture with her and I said ‘Who are you taking a picture with?’ She said ‘Miley Cyrus.’ I said, ‘Where’s Hannah Montana?’ and she said, ‘She’s not here yet!’"

And while the rapper has always had a rough edge to him, he doesn’t worry that turning out for a high-profile celebrity charity event will do anything to harm that reputation. "This is beautiful," Snoop explained. "How could it hurt my reputation? We need to represent positivity, we need to give back and that’s what I’m trying to do here."

For the hip-hop star, this wisdom has come with age. "You get a little older, you get a little wiser and you don’t worry about your image anymore," says Snoop. "Your image is something that people buy into. This is reality right here."

By Katie Christopher

Miley Cyrus: “I’ve Never Watched American Idol”

April 7th, 2008

While millions of viewers tune in faithfully week after week to American Idol — and many millions have at least caught a handful of episodes — teen superstar Miley Cyrus tells OK! that she’s not one of them.

"I’ve never seen a single episode… ever," the Hannah Montana star confessed to OK!, ironically at Sunday night’s taping for the second annual Idol Gives Back special, which features Miley performing two songs for the audience. "I think it’s something you have to really get into from the beginning and I just don’t have time!"

However, there has been one reality show the busy 15-year-old was able to make time for. "I did vote for Dancing With the Stars," she tells OK!. Of course, her father, country superstar Billy Ray Cyrus, was competing at the time.

Even though Miley isn’t exactly familiar with the goings-on on AI, she did give her all for the Idol Gives Back broadcast, which features the singer and actress pleading for fans to lend a helping hand to the underprivileged children in the American heartland.

"My parents are from Kentucky so I’ve seen [children in need] my whole life," she explained to OK! about her work with the program. "I never got a chance to go there and really show the world what’s there though — that’s what the difference is. I think so many people go, well, this is America, that doesn’t exist. But it does exist. It’s something that gets overlooked."

And while Miley supports charities to help those in need overseas, she wants to remind her legions of fans, "There’s something you can do right here. You don’t have to travel all around the world to make a difference. You can do something in your own town, your own backyard."

To catch the charitable side of Miley, tune in to Fox on Wednesday night for Idol Gives Back.

By Katie Christopher

Brad Gives Back!

April 7th, 2008

It was a night with no shortage of celebrities, including Miley Cyrus, Carrie Underwood, Robin Williams, Snoop Dogg, Fergie and many others, but the biggest treat for the audience at Sunday night’s taping for American Idol’s second annual Idol Gives Back broadcast was none other than Brad Pitt himself.

Though Brad’s involvement with the special, which seeks to use the hit show’s unmatched popularity to highlight and raise money for good causes around the world, had been announced at the beginning of the season, many had assumed his segment would be pre-taped and that he would not appear in person.

But, following a video clip of the Fight Club star touring the hurricane-devastated areas in and around New Orleans and talking to the children of displaced families in the area, the hunky star walked onto the stage of Hollywood’s Kodak Theater.

"The crowd went wild!" one audience member tells OK!. "The noise was deafening."

And even though the screaming fans began to quiet down after Angelina Jolie’s baby-daddy gestured for everyone to calm down, you still couldn’t hear him — but only because his microphone wasn’t working!

This little tech snafu, which witnesses tell OK! had also happened earlier in the evening to fellow celeb guest Reese Witherspoon, was quickly remedied. And it even gave Idol’s stage manager, Debbie Williams, an opportunity of a lifetime. "I just needed a reason to touch him," she joked to the audience.

The father-to-be’s appearance on the Idol stage was brief, but he did take the time to thank the fans before he introduced a video of former Idol finalist Chris Daughtry visiting the African nation of Uganda.

"Brad actually seemed quite shy," one audience member tells OK! about the superstar’s cameo appearance.

Judge for yourself when Idol Gives Back airs Wednesday night on Fox.

By Carole Glines

OK! Exclusive: Elliot Yamin

March 7th, 2008

Before he made it onto American Idol, Elliot Yamin had barely ever left Los Angeles. Two years later, he hardly seems to be in the U.S. for two minutes at a time.

 

Virtually the moment the Season Five runner-up come home from entertaining troops at military bases in Europe, he was boarding a flight to Africa. Elliot is visiting Angola with Season Three winner Fantasia Barrino to make a film for the second "Idol Gives Back" show but managed to take some time to talk to OK! about his experience in the poverty-stricken nation.

The film is being made "to show how that $75 million dollars they raised last year is being used for things like health clinics, malaria bednets and medication and so forth," he reveals. "Just to get a chance to be a part of that and make a difference is going to be another eye-opening experience for me, help keep me grounded and show just how lucky we are as human beings to live here in America."

Last year was a truly lucky one for Elliot, 29. His single “Wait for You” was a huge hit, and the self-titled album it was cut from went gold in October. But he’s just one of the Season Five veterans to hit the big-time. When he won his place in the final three, he knocked Chris Daughty out of the competiton, but now Elliot’s psyched that his onetime rival is blowing up, too.

"I think it’s awesome," he says. "I think it’s another testament toward the validity of the show. I couldn’t be more proud." He adds that Chris deserves his success all the more because he has slaved over his music ever since he was dropped from the show, even missing out on the wild times during the post-season American Idol tour to work on his album.

 

"It was a whirlwind experience, none of us had toured like that. And me, I had never really traveled. We really soaked it all in, enjoyed every second of it. We would go out and party and had a great time. That dude would never be around with us. I know he enjoyed it, but he was working his ass off writing and recording that record that’s sold millions thus far," he says. "Just shows you what hard work does for you, and I’m just glad to see him blowing up and kicking ass."

On his own music front, Elliot remains focused, having "already broken ground" on his follow-up album (he’s planning for a summer release), but he’ll always make time to follow his philanthropic side. Along with entertaining troops and "Idol Gives Back," Elliot, a type 1 diabetic, continues his campaign against the illness and recently opened the Johnson and Johnson Diabetes Institute in California.

 

"Over the past years I’ve been working very close with them, being a spokesperson, programs that they sponsored. It’s great for me to share my perspective from a patient standpoint. I’m doing what I can to help find a cure for it. Me being a member of that society, I know what a difference these programs and institutions make."

“Idol Gives Back” airs Wednesday, April 9, on Fox.

“Idol Gives Back” Returns With Big Name Celebs

March 3rd, 2008 / Author: cwillett

Where can you see U2’s Bono, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, Eli Manning and other big name stars all in the same place? On the special episode of American Idol, called Idol Gives Back! The fundraiser returns for a second year and is boasting a new star lineup from Oscar winners to music legends.

Set to appear are: Bono, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Eli and Peyton Manning, Fergie, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Annie Lennox, John Legend and Snoop Dogg.

 

Last season, "Idol Gives Back" raised $76 million — and won the prestigious Governors Award Emmy. This year, the musical benefit will raise funds for U.S. charities that work with underprivileged children.

 

Idol Gives Back airs Wednesday, April 9 on FOX.

 

 

Idol Pitt Stop

March 3rd, 2008

No one likes to be out-done by his partner. And your other half’s a UN Goodwill Ambassador, you especially can’t miss an oppurtunity to do your bit for a good cause, so Brad Pitt will be joining an all-star line up when Idol Gives Back  returns next month.

Bono will be back again for his second year helping out, as will Idol alums Chris Daughtry and Carrie Underwood. Making their debuts in the night of skits, performances and visits to deprived areas will be Reese Witherspoon, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Fergie, Annie Lennox, John Legend and Snoop Dogg.

Organizers including Simon Cowell and Idol creator Simon Fuller decided to bring the event back after last year’s two-part special raised $76million in donations for children in the U.S. and Africa. The money paid for food as well as programs to improve the health and literacy of some of the poorest children in American and Africa. "This year’s event will be bigger and more ambitious than ever," says an Idol rep. Brad will make sure of that.

Don’t miss “Idol Gives Back” on Wednesday, April 9, 8 PM on Fox.