Friday, January 15, 2010

Clooney Organizing "Hope For Haiti" TV Telethon

If people can afford to blow a wad of dough on shooter video games like "Call Of Duty" and nod off into dreamworld with "Avatar", both achieving $1 billion in sales within weeks of release, the world can be challenged to raise a billion dollars for Haiti, with more than 50,000 people confirmed dead in the Caribbean country.

MTV Networks, is working with actor/activist George Clooney to organize a massive "Hope For Haiti" telethon, airing Jan. 22 on all MTV Networks, including VH1, Comedy Central and CMT, as well as on ABC, NBC, HBO and CNN.

Charities working in Haiti say there is a need for food, water, medical supplies and shelters for millions left homeless by the quake.

According to Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, 1,415 Canadians are still missing in the affected area.

Clooney will host from Los Angeles, joined by Wyclef Jean, from New York City and CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, from Haiti.

All funds raised will be split evenly between five organizations working to help victims: Oxfam America, Partners in Health, the Red Cross, UNICEF, and Wyclef’s Yele Haiti Foundation.