NEW YORK — With no words, simply photos of Haiti’s desperate citizens as a backdrop, the all-star, international “Hope for Haiti Now” telethon began Friday night as Alicia Keys called for the help of angels in somber song.
“Can you send me an angel to guide me?” Keys sang in the evening’s first performance, from her song “Prelude to a Kiss.” There was no audience or applause, allowing the moment to sink in for the millions expected to watch worldwide.
“The Haitian people need our help,” said George Clooney, who helped organize the two-hour telecast. “They need to know that they are not alone. They need to know that we still care.”
After an impassioned plea from Halle Berry, Bruce Springsteen dedicated a song for Haiti — “We Shall Overcome.”
Since Haiti suffered the devastating earthquake Jan. 12 that killed more than 200,000 people, the entertainment world has responded with an outpouring of charity.
Friday, those efforts became collective as the biggest celebrities from music, film, sports and even politics joined together for the telethon. Stars such as Mel Gibson and Reese Witherspoon manned telephone lines.
The show was broadcast from New York, London, Los Angeles and Haiti, and was to include performances by superstars such as Beyonce, Madonna, U2’s Bono and the Edge, Keith Urban and more. It was featured on all the major networks and channels such as MTV, BET, Bravo, PBS, Fuse, CNN, and more than a dozen others. It also was streamed live on sites like YouTube and MySpace.
