Stars Unite in Hope For Haiti Telethon

The all-star Hope for Haiti Now telethon kicked off Friday night, featuring performances from Alicia Keyes opened the show with a solemn rendition of “Prelude to a Kiss,” followed by Bruce Springsteen, who dedicated the song “We Shall Overcome” to the Caribbean nation. George Clooney and Wyclef Jean, helped organize the two-hour event, and it was aired simultaneously on more than 25 networks, making it one of the mostly widely distributed prime-time benefits in history. Clooney, explained to viewers that this was their opportunity to help neighbors in desperate need with “swiftness and expertise.”

The two hour telethon featured more than 100 celebrities performing from New York, Los Angeles and London. Perhaps the most anticipated performance (video below) was the debut of “Stranded,” a collaboration between Bono and the Edge of U2, and Rihanna and Jay-Z. The telethon is available to Haitians through Radio One Haiti, and proceeds will benefit Oxfam America, Partners in Health, the Clinton Bush Haiti Foundation, and other causes. The powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake, which struck the already impoverished country on Jan. 12, killed an estimated 200,000 people, while displacing many more and reducing much of Haiti to ruins. Relief agencies estimate one-third of Haiti’s 9 million people will need emergency food, water and shelter for an extended period. Proceeds from the telethon will be split among relief organizations including the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, the U.N. World Food Program, Oxfam America, the Red Cross, UNICEF and Jean’s Yele Haiti Foundation. From Saturday, all of the performances will be available to buy on Apple’s iTunes. Donate Now: 1-877-99-HAITI in US/Canada, or go to www.hopeforhaitinow.org