Stars Come out to Raise Money for Hurricane Victims

http://youtu.be/Ok1KxwaSfQcIf you weren’t able to get through the phone lines and backlog online to donate the Red Cross during tonight’s telethon, there’s no time like now.

And if you missed the hour-long telethon broadcast tonight on NBC, you missed a heck of a show.

Christina Aguilera opened the telethon with Beautiful; New Jersey’s own Jon Bon Jovi performed Who Says You Can’t Go Home and Livin’ on a Prayer; and there was an all-star version of Under the Boardwalk with Steven Tyler, Jimmy Fallon and piano and guitar accompaniment by Billy Joel and Bruce Springteen.

Tyler also performed Dream On with fellow Aerosmith bandmates Joe Perry and Brad Whitford. Sting played Message in a Bottle and Joel played his classic Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway) followed by Mary J. Blige singing The Living Proof. And of course, the hightlight of the show was Springsteen and the E Street Band closing with Land of Hope and Dreams.

Other performers included Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and Matt Lauer served as host with help from Stewart, Brian Williams and weatherman Al Roker.

And Williams and Stewart gave a much-needed bit of comedy relief by continuing their funny mock-rivalry.

Kevin Bacon, Whoopi Goldberg, Danny DeVito and Ann Curry also were on hand for the hastily pulled-together event.

The money raised tonight will go into the Red Cross funds along with seven-figure donations from Disney, News Corp and other corporations. Other celebrities, such as New Jersey native Chelsea Handler, who pledged $100,000, have been making donations.

You can still donate by visiting www.redcross.org, or you can pledge $10 on your cell phone by texting to REDCROSS to 90999.