Comic Relief USA
Encyclopedia
Comic Relief, Inc. is a non-profit charity organization whose mission is to raise funds to help those in need—particularly America's homeless
. It has raised and distributed nearly US$50 million toward providing assistance—including health care services—to homeless people throughout the United States
. Although Comic Relief's charity
work is continuous, its actual events are held and televise
d at irregular intervals—and primarily by Home Box Office
(HBO), with comedians
Robin Williams
, Billy Crystal
, and Whoopi Goldberg
as the hosts each time. They—along with many other comedians, celebrities, and occasional politicians—perform various segments—both general-purpose and specific to homelessness—of standup comedy, sketch comedy
, speeches, live music
, and impressions
of persons and characters—all in order to entertain and enlighten. There are also documentary
segments dealing with real-life problems of homeless people, in order to raise awareness of not only the grim realities but also how many hard-working "ordinary" people can wind up or grow up homeless. In exchange for contributions exceeding certain key amounts, T-shirt
s, sweatshirts and other merchandise are typically for sale.
charity in the United Kingdom
and dedicated to the memory of comedian Andy Kaufman
, the American organization was created in 1986 by comedy writer, producer, and actor Bob Zmuda
—who is described on the charity's website as follows:
The 1996 book, Comic Relief: The Best of Comedy for the Best of Causes, details how Robin Williams
, Billy Crystal
, and Whoopi Goldberg
were chosen to be co-host Comic Relief's 4-plus-hour maiden fundraiser, with punchlines hitting "a politically edgy bull's-eye
. 'How would you describe the homeless?' Whoopi asked. 'Judging from the present [ Ronald Reagan
] administration's policy of trickle down
,' Billy answered slyly, 'I think they're being pissed on.'"
[In fact, it was Robin Williams who made the trickle-down/pissed-on analogy on the live televised debut event—while performing his classic William F. Buckley, Jr.
impression
. Comedian Bill Maher
has also made that analogy—on and off of Comic Relief.]
"Michael Keaton
, Richard Dreyfuss
, and Penny Marshall
made heartfelt pleas of greater awareness" of homelessness
, and there was—doing their greatest bits—an eclectic variety of comics—ranging from Bob Goldthwait to Howie Mandel
to Minnie Pearl
to George Carlin
—the latter who voiced a concern everyone was having: "Is anyone going to watch?"
Given that "helping the homeless wasn't the hippest charity in town, nor was it the most politically correct"—combined with the show's comedic and uncensored format—they feared that the audience would be like "two drunks and the bartender, waiting for closing time". An hour into the show and their fears were "erased", with Billy Crystal exclaiming, "The phones are going nutso! We're getting $10,000 a minute!" By end of their very first show, they netted US$2.5 million.
Indeed, almost every successful or up-and-coming comic has been on Comic Relief at least once—and the charity itself has become a household name.
Notes:
joked that "Whoopi called and said, 'Do the show or you're finished in the business,'" then he added a "serious, compelling reason":
In 1987, Louie Anderson
—who had been one of eleven children growing up in a housing project—admitted that "one of his brothers might be living on the street. 'But for a stroke of luck, it could be any of us,' he said."
"Peggy" credits Comic Relief for giving her back her "self-esteem", "hope", and
and the Pew Memorial Trust" after a year of review and assessment in 1985, was "co-sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors", and works annually in all 50 states with thousands of homeless children.
HCH projects are created and run by their 104 organizational members in local communities. Since July 1, 2008, 202 HCH guarantees of the federal government
’s Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA) have been providing social services to "more than 740,000 clients" every year, combining HRSA funding with other revenue to provide a wide array of services. Comic Relief board member Dr. Pedro Jose "Joe" Greer, Jr.
was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom
in 2009 by President
Barack Obama
, on account of his "lifelong efforts to improve medical services for the homeless and uninsured
."
HCH projects include the following:
and habitat destruction
around the world
. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina
(2006), Comic Relief made a point of rescuing pets and animals
—and returning them to their owners when possible. Now a new event, Comic Relief WILD: The Concert For Animals, will be televised live on HBO
, TBS
, and CNN
, "from its 'home base' concert stage in Los Angeles
, in front of an audience of 6,000", with comedy and music hosts performing—and with satellite
footage of other superstars "performing in front of similar sized audiences" around the world.
America Online (AOL) and/or MTV International
will capture all of the performances in their entirety—roughly 21 hours—making them available on-line for at least "4 to 6 weeks afterwards". The "great majority" of "well-known" performers will be in Los Angeles; however, "a handful of others" will host from the other cities—with the remaining participants consisting "entirely of [each] particular [hosting] country’s well-known celebrities and top entertainers."
Pre-recording video appeals will be used both for raising funds and educating the public "as to the reasons wildlife is endangered and how they can help [emphasis added]"—with donations being made on-line "at Comic Relief’s website
and through established toll-free telephone number
s worldwide."
All in all, it is billed as an "unprecedented live event" with "a worldwide audience of over one billion [1,000,000,000] people"—who will view it on HBO, CNN International
, AOL, and MTV's website—as well as "local market broadcasts via television and radio throughout the globe." It is expected to be "the largest fundraiser for animals ever."
Homelessness in the United States
Homelessness in the United States has continued to remain a focus area of concern of social service providers, government officials, and policy professionals since its resurgence among many types of individuals and families. The number of homeless people further grew in the 1980s, as housing and...
. It has raised and distributed nearly US$50 million toward providing assistance—including health care services—to homeless people throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Although Comic Relief's charity
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
work is continuous, its actual events are held and televise
Televise
Televise were an electronic shoegazing band formed by former Slowdive and Lowgold drummer Simon Scott in 2004.They released their debut single "Smile" in December 2004 followed by an EP, the 3-track Outside Out, in April 2005 to a warm reception from music press...
d at irregular intervals—and primarily by Home Box Office
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
(HBO), with comedians
Comedians
Comedians are a type of entertainer who tell jokes.Comedians can also refer to:* Comedians , a 1954 film* Comedians , a 1975 play by Trevor Griffiths* The Comedians, a 1940 concert suite by Dmitry Kabalevsky...
Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
, Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
, and Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
as the hosts each time. They—along with many other comedians, celebrities, and occasional politicians—perform various segments—both general-purpose and specific to homelessness—of standup comedy, sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
, speeches, live music
Live Music
Live Music is a reggaeton company owned by DJ Giann.-Artists:* Jowell & Randy* Tony Lenta* Watussi* De La Ghetto* Guelo Star* Galante "El Emperador"-Producers:*DJ Blass*Dexter*Mr. Greenz*DJ Giann*Los Hitmen*Dirty Joe*ALX...
, and impressions
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
of persons and characters—all in order to entertain and enlighten. There are also documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
segments dealing with real-life problems of homeless people, in order to raise awareness of not only the grim realities but also how many hard-working "ordinary" people can wind up or grow up homeless. In exchange for contributions exceeding certain key amounts, T-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
s, sweatshirts and other merchandise are typically for sale.
"Where there's laughter, there's hope"
Based on the Comic ReliefComic Relief
Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
charity in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and dedicated to the memory of comedian Andy Kaufman
Andy Kaufman
Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...
, the American organization was created in 1986 by comedy writer, producer, and actor Bob Zmuda
Bob Zmuda
Bob Zmuda is an American writer, comedian, producer and director best known as the sidekick, co-writer and friend of cult personality Andy Kaufman....
—who is described on the charity's website as follows:
The 1996 book, Comic Relief: The Best of Comedy for the Best of Causes, details how Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
, Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
, and Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
were chosen to be co-host Comic Relief's 4-plus-hour maiden fundraiser, with punchlines hitting "a politically edgy bull's-eye
Bullseye (target)
The bullseye, or bull's-eye, is the centre of a target , and by extension the name given to any shot that hits the bullseye...
. 'How would you describe the homeless?' Whoopi asked. 'Judging from the present [ Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
] administration's policy of trickle down
Trickle-down economics
"Trickle-down economics" and "the trickle-down theory" are terms used in United States politics to refer to the idea that tax breaks or other economic benefits provided by government to businesses and the wealthy will benefit poorer members of society by improving the economy as a whole...
,' Billy answered slyly, 'I think they're being pissed on.'"
[In fact, it was Robin Williams who made the trickle-down/pissed-on analogy on the live televised debut event—while performing his classic William F. Buckley, Jr.
William F. Buckley, Jr.
William Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American conservative author and commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing was noted for...
impression
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
. Comedian Bill Maher
Bill Maher
William "Bill" Maher, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, television host, political commentator, author and actor. Before his current role as the host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher hosted a similar late-night talk show called Politically Incorrect originally on Comedy Central and...
has also made that analogy—on and off of Comic Relief.]
"Michael Keaton
Michael Keaton
Michael John Douglas , better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American actor known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice . Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's...
, Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
, and Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall is an American actress, producer and director.After playing several small roles for television, she was cast as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom Laverne and Shirley...
made heartfelt pleas of greater awareness" of homelessness
Homelessness in the United States
Homelessness in the United States has continued to remain a focus area of concern of social service providers, government officials, and policy professionals since its resurgence among many types of individuals and families. The number of homeless people further grew in the 1980s, as housing and...
, and there was—doing their greatest bits—an eclectic variety of comics—ranging from Bob Goldthwait to Howie Mandel
Howie Mandel
Howard Michael "Howie" Mandel is a Canadian stand-up comedian, television host, and actor. He is well known as host of the NBC game show Deal or No Deal, as well as the show's daytime and Canadian-English counterparts. Before his career as a game show host, Mandel was best known for his role on...
to Minnie Pearl
Minnie Pearl
Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon , known professionally as Minnie Pearl, was an American country comedienne who appeared at the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years and on the television show Hee Haw from 1969 to 1991.-Early life:Sarah Colley was born in Centerville, in Hickman County, Tennessee,...
to George Carlin
George Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....
—the latter who voiced a concern everyone was having: "Is anyone going to watch?"
Given that "helping the homeless wasn't the hippest charity in town, nor was it the most politically correct"—combined with the show's comedic and uncensored format—they feared that the audience would be like "two drunks and the bartender, waiting for closing time". An hour into the show and their fears were "erased", with Billy Crystal exclaiming, "The phones are going nutso! We're getting $10,000 a minute!" By end of their very first show, they netted US$2.5 million.
Indeed, almost every successful or up-and-coming comic has been on Comic Relief at least once—and the charity itself has become a household name.
Chronology of events
| Year | Event (see "Notes" below) | Televised By | Description/Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Comic Relief | HBO Home Box Office HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S... |
Debut event, March 29. Featured Mary Gross Mary Gross Mary Gross is an American comedian and actress, perhaps best known for her four-year stint on Saturday Night Live from 1981 to 1985. Her credits also include minor roles on Animaniacs, Boston Legal and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch... as Dr. Ruth Westheimer; Jon Lovitz Jon Lovitz Jonathan "Jon" Lovitz is an American comedian, actor, and singer. He is best known as a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1990.-Early life:... as Tommy Flanagan, The Pathological Liar; Sid Caesar Sid Caesar Isaac Sidney "Sid" Caesar is an Emmy award winning American comic actor and writer known as the leading man on the 1950s television series Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour, and to younger generations as Coach Calhoun in Grease and Grease 2.- Early life :Caesar was born in Yonkers, New York,... as Ludwig von Knowitall; Robin Williams Robin Williams Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance... as William F. Buckley, Jr. William F. Buckley, Jr. William Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American conservative author and commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing was noted for... , commenting on the effects of "trickle-down economics Trickle-down economics "Trickle-down economics" and "the trickle-down theory" are terms used in United States politics to refer to the idea that tax breaks or other economic benefits provided by government to businesses and the wealthy will benefit poorer members of society by improving the economy as a whole... " on the homeless; George Carlin George Carlin George Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums.... describing a house as "a place for your stuff A Place for My Stuff A Place for My Stuff is American comedian George Carlin's eighth comedy album. Unlike his previous albums, which consisted entirely of stand-up performance, A Place For My Stuff contains a number of studio-recorded tracks, typically poking fun at the format and candor of community radio,... ." |
| 1987 | Comic Relief '87 | HBO |
Featured Elaine Boosler on surrogacy Surrogacy Surrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman carries and delivers a child for another couple or person. This woman may be the child's genetic mother , or she may carry the pregnancy to delivery after having an embryo, to which she has no genetic relationship whatsoever, transferred to her uterus... and the Vatican Holy See The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and... ; Dudley Moore Dudley Moore Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE was an English actor, comedian, composer and musician.Moore first came to prominence as one of the four writer-performers in the ground-breaking comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in the early 1960s, and then became famous as half of the highly popular television... as a one-legged man auditioning to play Tarzan Tarzan Tarzan is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungles by the Mangani "great apes"; he later experiences civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer... ; Penn and Teller doing card tricks and "cat Cat The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests... tricks"; "men on the street" describing the Olympics; a song on the "Black Monday" stock-market crash Black Monday (1987) In finance, Black Monday refers to Monday October 19, 1987, when stock markets around the world crashed, shedding a huge value in a very short time. The crash began in Hong Kong and spread west to Europe, hitting the United States after other markets had already declined by a significant margin... , in parody Parody A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation... of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Swing Low, Sweet Chariot "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is a historic African-American spiritual. The first recording was in 1909, by the Fisk Jubilee Singers of Fisk University.... ". |
| 1989 | Comic Relief III | HBO |
Debuted the song "Mr. President"—written by Joe Sterling, Ray Reach Ray Reach Raymond Everett Reach, Jr. is an American pianist, vocalist and educator residing in Birmingham, Alabama, now serving as Director of Student Jazz Programs for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, director of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars and President and CEO of Ray Reach Music and Magic City... and Mike Loveless, and sung by Al Jarreau Al Jarreau Alwin "Al" Lopez Jarreau is a seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz singer.- Background :Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and... and Natalie Cole Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"... . Featured Jim Varney Jim Varney James Albert "Jim" Varney, Jr. was an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, writer, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his role as Ernest P... as Ernest P. Worrell Ernest P. Worrell Ernest P. Worrell is a fictional character most principally portrayed by the late American actor Jim Varney in a series of television commercials, and later in a television series as well as a series of feature films. Ernest was created by the Nashville advertising agency Carden and Cherry and was... ; Catherine O'Hara Catherine O'Hara Catherine Anne O'Hara is a Canadian-American actress and comedienne. She is well known for her comedy work on SCTV, and her roles in the films After Hours, Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, and also in the mockumentary films written and directed by Christopher Guest... smoking between bites of food and drink; Arsenio Hall Arsenio Hall Arsenio Hall is an American actor, comedian, and former talk show host. He is best known for his talk show The Arsenio Hall Show, which ran between 1989 and 1994, and his roles in the films Coming to America and Harlem Nights.Hall is also known for his appearance as Alan Thicke's sidekick on the... on women with plastic surgery Plastic surgery Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand... ; Woody Harrelson Woody Harrelson Woodrow Tracy "Woody" Harrelson is an American actor.Harrelson's breakthrough role came in the television sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd... talking to an "audience member" (Shelly Long) who, when asked if she wached "Cheers", said, "Not that much." |
| 1990 | Comic Relief '90 | HBO |
Featured Joan Rivers Joan Rivers Joan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries... on exercise and swimmers; Dana Carvey Dana Carvey Dana Thomas Carvey is an American actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for playing the role of Garth in the Wayne's World movies.-Early life:... doing his "Lady I Know/She's Choppin' Broccoli" song from Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture... ; Steven Wright Steven Wright Steven Alexander Wright is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is known for his distinctly lethargic voice and slow, deadpan delivery of ironic, philosophical and sometimes nonsensical jokes and one-liners with contrived situations.-Early life and career:Wright was born in Mount Auburn... asking, "What's the youngest you can die of old age?" |
| 1991 | A Comedy Salute to Michael Jordan * | NBC |
In honor of basketball Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules... player Michael Jordan Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats... . |
| 1992 | Hurricane Relief * | Showtime |
9-hour marathon event to bring relief to areas of Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... , Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties... , and Hawaii Hawaii Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of... in the wake of Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season... 's devastation. Featured singer Gloria Estefan Gloria Estefan Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those... singing The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper... ' "Shout", backed up by a choir. |
| 1992 | Comic Relief V | HBO |
Featured Rosie O'Donnell Rosie O'Donnell Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family... on aerobics Aerobics Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness... ; Don Rickles Don Rickles Donald Jay "Don" Rickles is an American stand-up comedian and actor. A frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Rickles has acted in comedic and dramatic roles, but is best known as an insult comic.... describing the cause as "to find you [ Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won... ] work"; Bob Goldthwait juicing vegetables and squid Squid Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles... ; a clip of Bob Einstein Bob Einstein Stewart Robert "Bob" Einstein is an American actor and comedy writer best known for his portrayal of the fictional stuntman Super Dave Osborne.-Life and career:... as Super Dave Osborne Super Dave Osborne Super Dave Osborne is a character created and played by comedian Bob Einstein. He is a naive but optimistic stuntman who is frequently injured when his stunts go wrong.-Appearance history:... , playing piano on a bus; Billy Crystal Billy Crystal William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes... telling Robin Williams Robin Williams Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance... to "do your 'dick stuff'"; George Foreman George Foreman George Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur... in a pie-eating contest with Billy and Robin; Jim Carrey Jim Carrey James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario... on drinking and cops. |
| 1993 | Baseball Relief * | Fox |
Featured comedians and baseball Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond... players. |
| 1994 | Comic Relief VI | HBO |
Featured appearance by a representative of Housing and Urban Development from the Bill Clinton Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation... administration President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.... ; Brett Butler Brett Butler (comedian) Brett Butler is an American actress, writer, and stand-up comedian, best known for playing the title role in the comedy series Grace Under Fire.-Early life:... on Rush Limbaugh Rush Limbaugh Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United... and "Schindler's List Schindler's List Schindler's List is a 1993 American film about Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg, and based on the novel Schindler's Ark... "; Billy and Robin doing a duet on sex in old age; cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation Star Trek: The Next Generation Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production... playing the Enterprise crew—"researching" Comic Relief, and comparing "Hoo-pye Goldberg" to Guinan (a character who was played by Whoopi); Dave Chappelle Dave Chappelle David Khari Webber "Dave" Chappelle is an American comedian, screenwriter, television/film producer, actor, and artist. Chappelle began his film career in the film Robin Hood: Men in Tights in 1993 and continued to star in minor roles in the films The Nutty Professor, Con Air, and Blue Streak. His... on terrorists and the apparent lack of "black hostages"; Robin on John and Lorena Bobbitt John and Lorena Bobbitt John Wayne Bobbitt and Lorena Bobbitt were an American couple, married on June 18, 1989, whose difficult relationship gained worldwide notoriety for an incident in 1993 when Lorena severed John's penis with a knife... ; Paul Rodriguez Paul Rodríguez Paul Rodriguez is a Mexican-American stand-up comedian and actor.-Personal life:Rodriguez was born in Culiacán, Sinaloa, México to Mexican agriculture ranchers.. His family migrated to East Los Angeles, where he enlisted in the military; he was stationed in Iceland and Duluth, Minnesota... on the 1992 Los Angeles riots 1992 Los Angeles riots The 1992 Los Angeles Riots or South Central Riots, also known as the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest were sparked on April 29, 1992, when a jury acquitted three white and one hispanic Los Angeles Police Department officers accused in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King following a... ; Bill Maher Bill Maher William "Bill" Maher, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, television host, political commentator, author and actor. Before his current role as the host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher hosted a similar late-night talk show called Politically Incorrect originally on Comedy Central and... on America's culture of victimhood. |
| 1995 | Comic Relief VII | HBO |
Featured Margaret Cho Margaret Cho Margaret Cho is an American comedian, fashion designer, actress, author, and recording artist. Cho is best known for her stand-up routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially those pertaining to race and sexuality. She has also directed and appeared in music... on racism; Chris Rock Chris Rock Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central... on white people and Colin Powell Colin Powell Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military... ; Fran Drescher Fran Drescher Francine Joy "Fran" Drescher is an American film and television actress, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer, author, singer, talk show host, political lobbyist and health activist... on Princess Diana; Jon Stewart Jon Stewart Jon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian... getting "beat up" by kids at Universal Studios Universal Studios Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios.... ; Queen Latifah Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy... singing "in the house for Comic Relief", asking people to buy Comic Relief T-shirt T-shirt A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line.... s; a "Blues Brothers" song, sung by John Goodman John Goodman John Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising... , Dan Aykroyd Dan Aykroyd Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early... , and Jim Belushi. |
| 1996 | American Comedy Festival * | ABC ABC Network ABC Network may refer to any of the following:*American Broadcasting Company, a private television network in the United States.*Asahi Broadcasting Corporation, regional radio and television broadcaster in Japan.... |
Comic Relief's 10th anniversary. Featured Gilbert Godfried playing a "dirty dummy" with David Brenner David Brenner David Brenner is an American standup comedian, actor, author, and filmmaker.-Career:Born and raised in poor areas of Philadelphia, Brenner found comedy a major source of relief from the daily trials and tribulations he faced in his youth. His neighborhood has been one of the top-ranked crime... as "ventriloquist". |
| 1998 | Comic Relief 8 | HBO |
Featured Chris Rock Chris Rock Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central... on "picking up women at a pro-choice Pro-choice Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy.... rally" and the Clinton impeachment; Kathy Griffin Kathy Griffin Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedienne, television personality, New York Times best-selling author and an LGBT rights advocate. Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom... comparing a Jerry Springer Jerry Springer Gerald Norman "Jerry" Springer is a British-born American television presenter, best known as host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991... talk show Talk show A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host.... tape to a profane "Music Man The Music Man (1962 film) The Music Man is a 1962 musical film starring Robert Preston as Harold Hill and Shirley Jones as Marian Paroo. The film is based on the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name by Meredith Willson... " outtake (with "Pick-A-Little, Talk-A-Little" becoming "Fuck-A-Little, Cunt-A-Little"). |
| 2006 | Comic Relief 2006 * | HBO, TBS |
Fundraiser for those affected by Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall... —held at Caeser's Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... , on November 18. Comic Relief's 20th anniversary. Featured Billy, Whoopi, and Robin doing a parody of "When the Saints Go Marching In When the Saints Go Marching In "When the Saints Go Marching In", often referred to as "The Saints", is an American gospel hymn that has taken on certain aspects of folk music. The precise origins of the song are not known. Though it originated as a spiritual, today people are more likely to hear it played by a jazz band... "; Ray Romano Ray Romano Raymond Albert "Ray" Romano is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian, best known for his roles on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and in the Ice Age film series. He recently starred in the TNT comedy-drama Men of a Certain Age.-Early life:Romano was born in Queens, New York to Italian... on being able to curse after "9 years of Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff... "; Rosie O'Donnell Rosie O'Donnell Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family... on Barbra Streisand Barbra Streisand Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,... ; Bill Maher Bill Maher William "Bill" Maher, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, television host, political commentator, author and actor. Before his current role as the host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher hosted a similar late-night talk show called Politically Incorrect originally on Comedy Central and... envisioning Vegas' losers "joining the ranks of the homeless shortly"; Bob Zmuda Bob Zmuda Bob Zmuda is an American writer, comedian, producer and director best known as the sidekick, co-writer and friend of cult personality Andy Kaufman.... talking about the slowness of home-rebuilding efforts—and Comic Relief's work on behalf of rescuing pets and animals Animal rescue Animal rescue can refer to:* Animal Rescue TV series* Animal sanctuary* Animal welfare* Rescue groups for pets* Pet Rescue * RSPCA Animal Rescue TV series* Wildlife rescue* Wildlife rehabilitation... ; Jon Stewart Jon Stewart Jon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian... and Stephen Colbert Stephen Colbert Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an... doing their "Daily Show" and "Colbert Report" bits on Katrina; Bill Clinton Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation... thanking Comic Relief on behalf of his Katrina efforts with George H. W. Bush George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to... ; Entourage Entourage (TV series) Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons... 's Kevin Conolly Kevin Conolly Kevin Conolly MP, an Australian politician, is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Riverstone for the Liberal Party of Australia since 2011.-Early years and background:... , Kevin Dillon Kevin Dillon Kevin Dillon is an American actor.Kevin Dillon is also the name of:*Kevin Dillon , character from Rodman Philbrick's young adult novel Freak the Mighty and the film based on it, The Mighty... , Jerry Ferrara Jerry Ferrara Jerry Ferrara is an American actor best known for his work as "Turtle" aka Sal on the HBO comedy series Entourage.-Biography:Born in Brooklyn, New York, Ferrara attended New Utrecht High School. Ferrara is of Italian descent.... , Adrian Grenier Adrian Grenier Adrian Grenier is an American actor, musician and director. He is best known for his lead role on the HBO original series, Entourage, as Vincent Chase.-Early life:... , & Jeremy Piven Jeremy Piven Jeremy Samuel Piven is an American film producer and actor best known for his role as Ari Gold in the television series Entourage for which he has won three Emmy Awards as well as several other nominations for Best Supporting Actor.... cursing and donating money into a "curse jar"; D. L. Hughley D. L. Hughley Darryl Lynn "D. L." Hughley is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is perhaps best known as the star of the ABC/UPN sitcom The Hughleys, and as one of the four comedians featured in the Spike Lee film The Original Kings of Comedy. Additionally, he has been the host of CNN's D. L... on general politics, race, and cops; Lewis Black Lewis Black Lewis Niles Black is an American stand-up comedian, author, playwright, social critic and actor. He is known for his comedy style, which often includes simulating a mental breakdown, or an increasingly angry rant, ridiculing history, politics, religion, trends and cultural phenomena... on government's alleged sharp attention to nuclear weapons abroad but not to the domestic hurricane; Fred Willard Fred Willard Fred Willard is an American actor, comedian, and voice over actor, best known for his improvisational comedy skills. He is known for his roles in the Christopher Guest mockumentary films This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration as well as... with "Pussycat" (Catherine O'Hara Catherine O'Hara Catherine Anne O'Hara is a Canadian-American actress and comedienne. She is well known for her comedy work on SCTV, and her roles in the films After Hours, Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, and also in the mockumentary films written and directed by Christopher Guest... ) and "Fur" (Jennifer Coolidge Jennifer Coolidge Jennifer Coolidge is an American actress best known for playing "Stifler's mom," the older woman in the film American Pie ; Hilary Duff's stepmother in A Cinderella Story ; Paulette, the manicurist in Legally Blonde and its sequel; the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots ; for her... ), promoting Comic Relief T-shirts; Roseanne Barr Roseanne Barr Roseanne Cherrie Barr is an American actress, comedian, writer, television producer and director. Barr began her career in stand-up comedy at clubs before gaining fame for her role in the sitcom Roseanne. The show was a hit and lasted nine seasons, from 1988 to 1997... on being on stage with "other big former stars" and "Kirstie Alley Kirstie Alley Kirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991... 's yard sale." |
| 2008 | Comic Relief: The Greatest...And the Latest * | (DVD DVD A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions.... ) |
Two-disc video compilation—featuring Comic Relief's greatest material and most recent material, up to 2008. Disc 1 ("The Greatest") features Comic Relief to Comic Relief 8 (1986–1998); disc 2 ("The Latest") features Comic Relief 2006. |
| 2010 | Comic Relief 2010 | HBO |
Featured Benefit Album and Katrina Orchestra—"The return of Tony Clifton Tony Clifton Tony Clifton is a fictitious character created and often played by stand up comedian Andy Kaufman in the late 1970s. Characteristic of the many elaborate hoaxes and practical jokes Kaufman concocted, Clifton was not exclusively played by Kaufman—others, mainly Bob Zmuda, stepped into the role on... and his Katrina Kiss-My-Ass Orchestra with a bevy of beauties." |
| 2011 | Comic Relief WILD: The Concert for Animals * |
HBO, TBS, CNN CNN Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States... (TV Television Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound... ); AOL, MTV MTV MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs.... (On-line) |
World Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets... wide event to combat animal habitat destruction Habitat destruction Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of... . |
Notes:
- * indicates a special event, or a compilation.
- Italics indicates a formal Comic Relief show.
- There has also been an A&E NetworkA&E NetworkThe A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
series, The Best of Comic Relief.
Following the money
Generally, HBO and other sponsors pick up all (or most) of the costs of Comic Relief events, so that every (or nearly every) penny raised or contributed goes to the cause. Also, the hosts and other performers of Comic Relief events often get involved personally in projects run or supported by the charity. As Comic Relief's March 29, 1986 debut event approached comedian Paul RodriguezPaul Rodríguez
Paul Rodriguez is a Mexican-American stand-up comedian and actor.-Personal life:Rodriguez was born in Culiacán, Sinaloa, México to Mexican agriculture ranchers.. His family migrated to East Los Angeles, where he enlisted in the military; he was stationed in Iceland and Duluth, Minnesota...
joked that "Whoopi called and said, 'Do the show or you're finished in the business,'" then he added a "serious, compelling reason":
In 1987, Louie Anderson
Louie Anderson
Louie Perry Anderson is an American stand-up comedian. Anderson created the cartoon series Life with Louie, has written three books, and was the initial host of the second revival of the game show Family Feud, from 1999 to 2002....
—who had been one of eleven children growing up in a housing project—admitted that "one of his brothers might be living on the street. 'But for a stroke of luck, it could be any of us,' he said."
Notable success stories
- In Denver, ColoradoDenver, ColoradoThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Paul Rodriguez helped open a medical facility made possible by Comic Relief funds; a woman holding a baby approached him, saying, "If it wasn't for Comic Relief, this child wouldn't have been born." - In Chicago, Illinois, Comic Relief founder Bob ZmudaBob ZmudaBob Zmuda is an American writer, comedian, producer and director best known as the sidekick, co-writer and friend of cult personality Andy Kaufman....
went to the Firehouse Annex of Chicago, Illinois—a home for alcoholic and battered women—and learned how, using Comic Relief funds, they were able to "take in a violent, alcholic woman, slowly give her responsibilities and self-esteem, until she cleaned up and got a regular job." - Another person who found her way off the streets is "Peggy", who became homeless after losing her factory job.
"Peggy" credits Comic Relief for giving her back her "self-esteem", "hope", and
Health Care for the Homeless (HCH)
Comic Relief distributes most of its funds raised to Health Care for the Homeless (HCH), which has project sites in 85 major cities. This network of providers "was originally selected for start-up funding by the Robert Wood Johnson FoundationRobert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the United States' largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care; it is based in Princeton, New Jersey. The foundation's mission is to improve the health and health care of all Americans...
and the Pew Memorial Trust" after a year of review and assessment in 1985, was "co-sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors", and works annually in all 50 states with thousands of homeless children.
HCH projects are created and run by their 104 organizational members in local communities. Since July 1, 2008, 202 HCH guarantees of the federal government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
’s Health Resources and Services Administration
Health Resources and Services Administration
The Health Resources and Services Administration , is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services located in Rockville, Maryland...
(HRSA) have been providing social services to "more than 740,000 clients" every year, combining HRSA funding with other revenue to provide a wide array of services. Comic Relief board member Dr. Pedro Jose "Joe" Greer, Jr.
Pedro José Greer
Dr. Pedro José Greer, Jr. is an American physician. He is Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs and Chair of the Department of Humanities, Health and Society at the Florida International University School of Medicine...
was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States...
in 2009 by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, on account of his "lifelong efforts to improve medical services for the homeless and uninsured
Uninsured in the United States
The number of persons without health insurance coverage in the United States is one of the primary concerns raised by advocates of health care reform. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2009 there were 50.7 million people in the US who were without health insurance...
."
HCH projects include the following:
- AdvocacyAdvocacyAdvocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
—securing services for and protecting the rights of clients, ensuring that "the local service delivery systems .. better meets" their needs, and changing policies "that cause, exacerbate, or create obstacles to resolving extreme povertyExtreme povertyExtreme poverty, as defined in 1996 by Joseph Wresinski, the founder of ATD Fourth World, is:"The lack of basic security connotes the absence of one or more factors enabling individuals and families to assume basic responsibilities and to enjoy fundamental rights. The situation may become...
and homelessness." - Case management and client involvement—carefully involving their clients in the developing of "realistic plans."
- Comprehensive services—"understand[ing] that basic needs are interrelated and striv[ing] to address each individual’s needs holistically"—integrating Primary CarePrimary carePrimary care is the term for the health services by providers who act as the principal point of consultation for patients within a health care system...
with the treatment of mental health disorders, and working to secure "food, housing, entitlements, and jobs." - Outreach—with physicians, nurses, social workers and others—many who have "experienced homelessness themselves"—skilled at connecting to homeless people, working to bring care to the homeless and impoverished wherever they are—be that "in encampments, under bridges, on the streets, in jails, at soup kitchenSoup kitchenA soup kitchen, a bread line, or a meal center is a place where food is offered to the hungry for free or at a reasonably low price. Frequently located in lower-income neighborhoods, they are often staffed by volunteer organizations, such as church groups or community groups...
s, or in cars." - Sensitivity trainingSensitivity trainingSensitivity Training is a form of training that claims to make people more aware of their own prejudices, and more sensitive to others. According to its critics, it involves the use of psychological techniques with groups that its critics, e.g. G. Edward Griffin, claim are often identical to...
—understanding "the unique circumstances and stresses" that come with homelessness and poverty—a process that often involves overcoming "fear and suspicion" with a "patient, nonjudgemental, persistent approach." - Transportation—routinely provided to and from their service locations, specialty providers, Social SecuritySocial Security (United States)In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
or food stamp offices, and sheltersHomeless shelterHomeless shelters are temporary residences for homeless people which seek to protect vulnerable populations from the often devastating effects of homelessness while simultaneously reducing the environmental impact on the community...
.
Peripheral causes
Comic Relief is expanding its reach to non-human homelessness as well—in particular, endangered speciesEndangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
and habitat destruction
Habitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
around the world
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
(2006), Comic Relief made a point of rescuing pets and animals
Animal rescue
Animal rescue can refer to:* Animal Rescue TV series* Animal sanctuary* Animal welfare* Rescue groups for pets* Pet Rescue * RSPCA Animal Rescue TV series* Wildlife rescue* Wildlife rehabilitation...
—and returning them to their owners when possible. Now a new event, Comic Relief WILD: The Concert For Animals, will be televised live on HBO
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
, TBS
TBS (TV channel)
TBS , stylized in the logo as tbs, is an American cable television channel owned by Time Warner that shows a variety of programming, with a focus on comedy. TBS was originally known as WTCG, a UHF terrestrial television station that broadcast from Atlanta, Georgia, during the late 1970s...
, and CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, "from its 'home base' concert stage in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, in front of an audience of 6,000", with comedy and music hosts performing—and with satellite
Communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
footage of other superstars "performing in front of similar sized audiences" around the world.
America Online (AOL) and/or MTV International
MTV International
MTV International a.k.a. and MTVI was the internet-based international version of MTV. The channel was a subsidiary of MTV Networks...
will capture all of the performances in their entirety—roughly 21 hours—making them available on-line for at least "4 to 6 weeks afterwards". The "great majority" of "well-known" performers will be in Los Angeles; however, "a handful of others" will host from the other cities—with the remaining participants consisting "entirely of [each] particular [hosting] country’s well-known celebrities and top entertainers."
Pre-recording video appeals will be used both for raising funds and educating the public "as to the reasons wildlife is endangered and how they can help [emphasis added]"—with donations being made on-line "at Comic Relief’s website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
and through established toll-free telephone number
Toll-free telephone number
A toll-free, Freecall, Freephone, 800, 0800 or 1-800 number is a special telephone number which is free to the calling party, and instead the telephone carrier charges the called party the cost of the call...
s worldwide."
All in all, it is billed as an "unprecedented live event" with "a worldwide audience of over one billion [1,000,000,000] people"—who will view it on HBO, CNN International
CNN International
CNN International is an international English language television network that carries news, current affairs, politics, opinions, and business programming worldwide. CNN is one of the world's largest news organizations. It is owned by Time Warner, and is affiliated with CNN, which is mainly...
, AOL, and MTV's website—as well as "local market broadcasts via television and radio throughout the globe." It is expected to be "the largest fundraiser for animals ever."