Clooney, Carrey Join Network Telethon

Jim Carrey and George Clooney confirmed participants as TV networks plan industry-wide telethon to aid relief and recovery

By Mark Armstrong Sep 17, 2001 9:15 PMTags
At a time when the major networks usually would rather eat sheep eyeballs than band together with their opposition, CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox are reportedly planning to air an unprecedented Industry-wide telethon Friday night to raise money for relief and recovery efforts following last week's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.

There's still no official word that the telethon is happening, but publicists for both Jim Carrey and George Clooney confirmed to E! Online Monday that the actors will take part in the benefit.

After networks postponed their premiere-week schedules in the wake of the attack, industry sources told the Associated Press Monday that plans were forming for a two-hour prime-time telethon, with the goal being to air it simultaneously on as many broadcast and cable networks as possible.

The event is being produced by Joel Gallen, who's best known for his work on the MTV Movie Awards.

Carrey's publicist, Marleah Leslie, says the actor-funnyguy had been in Los Angeles since completing work on his new film The Majestic, due in theaters December 21, and he signed on to help. But it's not known exactly what his role will be in the telethon.

"This thing came together so quick I think they're still trying to figure out what's happening," Leslie tells E! Online. "He just wants to help in whatever way he can."

Same goes for Clooney, who also wanted to help. "They're talking to him, and I think it's going to work," his publicist said.

The telethon will likely include a host of other big-name celebs (Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Clint Eastwood and Billy Joel, among others), but their attendance has not been confirmed.

With America joining together to mourn the victims and aid in the recovery, the network-wide telethon makes perfect sense. Since last Tuesday's attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., the major networks have pushed back their fall schedules and aired near continuous news coverage of the attacks and subsequent rescue efforts.

Many networks didn't even break for commercials or any other regularly scheduled programming until Saturday--the length of the uninterrupted coverage is unprecedented in television history.