Telethon Participants

Subject: Telethon Participants
From: GUEST,Gern
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 05:46 PM

Sure I'm expected to know all those celebrities on the WTC Telethon, but I'm over 40 and I can't keep up. I did enjoy those few but precious thoughts of peace from Neil Young (a stirring 'Imagine') and whoever did a fine job on Marley's urgent 'Redemption Song.' Does anyone know who that singer was?

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Peter T.
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 06:28 PM

Wyclef Jean. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 06:37 PM

I'm currently watching this on UK television.

I loved Neil's version of Imagine. Don't think we've got to 'Redemption Song' yet.

I used to like Tom Petty, but the angry attitude expressed in 'I won't back down' made me very sad

The sactimonious attitude of the programme makes my blood boil. Dead Americans are so much more important than the dead from the rest of the world.

I've got a lot to say about the entire thing, but I'm too seething to even start right now

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 06:53 PM

I'm glad you started a thread on this topic. I too was frustrated that I didn't recognize all the musicians, or their songs. (For those who didn't see it, the show was all acoustic, and none of the performers were identified. I guess this was a statement that they were putting aside their egos.) I couldn't find a list of them even on the official web site of the program (http://www.tributetoheroes.org/). But I was able to assemble the following list today from various sources on the Internet. I may have missed a few:

Bruce Springsteen (singing a new song, 'My City of Ruins'),

Stevie Wonder ('Love's in Need of Love Today'),

Sting, ('Fragile')

Paul Simon ('Bridge over Troubled Water'),

Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready ('The Long Road')

Willie Nelson (leading 'America the Beautiful' while everyone else, including the actors, joined in - a great finale),

Mariah Carey ('Hero'),

Sheryl Crow,

Billy Joel ('A New York State of Mind'),

Tom Petty ('I Won't Back Down'),

U2,

Celine Dion (why did they pick a Canadian to sing 'God Bless America'?),

the Dixie Chicks,

Wyclef Jean (dressed in stars and stripes, sang Bob Marley's 'Redemption Song')

Faith Hill,

Alicia Keys

Dave Matthews

Jon Bon Jovi

I got the above info from Fox Broadcasting, CBS, USA Today, and E! Online

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Banjer
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 07:03 PM

Let us all keep in mind that the whole idea of the show was to raise money to help the recovery efforts and the rebuilding of whatever is decided should go in the place of the Twin Towers. There were some 50 nationalities that were affected in the attack, it was an attack on the world, not just the U.S.A.

All free peoples the world over have feelings about this event, hopefuly GUEST will calm down and see the whole picture here. We in the U.S. do not consider this an attack just on our country alone and mourn equally for all those who lost their lives that day.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 07:12 PM

And don't forget Fred Durst and Johnny Rzeznik (of the bands Limp Bizkit and Goo Goo Dolls, respectively) singing the Pink Floyd song "Wish You Were Here" from the album of the same name. The Durst/Rzeznik performance had new words sung to the music.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: GUEST,Calm Down
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 07:43 PM

To GUEST - calm the heck down man! Where in the programme was it said that Americans are any better than the rest of the world? Oh yeah - it was NEVER said.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 08:03 PM

It is best to ignore trolls and flamers.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 08:18 PM

Since out current president (is what he is) The telethon did quote FDR. "We want a world that has the assurance or four essential freedoms....

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: SINSULL
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 11:46 PM

Anybody else see the irony in Paul Simon almost singing Bridge Over Troubled Waters? Where was Garfunkle? All that love of his fellow man but none for Garfunkle.
I was told that each performer donated $1M for the privilege of attending. True? Where did Willie Nelson come up with $1M? I thought he owed the government enough in back taxes to pay off the national debt.
SINSULL, the cynic. I could not and did not watch.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 11:55 PM

Funny you say that Sins.......I couldn't watch it either, but I taped it. Karen listened to it going to work and cried most of the way. I would walk down to the other den and see a bit and leave......just hard right now. I made the mistake of going down just before it was over and caught Willie and all, which was fine until they had a shot of Muhammed Ali singing and I really lost it.

Down the road I'll watch the whole thing.......I was glad to see that Paul Simon and Neil Young and maybe some others were telling Clear Channel to shove it up their ass.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: PaulBobbyBuzz
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 12:44 AM

I think that one of the most poignant points made was in NOT announcing the artists' names...the focus was not on celebrity, fame, ego...it was on all these folks as (to me) just folks, coming together for a worthy cause...if we can pull off something like this hrre locally, I'd like to think the participants would have the same approach...and, Guest, well I sit here and try to think what to say...I guess Guest, CalmDown already addressed it...it wasn't about American dead it was about innocent human dead and the people(firefighters, police, rescue workers) who put themselves in harms way with no thought of their own safety or of nationality, race, creed, or religion to help those in need; and about the families & friends of those heroes, and of those who perished. Music as we all know is a great healer and unifier...I pray to God that I may use my gifts from him to reach out to all those in need wherever I find them, and to help bring an end to hatred & bigotry, & viciousness & violence that they beget. Peace PBB

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 05:26 AM

I too watched it and got very confused by not knowing the artists names. Two performers especially sang wonderful songs -one sang with Neil Young in the background and the other accompanied by a guitar who I did not know at all but found amazing. he had short dark hair. I thought the actors looked, well, very small and insignificant, especially since they all without exception read their autocues like their lives depended on it. Against the real stories of human tragedy, Hollywood's best seemed humbled. I do not in general like these events, but the quality of the live music performances were exceptional and the contrast between the musicians and the actors really do make you question why some of these people are paid millions of dollars.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 11:49 AM

Sinsull: I doubt the story about each performer paying $1 million. Maybe some of them did donate huge amounts of money, but I doubt that it was a condition for participation.

They did not have a studio audience, and the locations of the studios were kept secret for security reasons. How sad.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Kim C
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 11:55 AM

I didn't see it. We were celebrating Mister's birthday and after dinner, he opted to watch a movie instead. Man in the Iron Mask. Good one. (man, do I love Gabriel Byrne!)

I have made it no secret that I am NOT a fan of Neil Young, and just imagining him sing Imagine makes me cringe. However, I know a lot of people enjoyed it and found it meaningful, and who knows, I might have too.

Neil's not from America, is he?

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: PaulBobbyBuzz
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 12:30 PM

Neil's not from America, is he? So what?? This is a universal tragedy, and I think we all need to lose our "us-and-them" attitudes and celebrate our differences and embrace our oneness as children of whatever God you may or may not pray to...sorry about the dangling participle. PBB

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Mrrzy
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 12:59 PM

I'm not sorry I missed it but I'm glad the celebs weren't named. I guess some were being musical and others were personning the phones? So people might call up not so much to pledge, which I'd hope they'd be shamed into doing once they got through, but to have the chance to talk to (pick an actor who doesn't sing) whom they've always adored? What a GREAT gimmick for Americans, no?

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: GUEST,cheryl
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 01:49 PM

The guy singing with Neil on calliope in the background was Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. I didn't recognize him, either, but my friend's a big Eddie fan and she recognized him. I am a BIG Neil fan and was bummed when I got back from a daughter-collection and my husband, Neil-ambivalent at best, said, "Neil Young just did 'Imagine' and it gave me goosebumps." And, for the record, he's from Canada.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 02:03 PM

Celine Dion (why did they pick a Canadian to sing 'God Bless America'?),

Why not a Canadian?

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 03:22 PM

I was kidding about Celine Dion. As it happens, I'm not a big fan of hers, but it has nothing to do with her being Canadian.

Because of Kate Smith, I suppose, I always associate this song with the kind of voice that only hefty women seem to possess. Ethel Merman, for example, or Jessye Norman. How come all our current pop singers are so skinny?

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: catspaw49
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 03:40 PM

Yeah....Kate Smith........"when the mooooooooon comes over the moooooouuuuuuutain".........Christ can you imagine HER moon coming over the mountain? It'd be hard to tell which was the mountain! Lenny Bruce was talking about racism once and said, "Okay, you can have a white,white woman, or a black, black woman. Which do you want? Oh yeah, the white woman is Kate Smith and the black woman is Lena Horne....Okay, there's your choice."

Jim, I guess it must be the health kick or something.....

Spaw

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Kim C
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 04:02 PM

My question about Neil not being from America was directed at GUEST. Personally I don't give a flip where he's from - I don't like his singing.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Wesley S
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 04:22 PM

Sinsull - I think the millon dollar donation story may have been started when they interviewed Rosie O'Donnell and she was quoted as saying that all of the entertainers in the telethon SHOULD donate $1 million each in order to have the privilege to be there. There are stories that she has donated that much herself and she may have been trying to inspire others to do so. Just a theory on my part - I don't have any facts to back it up.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Kim C
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 05:05 PM

Maybe they don't all have a million dollars.

I don't have a million dollars.

If I had it to give, though, sure, I'd be giving it.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: Ritchie
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 08:12 AM

Imagine all the people living life in peace ...we can and should learn from this terribly sad event...but will we ?

Hey, it's easy if you try !

love to you all from

Ritchie the dreamer.

Subject: RE: Telethon Participants
From: GUEST,Genie
Date: 30 Sep 01 - 02:13 AM

Jim D, I wondered about their choice of Celine D. to sing, "God bless America, land that I love, " too! Not that Celine shouldn't have been there, but why that song for her? The concert was for freedom loving people and peace-loving people everywhere, but that song is a patriotic USA song and it would make sense to have it sung by a Yank. Why not have Celine sing something like "Imagine," or "Let There Be Peace On Earth?"

Re 'Spaw's comments on Kate Smith: I did notice, in fact, that the female component of the telethon was particularly young, slim, and good-looking (by contrast to the male contingent). Where were the older and/or fatter women -- Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Tina Turner, Pat Benatar, Patty La Belle, Diana Ross, etc.?

Yeah, it's for a good cause, but why buy into the unnecessary notion that male rock stars can be old, fat, and ugly, but the Kate Smith types should not be seen or heard by the greater world audience?

"Spaw, do you make comments like that about Meatloaf, Iz, or Barry White?

Seems to me that on the Ken Burns "Jazz" series, he reports that Ella Fitzgerald had trouble getting a contract because she was "too unattractive and too fat!" Aren't we lucky that somebody had different (read: better) values!?

Genie