Tonight marks a very special and important television event. Last week, a massive earthquake struck the Caribbean island of Haiti, tearing through the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Coupled with the already-struggling state of the country and a series of aftershocks, the destruction of buildings, infrastructure and human life has been astronomical. The international community immediately sprung into action, and millions of dollars have already been raised.
But the cost of providing medical care, food and infrastructural repairs will be enormous, which is why hundreds of celebrities are coming together tonight in three cities to raise funds during "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief." Join George Clooney and Wyclef Jean — live from Los Angeles and New York, respectively — for a series of reports from the ground courtesy of CNN's Anderson Cooper and musical performances from Madonna (New York), Bruce Springsteen (New York), Alicia Keys (Los Angeles), Dave Matthews (Los Angeles), Taylor Swift (Los Angeles), Justin Timberlake (Los Angeles), Beyoncé (London) and a collaboration between Jay-Z, Rihanna, Bono and the Edge (London), among a host of others.
"You got about 130 to 140 actors, athletes, singers and television hosts, and they're all coming up not to be on TV, but simply to answer the phones," Clooney told MTV News during rehearsals for tonight's big event.
So follow along here starting at 8 p.m. ET for all the insight, reactions, news and performances. For more information about the situation in Haiti, stay tuned to MTV News. If you'd like to make a donation to support the relief effort in Haiti, head over to HopeForHaitiNow.org or call (877) 99-HAITI.
9:58 "Enough with the moping, man!" Wyclef shouts. "Let's show them where the Haitian people come from!" He drapes a Haitian flag around his neck and turns up the energy for a fiery duet with sister Melky. The evening ends there, but you still can — and should — contribute to a noble and worthwhile cause. Remember that all of tonight's musical performances — as well as the entirety of the show — will be available for download on iTunes.
9:55 Denzel Washington encourages everybody not to lose hope, and reminds us that the road back will be long and hard but completely possible. He introduces Wyclef Jean, who performs his "Rivers of Babylon," which segues into "Yele." As perhaps the most visible Haitian in the music world, Jean delivers the performance of a lifetime.
9:52 Dave Matthews and Neil Young team up with their acoustic guitars to harmonize on "Alone and Forsaken," a stark folk tune with a haunting melody.
9:45 In London, Jay-Z, Bono, Rihanna and the Edge perform the new song they created specifically for this cause. It's a powerful tune that features a confident rap from Jay and angelic backing vocals from Bono and Rihanna. "The sky falls/ The earth quakes/ We gonna put this back together/ We won't break," Jay raps in the refrain.
9:44 Tom Hanks tells another story of a survivor: A man who combed Port-au-Prince for 60 hours trying to find his family.
9:40 Brad Pitt talks about a guitarist in Port-au-Prince who spent the first night after the earthquake playing for the fallen in the city. He introduces Haitian artist Emeline Michel, who sings "Many Rivers to Cross" accompanied only by an organ, and it's positively jaw-dropping.
9:33 Chris Rock reads some words written by Muhammad Ali, who appears with him live in Los Angeles. Rock talks about the importance of charity and about how moved Ali was when he first saw the images of the earthquake's aftermath. Jennifer Hudson then launches into a soulful version of the Beatles' "Let It Be."
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Tags Activism, Earthquake, george-clooney, Haiti, Telethon
