By Eric Ditzian
Last week, before Justin Timberlake enlisted his musical buddies for an all-star charity concert, the singer hit the links at a Las Vegas golf course for a celebrity tournament to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of care centers dedicated to pediatric care with no financial obligation on the part of patients and their families.
(Click here for more photos of Justin Timberlake on the links at his charity golf tournament!)
This year's celeb golfers included ex-'NSYNC-er Chris Kirkpatrick, Smokey Robinson, Kenny G, comedian George Lopez, Alice Cooper, boxer Oscar De La Hoya and Alfonso Ribeiro of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" fame.
"The Shriners organization is a top-notch organization," JT said later on the red carpet before jumpstarting the concert at Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino. "I think they get voted #1 charity of the year every year. The obvious satisfaction comes from the money we get to raise and getting to see where it actually goes."
Timberlake then took the stage to perform and emcee a show that featured performances from Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, Snoop Dogg, Jay Sean, Ciara and, for the first time in six years, TLC. While JT clearly reveled in a chance to whack a couple drives with celebs and rock out on stage with top-notch artists, he told MTV News the most gratifying part of the whole philanthropic effort is spending time with the beneficiaries of Shriners' efforts.
"I think that's the most rewarding part," he explained, "is getting to see the kids and hang out with the kids and goof around."
Baseball, football, basketball — I'm into all that. I love wrestling with a passion.