Chandler, U.S.A. — A USA Today article has reported a telethon put on to raise funds for Hurricane Sandy victims brought in $23 million. The telethon, presented by the American Red Cross, aired on NBC earlier this month. Christian Weems, an active participant in community service efforts, made note of the generosity of her fellow Americans.

According to the news piece, New Jersey natives Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi were featured performers during the telethon. Popular recording artist and star of the hit NBC television program The Voice Christina Aguilera was also featured. Matt Lauer of the station’s wildly successful morning show Today, hosted the event. Nightly News anchor Brian Williams also stopped by.

In addition to its featured performers, the article noted the telethon provided viewers the opportunity to take in a variety of musical acts. New Yorker Billy Joel, along with rock band Aerosmith and R&B artist Mary J. Blige entertained the crowd. Saturday Night Live alum and current television stars Tiny Fey and Jimmy Fallon provided comedic relief.

Christian Weems was heartened to hear of the telethon’s overwhelming success. She has a good deal of community service experience under her belt, including the organization of a relief effort following Hurricane Katrina. After that storm devastated much of New Orleans and its surrounding areas, she spearheaded a drive to make hygiene kits for citizens. The people of her hometown Chandler, Arizona, donated supplies that resulted in the delivery of 2,500 kits.

In statement about the most recent relief efforts, Christian commented: “What an amazing testimony of the goodwill of people and the positive impact we can have when we pull together during a time of crisis. Let us not forget that more help is still needed in many of the areas that were damaged most by Sandy and that these communities will need help for years to come.”

The article also highlighted appearances were made by actors Kevin Bacon, Whoopi Goldberg and Danny DeVito as well as comedian Jon Stewart.

In 2005, the broadcast company held a similar telethon to solicit donations for Hurricane Katrina victims. The article noted that show brought in $40 million worth of support.

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Grammy Award-winning artist Kenny G has chartered modern luxury line Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Millennium to create a special vacation experience in Alaska, May 17-24, 2013. The world-renowned saxophonist will not only offer multiple performances during the sailing, but also will mix and mingle with guests onboard throughout the cruise. Other recognized artists yet to be announced will perform during the sailing, as well.

In a recording career spanning nearly three decades, Kenny G is the biggest-selling instrumentalist of all time, with sales of more than 75-million records worldwide, and more than a dozen climbs to the top of Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart. In the past year alone, Kenny performed in more than 100 concerts in the U.S., Asia and Russia.

He continued his iconic status with recent appearances on Saturday Night Live, performing with Foster the People, played a prominent role in pop artist Katy Perry’s video hit, “Last Friday Night,” and appeared on several Audi TV commercials featured during the 2011 Super Bowl. Since the early 1980s, Kenny G’s combination of unparalleled instrumental talent and enduring melodies have resulted in him being recognized as one of the most successful music icons of his generation.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to cruise with my closest fans aboard Celebrity Millennium,” said Kenny G. “The experience of playing with my band and sharing the breathtaking sights of one of the most beautiful destinations in the world will be one I’ll remember forever. This cruise will allow me to spend quality time and get to know the fans onboard, just as they’ve gotten to know me through my music. Sailing with them on a week-long Celebrity Cruises vacation will be a highlight of my career, and I can’t wait to share the journey.”

“We had the thrill of having Kenny perform on our newest Solstice Class ship, Celebrity Silhouette, during the ship’s stateside debut in November, and watching the crowd interact, hearing his exceptional musical talent, and observing his engaging personality was so exciting,” said Celebrity Cruises Director of Corporate Sales and Charters Ron Gulaskey. “He’s approachable, funny, smart and interesting. The opportunity to sail with him for a week, and experience all this up-close, will create incredible memories for the fans onboard.”

To make a booking, or for further information about this special sailing, visit  www.KennyGcruise.com or call 1-800-952-2991. Reservations can be held with a deposit of only $100 per person until January 15, 2012, when the full deposit will be due. Special early booking benefits include guaranteed orchestra seating to his opening performance, if full deposits are made by or before that date.

Montrose Travel is the exclusive booking agent for this charter cruise; however, agents from other firms also have the opportunity to book their clients on the sailing. ”Unlike many charters, travel agencies wishing to book their clients on the Kenny G Cruise can do so and still receive commission,” said Celebrity Cruises North American Charter Sales Manager Andrea Sieger.

“When calling Montrose Travel, travel professionals calling from a travel agency to book a client must register their agency with Montrose Travel to receive a 10 percent commission.”

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Tina Fey gave birth to her second child on August 10.She named her daughter Penelope Athena Richmond.

The “30 Rock” star has a five year old daughter named Alice, and is married to composer Jeffery Richmond. The couple chose to wait until the baby arrived to find out if they were having a boy or a girl.

Fey, 41, made the announcement about her pregnancy while promoting her book “Bossypants” on the Oprah Winfrey show in April. She said “My husband and I really decided that we felt rather than risk having ’30 Rock’ end in several years and feeling like part of our family is missing that we were going to prioritize our family.”

Fey is no secret to a busy lifestyle, especially with the help of her husband who, according to her, was “really good about helping out.” They married in 2001.

She described her second pregnancy on the Ellen DeGeneres show as being “easy” despite her “advanced maternal age.” She joked that the doctors “looked at her like she was just going to explode.”

Fey is an actress, comedian, writer, and producer whose successes include being the first female head writer as well as a comedian on Saturday Night Live. She adapted the screenplay and acted in Mean Girls (2004). The film was based off the book “Queen Bees and Wannabes” by Rosalind Wiseman.

More recently, Fey created the series “30 Rock” which is based off her experience at Saturday Night Live.

As a hard worker, Fey was an honor student through high school, and knew she was interested in comedy by middle school. She also anonymously wrote her high school’s satirical column, The Acorn. She then went on to study playwriting and acting at the University of Virginia.

After graduation, Fey moved to Chicago and began working for the improv comedy group, The Second City, where she took classes at night. During the day she worked at the YMCA in Evanston. She joined the Second City cast in 1994, while also submitting scripts to Saturday Night Live. Adam McKay, who was the head writer, had also performed at Second City.

Fey moved to New York when she was hired as a writer, and after losing thirty pounds she began to act as well. Fey says that the weight loss and desire to be on television are unrelated. Most famously, she hosted Weekend Update, a comical news segment. She eventually got McKay’s job as head writer. She left SNL in 2006 to develop 30 Rock.

30 Rock was, and still is, a hit TV series that has earned Fey and the show Emmy Nominations. In 2008, she won a Golden Globe. In 2008 the Associated Press named her the Entertainer of the Year, as well as one of Barbara Walter’s Most Fascinating People of 2008.

Fey shortly returned to SNL during the Presidential election to portray Sarah Palin. The episode had 5.7 million views online and created even more buzz about Fey.

Fey’s most recent work aside from “30 Rock,” is a film titled “Mommy and Me” alongside Meryl Streep who plays her mother. Stanley Tucci directs the comedy. For now, Fey will be with her family during this joyous occasion.

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Cameron Diaz, one of cinemas favorite girl next door types, is starring in Bad Teacher, a film that would have been an unexpected and possibly welcomed type cast change during her Charlie’s Angels days—and now?

Aiming to redefine Diaz as worth her comedic weight in an age of unapologetic guilty thrills, Bad Teacher throws out her girl next door image and gives her a leading role where she is the modern day epitome of, well, a bad teacher.

Diaz plays Elizabeth, a seventh-grade teacher who is wasting time in class by not teaching, insulting children, fellow staff members and drinking on the job as she waits to marry her rich fiance. However, things accordingly go awry and she is broken up with, setting her on an urgent course to find a new man with money.

Low and behold, he just so happens to be Diaz’ real life ex, Justin Timberlake, as Scott Delacorte, the rich and handsome substitute teacher. Elizabeth’s gold digging senses spot his expensive family watch immediately, prompting her to pursue his affections and win him, along with his money, over.

Now of course there is more to it than that. Elizabeth sees a picture of Scott’s ex-girlfriend and decides that without breast implants; there is no way that she can win him over. Luckily, her trusty academic sidekick Lynn, also known as Phyllis Smith of The Office, informs her that whichever teacher gets their students to score the highest on an annual test gets a bonus.

Thus ensures the race to the finish line, with competition along the way from Lucy Punch as the archenemy “good teacher” who is competing for the bonus and succeeded in nabbing Scott first. Jason Segel also stars as the sarcastic and irreverent gym teacher who is trying to win over the mean pretty girl in class—to no avail.

So, why see Diaz as a foul-mouthed teacher lazing around the schoolyard?

First off, not only is Phyllis from The Office in the movie, a “stand out character” according to Timberlake and dubbed “a genius” by Diaz, but Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, the writers of The Office, also wrote the script. If more convincing is still needed, then know that in addition to Justin Timberlake, fellow Saturday Night Live alum Molly Shannon will also be in the film.

Next of course is the comedy sensation Jason Segel, also known as “the uber charming, incredibly seductive, 6-foot-5 man meat they call The Segel”–or so Diaz says. Even Timberlake, the pop king himself proclaimed, “I am on the Jason Segel Train.”

According to Timberlake in a Trailer Addict interview, the film is “funny on many different levels,” with both physical comedy and excellent writers who created a “fantastically baked cake” that the actors are “just spreading the icing on.” With an all-star cast of comedians, the script itself underwent very few changes from the initial reading to the finished product. During filming there were very few takes and the cast was “hauling ass,” as Diaz put it.

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