Funny man Tommy Davidson to hand out toys to homeless children

Comedian TOMMY DAVIDSON will help deliver toys to homeless children at the PATH Homeless Center, 340 North Madison Avenue in Los Angeles today! There's nothing a comedian likes more than to see someone smile.

Tommy and I are going to chat tomorrow so check back to see when his story will be published!

Davidson, who was in the foster system as a young child in Washington DC , has a personal story to tell.

Happy Holidays to All!!!!!

I just want to thank everyone who follows this blog, the celebrities who contribute and the behind-the-scenes people who help me set up interviews and keep this blog running. Please have the happiest and healthiest of holidays and don't forget to give to the less fortunate. My charity of choice at holiday time is St. Jude's.

Many people ask what I want for Christmas -- not the mushy stuff, but what I would 'really' want for the holidays. Let's start with this...









Well, I can hope! LOL...In addition to my traditional Christmas festivities with the family, I'll be seeing Sherlock Holmes this weekend! Enjoy your holiday!

News on Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift

Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift: When stars like Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers aren't busy making music and movies and hitting the road on tours, they spend a good amount of time giving back by working with charities. And now these pop superstars have made nonprofit auction site CharityFolks.com's list of the 10 hottest celebrity draws, according to "Extra."

The Jonas Brothers raised $300,000 for their Change for the Children Foundation in 2009 by using their celebrity to auction VIP meet-and-greet sessions through Charity Folks. The Jonas Brothers, in conjunction with the Change for the Children Foundation, also work with Bayer Diabetes Care to help spread awareness about the condition. Nick Jonas has diabetes and wrote the song "A Little Bit Longer" about his struggles with it. Read the rest of this article here.

Alec Baldwin donates $1 million to alma mater

So I'm a college student walking in New York City from my job to class. I walked the same way every day -- from 42nd Street to the New York Institute of Technology on 61st St. One night, Alec Baldwin walks right by me. He was in The Doctors at that point and I loved him on that show. I was thrilled, but he was walking pretty fast.

The next night, Alec Baldwin walks by me AGAIN. Okay, something's up, I thought, and I promised myself that if he walked by me the same time the next day I was going to stop him and ask him for an autograph. Guess what! The next day he walked right by me and I grabbed his arm! I'm sure I startled him, but it was before the day of entourages...LOL. Ends up he was in a play and was going to rehearsal every night. I told him I was going to school and this was the 3rd time he walked by me. He asked me what I was majoring in and I told him Journalism and Communications. We talked about it for a few minutes, but GUESS WHAT. I didn't have a pen! Maybe that's why I have 5 pens in my pocketbook all the time now -- just in case.

Well, Alec, if you're reading this, I'm the one that grabbed your arm on the New York Street one day when you were in a play while in The Doctors. Doubtful if you remember, but I just wanted to say that I think it's really cool that you remembered your roots and donated money to the School. And hey, I have a pen now if you want to send that autograph.

The UNICEF Ball

Ah. An amazing A-lister party for charity. On December 10, the UNICEF Ball brought together Hollywood’s biggest stars for a fundraising gala to honor those individuals who have made key contributions to UNICEF’s mission to save and improve children’s lives worldwide. The evening raised more money for the organization than any UNICEF Ball to date. Producer and long-time philanthropist Jerry Weintraub was honored as Man of the Year with UNICEF’s Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award.

The UNICEF Ball was co-chaired by Bryan Lourd, Ghada Irani and Tamar & Bob Manoukian. The evening included performances by Paul Anka, Tony Bennett, Jane Morgan-Weintraub and Franki Valli & The Four Seasons. Paul Anka added his own special touch to the night by changing the lyrics to his popular song “My Way” to reflect the guest of honor. George Clooney, Bruce Willis and Bryan Lourd were among those who spoke about Jerry Weintraub as a friend and colleague. Guests were also treated to special surprise appearance by Mr. Weintraub’s long-time friend Muhammad Ali.

During dinner, George Clooney presented the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award to Jerry Weintraub, Special Advisor to UNICEF USA. Committed to helping others in need, Weintraub’s philanthropic endeavors are just as great as his professional career. Most recently, Not on Our Watch, co-founded by Weintraub, has supported UNICEF‘s at-risk Zimbabwean refugee children living on the South Africa-Zimbabwe border.

“Every day 24,000 children die from preventable causes. I believe that number should be zero,” said Weintraub. “UNICEF has saved more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world and I am committed to supporting their efforts to provide children worldwide the essentials for a safe and healthy childhood.”

In spirit of the evening, Jerry Weintraub, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon and Don Cheadle donated $250,000 on behalf of Not on Our Watch in support of UNICEF’s mission to reduce the number of preventable deaths of children from 24,000 to zero. Guests of the UNICEF Ball included Ellen Barkin, George Clooney, Cindy Crawford & Rande Gerber, Luciana & Matt Damon, Larry David, Selena Gomez, Elliot Gould, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt, Anthony Kiedes, Benji Madden, Joel Madden, Rebecca Mader, Alyssa Milano, Jeremy Piven, Sumner Redstone, Bruce Willis and more.

Dinner hosts included Shelli and Irving Azoff, Peggy and Jeff Bewkes, George Clooney, Carole Bayer Sager and Bob Daly, Luciana and Matt Damon, Brynne and Dan Fellman, David Geffen, Harvey S. Gettleson, Brad Grey, Cindy and Alan Horn, Lucy Liu, Michael Meldman, Wendy and Barry Meyer, Kelly and Ron Meyer, Lori and Michael Milken, Julie and Leslie Moonves, Robin and Gerald Parsky, Brad Pitt, Nicole and Jeff Robinov, Ande and Bruce Rosenblum, Steve Roth, Ellen and Richard Sandler, Jane and Terry Semel, Steven Spielberg, Emma and Bruce Willis, Ellen and Ken Ziffren and Jane Morgan Weintraub.

Dr. Andrew Ordon's Surgical Friends Foundation

Jennifer Haupt, a very talented writer for Psychology Today, has written about Dr. Andrew Ordon's (The Doctors) new Surgical Friends Foundation. According to the Foundation's site, the vision of the founding members was to create a surgical foundation which reached out to all those who suffer from physical deformities, whether they reside in the US or abroad. The goal was to create an organization that is working to provide reconstructive surgery and improved access to quality medical care by uniting patients, physicians and philanthropists on a global level. Read Jenn's article here.

George Jones and wife Nancy hold Toy Drive at their home

Now I seriously have to visit Tennessee! You are all just too cool! Country music icon George Jones and wife Nancy invite the public to their home on Friday, December 18 in Franklin, TN. The Jones family has once again put up an incredible light display and will also be hosting a visit by the seasonal saint himself, Santa Claus, this Friday from 6-8pm. Each year George and Nancy look for a way to give back to the local community, and have reached out to The Give Hope project of The People’s Church to help take donations of toys to distribute to needy families throughout middle Tennessee.

ADMISSION IS FREE (TOY DONATIONS ACCEPTED AND REQUESTED).

Toys may also be donated during regular business hours to:

The People’s Church

828 Murfreesboro Rd

Franklin, TN 37064-2905

An Equality party AFTER the ball drops

Thanks to Broadway's Gavin Creel (Claude in Hair on Broadway) for this party information!

Attention New Yorkers: After the ball drops, kick off the New Year with Broadway Impact and Joe's Pub at 2010: an EQUALITY Odyssey! Join the crowd at Joe's Pub to ring in the new year with equality. Come start the year off on the right side of history!

The night will include launching into the new year with good music, drinks, a raffle of prizes and special guests! 100% of the proceeds go to Broadway Impact! About Broadway Impact: Broadway Impact is a grassroots organization of the Theatre community and its fans, mobilizing in support of marriage equality.

Joe's Pub is committed in 2010 to fight for equality for all of our LGBTQ friends and loved ones and we invite you to start the year off with us and our friends at Broadway Impact.

Tickets available here: http://www.joespub.com/component/option,com_shows/task,view/Itemid,40/id,4968

Doors open at 12:30am. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Tennessee fans: Meet your faves, get autographs and help a charity!

Oh you have no idea how much I wish I could be here!

This coming Monday, these artists will be signing autographs and posing for photos with fans in an effort to help raise money for the Christmas 4 Kids organization (which seriously has one of the cutest websites I've ever seen). Look who you can meet -- Darryl Worley (I love his song "Sounds Like Life") Gretchen Wilson (I'm a longtime fan!), Danny Gokey from American Idol (I voted and he has my heart since we both lost someone at a young age!!!), Randy Houser, Keith Anderson, Cowboy Troy, Burns & Poe, Bo Bice, The Grascals, Steve Harwell with Smashmouth (SMASHMOUTH!), Bryan White, T.G. Sheppard, The Roys, Julia Burton, Shane Thomas, Danielle Peck, Grady Nations, Candice Crain, Dustin Wilkes, Paul Stout, Scott Lindsey, Crystal Hunt (One Life to Live), Casey Jamerson, Woody Bradshaw, Adam Fisher, Anna Garrott, Matt Gary, Crystal Rose, and Alexandra Samson!

Artists Appearances and schedule subject to change without notice***

Here are the details:

WHAT: Christmas 4 Kids Tour Bus Show

WHERE: Hendersonville Wal*Mart,

204 North Anderson Lane

Hendersonville, TN 37075

WHEN: Monday, December 14^th

5 – 9 pm

Artists appearing will be located on their own tour bus or one provided for them. They will be signing autographs and posing for photos to help raise money for the Christmas 4 Kids organization. On Tuesday, the organization will take over 400 children shopping at this same Wal*Mart!!!!! What an awesome event! Come on Tennessee, don't let us down!

Tell Danny Gokey I said hi!

Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig sell the shirts off their backs for charity

So I'm twittering with Broadway.com the other day just for fun -- I love Broadway and like keeping up on what's happening. They decide to give tickets away! I lost the first time they did this but I won this time! Two free tickets to see two of the hottest names on Broadway -- Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman -- in the play A Steady Rain. My daughter and I hopped on the train, headed into the city and claimed our orchestra seats. The play was good and it was interesting seeing both Jackman and Craig without their accents in a play, not a musical, just the two of them, two chairs and their acting skills. Impressive.

After the show, Wolverine, er...Jackman (sorry can't help it) asked for a minute of our time for a good cause. And when Hugh Jackman asks for a minute of your time, well, you sit. Jackman and Craig were raising money for Broadway Cares, an amazing charity that fights AIDS and one that I fully support, and were selling autographed posters and playbills. Granted, I couldn't swing the $1,000 asking price, but I donated some money anyway because every bit helps.

Then they decided to auction off the shirts off their backs! Women screamed and the actors turned their backs to the audience and teased us with a quasi strip tease. They asked for an opening bid of $1,000 which would get the winner the shirts, personally autographed, and backstage passes to meet the actors and take pictures. Boy I wish I was richer! In less than 5 minutes, the actors raised $30,000 between three bidders who each bid $10,000 and the actors decided to give each of them something for their bids. Plus they earned whatever they raised with the posters and playbills. An amazing experience for everyone involved.

While I was waiting for the show to start, I read that Jackman's auctioned off things from other plays he's been in to raise millions for Broadway Cares. It's obvious that Jackman and Craig care. And we should too. (I saw Hugh Jackman do a strip tease 20 feet in front of me!!!!!!! Okay I'm calm now. No I'm not!!!!!!!)

Congrats to Hank Azaria and Olivia Wilde

At the beginning of December, The Artivist Collective announced the Artivist Award winners for the 6^th Annual Artivist Film Festival Awards. Actress and activist Olivia Wilde ("House") and Actor Hank Azaria accepted the Artivist Award, honoring artists whose exemplary work in their community stands out as a shining example of one person's ability to change the world for the better.

Actor Hank Azaria ("The Simpsons” Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian) is the founder of Determined to Succeed, an educational non-profit organization dedicated to providing an exceptional group of low socio-economic students with comprehensive year-round support.

Olivia Wilde (left) has helped numerous causes including Power Up Gambia, Artists for Peace and Justice, the ACLU and the Barack Obama campaign.

Producer and President of Rhino Films Stephen Nemeth also received an award for his advocacy on behalf of numerous causes including the Wildlife Ecostation, Wheels For Humanity, Children Uniting Nations, Shine On Sierra Leone, OneVoice, the Veggie Van Organization, LACMA, Amnesty International, Rock the Vote and more.

Past Artivist Award recipients include: Ted Danson, Alyssa Milano, Joaquin Phoenix, Matthew McConaughey, Mira Sorvino, James Cromwell, Ed Begley Jr, Tippi Hedren, Claes Nobel of the NOBEL Prize Family and Mike Farrell.

Artivist is the first film festival dedicated to addressing International Human Rights, Children's Advocacy, Environmental Preservation, and Animal Advocacy. In addition to the artist awards, Artivist also awards a feature and short in each of these four categories. Additionally the Artivist Spirit Award goes to the film that best embodies the overall mission of the festival.

The Artivist Film Festival screens over 40 independent, narratives, documentaries, shorts, and experimental films from around the globe at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood from December 1-5, concluding with the Artivist Awards. The festival’s mission is to strengthen the voice of advocate artists - "Artivists" - while raising public awareness for global causes.

Since its inception in 2004, the Artivist Film Festival has showcased over 400 films representing more than 45 countries around the world. Artivist has reached millions of people with its film festivals in Hollywood, London, Tokyo, Mexico City, and Lisbon, and through its website at www.ARTIVISTS.org

Additionally, in recognition of the socially conscious platform it provides, Artivist has been endorsed by Claes Nobel of the Nobel Prize family, Amnesty International, and the United Nations Department of Public Information.

Many films awarded at Artivist have gone on to great acclaim including Academy Award winner Born Into Brothels, Academy Award Nominees Super-Size Me and God Sleeps in Rwanda. The festival has also held the Los Angeles Premieres of Fast Food Nation, Emmanuelle's Gift, Stolen Childhoods, Zeitgeist, Zeitgest Addendum and Trudell.

All proceeds benefit the Annual Artivist Film Festival, creating a platform for socially conscious "Artivists" to share their inspirational and informative films with the world.

New York Mets -- Whatever Happened To Ed Hearn

Here's my latest Bleacher Report blog on Ed Hearn, a professional catcher who played for the New York Mets (my fave team!).

I've been away a bit working on a book, but I'm back...look for more from me soon!

The 39 Steps to Broadway

This isn't a celebrity-do-gooder piece (it will be later!) but I wanted to talk about this Broadway show!

On Saturday, my daughter and I saw The 39 Steps on Broadway. I didn't know what to expect. I prefer musicals and this was not a musical, but I heard it was funny and I always like funny. So we ventured in the pouring rain for a 3pm show.

The website describes the show as 'mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have THE 39 STEPS, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre!'

"In THE 39 STEPS, a man with a boring life meets a woman with a thick accent who says she's a spy. When he takes her home, she is murdered. Soon, a mysterious organization called "The 39 Steps" is hot on the man's trail in a nationwide manhunt that climaxes in a death-defying finale"

The cast of four -- played by Arnie Burton, Jeffrey Kuhn, Sean Mahon, and Jill Paice -- is absolutely hilarious. I had a soft spot in my heart for Jeffrey Kuhn who probably went to the "Tim Conway School of awesome facial expressions and voices." It's a laugh riot as the actors transpose themselves into multiple characters right in front of you, while not missing a beat. The slapstick, the facial expressions, the hilarious choreography as sets are moved around and become part of the jokes make this show a don't miss.

According to Playbill magazine, "here's how the producers characterize the madness: "The 39 Steps features a cast of four actors who, against all odds, breathlessly and hilariously attempt to reenact all of the characters, locations and famous scenes in Hitchcock's 1935 film thriller with just a few props and a lot of theatrical ingenuity and split second quick changes."

Sadly, this show is ending its run on Broadway in January and I wish it wasn't. If you're looking for something to see, this is it. The house should be full and the word of how funny this show is should be spreading like wildfire.

My cheeks literally hurt after the performance and my daughter and I talked about our favorite moments all the way home.

SugarHill Gang helps to fight cancer

Yes THAT SugarHill Gang! Are you singing their Rapper's Delight song in your head already? LOL. Well they are helping out a friend of mine, author Jen Singer, at her Kiss Cancer Goodbye party! Check it out!

http://nj.lls.llsevent.org/pledge/index.cfm?mid=KISSCANCERGOODBYE

Jen is amazing and a true inspiration. Buy her books, support her causes.