Some Haiti Telethon Thoughts

I was watching the Hope For Haiti Now telethon earlier tonight. I certainly encourage everyone to do what they can to aid the victims of the devastating earthquake. Even a small donation will help. There are many worthy organizations accepting donations. (Just beware of the scams.) However, I just can't help being a bit cynical about a couple of things.

So many TV networks -- ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, MSNBC, MTV, even the MLB Network (but not Fox News Channel, unsurprisingly) -- aired the show tonight. And yet...this is a Friday night. The telethon in January 2005 to aid the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami was held on a Saturday night. Two shows raising money for victims of Hurricane Katrina were both held on Friday nights. The telethon held after the 9/11 terrorist attacks took place on a Friday night. I wonder, would the networks be so willing to give up their airtime on a Thursday or a Sunday, instead of on nights when ratings are so low because most people go out instead of sitting home glued to the TV?

Many celebrities took time to appear tonight -- to perform, speak, even take calls from people donating by phone. Many have made donations of their own. And yet...how much more good could be done if wealthy celebrities toned down their lavish lifestyles a little? The parties, the vacations, the ownership of multiple properties, and on and on...Beyonce and Jay-Z paid $1,200.00, plus a $500.00 tip (I admit, this part of the story is pretty cool -- that's around a 40 percent tip) for lunch at a New York City restaurant. One thousand, seven hundred dollars. For lunch!

For that matter, I can't help but wonder how many celebs show up because they truly care, and how many are looking for good publicity. I guess we'll never really know, but wouldn't it be interesting to hear reports about Celebrity XYZ saying "no" to the telethon because they weren't getting paid, or that the agent for some "reality" TV performer kept hounding the producers to get their client on the show?

As for the show itself, while the situation in Haiti is terrible and desperate, why did most of the performances have to be so solemn and mournful? I would have enjoyed the show more if there was a little more uptempo music, something that would maybe inspire some hopeful feelings. They kept saying how you can download the performances on iTunes. Honestly, based on the music alone, I wouldn't want most of them.

One more thing, this one about one of tonight's performers -- and I'm no longer being cynical, just a little shallow: John Legend is pretty.