Bono Hearts Gabby Sidibe And We All Heart The Lazarus Effect
Very few things draw a crowd like HBO and Bono. Bring the two together and you have one very special evening. I was lucky enough to be invited to HBO’s premiere of The Lazarus Effect a documentary by Lance Bangs and Spike Jonze that details the effects of antiretroviral drugs in Africa.
I chatted with Bangs earlier this week about the film and you can check that out here. But right now let’s talk about the star-studded celebration for the film at the MoMA last night.
I obviously lost my cool just a little talking to Bono, who was juggling a handful of products that support the RED campaign and explaining to me how everyone could donate to provide ARVs to folks like the ones featured in the film.
“You can buy an iPod nano and go to Starbucks and buy a coffee, a RED coffee, they get some of the profits to buy these pills. Two pills a day and you are back at work in 40 days from deaths door. The thing about this film is that it demonstrates that. You meet these women who were letting their lives go for the stupidest reasons, because no one was paying for these drugs,” Bono said.
But Academy Award nominee and It-Girl of the moment Gabby Sidibe wasn’t nearly as uncool as I was. She has gotten used to a lot of air-kissing in the past few months and last night was no exception as she accepted an exuberant double kiss and hello from the U2 frontman.
Everyone wants to talk to Sidibe. Everywhere she goes. Which is why it took all my powers of the force to pull Luke Skywalker — Hayden Christensen — away from the Precious star for just a minute to chat about the film and his very personal reason for supporting the RED campaign.
“I lost my aunt to AIDS, just a few years ago. I’m trying to figure out right now what else I can do. We need to get people healthy and this is a treatable disease. RED gives consumers the ability to buy things to give their money to something positive It bridges the gap between consumerism and charity,” Hayden told me.
It was so packed inside the screening that Ed Burns even had trouble finding his seat. I was entirely ready to offer up space on my lap (I’m very charitable) until Ed found his seat next to his gorgeous wife, RED Ambassador Christy Turlington.
Even Hangover star Zach Galifianakis got spruced up for the event. He was wearing his dressy back-pack!
But most importantly, the film, which is a doc with a hint of sexy rock video, was adored by the entire crowd, famous folk and regular people like me alike. I can’t wait to see what all of you think about it after it airs on HBO on May 24th.
Cat Cora Will Feed The World … Starting With Haiti
What happens when a celebrity chef goes to Haiti? In the case of Iron Chef Cat Cora, she helps to make sure things are getting done and getting done right. Back in January, Cat and her organization, Chefs for Humanity, challenged others in the culinary community to raise $1 million for relief efforts and to aid the World Food Programme.
Last month Cat traveled to the earthquake stricken country to figure out the best way to use those funds. You know how chefs are … they don’t want to waste anything. I caught up with her this week to chat a little about her trip and what her plans are going forward.
Tonic: Tell me about the trip in just a few sentences:
Cat: It was great and it was really productive and it’s still really chaotic. We visited orphanages and the World Food Programme. We went to one orphanage and there was a 1-month-old that I held the whole time. There are so many kids in a small space, but they’re all such strong people. The people living in the tent cities are still hungry and a lot of the aid has stopped as the rebuilding phase has begun and I think that is where the World Food Programme and Chefs for Humanity will come in.
Tonic: What are you doing with the funds that CFH has raised so far?
Cat: We are earmarking $100,000 specifically for the World Food Programme to be given to the directors on the ground for sustainable farms; one acre plots that not only give people jobs but feed people. We want to set up sustainable projects that will last.
Tonic: So how can people help and donate to what you are doing?
Cat: They can donate at ChefsforHumanity.org where they can find out all the information and write directly to me about helping or with any ideas. Right now we need funds to buy food and what our group is doing is talking to the executives and directors on the ground to make sure that money gets earmarked. We’re following that money!!
Mario Lopez Will Give Everyone His Washboard Abs
Mario Lopez has come so far from the jam-wearing, over-gelled A.C. Slater on Saved by the Bell. Not only has he made serious amendments to his fashion and grooming routine, but he has also built himself a mini-Mario empire as one of America’s favorite media personalities. His latest project? Getting you fit. His new book Extra Lean: The Fat-Burning Plan That Changes The Way You Eat For Life (smart use of Extra in that title A.C.) promises to help you lose 14 pounds in 14 days, but more than that it promises to help readers get healthy.
“The only exercise I focus on in the book is when to push away from the table. If you really want to lose weight, it’s all about food,” Mario told AOL PopEater.
Brilliant. In 14 days I want to look as good as Mario when I take off my shirt, or I want my money back. Just kidding. Sort of.
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Photo by © The Persuaders LLC | Morgana Wingard, photo by Rachel Rossitto, photo by greginhollywood via Flickr, Photo 4 by PR Photos.
