Tom Hanks, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Amy Poehler and a slew of celebrities will be lending their star power to a modern-day telethon benefiting the American Civil Liberties Union.
Streaming via Facebook Live on Friday, March 31, at 7 p.m. ET, Stand for Rights: A Benefit for the ACLU is gathering celebrities in what is being billed as a “historic event marking the first time in history people have something productive to do on Facebook on a Friday night.” The streaming telethon will feature appearances by Tracy Morgan, Jon Hamm, Padma Lakshmi, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski, Uzo Aduba, Josh Charles, Zosia Mamet, Ike Barinholtz and more.
“In these tumultuous times, we need our favorite actors, musicians, and comedians to do what they do best. Speak earnestly about politics? No! Entertain you for a great cause? Yes!” read the statement from the event organizers on Tuesday. “Because when the Titanic sank, the band kept playing! Except in this case, the band will be raising money for something that can fix the boat. And Leonardo DiCaprio won’t have to die.”
“Our work in the courts is essential right now to hold off the worst of the abuses,” said ACLU executive director Anthony D. Romero in a statement. “But it is also the collective will and tireless actions of ‘we the people’ that serve as a bulwark against unconstitutional and wrong-headed policies and executive orders. By supporting our work through this telethon, we can fight even harder to defend the rights guaranteed by our Constitution.”
The event is being executive produced by Friend of a Friend Productions in collaboration with The Huffington Post, Funny or Die and Maggie Vision. It will broadcast live from New York City via the Facebook pages of Stand for Rights 2017, Funny or Die and The Huffington Post.
