Idol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol.
Idol Gives Back 2007
The results show was broadcast from two locations—the regular American Idol stage and Disney Hall—and included celebrity actors and personalities: Kirstie Alley, Marc Anthony, Gillian Anderson, Kevin Bacon, Antonio Banderas, Jason Biggs, Blue Man Group, Jack Black, Emily Blunt, Bono, Michael Buble, Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, Chris Daughtry, Micky Dolenz, Kyle Gass, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Hugh Grant, Teri Hatcher, Goldie Hawn, LeBron James, Chris Kattan, Keira Knightley, Lisa Kudrow, Hugh Laurie, Rob Lowe, Joel Madden, Benji Madden, Madonna, Eric McCormack, Ewan McGregor, Kevin McNally, Helen Mirren, Parminder Nagra, Shaquille O’Neal, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bernadette Peters, Dr. Phil, Miss Piggy, Seal, Rob Schneider, David Schwimmer, Ben Stiller, Twiggy, Harvey Weinstein, Forest Whitaker.
Idol Gives Back Performers
The performers included:
* Earth, Wind, and Fire – Medley: “Boogie Wonderland,” “Shining Star,” “September”
* Top 6 Contestants – “Time to Care,” an anthem written and composed specially for the occasion by Quincy Jones, who conducted the band.
* Ben Stiller threatened to badly sing a rendition of Little River Band’s “Reminiscing” until a total of $200,000,000,000 in donations was reached. Throughout the show, the camera cut to him continuing to sing as the goal was not reached.
* Il Divo – “Somewhere” (from West Side Story)
* Carrie Underwood performed “I’ll Stand By You” in Africa, which was used as soundtrack for a video vignette.
* Jack Black humorously performed an excerpt of Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose” for the judges, as Kyle Gass sat in the audience holding a rose, acting moved by the song. Randy and Paula panned his performance, with Paula mentioning that “the School of Rock called; they want their diploma back.” Simon Cowell remarked that he was “better than Sanjaya.” When asked by the judges, however, Seal jokingly proclaimed Black’s performance the best rendition of “Kiss from a Rose” that he ever heard. Black also incorrectly identified “Kiss From a Rose” as being a song from the Batman Returns soundtrack. The track was actually featured in the third edition in the Batman series, Batman Forever.
* Fergie – performs her fourth single (fan favorite) song, “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, from her debut album The Dutchess.
* Rascal Flatts – “My Wish”
* Numerous actors and celebrities lip-synced and danced to The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” in a humorous music video.
* Josh Groban backed by the African Children’s Choir – “You Raise Me Up”
* Kelly Clarkson with Jeff Beck – Patty Griffin’s “Up to the Mountain”
* A Simpsons animated short was aired with Bart as Ryan, Marge imitating Randy, Lisa imitating Paula, and Homer imitating Simon while listening to a much mellowed Simon Cowell’s audition of ” Don’t Cha.” It was later released on The Simpsons Movie DVD.
* Celine Dion duet with Elvis Presley (together on stage with use of rotoscoping) – “If I Can Dream”
* Annie Lennox – “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
* Top 6 Contestants – “American Prayer”
* Green Day – “Working Class Hero”
Idol Gives Back 2008
The following celebrities appeared or performed on the 2008 show, as well as the following results show: Adam Sandler, Alicia Keys, Annie Lennox, Ashley Tisdale, Barack Obama, Ben Stiller, Brad Pitt, Billy Crystal, Billy Ray Cyrus, Bono, Boyz II Men, Carrie Underwood, Cat Deeley, Celine Dion, Charlie Wilson, Cheryl Hines, Chris Brown, Chris Daughtry, Chris Jericho, Dane Cook, Daughtry, David Beckham, David Spade, Dr. Phil, Eddie Izzard, Eli Manning, Ellen DeGeneres, Elliott Yamin, Emma Bunton, Fantasia, Felicity Huffman, Fergie, Forest Whitaker, George Lopez, Geri Halliwell, Gloria Estefan, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Gordon Brown, Heart, Hillary Clinton, Jack Nicholson, James Denton, Jennifer Connelly, Jim Carrey, Jimmie Johnson, Jimmy Kimmel (who roasted Simon Cowell), John Cena, John Legend, John McCain, Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks, Julianne Moore, Keith Urban, Kiefer Sutherland, Kobe Bryant, Kylie Minogue, Kyra Sedgwick, Mariah Carey, First Lady of California Maria Shriver, Maroon 5, Mary Murphy, Michael Kors, Michael Chiklis, Miley Cyrus, Minnie Driver, Nigel Lythgoe, Peyton Manning, Reese Witherspoon, Ricki Lake, Rob Schneider, Robin Williams (as “Bob” the “Russian Idol”), The Rock, Roselyn Sanchez, Ryan Sheckler, Sarah Silverman, Selma Blair, Sheila E., Snoop Dogg, So You Think You Can Dance Season 2 and 3 finalists, Teddy Reilly, Teri Hatcher, Toby Keith, The Game, The Clark Brothers, Cole and Dylan Sprouse, Triple H, Tyra Banks, Vanessa Hudgens, Victoria Beckham and Whoopi Goldberg.
Idol Gives Back Performances
* Idol Top 8 sang Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music” as past So You Think You Can Dance finalists performed various dance routines
* Snoop Dogg and Charlie Wilson performed “Can’t Say Goodbye”
* Teri Hatcher (of Desperate Housewives) performed Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” with Band from TV
* Miley Cyrus performed “Good and Broken”.
* Fergie performed her single “Finally” with John Legend playing the piano
* Heart performed “Barracuda” and were joined by Fergie
* Annie Lennox played the piano and performed “Many Rivers to Cross”
* Carrie Underwood sang George Michael’s “Praying for Time”
* Jordin Sparks performs with Chris Brown in “No Air” and presented Platinum awards for singles “Tattoo” and “No Air” (over 1,000,000 units each) and Gold award for the Jordin Sparks album (over 500,000 units).
* Gloria Estefan performed “Get on Your Feet” featuring Sheila E. on percussion, as well as the So You Think You Can Dance finalists
* Idol Top 8 performed “Seasons of Love” from the musical RENT
* Miley Cyrus performed once more, singing “See You Again”
* Daughtry performed “What About Now” in a video of their trip to Uganda
* Mariah Carey performed “Fly Like a Bird” with Randy Jackson on bass guitar
* The Top 8 closed the show with the Christian anthem “Shout to the Lord”
* In a sequel to the previous year’s “Staying Alive” video, a group of celebrities lip synced to The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” during Thursday’s results show.
Idol Gives Back 2010
Idol Gives Back will return on April 21, 2010 during the Top 7 results show on season nine.
Courtesy: Wikipedia
