Idol Gives Back Rakes in $60M

Idol Gives Back Rakes in $60M
Let’s see you beat that, Brangelina! American Idol’s “very special” Idol Gives Back has raised over $60 million for the newly formed Charity Projects Entertainment Fund. The proceeds will be split between the U.S. — funding literacy programs, food banks, children’s health programs and Boys & Girls Club — and Africa, where they will help fight malaria, AIDS and TB.

Viewers phoned in a record 70 million votes on Tuesday night, and NewsCorp, which owns Fox, kicked in $5 million by shelling out ten cents a vote for the first 50 million votes (NewsCorp reported $2.3 billion in net income for 2006). Ellen Degeneres chipped in $100,000, and so many viewers called in to donate additional funds during Wednesday night’s two-hour telecast that the lines were often busy.

You can continue to donate at AmericanIdol.com. The final fundraising tally will be announced on Tuesday’s show.

Published 4/27/07 by


The Evil Beet

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