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CNN LIVE EVENT/SPECIAL

America's New War: A Tribute To Heroes

Aired September 21, 2001 - 05:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The entertainment industry is raising money to help New York and Washington rebuild their lives.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHERYL CROWE, MUSICIAN (singing): Come to me now and lay your hands over me, even if it's a lie says it will be all right, I shall need thee.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: This is an incredible collaboration. Cheryl Crowe is lending one song and then all of the major television networks are joining in an unprecedented effort.

LIN: And that's just the beginning. America, A Tribute to Heroes is a telethon to benefit The United Way's September 11th Fund. The program is scheduled to air from 9:00 to 11:00 Eastern this evening.

CNN's Laurin Sydney has more on this.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: You know, this is just -- it's a country grieving.

LAURIN SYDNEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Extreme times call for extreme measures and television is no exception. On Friday evening at 9:00 p.m. in an unprecedented move multiple networks will be airing the same telethon to benefit relief and recovery from the World Trade Center disaster.

KELSEY GRAMMAR, ACTOR: It think really if we are indeed in a war then the best thing I can really do for the country is to supply the refuge of laughter that we always have.

SYDNEY: America, A tribute to Heroes is a collaboration of all four major networks with over 20 additional channels as well as radio and the Internet planning to carry the bi-coastal program.

DENNIS FRANZ, ACTOR: Every channel that you're going to be turning on you're going to be seeing this tribute and this telethon and I hope that America responds and digs deep. SYDNEY: More than 30 celebrities will lend their name and talent to the show including Billy Joel, Tom Cruise, Tom hanks, Jim Carey, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Celine Dion performing God Bless America and Moria Carey honoring the heroes.

CLOONEY: Literally everyone who's called in and said, "Can I help," are going to be there and they're going to be doing whatever they can do, which is they're going to be reading or they're going to be answering phones or they're going to be here like some are here now, moving desks around, which is something to see. I'm out here with an entourage that are just here, it's nice.

SYDNEY: For security's sake the location of both the New York and Los Angeles production facilities will be kept confidential. And in a surprise showing of solidarity the major networks have collectively agreed to underwrite the event but not discuss it. But others will.

KEN AULETTA, NEW YORK MEDIA WRITER: The networks have taken a real big hit in this and performing a real public service in doing it. Now also what I want to say in fairness, it's good for their image to do this as well so there's probably some public relations scheme.

SYDNEY: "America: A Tribute to Heroes" and a tribute to the generosity of spirit.

Laurin Sydney, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Talk about coming together.

HARRIS: Well the few times when I don't mind telling you to go watch another network.

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