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CNN Live Today

Game Show to Help Afghan Women

Aired May 01, 2002 - 11:38   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Popular television game show "Hollywood Squares" will soon look a little bit different. For one week, all nine boxes will be filled with celebrity women. They are there to raise money and show solidarity with the women of Afghanistan.

More now with CNN's Susan Campos on the women who made it happen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Camryn Manheim for the win.

SUSAN CAMPOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You would never think of "Hollywood Squares" as a political platform for the women in Afghanistan, but for one week it actually is.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Camryn was the -- I think the spear-header of all of this this. She is a huge political activist.

LISA GAY HAMILTON, ACTRESS: I was invited to come on this with these actresses who are showing up for the women of Afghanistan. I think, you know, sisters all over the world, we have to show up for each other.

CAMPOS: Underneath all the laughter, these famous women of the small screen are trying to bring attention to a big issue.

MAVIS LENO, FEMINIST MAJORITY FOUNDATION: The world is watching us on this one.

CAMPOS: Meet the woman who is pulling the strings back stage. Her name is Mavis Leno, the wife of "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno. Long before the world was watching these images, she was speaking out about the treatment of women under the Taliban rule. For Leno, "Hollywood Squares" is a way to raise money and awareness.

LENO: I just say that I'm so incredibly thrilled that "Hollywood Squares" is letting us do this, and that Camryn Manheim had the brilliant idea of going to Whoopi about doing this.

CAMRYN MANHEIM, ACTRESS: I called up "Hollywood Squares," I asked them how much money they would give us if I filled the squares with nine fabulous women, and they came up with a very generous sum, and I called my girl friends, and they said, I'm in. CAMPOS: "Hollywood Squares" is dedicating an entire week of shows and over $100,000 to Leno's organization. The Feminist Majority Foundation is working to restore the rights of women in Afghanistan. "X-Files" star Gillian Anderson knows part of those funds will go to spreading an important message.

GILLIAN ANDERSON, ACTRESS: They need to be told, they need to be reassured that they can be anything that they can be. You know, that they can continue to be teachers and doctors and lawyers, and they can be mothers, they can choose to stay at home. The girls can go back to school if they choose to.

TYNE DALY, ACTRESS: They have had a very rough time. There has been girls who have been deprived of six years of schooling. They need everything.

CAMPOS: These famous faces may be thousands of miles away from the problems in Afghanistan, but they are trying to change the face of women in that war torn country.

Susan Campos, CNN Entertainment News, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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