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Showbiz Tonight
Showbiz Tonight at CNN Heroes
Aired December 11, 2011 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Right now on a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT AT CNN HEROES", an international night of inspiration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. Thank you so much. We are so blessed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Hollywood`s biggest stars salute the extraordinary everyday people changing the world. Miley Cyrus, Sofia Vergara.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just thought it was the right thing to do to get back and to help people out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Plus, a show-stopping performance by the one and only Kid Rock. And my very special co-host tonight, actor and activist, J.R. Martinez. Be amazed, be inspired. A special edition of TV`s most provocative entertainment news show, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN Heroes" starts right now.
And welcome to a very special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN Heroes". We are live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. We`re of course here for "CNN HEROES: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE" hosted by Anderson Cooper.
(on camera): Hello I`m A.J. Hammer, we`re having Anderson taking over at the top of the hour of course, but we are getting this party started right now and I`m getting a little help from some very cool friends tonight.
First off, I am so thrilled to welcome as my co-host for the night, actor and activist J.R. Martinez, who, of course, won "Dancing with the Stars." The great J.R. is hanging out at the social suite. He`s checking out your tweets, your Facebook posts from all around the world tonight.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S Kareen Wynter is in the thick of the action right down there on the Red Carpet. Our ten CNN Heroes honorees are going to be rocking that Red Carpet, but there will also be a constellation of Hollywood stars here tonight as well. I`m talking about Kid Rock, Miley Cyrus, Sophia Vergara, all here to pay tribute to these remarkable everyday people who are changing the world.
Now, over the past year -- this is incredible -- we got more than 10,000 hero submissions, and on this star-studded night, we are honoring the top ten, the boldest and the bravest. And then later, we`re going to reveal who you have voted as the CNN Hero of the Year, who will get $250,000 to continue their amazing work.
Right now let`s take a look at the life-changing work being done by some of our CNN Heroes honorees.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TARYN DAVIS, FINALIST, CNN HEROES: My husband, Corporal Michael Davis, was killed in Baghdad, Iraq. After the funeral, I felt ostracized. Everybody liked to write off my grief due to my young age and I just wanted to talk about it with other widows.
I`m Taryn Davis and I invite a new generation of military widows to share their love, their sacrifice, and their survival.
There are moments where they can all reflect.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our lives didn`t end the day that our husbands died.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don`t let anybody tell you how to grieve.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) by that time where they feel like they`re living life to the fullest.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From my first event, I went from feeling completely alone to not anymore, at all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These military widows, they have given me life again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICE MILLE, FINALIST, CNN HEROES: In Haiti, every day of your life, you are seeing poor kids. So I wanted to do something good for my country, for the kids. My name is Patrice Millet and I do education through soccer with Haitian kids.
To see the joy on a face of a kid, that makes me happy because I want the kids to be very good citizens. They can do something. They can believe in themselves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD ST. DENIS, FINALIST, CNN HEROES: In Mexico, people with disabilities who can`t get around have no options.
My name is Richard St. Dennis. I take wheelchairs to people in Mexico who can`t afford them, but really need them.
Mobility means being independent and more active.
When I see them happy, seeing their self-confidence, I know people`s lives are getting better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNO SERATO, FINALIST, CNN HEROES: Bon appetit.
To be in the restaurant business, you must love the people. I`m Bruno Serato (ph) and now my mission is feeding hungry children.
I find that a poor family who has nothing to live in motel when they go back after school, there`s no dinner. There`s no money.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, guys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t give the kids leftovers. I cook them fresh pasta. Are you hungry? Are you hungry? They are customers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIANE LATIKER, FINALIST, CNN HEROES: We`re losing a generation to violence. There are kids that are in gangs, they`re homeless. Some of them are drug dealers. My name is Diane Latiker, we opened community (INAUDIBLE) called "Kids off the Block" we`re known as KOB.
Did you all do one of these?
I tell kids, this is a peace place. This is a safe place. If they knock on that door, they can come in. There are people here who care. And I`m one of them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Such a spectacular and inspiring stories; and we`ve got the incredible stories of the rest of our top ten Heroes coming up later in our show tonight. And I want you to know that you can make a difference. Right now, it is so easy to do. All you have to do is head on over to CNNHeroes.com, click on the "donate" tab.
Listen to this, 100 percent of your donations are going to the non- profit of the hero of your choice. Thanks to our friends over at Google, you`re not paying any transaction fees. They get all the money, Google`s picking up the tab. So I encourage you to donate now.
And right now I want to bring in rapper, entrepreneur, 50 Cent giving back such a big part of this man`s life. It`s your first time attending CNN HEROES. I know you`ve watched it from the comfort of your own home before.
50 CENT, RAPPER/ENTREPRENEUR: Right.
HAMMER: Why is it important for you to be here this year?
50 CENT: I`m just excited to acknowledge everyday people making a difference. You know, some of the more influential people need to take a stand and step out there and do some different things. And that`s what I`m doing with my Street King Initiative. I partnered with the United Nations World Food Program. And with every sale of the actual energy drink, they are providing a meal on behalf of the person who made the purchase.
And through S&S Audio, my newest venture, I partner with Feeding America, which is the nation`s leading charitable organization against hunger to provide 250 meals on behalf of each purchase of the audio headsets.
HAMMER: Yes, I know you get firsthand how important it is to do what you can to make a difference. And not because somebody told you, you have to do it, it`s not because some publicist said, you what will it look good for you to do this.
50 CENT: Right.
HAMMER: But because it comes from your heart and it`s important to do.
50 CENT: Exactly. And I think the business model is more important than energy drink or a headset. I think moving forward if I can influence other young entrepreneurs to make the same decision that had a charitable component are connected to it, it will become a standard. And they will find money that we can`t find for issues that we really need to focus on.
HAMMER: And separate from young entrepreneurs, I`m sure you have young kids or aspiring rappers who say, well, what can I do? I`m only one kid, how can I make a difference? What do you tell them?
50 CENT: Right, well, I mean, it`s not -- a lot of things -- they`re going to be creative. You know I went -- last night I actually was -- the night before last, I was in the America Gives Back, and I seen a guy who was working at a moving company, decided he wanted to take all of the canned goods and non-perishable items and have it go to food drive organizations. And people generally do leave their things --
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Sure.
50 CENT: -- when they`re moving to a new place. And I said, that was so creative. It came out of nowhere, but it`s going to be effective over time.
HAMMER: The inspiration can come from anywhere.
50 CENT: Right.
HAMMER: It`s so great to see you. Have an enjoyable time tonight. It`s such a show, as you well know.
50 CENT: I`m sure I`ll enjoy myself.
HAMMER: 50 Cent. Thank you so much.
Kareen Wynter is hanging out on the Red Carpet right now. Who are you with, Kareen?
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hi A.J., the Red Carpet by the way is blazing hot with so many stars making their way in. And I have the pleasure right now of being joined by Emma Roberts. You look fantastic.
EMMA ROBERTS, ACTRESS: Thank you.
WYNTERS: Now we`re both shivering here, so we`re going to try to keep it together. You look lovely. You know you paid CNN the highest compliment. You said this is one of your favorite award shows. And there are so many in Hollywood, you know night after night events --
(CROSSTALK)
ROBERTS: Yes.
WYNTERS: -- fund-raisers, but you wanted to be here tonight. Tell us why.
ROBERTS: It`s one of these award shows that I watch with my mom and my sister and I think it`s just so inspiring and so important to recognize people who, you know, normally wouldn`t be recognized for doing such amazing things that`s really making a difference in the world and in people`s lives.
WYNTERS: I`m sure you`ve heard all of the amazing stories all week of these honorees tonight who are just doing incredible things, but it really does inspire us all to act that anyone can make a difference, whether it`s donating your time, your money. Just get involved, correct?
ROBERTS: No, it does. I mean, people think you have to be famous to make a difference. And these are people that some of them have come from, you know, the middle of nowhere, from nothing, and have done things, you know, that I wish I could -- I could do and hope to one day accomplish as well.
So you know, you can be anyone to make a difference and you can do anything to make a difference. The other day for Christmas, I just brought down some canned foods and I donated them, just because I was cleaning out my pantry. So things like that that seem simple that make a huge difference to people.
WYNTERS: And people who are watching at home who are saying gosh, that effort is too -- is too difficult, you know, where do I start? How can I help out? What do you say to them? Because these stories tonight are going to blow people away. They`re so inspirational.
ROBERTS: Of course. Well like I said, there`s nothing -- there`s no such thing as something too small. Like you know, like donating your time or donating, you know, old clothes that you don`t want to people or just donating time to help people that matters. And if you want to do something even bigger, then go for it and people appreciate it.
WYNTERS: Emma Roberts, it`s such a treat having you here. We`re so excited to have you as part of the show. We`re going to let you go in and warm up, girl, I know you`re cold.
ROBERTS: Thank you.
WYNTERS: All right, see you. She`s so delightful -- A.J.?
HAMMER: All right, Kareen.
Well, you can join the conversation as well right now. I encourage you to grab your Smartphone, your computer, your iPad, whatever you`ve got, and go to CNN Heroes on Facebook. That`s where you can learn more about tonight`s top ten honorees.
You can follow us it`s @CNN Heroes on Twitter. You can do that right now. We`d love for you to tweet about Heroes. And if you do, please make sure you use the trending topic hash tag CNN Heroes.
And we are just getting warmed here as the as the sun starts to go down. Coming up next, CNN`s Anderson Cooper joins me. We`re going to talk about what really has become an annual holiday tradition for Anderson, hosting "CNN HEROES."
One of the true highlights of the night is going to be Kid Rock. You`re going to find out why Kid calls himself the "Weird Ambassador of Goodwill from Detroit". You`re watching a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN Heroes".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMY STOKES, FINALIST, CNN HEROES: In 2003, my husband and I went to Johannesburg and we adopted our son. HIV/AIDS has really decimated some of these communities.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can see you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had to find a way to bring the caring effect of other adults for that child to invest in themselves.
Who`s this?
I`m Amy Stokes. I use the Internet to create a global village where the mentors and the kids can interact face-to-face on a regular basis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN Heroes". I`m A.J. Hammer live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and check out the bottom of your screen.
Here we are counting down to "CNN HEROES: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE". I am just over the moon to have a very special co-host with me here tonight. Of course, it`s "Dancing with the Stars" champ, J.R. Martinez, who`s hanging out in the social media suite. What`s the vibe down there, J.R.?
J.R. MARTINEZ, GUEST CO-HOST: What is going on, A.J.? I`m J.R. Martinez. And I just want to say, man, we`ve been getting tweets from all over the world. People are moving their fingers, and they`re also hitting us up on Facebook too, to celebrate all the major contributions that our top CNN Heroes have made in the past few years.
HAMMER: All right, J.R., truly an amazing night going on. Right now I want to bring in CNN`s own Anderson Cooper. Of course, he is hosting tonight`s "HEROES: ALL STAR TRIBUTE".
It`s great to see you, of course. You`ve been hard at work rehearsing. Here we are five years into this thing. Every year these stories are so unbelievably inspiring. What excites you the most about this year`s honorees?
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "CNN HEROES": They`re just, you know -- they`re a broad cross section of people from all over the planet, all of the United States. And I mean I think the thing they have in common is that, you know, they`re not rich people, they didn`t have access to power, but they saw a need in their communities and they decided to do something about it and I just find them incredibly inspiring.
HAMMER: It is unbelievable to me anytime somebody who may not have any particular means see that need and nobody tells them they have to go out and do something, they feel compelled as if they didn`t have a choice.
COOPER: Yes. And a lot of the people who are honored tonight, you know, they started off helping one person or two people and it just kind of gradually grew as they were able to raise more money and expand. And something like tonight, it`s not just a big event where they get honored by celebrities and they get attention. Just really, the money they`ll -- we`re giving them the money that they`re going to be able to raise off of this is going to allow them to expand their programs exponentially.
HAMMER: Why is this night so important to you personally? You certainly get to see so many different things in the course of your work but I know this night has a lot of meaning for you.
COOPER: You know tonight -- I mean we all travel around the world all the time and we see people often at their worst. It`s nice to see the best in people. And this really is a night where we honor the best in people and we celebrate the best in people. And, I mean, I keep getting, you know, during every one of these broadcasts -- we`ve done this for five years now -- and each time, I`m just incredibly moved. There`s always a time I find myself backstage like tearing up listening to the stories of these people. I`m just inspired to make change in my own life. And I think everybody watching gets inspired to change their own life as well.
HAMMER: Like me, I know you agree, it`s one of the best things we get to do all year and looking at the countdown clock -- 41 minutes away.
Right now I want to bring in Kareen Wynter, a little further down the Red Carpet. Kareen?
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, A.J., I have none other than supermodel Christy Turlington Burns with me on the Red Carpet. You look fantastic tonight. You`re also presenting. How do you feel?
CHRISTY TURLINGTON BURNS, PRESENTOR: I feel great. Thank you.
WYNTER: And you know, there are so many people who are out tonight supporting organizations that are close to their cause. For you, there is one in particular, "Every Mother Matters". And it really is about raising awareness for women`s health issues. Why did you attach yourself to that cause?
TURLINGTON-BURNS: I had a complication after delivering my first child eight years ago, which sort of alerted me to the fact that there were hundreds of thousands of women that die from complications resulting from pregnancy and childbirth every year around the world. So this has been -- Every Mother Counts is something that I started as a way to advocate for maternal health and reducing maternal deaths that are preventable.
WYNTER: And you`re so active. That`s what we love about all the stars, who are coming out tonight. We want to talk about your brand-new DVD, "No Woman, No Cry". Tell us about that.
TURLINGTON-BURNS: It`s a documentary film that I made. I filmed around the world for two years and it came out last year at the Tribeca Film Festival, but it`s just now being released on DVD. So anyone can get it, through EveryMotherCounts.org or through OWN.
WYNTER: Thank you so much, Christy.
TURLINGTON-BURNS: Thank you.
WYNTER: Pleasure talking to you. We`re going to send it back to you, A.J.
HAMMER: All right Kareen. So much more still to come.
Miley Cyrus is here. She`s actually pulling double duty tonight. She`s performing and presenting at "CNN HEROES" tonight.
Plus fresh off his Care Tour and ready to rock the house tonight, Kid Rock. This is going to be unbelievable. You do not want to miss Kid Rock`s amazing performance when "CNN HEROES: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE" gets underway at the tonight of the hour. You`re watching "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN Heroes".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Football is just like a religion.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was senior night and Chris was having the game of his life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was the fourth quarter and a touchdown sort of tackle, and I could hear bones crunch, and I was like, I can`t move.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don`t even want to think that your son may never walk again. It`s a hard pill to swallow.
EDDIE CANALES: I`m Eddie Canales, my goal is to be there for young men who have suffered spinal cord injuries playing high school football.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN Heroes". I`m A.J. Hammer. I`m live on the Red Carpet, just outside the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
And I am thrilled to have with me now the legendary rapper, actor, producer, philanthropist, Ice Cube, one of our presenters tonight. It is a thrill for me to have you here. I bet you can`t even tell me how many award shows you`ve been to in your life. Why is this one so important for you to be a part of?
ICE CUBE, PRESENTER, CNN HEROES: Because these are the real celebrities to me. You know, these are the heroes. These are the people that`s, you know, not getting the spotlight all the time and they`re doing the everyday work in our communities, and are trying to make this world a better place. You know, these are the real celebrities in my heart.
HAMMER: Feels nice to even step aside for a moment and share the spotlight, doesn`t it?
ICE CUBE: It feels great. You know, it feels great that people like this are getting their recognition. You know, this is a great show, the CNN HEROES. It`s a great way to recognize real humans, real people that make a difference in everyday lives.
HAMMER: And you recognize yourself, I know, a very long time ago, how important giving back and participating in your community is. And right now I think you`re doing some tremendous work. You`re actually using your album "Artwork" from some of your biggest albums to help make a difference and get money to the Minority AIDS Project. Tell me about that.
ICE CUBE: Oh, yes. Yes. Through rareink.com we`re really pushing the fact that we`re selling our art and we`re giving back to the community in charitable ways. I`ve been working with the Minority Aids Project here in Los Angeles for a long time, you know, since the `90s.
Easy E died of AIDS. I think it`s important that we recognize that it is something in our community that`s wreaking havoc. You know, but it`s never enough. You know, we can never give enough time, energy, and money to these causes, and to these people who fight the good fight every day.
HAMMER: So what do you tell people who may tell you that they want to help out, they do want to make a difference, but they say, what the heck can I do? I`m only one person. I don`t think I have the power. I`m not a world-famous rap star.
ICE CUBE: The first thing you can`t do is defeat yourself. You know, there`s nothing more powerful than a made-up mind, and when you make up your mind to do something, nothing can stop you. So my thing is, don`t make no excuses, get off the couch, and do for your neighbor. Do for your friend, your cousin. Somebody who`s asked for a favor, do something for the next man.
HAMMER: And pay attention when "CNN HEROES: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE" fires up in a little over a half hour. I always say I dare anybody to not be inspired tonight.
ICE CUBE: Oh, definitely. You know, if you`re not inspired tonight, you have to check your pulse.
HAMMER: Right. Make sure you`re still breathing.
ICE CUBE: Definitely.
HAMMER: Ice Cube, have a terrific time tonight. We`re thrilled that you`re a part of this great event.
ICE CUBE: Thanks. Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: We have so many more stars still coming your way on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN Heroes". What an unbelievable night it is. It is what everybody is buzzing about here right now.
Kid Rock is in the house. I checked out a little bit of his sound check. This is going to be unbelievable. And you`re going to hear why his most recent tour actually could make history. That is coming up as "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at CNN Heroes" continues.
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ROBIN LIN, FINALIST, CNN HEROES: The moment that a woman falls pregnant in Indonesia, she is 300 times more likely to die in the next 12 months than if she is not pregnant. If you have money, you can get excellent medical services. But the poorest people don`t always get the services they need.
My name is Robin Lin. I started a clinic run by Indonesian midwives. Each baby deserves a clean, healthy, loving environment. Those are a human right.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER (voice-over): Right now on this special edition of "Showbiz Tonight," "Showbiz Tonight @CNN Heroes," saluting everyday people, changing the world. A star-studded tribute. Kid Rock, the bad boy, with a big heart. Kid Rock is here for an uplifting and unforgettable performance. Plus, so many huge surprises, including who will be named CNN hero of the year? A special edition of TV`s most provocative entertainment news show, "Showbiz Tonight @ CNN Heroes" continues right now.
(on camera): Welcome back to this very special edition of "Showbiz Tonight," "Showbiz Tonight @ CNN Heroes." We are live at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. And of course, we are here for "CNN Heroes: An All-star Tribute," hosted by Anderson Cooper.
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer. I`m live on the red carpet and I`m joined by my co-host for tonight, actor and activist, and of course, winner of the "Dancing with the Stars" Mirror Ball trophy, the great J.R. Martinez. He`s working the social media suite for us tonight as we countdown to our blockbuster global event. That`s kicking off at the top of the hour.
"Showbiz Tonight`s" Kareen Wynter right there on the red carpet, talking to all the big stars as well. And we are all here for "CNN Heroes: An All- Star Tribute," saluting everyday people who are changing the world. Ten CNN heroes will be honored tonight. And then we`re going to reveal to you who you have voted as the 2011 CNN hero of the year. That person`s going to walk away with $250,000 to help them continue with all of the great work that they`re doing.
This incredible night has now been a year in the making. And over the past year, this is unbelievable, we have gotten more than 10,000 hero submissions from all over the globe. And tonight, the lives of these top 10 heroes will change forever. Each of them will receive $50,000 to help them continue with their great work.
So how do they feel on this incredible night? You can go to cnn.com to watch streaming video of Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Sanjay`s interviewing the top 10 CNN heroes nominees right now. And Sanjay is also talking to the celebrity presentors and our superstar performers during the show tonight.
And one of my the superstar performers, one of my favorites, Kid Rock is here. Kid`s going to be performing tonight, he`s fresh off his Care Tour. Now, this wasn`t just any ordinary Kid Rock tour. Oh, no. Kid donated proceeds from his sold-out shows to charities in each of the 12 cities where he played, and especially close to his heart, his hometown of Detroit. Of course, Detroit hit very hard by the bad economy. Through the Kid Rock Foundation, he has touched thousands of lives in Detroit and beyond. Here`s his hero story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to roll with the Kid Rock -
HAMMER (voice-over): This is the Kid Rock that most of us know. A hard- rocking bad boy who burst out of Detroit with an unapologetic blend of hip hop and southern rock. He went on to earn five Grammy nominations and sell 25 million albums worldwide.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I can -
HAMMER: But many of us might not know this Kid Rock, a philanthropist, whose charity, the Kid Rock Foundation, has partnered with a group of businesses in Detroit to raise funds for nonprofit organizations in his home state of Michigan and around the country.
KID ROCK, MUSICIAN: I have just have been fortunate to be in a situation to have some success in life and just thought it was the right thing to do to give back and to help people out, especially in my hometown of Detroit.
HAMMER: Rock is currently on tour, giving away a total of $375,000 to local charities in more than a dozen cities along the way. His self- described weird ambassador of goodwill from Detroit says that despite Motown`s own economic hardships, the city is still able to give back.
KID ROCK: Even though in Detroit, we don`t have a lot of work right now, we`re willing to take some of that and try to help people in other communities around the country.
It feels good to be --
HAMMER: Rock, who`s performed for U.S. troops stationed all over the world says his charity helps military families and veterans in need, but that`s only a fraction of the foundation`s focus.
KID ROCK: Some of the main things that we`ve done in the past is a lot for children with life threatening illnesses and a lot of things with cancer. Anything. Anybody that needs help that I`m available to hear about a story, to be able to touch somebody and make a difference in their life.
HAMMER: And perhaps the best advice in making a difference comes from a line in rock`s latest single "Care."
The least that I can do is care -
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Right now I`m thrilled to be joined by the king of Detroit, the king of the Shrine tonight. Kid Rock, it`s great to see you, man. I`m so inspired by your dedication to raising money for so many people who need it. Times are just so, so tough. Why is it important for you to be a part of CNN Heroes tonight?
KID ROCK: Just being a part of another good thing, I guess. It`s my little ploy to maybe get into heaven one day.
HAMMER: Do you think it will work? I think you`re on your way?
KID ROCK: You know, I`m really just been fortunate and blessed to be able to do what I do and I`ve had a lot of support throughout the years and have had a pretty successful career and I just woke up an realized I could give back and maybe make a difference in some people`s lives. You know, it really makes you feel good inside. It really started off with all the stuff we were doing for the military and it just kin of snowballed from there. So I don`t see any end in sight anytime soon and hopefully we can keep doing good things.
HAMMER: And you love to tour, as long as you get to play rock `n` roll and donate some of the funds -
KID ROCK: Everybody wins.
HAMMER: It`s a win-win situation. And as you`ve traveled across the country on your "Care" tour, where charity is such a big part of what you`re doing, what are you hearing from people as you`re talking to the crowds?
KID ROCK: Man, it`s - you know, just meeting the families, I`ve been trying to donate through organizations where I can actually meet the people and touch the families of the situations that, you know, are troublesome in each city, and just meeting the people has been a - it`s mind blowing. It almost takes stuff out of you.
I`ve got to take a nap before the show, because it`s so emotionally draining when you put your hands on these people and you shake their hands and hear about their stories, you know, a guy whose wife took off on him, that`s now in a homeless shelter. (INAUDIBLE) boys and girls club so they can have some normalcy. You know, the kids with cancer that are young. The older people with cancer, in mean, cancer seems to be the big one, wherever you go.
But I mean, there`s just, as you know, there`s just millions and millions of stories. I`ve only touched on a few of them in each city and it`s just - you know, it`s uplifting, at the same time, to see these people that still got the gal to get out there and go at it and try to make the best out of a really bad situation. And as well know it makes us - people I asked, wake up everyday and look in the mirror and not bitch. You know, not complain about anything.
HAMMER: Perspective is very important. We`re going to hear some great stories tonight and most of all we`re going to enjoy a great performance from you. Great to have you here, Kid. Thank you so much. You want to go to kidrock.com right now because you can find more about his terrific foundation. And right now I want to send it out to you the great J.R. Martinez at our social media suite with a great guests. J.R..
J.R. MARTINEZ: Thank you, A.J.. I`m here with this lovely lady who needs no introduction. This is Miley Cyrus, who, you know, unfortunately she has no coat on, so she`s like shivering.
MILEY CYRUS, SINGER: I know, I`m shivering, it`s a little cold.
MARTINEZ: It`s cold. It`s so cold. It was amazing - it was like, it was warm earlier and now it`s dropped down. So you`ve been tweeting all day, right, @mileycyrus about this event. You are presenting tonight, but why be a part of this event this evening?
CYRUS: I think it`s just so important to celebrate, you know, the people that are doing good, because you know the more that people are rewarded and people see what they are doing, it`s going to inspire others. And I think mostly, you know, the one I`m presenting for is a nine-year-old girl who`s done so many amazing things. And I think it will inspire kids out there not to get down because they`re young or feel like - you know, they have to go to another country to make a difference, you can do it right in your own community, right in your own home. You can change the world slowly by starting where you are right now.
MARTINEZ: Absolutely. Well, talk about going to another country and making a difference, you teamed up with the Starkey Foundation to help kids over in Haiti. Tell us a little bit more about that.
CYRUS: It`s amazing. I mean, it`s the best experience. When I thought I was going there, you know, I knew we were going to be giving hearing aids, but I didn`t think I was going to be doing it myself. They give you the mold, you fit the kids. So you`re the first voice that this people have every heard.
MARTINEZ: All right.
CYRUS: And half of them don`t speak because they live in these deaf communities, So you get to hear them sing and they learn how to start talking, it`s just amazing especially when you get the moms that hadn`t been able to communicate with their kids and you listen to them singing and dancing with their kids. It`s just amazing. It`s the most rewarding thing you can do.
MARTINEZ: And that`s amazing. Because you have a big following, Miley, and you really have that platform to really inspire the people that follow you on twitter or Facebook or in the world all around the place. So you know what, you say, let`s get involved. And all the time, it doesn`t have to be something that directly affects us. It can be something that indirectly affects us.
CYRUS: Yes, I think it`s just as important, you know, what I do with my charity, which is get your good on, which is telling people that it starts at home. And that`s what I think people don`t understand. You know, I`m really lucky. I get to go to Haiti. I get to travel. I get to go to all these places, but it all starts right in your community. So I think it`s instilling this in the kids and have them understand why it`s so important.
MARTINEZ: Well, you guys heard it from Miley Cyrus, get your good on. She`s here tonight, she`s presenting. She has a busy night and she`s tweeting it up. So thank you for taking the time to be here. I know you want to get inside and get warm.
CYRUS: I`m ready to get warm.
MARTINEZ: So thanks for stopping by. A.J., back to you, man.
HAMMER: Warm that young woman up. All right. Looking at our countdown clock, just more than 20 minutes left before "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" fires up. Still so many more big stars to come. And have you ever wondered exactly how exactly we pull off of this star-studded event for all of our top 10 nominees?
Well, coming up we`re giving you an exclusive inside look at the making of "CNN Heroes." You`re watching "Showbiz Tonight @ CNN Heroes."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to this special edition of "Showbiz Tonight," "Showbiz Tonight @ CNN Heroes." I`m A.J. Hammer on the red carpet just outside the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Let`s take another look at the countdown clock. Here we are just about 15 minutes from the 2011 "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute," saluting, of course, everyday people who are changing the world.
And I have a very special co-host here tonight. I am thrilled that "Dancing with the Stars" champ J.R. Martinez is right there holding things down tonight at the social media suite. J.R.?
MARTINEZ: Thank you, A.J.. Thank you, A.J.. I am here with the lovely, lovely Holly Robinson Peete in the social media suite. Now, you know, I`ve been seeing you working really hard, encouraging all of the stars that`s coming through here to tweet and do Facebook, you know, updates for us. So thank you for that hard work as well, but what`s your big social media message, would you say?
HOLLY ROBINSON PEETE, ACTRESS: Well, social media, J.R., used for good can be very good. And tonight there are some people here doing some extraordinary things and we want to get the message about their charities out. The service that they`re doing, the amazing philanthropic endeavors that they`re doing. And the way to do that is to tweet out, with the CNNheroes hashtag about the work they`re doing and the people we`re meeting tonight. I get star struck here, not just by you, Mr. Winner, but by all of these heroes and the work they do. And I can`t wait to get the word out about their philanthropy.
MARTINEZ: Well, tonight, definitely is about heroes, and I think we`re highlighting a lot of charities, a lot of great organizations that help people, but you have done that as well. And you started your own organization called the Hollyrod Foundation, tell us a little bit more about that and how that inspired you to start this organization.
ROBINSON PEETE: Well, Hollyrod was started about 13 or 14 years ago, because my father who you may remember, you`re younger than me, was the original Gordon on "Sesame Street." When he was in his 40s, he got Parkinson`s disease and this really destroyed his career, his ability to make money. We started it for that, a compassionate care programs for Parkinsons. Cut to about five years later, our oldest son was diagnosed with autism. And what happens with autism and so that families struggled under the weight of trying to care for these kids. So Hollyrod does compassionate care for families affected by autism and Parkinson`s.
MARTINEZ: Wow. That`s amazing. You`ve been with CNN heroes for a while now. You`ve done a lot of things with CNN heroes.
ROBINSON PEETE: They can`t rid of me.
MARTINEZ: They can`t get rid of us. You know, I`d say, I was here last year and I`m back again, but why is this so important to you, Holly?
ROBINSON PEETE: It`s so important because these are people that saw a need and filled it. Filled some hole that was there. Not because they wanted to come here to some glamorous red carpet, but because they saw a need in their community and they decided to do something about it.
MARTINEZ: Absolutely.
ROBINSON PEETE: And I cannot wait to see them be celebrated. I am a CNN Heroes groupie, I am, and I love the fact that I follow them around. I know what everybody does. I stalk them on the red carpet, and talking to them in person and offering them my help. But in the CNN social suite that I`m hosting tonight, it`s a perfect marriage of my CNN groupieness and my love of social media.
MARTINEZ: Well, speaking of that social media that you`re working over there, you`re getting everybody tweeting on Facebook, we`re going to let you get back to that, because we know you`ve got a lot of work to do over there.
ROBINSON PEETE: #cnnheroes, everybody, and tweet me @hollyrp.
MARTINEZ: There it is. All right, sweetheart. See you. Look at that, the benefits of being here.
So we want to toss this now to A.J.. Thank you very much.
HAMMER: Well, doesn`t she look beautiful? All right, J.R.. Let me toss it over to Kareen Wynter, who`s with one of our presenters tonight, an NFL great. Kareen?
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CO-HOST "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Hi, there, A.J., there`s so much action going on all around me here on the red carpet. I have a special guest, super bowl champ Kurt Warner, so wonderful to have you with us. How excited are you about the big night ahead?
KURT WARNER, NFL PLAYER: I`m extremely excited. What a great event to really celebrate everybody heroes that are all around us. So I`m excited to be here.
WYNTER: And you`re also presenting. You`ll be taking that stage.
WARNER: I will. You know, it`s neat. It was an honor to sit down with the heroes that I get a chance to introduce and to get to know what they`re all about. And again, like I said, it`s just an inkling of the people that are around this country that are doing amazing things. And so I was honored to be able to sit with the Canales family and enjoy what they`re doing and support them.
WYNTER: And tell me about the foundation that`s dear to your heart, the Kurt Warner Foundation with your lovely wife, Brenda. Why was that cause so important for you to take on?
WARNER: Well, you know, the big thing is, just like so many of these people, it`s about helping other people. And however and in whatever way that we can possibly do that, we want to do that. That`s why we started our foundation. Because we came to realize, it always takes somebody giving you a chance and giving you an opportunity to get to where I`m at today and where you`re at today. So we thought, well, if we`re in the position to give someone else a second chance, give someone else another opportunity, we want to do that. And that`s the reason we started our foundation.
WYNTER: Kurt, that`s really what it`s all about. One individual acting and inspiring so many others out there. And that`s really the message tonight. It`s such a pleasure talking to you. Have fun tonight. A big night ahead. There you have it. A.J., back to you.
HAMMER: All right. Kareen, thank you so much. Look at this. We`re just minutes away now from the big event, "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute." And this has really taken an army of talented people to pull off this magical night. The celebrities, the rehearsals, the frenzy! Well, next, you don`t want to miss this. We`re giving you an exclusive inside look at what it really takes to bring you "CNN Heroes." You`re watching a special edition of "Showbiz Tonight," "Showbiz Tonight @ CNN Heroes."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAL DIMICELI, CNN HEROES FINALIST: When I go through suburbia, America, everybody`s trying to hold their head up with pride. These people, they tell their neighbors they`re fine. They`d sooner go in the house and starve. How much do you owe me right now?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I owe about $800.
DIMICELI: And the situation is getting worse. They need food. They feed help with their utilities. This is 2011 in America. We should be helping each other. I`m Sal Dimiceli and my mission is to help my fellow Americans who have fallen on hard times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to the special live edition of "Showbiz Tonight." "Showbiz Tonight" at "CNN Heroes." We are now just minutes away. Look at the countdown clock. It is less than 10 minutes from the start of "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute." I want to go backstage right now. "Showbiz Tonight`s" Kareen Wynter is amidst all the of the really positive energy back there. Kareen?
WYNTER: A.J., I don`t know how I did it. I just made my way from the red carpet to backstage. My heart, it`s beating so fast. It`s not just because I sprinted all the way back here in my five-inch heels. No, it`s because I`m so excited for what`s about to happen right out there on stage at the Shrine Auditorium.
You know, I`ve covered a million awards shows that celebrate athletes, entertainers. What I love about tonight is that the roles, they`re reversed. Tonight the stars are honoring these selfless, everyday people, A.J., changing the world. If you`re not truly inspired by the end of the night, you may need to get yourself checked out.
HAMMER: Fifty Cents told me you`re going to have to check your pulse if you`re not inspired. It is just an honor for me to be here and be a part of this special edition of "Showbiz Tonight" at "CNN Heroes," Kareen, for yet another year. But the thing that I`ve always wondered, how in the world are they able to make this event bigger and better year after year.
WYNTER: You know, A.J., I was actually wondering the same thing. But I did some investigating. And hey, I got the scoop from a very special insider. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DOC HENLEY: It`s been three years since I was actually up on that stage. I never really had a chance to see what all goes on behind the scenes. I`m Doc Henley. This is your backstage pass to "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute."
So we`re here backstage at the historic Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. This place is massive. For a show like "CNN Heroes" there`s hundreds and hundreds of people that actually pull together months and months of work to actually make a two-hour show happen. In this room right here we`ve got media. We`ve got PR.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here we go. Rehearse it again.
HENLEY: Production going on behind the scenes. This is where the magic happens. This is the first time that "CNN Heroes" has put on a live show. How does that make a difference?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re microseconds away from what could be a complete and utter disaster. You`ve got to get and you`ve got to get it the first time around.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: You never know what`s going to happen. Nothing goes as planned. That`s what makes it fun and that`s what makes it interesting and exciting.
HENLEY: All the honorees, they`ve become so tight-knit. These guys` lives are about to change.
What was it like looking out when you were practicing at all the celebrities` faces that are going to attend this tomorrow.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love your show. You`re really pretty. I don`t know who you are but I can`t wait to meet you.
HENLEY: (INAUDIBLE) you`re presenting about have impacted you in any way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, they make me cry.
They`re out doing this work for what they believe in. Then they get here.
COOPER: 2011 CNN hero of the year -
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER: A.J.?
HAMMER: All of that leading to what you`re about to see just minutes from now. But it`s not just about what`s going on here tonight. You can make a difference right now.
WYNTER: That`s right, A.J.. All you have to do, head on over to cnnheroes.com and click the "donate" tab. Your donation, no matter how big, how small, it`s going to go directly to the nonprofit of the hero of your choice. Tonight thanks to google, you won`t pay transaction fees. They`re picking up the tab. Go ahead. Do it. Donate now.
HAMMER: It is so cool they`re waiving all of those fees. Now we`re less than five minutes away from the most spectacular event of the year. Don`t go anywhere. You`re watching a special edition of "Showbiz Tonight." "Showbiz Tonight" at "CNN Heroes."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, we`re just seconds away from the start of "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute." I promise you it will be a night jam packed with Hollywood`s biggest stars. But, of course, it`s really about the inspiring stories of our top 10 CNN heroes, honorees tonight. Eddie Canales, Taryn Davis, Sal Dimiceli, Derreck Kayongo, Diane Latiker, Robin Lim, Patrice Millet, Bruno Serato, Richard St. Denis and Amy Stokes.
And the time has finally arrived. Everybody is very excited. We`re going to kick off "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" hosted by CNN`s Anderson Cooper in just moments. Thank you for joining us in this very special edition of "Showbiz Tonight" at "CNN Heroes."
My special thanks to my most excellent co-star J.R. Martinez and of course, "Showbiz Tonight`s" Kareen Wynter. "CNN Heroes: An Al-Star Tribute" starts right now on CNN.
END
