MTV: Music Television wants to continue raising awareness of the Southeast Asia tsunami tragedy.
The network will air MTV News specialMTV News Presents: After the Tsunami Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. (EST/PST), following a special edition of Total Request Live dedicated to tsunami relief, which airs one hour earlier.
During the special, MTV News correspondent Gideon Yago travels with the U.S. Navy, aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, as they undertake aid missions off the coast of Indonesia and assess the scope of the tsunami's damage.
The special edition of TRL will be dedicated to helping raise funds for tsunami relief and feature young people who have volunteered in relief efforts.
MTV2 will simulcast the MTV Asia Aid benefit concert Feb. 3 from the IMPACT Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, at 9 a.m.
Good Charlotte, Kelly Clarkson, Hoobastank and Simple Plan will perform live, along with top artists from Asia. Jennifer Lopez will contribute a prerecorded performance, and Sting, 50 Cent, Ricky Martin, Nelly, Green Day, Moby and Ronan Keating will offer specially taped messages of support.
mtvU, MTV’s college network, will also simulcast After the Tsunami and MTV Asia Aid.
Finally, the beginning of the Feb. 3 TRL will mark the kickoff of an online auction on MTV.com (www.mtv.com) featuring celebrity-signed items.
Among items up for bidding: autographed guitars from Tom Delonge and Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, Maroon 5, Yellowcard and 3 Doors Down; two tickets to an exclusive MTV party with 50 Cent; tickets to the 2005 Video Music Awards, 2005 Movie Awards and TRL; signed posters, photos, and/or CDs from Jennifer Lopez, Destiny’s Child, Tom Hanks, 50 Cent, Hilary Duff, The Hives, Kelly Clarkson, Mario and National Basketball Association superstar Yao Ming; a WRFF Snoop Dogg Limited Edition scooter bike; a framed, signed poster of Gwen Stefani’s album cover; a set visit and walk-on appearance on The WB Television Network’s One Tree Hill; a pair of tickets to the Hollywood premiere screening and after party of Keanu Reeves’ latest film, Constantine; and other items from Alicia Keys, Missy Elliott, Simple Plan, Linkin Park, T.I. and others.
The auction will also offer the “TRL Wall of Fame,” an actual piece of wall from the TRL studio that has been signed by nearly 100 of the biggest names in music, movies and TV, including Destiny’s Child, P. Diddy, Jude Law, Xzibit, Carmen Electra, Jamie Foxx, Jessica Simpson, Eminem, Jim Carrey, Gwyneth Paltrow, Christina Aguilera and Queen Latifah.
“This is the biggest natural disaster this generation has ever witnessed,” MTV News and production executive vice president Dave Sirulnick said in a prepared statement. “In addition to showing the terrible impact of the tsunami, we also want to share with our audience the inspiring stories of young people who are helping with the relief efforts, as well as the untold stories of hope amidst the sadness.”
