The Voice Project debuts in Hollywood – Pass It On!

Tuesday night was the first official The Voice Project fundraiser event.

The Voice Project Foundation is a not-for-profit public benefit corporation. The foundation’s mission is to raise awareness and financial support for those using art to enact meaningful social change by using art for said change.

Hunter Heaney and I conceived this organization back in January, and it’s been the little group that could, thanks to a group of amazingly talented, well connected, hard working and passionate people who have joined the cause.

The event took place at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel’s Tropicana pool bar during David and David’s Nightswim event.

Also celebrating that night was Alex Ebert (Ima Robot) and his new band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. A listening party of their new album took place earlier in the evening.

DJs Chris Holmes, Ana Calderon and special guest DJ Devendra Banhart treated the guests to tunes and hospitality.

Liz Miller, Alycia Astudillo and I manned the Voice Project suite inside.

People came in to watch our VP video, read leaflets and purchase Voice Project t-shirts, designed by the talented Ramsey.

Some special guests showed up to help further the cause, including 30 Rock’s Jack McBrayer, Lonely Island’s Akiva (I’m On A Boat) Schaffer,

Tom Green

DJ Poet from the Black Eyed Peas

and even Lindsay Lohan, who jumped onto the decks and played some Nancy Sinatra.

It was a fantastic night where a lot of money and awareness was raised and good times were had.

Proceeds will go to our inaugural project, which is to support the women of Northern Uganda in their efforts using music to lead the Peace and Reconciliation efforts in the region of Northern Uganda, Eastern DR Congo and Southern Sudan.

Women of Northern Uganda; widows, rape survivors and former abductees have been banding together in groups to support each other and those oprhaned byt the war and the diseases so prevalent in the IDP camps. They are singing songs. The lyrics let the former ‘soldiers’, i.e. children abducted by the LRA and forced to fight agaisnt their own families, know that they are forgiven and they should come home. The songs are passed by word of mouth out into the bush. It is working. For the first time in 22 years, the region has a reach chance at peace.

The Voice Project is an attempt to support these incredible women.The strength, the message and the art of these women can benefit the world and in return, we can help carry their message, provide basic necessities and the tools to further develop their own communities and businesses.

Music and voices that carry, they can end wars. These incredible women have shown us that. Pass it on.

If you’d like to get involved with The Voice Project please visit www.voiceproject.org

Off To Never Neverland – Remembering Michael Jackson

Someday I’ll tell my grand kids “Once upon a time, there was a King Of Pop…”

Seems surreal he won’t be here anymore.

As I sit here watching the mass coverage on Jackson’s memorial service, I am overwhelmed that we are all witnessing a sad moment in entertainment history. This is so huge in scope. Bigger than Elvis, bigger than Sinatra, bigger than Diana, bigger than JFK.

I didn’t even apply for tickets to the Staples Center. I didn’t want to be there during this three ring circus (there are literally Ringling Bros. Elephants waiting in a parking garage nearby.) I did drive by the tents at Forest Lawn yesterday. And I did make the pilgrimage up to Neverland Ranch this weekend.

Surprisingly we were able to drive right up to the gates of the ranch. The day before, fans were allowed on the grounds, but today the gates remained shut, a blanket of flowers left before the entrance.

What my editor and I thought would be a perfect opportunity to interview impersonators and freaks of all kinds was actually a heart wrenching and sad occasion. I found myself unable to film people and ask questions, instead silently snapping pictures and observing.

People from all over the world milled around in front, signing a makeshift wall partition, snapping pictures and sharing stories. One man draped in an Irish flag, said he flew in from Dublin just for the weekend because he had to pay his respects. Others from Florida, Chicago, Atlanta and even as far as Quebec, cried outside. The Quebequoise woman had flown to the LAX airport and taken a taxi cab to the Ranch outside of Santa Barbara – a two hour drive.

There were reunions too. Overheard were super fans who hadn’t seen each other since they stood vigil outside the courthouse during Michael’s trial. They hugged and wept. Children too young to remember the Jackson Five left their dance and ballet toe shoes in tribute and their parents left Buddha statues, posters and roses.

Of course, a circus of MJ’s proportions wouldn’t be complete without capitalists making money off his name. People set up card tables and sold t shirts and buttons.

One ten year old boy dragged a cooler behind him selling water and gatorade. When I asked what his favorite MJ song was, he shrugged indifferently, like a man on the job.

C’mon, dude. Even Fifi (pictured below) wiggled when she heard Bille Jean come on the radio.

But the scavengers were outnumbered by the mourning fans. One group pulled a professional sound system out of their car, hooked it up and started blaring PYT. A dance party ensued and people began to smile.

That’s how Michael would have wanted it.