American Comic Relief..?

[Shirosaki]

So, I'm watching Comic Relief and I was wondering if Americans have anything similar, or something like Children in Need.

Comic Relief in the UK is all right, it raises a lot of money but the actual show is kinda crap. Although it does get massive celebrities and public figures, such as George Michael, Ricky Gervais, etc etc, and even the Prime Minister, David Cameron (already been on tonight) and Gordon Brown, the ex-PM (also already been on tonight). Tony Blair (Predecessor of Gordon Brown) was on a few years ago. They all feel free to make fun of themselves (except David Cameron).

Anyways, one issue I have with Comic Relief is that it has raised over £650m in the past 30 years and there seems to have been little improvement anywhere.

So yeah, does America have anything similar? I'm sure if they did then world poverty would be lessened at a much faster rate. Although if world poverty didn't exist, wealthy countries would become very poor. Weird how things work.

 

[cheezMcNASTY]

we host more or less the exact same event. it was inspired by and founded in our country one year after yours was, and continues to be the only stand-up comedy i've ever bothered watching to the end.

and yes, they do raise massive boatloads of money for all sorts of great causes.
a comic relief moment of note (from the tape that i grew up hearing in the car)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEnEyTK7FBQ&t=3m20s

"people on the left" has been a family in-joke since i was 4...

 

[Shirosaki]

we host more or less the exact same event. it was inspired by and founded in our country one year after yours was, and continues to be the only stand-up comedy i've ever bothered watching to the end.

and yes, they do raise massive boatloads of money for all sorts of great causes.
a comic relief moment of note (from the tape that i grew up hearing in the car)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEnEyTK7FBQ&t=3m20s

"people on the left" has been a family in-joke since i was 4...

Cool, I think the reason why I think the actual show is kinda crap is that it's on for hours and becomes incredibly boring by the time the watershed actually kicks in. By that point I'm fed up and want to go to bed, so I don't get to see the better acts. I'm in bed now, but I did get to see Ricky, Steve, and Karl have their rant which was funny.

What's your reaction to this, since I think the Beckhams are big in America? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P842Tmi6lrc

Is there anything as close to the wire like that on the American equivalent?

 

[Arseface]

You've inadvertently highlighted one of the massive failings of capitalism.

In Australia we have the Melbourne International Comedy Gala, which is this big televised stand-up night at the town hall where heaps of really famous comedians do five minute or so gigs for Oxfam.

 

[HobbeBrain]

Cool, I think the reason why I think the actual show is kinda crap is that it's on for hours and becomes incredibly boring by the time the watershed actually kicks in.

I always watch Comic Relief. All the way through. Every. Single. Time (since I was 12).

I think it gets better at the watershed though, then they can do all the proper fun stuff. Admittedly, by about 11:00 your brain has been reduced to mush and you can do little but watch whatever is on, by midnight you are literally braindead. But it's totally worth it.

 

[Shirosaki]

I always watch Comic Relief. All the way through. Ever. Single. Time (since I was 12).

I think it gets better at the watershed though, then they can do all the proper fun stuff. Admittedly, by about 11:00 your brain has been reduced to mush and you can do little but watch whatever is on, by midnight you are literally braindead. But it's totally worth it.

How much did they end up raising?

 

[HobbeBrain]

How much did they end up raising?

I can't remember exactly, I think it was around the £74,000,000 mark.