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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 7 January 2019

Anderson Cooper honored at Sean Penn’s star-studded benefit

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. good man, a brave man. showed volunteers helping
Associated Press He gives an honest por- repair some damage to
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When trayal.” Penn followed suit homes in Savannah, Geor-
Anderson Cooper first met acknowledging Cooper’s gia, after the powerful Hur-
Sean Penn after the 2010 “aggressiveness to tell the ricane Florence thrashed
earthquake in Haiti, the truth in reporting the news.” the coastal area last year.
CNN anchor was initially The actor has hosted the Larry David, Casey Affleck,
skeptical of the actor’s fundraiser for J/P HRO on Sarah Silverman, Jimmy
intentions to help the re- the eve of the Golden Kimmel, Ben Stiller and
covery efforts in the rav- Globes since he estab- Garcelle Beauvais were
aged country. “I’m not lished the charity in 2010. among the guests at the
sure how Sean got to Port- During Saturday’s event, gala dinner. Musical per-
au-Prince, Haiti. It certainly Penn unveiled the name formances were by Macy
was not easy. I’m not sure change of his Haitian Relief Gray, Billie Eilish and Linda
how much of a plan he Organization to the Com- Perry. The event honored
had when he got there. Anderson Cooper arrives at the 2019 Sean Penn J/P HRO & munity Organized Relief Ef- San Juan Mayor Carmen
But he didn’t just come by Disaster Relief Organizations Gala at The Wiltern Theatre on fort (CORE) in an effort to Yulin Cruz and ambassa-
himself, he came with a Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Los Angeles. rebrand his nonprofit. He dor Kenneth Merten. The
team,” Cooper said Satur- Associated Press wants his charity to expand Point Dume Bombers, who
day night in front of a star- listened and he learned. JP “His work was just not lim- its efforts from Haiti to more stayed up all night to help
studded crowd at Penn’s HRO became an organi- ited in journalism,” Roberts areas in the United States. save their Malibu neighbor-
ninth annual benefit for the zation born of disaster, but said. “In Haiti, he was a hu- Penn said he wants to hood from the fast-moving
J/P Haitian Relief Organiza- which is focused on ad- manitarian and often first strengthen communities in wildfires that scorched the
tion. The fundraiser raised dressing the poverty that responder, a pioneer in a crisis by helping them “re- area displacing thousands
$3.5 million at the Wiltern existed there for far too time of extreme uncertain- cover swiftly in the face of from their California homes,
Theater in Los Angeles. long.” ty. Anderson Cooper is a emergency.” In a video, he were also recognized.q
Some individual plates cost Julia Roberts paid homage
$10,000 at most, while ta- to Cooper before present-
bles ranged up to $100,000. ing him with the award. She
Even though Cooper was said he showed bravery as
being honored, he heaped a journalist in matters of cri-
praise on Penn and his non- sis, as the event focused
profit. on his efforts after the
“Sean came with supplies, earthquake left thousands
he stayed long after most of Haitians homeless and
of us had moved on,” Coo- without basic resources al-
per added. “Sean stayed, most a decade ago.

Ariana Grande, Childish

Gambino among

Coachella headliners

By The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The
organizers of the 2019
Coachella Valley Music
and Arts Festival have
announced the top acts
scheduled to appear at
the multiday event in April.
Goldenvoice, the
promoter of the event,
said Wednesday night
that the big names
scheduled to perform at In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018
the two-weekend festival file photo, Ariana Grande
in Southern California from attends the 13th annual
April 12 to April 14 and from Billboard Women in Music
April 19 to April 21 include event at Pier 36, in New York.
Ariana Grande, Childish Associated Press
Gambino, Tame Impala another No. 1 album with
and Janelle Monae. Other “Sweetener” as well as
performers booked to multiple hits, from “No Tears
play at the event include Left to Cry” to “God Is a
the 1975, DJ Snake, Diplo, Woman” to “Breathin.”
Solange and Weezer. Coachella is known as the
In 2018, Grande capped festival for cool kids — and
off a successful year as musicians. Tickets go on
a pop star that included sale on Friday.q