NBC's Friday night benefit for victims of Hurricane Sandy – set to feature Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Sting, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi and network stars Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Brian Williams and Matt Lauer – came together in a rush of coast-to-coast communications, some challenged by sketchy post-hurricane cell service, throughout the day yesterday, organizers tell Rolling Stone.
Newsman Williams texted Springsteen; Lauer called Bon Jovi; NBC executives reached out to Sting, Joel and Aguilera (who was born on Staten Island). All agreed quickly.
Aguilera was planning to fly from Los Angeles to New York to promote The Voice this week. When she called her manager, Irving Azoff, to ask how she could help Hurricane Sandy victims in some way, he wasn't even sure if she could make it into the city. "She's already talking about 'how can I do something?' and coincidentally we're trying to figure out if she's even going to do her New York trip," Azoff says.
The manager and his team were frantically working on details when Paul Telegdy, NBC's president of alternative late-night programming and specials, called an hour later. "We're going to try to do this telethon," he said. "You think Christina's going to be interested?" Aguilera quickly accepted a singing slot during Friday night's benefit for the American Red Cross, and the post-storm travel plans came together.
