Networks, Celebs Rush to Relief Efforts

TV networks rushed to assemble hurricane telethons and Jerry Lewis pledged $1 million from his Labor Day muscular dystrophy telethon to Katrina victims.

NBC, MSNBC and CNBC announced the first telethon to air Friday night, organized by New Orleans native Harry Connick Jr. Also on board are fellow Big Easy natives Wynton Marsalis, Tim McGraw and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Daily Variety reports the NBC announcement Wednesday caught other networks by surprise, since they were all in talks to simulcast a telethon hosted by Ellen DeGeneres next week.

The plan for CBS, ABC, Fox, UPN and The WB to air a special together was still in the works.

Viacom’s MTV, VH1 and CMT also announced plans Wednesday for a Sept. 10 telethon featuring, among others, Green Day, Alicia Keys, John Mellencamp, Ludacris, Usher and Gretchen Wilson.

BET, also a Viacom network, will broadcast a telethon Sept. 9 featuring, among others, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, Master P and Wynton Marsalis.

Mississippi Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman organized an Internet auction that begins Friday with charityfolks.com.

The Walt Disney Co. is donating $2.5 million to relief efforts and Viacom said it was donating $1 to the American Red Cross.