For those of you waiting for Apple to release an iPod dedicated to Elton John — wait longer. However, since Steve Jobs obviously wasn’t feeling fabulous enough for the job, one company has taken it upon themselves to release such a tie-in. Glodengenie has introduced iPod Nanos which are individually set with over 250 color-coordinated Swarovski crystals and laser engraved with Elton John’s signature on the rear. According to the site, 12.5% of the purchase price will be donated to the Elton John Aids Foundation.

I’m all for tie-ins that benefit charity, but when you see that they’re marking up these glittery pods over $440, you realize that the charity will only get about $51. Personally, I’d rather just shell out a couple hundred directly to the charity than walk around with a glittery iPod Nano. Just one more reason why I’ll never make it high-society fashion circles. Sigh.

Some of the biggest names in music are donating their names and talent to support (RED)WIRE – a new digital magazine aimed at helping fight the spread of AIDS in Africa.

If that RED names sounds a little familiar, it’s because (RED)WIRE is an offshoot of the activist organization RED founded by U2 frontman Bono last year. Not only will the magazine be digital (thus SUPER green), but all proceeds will benefit HIV-infected people in Africa.

For only 5 dollars a year you can subscribe to (RED)WIRE and receive a new issue every Wednesday, featuring an exclusive song from a major musician, a song from a new performer and a multimedia presentation about how the organization is helping Africans in need. SIGN ME UP!

Oh and you better believe the music is gonna rock, because about a bazillion stars are getting involved like: U2, Coldplay, the Dixie Chicks, John Legend, REM, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, the Police, Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban, Elton John and Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys.

To find out more and get YOUR subscription, visit RedWire.com!

“We’re not married. Let’s get that right. We have a civil partnership. I don’t want to be married. I’m very happy with a civil partnership. If gay people want to get married, or get together, they should have a civil partnership. The word marriage, I think, puts a lot of people off. You get the same equal rights that we do when we have a civil partnership. Heterosexual people get married. We can have civil partnerships.”

Way to settle there, Elton. David over on Equality Loudoun said it best last month when arguing against the idea of civil unions as “separate, but equal” saying: “Isn’t the codification of a separate, parallel institution for some couples in itself a powerful signal to think of those couples and that institution as something unequal? And that inequality in turn reinscribes the idea that gay people themselves are unequal.”

Perfectly stated. In my opinion, Elton John needs to better appreciate the big picture.

via chismetime

As a fresh-faced 25-year-old, I’m constantly fueled and inspired by fellow young people making a difference in the world. So you can imagine how flippin psyched I was when I heard that One Step Beyond – an organization started by the staff and students at Angus College at Arbroath – had organized a celebrity shoe drive.

Stars like Robin Williams, Daniel Radcliffe, Zoë Wanamaker, Ewan McGregor, and Elton John donated a total of 19 pairs of shoes which are being auctioned off to raise money for charities like Cancer Research UK, Cash for Kids, No More Landmines, and the Angus College Charitable Trust.

This isn’t the first time the Angus do-gooders bared their sole. Last year, students at the school created a three-mile line of shoes and donated all 20,000 pairs to charities in Africa! You guys frigin rock my socks…literally!

The auction opened last week and runs until October 19th. So hurry, hurry, hurry over to ebay.co.uk/charity and get yourself some famouse footwear!

via: looktothestars.org

John Cusack, Ellen Degeneres, Sugarland and loads of other celebrities are lending their star power to STOMP Out Bullying. The campaign, sponsored by Love Our Children USA, is a series of public service events to raise awareness about bullying in multiple forms. It will be carried out through V spots, videos, posters, brochures and wristbands.

“STOMP Out Bullying brings awareness and educates kids, parents and schools about the issue. It offers hope for every kid who experiences the harmful effects of bullying and teaches parents to keep open communication with their children and to look for signs. It also educates school administrators across the country, who have swept this issue under the rug for too long,” says Ross Ellis, founder and CEO of Love Our Children USA.

Other celebrities lending a hand for STOMP Out Bullying include Demi Lovato, JoJo, Elton John, Bette Midler, Donny and Marie Osmond, and Ashleigh Banfield. Additionally,  Dancing With The Stars, Live With Regis and Kelly, The View, truTV, “In The Heights”, and the NJ Nets will also be helping to raise awareness.

1 out of 4 kids in the U.S. are bullied. Want to get involved? Charity Folks is hosting an auction for the campaign, running October 6th – 20th. To learn more, click here.

Director of Community Relations and New York Harm Reduction Educator, Troy Branch, says, “If you’re going to inject yourself, use clean needles. We’ll give you 50 new ones if you give us 50 old ones. It’s been extremely successful.”

About the foundation Elton John says, “I have lost many dear friends to this terrible disease. In the mid-1980s, I began channeling my grief into efforts to help raise money for the pioneering charitable organizations that formed during those dark, grim years to fund AIDS research and provide vital services to people with HIV/AIDS.”

Oh and it turns out we aren’t the only ones who think Elton is cool.  Ben and Jerry’s will soon be releasing a Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road flavor to honor Elton with all the proceeds going to his foundation. 

To learn more about the Elton John AIDS Foundation visit EJAF.org! 

thanks: looktothestars.org

About 630 guests showed up, including famous faces like Bill Clinton, Denzel Washington, Elizabeth Hurley, Simon Cowell and Will Smith, who all had to pay the 3,000 Euro ($4,700) donation simply to enter. DAMN!

The night included dinner, concert and an auction that boasted such prizes as a trip to Africa with Elton John and lunch for six with Bill Clinton. By the end of the night the auction alone had raised $20 million for the charity. 

Don’t have a tiara, white tie OR $4,700? You still can help out! Vist Elton John’s AIDS Foundation to learn more about the organization and to find out how you can get involved!

via: nydailynews.com

It’s been reported that during a post-Oscar party on Sunday, Elton John offered to remove his pantsuit during an auction for Aids research-hoping it might help raise bids (indeed, pun intended).

Animal wearing Cruella DeVille herself, Sharon Stone, was the auctioneer and confessed that sadly she wouldn’t be dropping any of her clothing (probably because it would get up and run away), stating, “I’d do that, but you’ve seen it before.”

No word yet on if Elton’s threat actually came to fruition, but hopefully they raised enough money with or without an appearance by Elton’s John. Because let’s be honest, when it comes to giving to charity, we all know that size DOES matter!

[UPDATE] According to reports, Elton John’s Oscar viewing party helped raise $5.1 million dollars for his AIDS foundation. Way to go!

Elton John, has just stepped up to the plate and donated 120 motorcycles to the African nation of Lesotho as part of the Riders For Health program-which is partially supported by the Elton John AIDS Foundation.  The donation will help to provide vehicles for doctors to assist them in getting around the mountainous state for medical emergencies.

On Saturday, an official ceremony was held just outside the country’s capital city, Maseru, where Elton personally distributed the hogs!  He stated, “We want to improve the transport system by bringing health care to millions of people living in the most rural areas and thus making a difference in their lives.”

So Elton, I really appreciate your dedication to improving healthcare abroad, but I just have one question: I don’t live in Africa or anything, but I am an uninsured American and lately I’ve been really crossing my fingers for a Toyota Prius. Realistically here, what are my chances?

You know what they say, “Every dollar makes a difference.” Well, we can all thank the Osbournes for making 800,000 differences. At a recent auction in Los Angeles, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne parted with some of their most prized possessions for the sake of The Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The auction lasted two days and featured such infamous treasures as Ozzy’s famous wire rimed glasses ($5,250), an embroidered bat coat ($3,300) and a dog bed given to Sharon by Elton John ($2,375). Too sophisticated for bats? No problemo. They also auctioned off a sculpture by Edouard Drouot ($10,500) and a Gabriel Joseph Marie Augustin Ferrier (are you kidding me here with the name) painting went for $5,312. By the end of the event they had raised $800,000 for the greater good.

And just when we thought her pockets were empty, Sharon Osbourne gave more. At a separate soiree celebrating Elton John’s AIDS Foundation and the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day (creepy name for a day), Sharon Osbourne hurled a $60,000 diamond ring into the audience just on a whim. The throw and go took place shortly after tossing her red AIDS awareness ribbon into the crowd and then shouting, “Here take the diamond too.” Ok, maybe this wasn’t for a specific charity, but I’m sure she helped whoever got that bling.

Note to self: If you want the dough’in flowin, keep Sharon Osbourne throwin’.