Red Nose Day makes U.S. debut Thursday
People have been putting their money where their noses are, for a good cause. And on Thursday, they’ll hopefully be looking like clowns for doing so.
Thursday is the first Red Nose Day – a longtime U.K. tradition – in the United States. In its 30-year existence across the pond, it’s raised more than $1 billion to fight childhood poverty.
Months ago, Walgreens, the nation’s largest drugstore chain, began selling red rubber noses near its checkout stands for $1 apiece, with the proceeds going to Red Nose Day. This morning, at the Walgreens at Coffee Road and Sylvan Avenue, employees reported that not only has their store been sold out for weeks, but Walgreens companywide reportedly has sold all of the roughly 5 million noses it stocked.
The money raised this first year will go to the Red Nose Day Fund for distribution to charity partners including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the National Urban League, Save the Children and United Way, as well as other agencies such as OxFam America (a global organization that fights poverty and hunger) and charity: water (a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations).
Writer-director Richard Curtis (“Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Notting Hill,” “Bridget Jones’s Diary”), who launched Red Nose Day in the United Kingdom, has for the U.S. debut put together a star-studded, three-hour TV event airing Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC. He promises it will be funny and entertaining while giving viewers the opportunity to pitch in to help kids in the U.S. and around the globe.
This show will be “very, very, very different” from the typical fundraising telethon, he says.
Roughly one-half will be pre-recorded sketches and other comedy pieces, allowing for slick production techniques and involvement by a wider range of stars than would be possible on show night.
Curtis mentions one intriguing spoof: a mockumentary of the rock group Coldplay as it creates a musical version of “Game of Thrones,” with original songs by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin performed by the group and participation by a dozen “Game of Thrones” cast members.
Other pre-recorded bits include such names as Julia Roberts, Liam Neeson, Richard Gere and Jodie Foster.
There will also be live comedy and music in front of an audience at the Hammerstein.
Will your workplace or classroom be populated by red nose-wearing employees or students? Let The Bee’s Deke Farrow know at jfarrow@modbee.com.
This story was originally published May 19, 2015 at 8:44 AM with the headline "Red Nose Day makes U.S. debut Thursday."