Tom Hanks, Alec Baldwin and other stars joined in an online fundraiser for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), urging the public to help protect bedrock rights they warned are in jeopardy.
Hanks said actions such as President Donald Trump’s attempted travel ban represent a “brand of tragedy” and not the America the actor learned about as a youngster.
The fundraiser, live-streamed Friday from New York City, included studio and videotaped appearances by Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Steve Buscemi, Tituss Burgess and Sterling K. Brown. Norah Jones, Usher and The Roots were among the musical performers.
A pledge tally was not immediately available as the four-hour event concluded.
Laughs were mixed with gravity throughout. Hanks, who conducted a lesson on the US constitution, also chatted with two ACLU lawyers he teasingly nicknamed for action stars Bruce Willis and Sandra Bullock.
Some celebrities made their pleas for donations personal.
“I’m an immigrant,” said author and TV host Padma Lakshmi. “What I always loved about this country is that anyone could come here” without regard to race or religion.
“If you’re like me, you probably can’t believe what’s happening right now. ... We’re going to stand for rights, we’re going to stand for freedom,” she said.
Seth Meyers and Chelsea Clinton separately tackled the issue of voting rights, with the former first daughter saying that some state laws are making it harder to cast ballots.
Meyers took a lighter approach.
“Voting lines should not be as long as the Porta Potty lines at Coachella. That’s in the constitution,” he said.
“Travel bans. Executive orders. Unintelligible tweets at 2 a.m.,” said Baldwin, who has repeatedly satirized Trump on “Saturday Night Live.”
“The ACLU is on it,” said Holly Hunter.

Source: Arab News