David Cook talks about tonight’s “Idol Gives Back”; charity episode to feature Carrie Underwood performance
Season 7 “American Idol” winner David Cook, who has Tulsa ties, receives a hug from 7-year-old Mekdes, during a visit to Biruh Tesfa, a United Nations program supported by the UN Foundation, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on March 30. Cook traveled with the UN Foundation to raise awareness about the importance of girls education for tonight’s “Idol Gives Back” charity episode. (Photo by Stuart Ramson/UN Foundation)
Season 7 “American Idol” winner David Cook, who has Tulsa ties, will be featured in footage from his recent trip to Ethiopia during tonight’s two-hour “Idol Gives Back” charity special, which doubles as the Top Seven results show for Season 9 of “American Idol.” “Idol Gives Back” airs at 7 tonight on Fox.
Cook, who was living in Tulsa when he tried out for and won “Idol,” went to Ethiopia with the United Nations Foundation last month to help raise awareness about the importance of girls’ education, reports The Oklahoman’s TV Guru Penny Soldan. He sat in on an English class at Biruh Tesfa in the capital city of Addis Ababa, and nobody recognized him.
“We had to explain to the little girls who I was and why I was there,” he said during a conference call from Ethiopia. “But we did get a chance to play some music for them. My guitar player (Neal Tiemann) came out here with me, and then they sang for us.
“It’s always cool to see music be this universal language. But I definitely had to win them over. They didn’t quite know what to do with the tall, tattooed white guy, I guess.”
According to Penny, Cook said during the teleconference that he didn’t know if he would be performing on tonight’s “Idol Gives Back” show.
But Checotah native and “American Idol” Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood (pictured), whose trip to South Africa was documented on the first “Idol Gives Back” special in 2007, is scheduled to perform during tonight’s live event.
Also scheduled to perform are Elton John, Alicia Keys, The Black Eyed Peas, Jeff Beck, Joss Stone, Mary J. Blige and Annie Lennox.
Ryan Seacrest will host the show from the “American Idol” stage in Los Angeles, while Queen Latifah will emcee the “Idol Gives Back” celebration from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
“Idol Gives Back” has raised more that $140 million for charity. Viewers again will be able to make donations during this year’s show that will benefit the Children’s Health Fund, Feeding America, Malaria No More, Save the Children and the United Nations Foundation.
Click here to read more of Penny’s story about “Idol Gives Back.”
-BAM
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Can’t wait! I love David Cook and Carrie Underwood!