On Wednesday evening last, Guyanese who were of a mind to, could have tuned in to a local television channel to watch, along with millions around the world, the charity show ‘Idol Gives Back’ on Fox. ‘Idol Gives Back’ is a spin off of the immensely popular ‘American Idol’, a reality show in which young talented singers compete each week for votes and judges’ nods that will keep them on until the finale. Each week, the contestant with the lowest votes is knocked off and the winner earns a contract and instant fame. The ‘give back’ spin off, now an annual event, sees celebrities highlighting various charities in America and in Africa and features a call-in segment for donations, since the aim is to raise money for these worthy causes. Some of the more difficult mini-films to watch were those shot in Africa, where poverty and its sister hunger, malaria and HIV have wreaked havoc for many years and still continue to do so. Much like ‘Live Aid’, the U2 lead singer Bono’s inspired One Campaign and sale of ‘Red’ items, ‘Idol Gives Back’ aims to raise millions, which will be used to fight poverty.
