Broadway Celebrities Help "Blue Jeans for Genes" Online Benefit Auction, Nov. 10-17

By Ernio Hernandez
November 5, 2003

Celebrities and theatre folk team up for a "Blue Jeans for Genes" online auction to benefit the National Hemophilia Foundation, Nov. 10-17.

Among the theatre names donating autographed blue jeans to be auctioned off on eBay include Antonio Banderas (Nine), Lorraine Bracco (The Graduate), Mario Cantone (The Violet Hour), Taye Diggs (Rent), Harvey Fierstein (Hairspray), Whoopi Goldberg (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom), Melanie Griffith (Chicago), Hugh Jackman (The Boy From Oz), Rosie O'Donnell (Taboo), Bernadette Peters (Gypsy), Jamie-Lynn Sigler (Beauty and the Beast) and Marisa Tomei (Salome: The Reading).

Proceeds raised will support research to end hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. Information can currently be obtained by logging on to eBay at members.ebay.com/aboutme/bluejeansforgenes.

Other celebrities lending a hand include Pamela Anderson, Lance Bass, Annette Bening, Yogi Berra, the cast of the movie "Camp," Dave Chappelle, Eric Clapton, Kenneth Cole, Joan Collins, Mike Ditka, Eve, Joely Fisher, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Robert Goulet, Josh Groban, Marcia Gay Harden, Mariska Hargitay, Tommy Hilfiger, Jane Kaczmarek, Calvin Klein, Heidi Klum, Vicki Lewis, Ricky Martin, Martina McBride, Eric McCormack, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, George Michael, Gwyneth Paltrow, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Denise Richards, Joan Rivers, Susan Sarandon, Carly Simon, Michael Stipe, Bradley Whitford and Robin Williams.

Also included in the auction will be a signed pair of suspenders from Larry King, a signed book from Stephen King, sheet music from Harmony composer Barry Manilow and a baseball from Seattle Mariner Ichiro Suzuki.

For more information please see www.hemophilia.org.