Project Angel Food’s upcoming telethon, “Lead With Love 2021,” will include appearances by “Batwoman” star Javicia Leslie, Jamie Lee Curtis, Maria Shriver and Matt Bomer. The television event will also include performances by LeAnn Rimes, Andy Grammer, Gloria Estefan, Jewel, Phillip Phillips, Vanessa Williams and “Cruel Summer” star Olivia Holt.
Started in 1989 to help people with HIV and AIDS, Project Angel Food feeds and support people suffering life-threatening illnesses. The client base was about 1,500 deliveries a day but rose to 2,300 during the COVID pandemic.
Hosted by KTLA 5 anchor Jessica Holmes and executive produced by Brad Bessey, “Lead With Love” will broadcast live on KTLA 5 on July 17 from 7-9 p.m. It will also stream live on KTLA 5 and Project Angel Food’s websites and Facebook pages.
The guest line-up also includes Yvette Nicole Brown, Lisa Rinna, Harry Hamlin, Eric McCormack, Oscar De La Hoya, Pauley Perrette, Ross Mathews, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Katey Sagal, Annie Potts, Loni Love, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ana Gasteyer, Rachel Dratch, Kathy Hilton, Rufus Wainwright andSandra Lee.
“This year’s show is a huge thank you to the Los Angeles community for helping us serve over one million medically tailored meals this year to our most vulnerable neighbors,” Project Angel Food’s executive director Richard Ayoub said in a statement Monday morning. “And there is still work to be done because we don’t take on critically ill clients for a week or a month, but for as long as it takes.”
The telethon’s Celebrity Call Lounge will include Kirsten Vangsness (“Criminal Minds”), Joely Fisher (singer, actress, director), Gabrielle Dennis (HBO’s “Black Lady Sketch Comedy Show”), Jonathan Del Arco (“Star Trek: Picard”), Peter Porte and Juan Pablo Di Pace (“Dashing in December”), Lauren Tom (“Friends”), Jonathan Adams (“Last Man Standing”) Gregory Zarian (HBO’s “Westworld”), Lawrence Zarian (“The Kelly Clarkson Show”) and PvNew’s Marc Malkin.
The telethon is presented by City National Bank.
