Amy Schumer, Bryan Cranston & Other Celebs to Play 'Stars Call for Action' Charity Event This Saturday
This Saturday at 2 p.m. EDT, PokerStars will play host to the “Stars Call for Action” charity event featuring dozens of A-list celebrities.
Amy Schumer, Bryan Cranston, Michael Cera, Jon Hamm, Neymar Jr., Don Cheadle, Jeff Garlin, David Schwimmer and Edward Norton are among those confirmed to play the “Stars Call for Action – Powered by PokerStars,” which will be live reported here on PokerNews. It will also broadcast live on Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube.
Noted actor and poker player Hank Azaria and director/screenwriter Andy Bellin played key roles in organizing the event.
The celebrities will be playing to raise funds for relief efforts during the current global pandemic crisis. PokerStars will donate $1 million for the prize pool, and the top finishers will direct portions corresponding to their finish to a charity of their choice.
Half of the prize pool will automatically go to CARE International, while the other half, including donations from fans, will be distributed via grants to charities and will be administered by the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a Charity Navigator Four-Star Charity that meets all 20 BBB Charity Standards.
What’s more, players and fans will have a chance to get in on the action as for each celebrity that plays, PokerStars will invite one randomly-selected fan to join the tournament in a separate field. The two fields – celebrities and players – will then play down to their respective final tables and combine for the ultimate showdown. Celebrities who get knocked out early will be added into a side event where the winner will direct 10% of the total to charity.
James Hartigan and Lex Veldhuis will host the stream, which will see the celebrities show their faces via Zoom. Viewers will not only have the chance to watch all the action, but they can also help support the cause via a “Donate” button on each platform.
The online charity event was the brainchild of Azaria and Bellin, who was recently a guest on the PokerNews Podcast. The pair basically wanted to expand their home game to help during the current crisis.
Other celebrities joining the festivities include Brian Koppelman, Eric Bogosian, Jason Alexander, Brad Garrett, Michael Ian Black, Kevin Pollak, Max Kruse, and Tony Yazbeck.