Anderson Cooper Heroes Award GalaWalking the red carpet at this year’s CNN Hero awards tribute show, to be televised on Thanksgiving night, will be movie stars, like Halle Berry, Demi Moore and Jessica Alba, Grammy winners John Legend and LL Cool J, along with the Chilean miners and their rescuers as surprise guests. All to honor this year’s extraordinary citizen heroes.
Rock legend Bon Jovi also shared the stage with the top ten CNN Heros of 2010 on the two-hour broadcast, “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” taped Saturday. Anderson Cooper hosted the fourth annual show from Los Angeles, where the Chilean miners have been touring Disneyland, Universal Studios and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The inspiring ongoing CNN Hero news segments spotlight everyday people who are changing the world, like a woman who saves girls from sex trafficing and a young man who educates youth in Asian slums. More than 10,000 nominations for CNN Heroes are received over the year from more than 100 countries.
The top 10 CNN Heroes were selected by a blue-ribbon panel of judges, which included Muhammad Ali, Richard Branson, cellist Yo Yo Ma, singer Ricky Martin and Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno.
The public began voting on September 23 for the best CNN Hero of the year. The winner will be revealed at the tribute show and receive $100,000 Each of the top 10 CNN Heroes received $25,000 as thanks for their work.
“CNN Heroes has illustrated the best of humanity through the telling of stories of selfless acts of kindness, courage and perseverance” said Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide. “We are honored to bring these Heroes the recognition they so deserve. It is a program the entire CNN family is proud of and excited to share with our viewers on Thanksgiving night.”
Walton said they invited the miners from Chile and five of their rescuers because they symbolize the resilience and endurance of the human spirit. “The heroic efforts of the rescue of these miners was one of the most unifying and inspirational events of the year,” Walton said.
WATCH the video below, highlighting the gala that was taped last night…
“CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” Thanksgiving night at 8 p.m ET/5 p.m. PT on CNN/U.S. The show airs on CNN International on Thursday, November 25 at 8 p.m. ET and Friday, November 26 at 5 a.m. ET, 1100/2200 Berlin and 0900/1800 Hong Kong.
The 2009 CNN Hero of the Year was Efren Peñaflorida, who started a “pushcart classroom” in the Philippines to bring education to poor children as an alternative to gang membership.