'Jersey 4 Jersey' benefit night sees Jon Bon Jovi, Charlie Puth, Halsey, Bruce Springsteen sing fan favorites
The state of New Jersey got some tender care and loving from its favorite sons and daughters on Wednesday night, April 22. New Jersey has been one of the worst affected regions in the United States by the coronavirus pandemic, with close to 90,000 cases of COVID-19 overall. In an effort to keep spirits buoyant and help raise funds to mitigate this disaster, many stars with close ties to New Jersey banded together for a celebrity fundraiser called "Jersey 4 Jersey" a night of music and entertainment headlined by New Jersey natives Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi.
Many stars were in attendance to contribute to the evening, including comedians Jon Stewart, Chris Rock, Stephen Colbert, Chelsea Handler, Danny DeVito, and Whoopi Goldberg, and musicians like Tony Bennett, Halsey, SZA, Fountains of Wayne and Charlie Puth also performed songs from their homes. The money raised during the fundraiser will go to the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund and help support people battling the coronavirus on the frontlines, like health care professionals and people providing food and essential supplies to the needy.
The former 'Daily Show' host Stewart was at his articulate and hilarious best, helping keep the tone of the night upbeat. "I've been in quarantine for 30 days and I already look like Doc Brown from 'Back to the Future'," Stewart joked at one point. "I hope you guys are staying safe and sane and taking care of each other. We're all coming together and we're going to get through this thing together." He added, "I'm always proud of Jersey, but I'm never more proud of this state than when we have our backs up against the wall. We all come together and we all show the unity and the 'can do' spirit that I know we have. It's unbelievable." The 57-year-old comedian also paid tribute to the healthcare workers in the state he calls home, labeling them "quiet heroes." He said, "These are the kinds of people that are going to get us through this," and emotionally concluded, "I've never been prouder to live in this state."
Whoopi Goldberg had some encouraging words for her adopted home state : "What I figured out since I started living in New Jersey is that it's not just a state. It's a family, and too many of us are hurting right now," Goldberg candidly observed and encouraged the watching public to generously donate whatever they could afford. "After you do that, do not waste a single second and make sure you tell the people in your family and your friends that you love them," she added.
The musical performances on the night featured many famous stars performing from their homes. Springsteen and his wife Patti Scialfa kicked off the night with an uplifting performance of 'Land of Hope and Dreams' which contained the heartfelt lyrics "I will provide for you / And I'll stand by your side / You'll need a good companion / For this part of the ride." Halsey performed a rousing rendition of 'Finally // Beautiful Stranger' from Manic while Fountains of Wayne reunited for the first time in seven years to pay tribute to their talented bandmate and composer, Adam Schlesinger, who recently passed away due to COVID-19 complications. New Jersey native Jon Bon Jovi closed out the night with a special performance of a New Jersey lullaby, 'Living On A Prayer.'
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