By Amy & Nancy Harrington, Pop Culture Passionistas
This week a “Glee” star honors celebs who get out and Do Something, a movie star gets a big honor from the TV Academy, and a famous chef goes meatless on Mondays. Here are this week’s most inspirational pop culture moment
Young Adults and Celebs Do Something in Hollywood
On July 19, “Glee’s” Jane Lynch hosted The 2010 Do Something Awards on VH1, honoring celebrities who are giving back as well as activists under the age of 25 who are making a difference in their own communities and around the world. The star-studded evening featured performances by Natasha Bedingfield and Lifehouse, as well as appearances by celebrity presenters like Megan Fox, Matt Bomer, Paula Abdul, and Demi Lovato.
Lynch kept the audience laughing from the opening photo montage that depicted her with Mother Teresa and “the other Jane,” Goodall, to clips of her good deeds like reading aloud to construction workers.
Kathy Griffin was given the Do Something Comedian Award for her campaign to raise cervical cancer awareness with her televised public pap smear and for organizing a Washington rally against the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy.”
Leonardo DiCaprio won the Do Something Move Star Award for his generosity in giving $1 million to the Haiti Relief Fund. While “Glee” was honored with the Do Something TV Show prize for its work with the Grammy in the Schools program.
Olympic snowboard champion Hannah Teeter received the Do Something Athlete Award, which makes sense given her recent work with Doctors Without Borders, Ben & Jerry’s, Kirindon, and Children International.
Two stars were honored for founding charities. Christina Applegate took home the Do Something Kick Ass for Survival Award for starting Right Action for Women. While Snoop Dogg was awarded the Do Something for the Kids prize for his Snoop Youth Football League.
Jessica Posner, 23, who co-founded Shining Hope for Communities went home with the $100,000 grand prize award. Shining Hope fights against gender inequity in Kiberia, Africa, where only 8% of girls currently receive an education.

George Clooney to Receive Emmy’s Bob Hope Humanitarian Award
George Clooney isn’t just a dashing movie star, charming bachelor, and guy’s guy–he’s an extremely concerned citizen of the world. He’s been a champion for those in need following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, in the midst of a despicable genocide in Darfur, in a post-9/11 New York City, and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
But long before “Batman” and benevolence, George was a TV star, appearing on shows like “The Facts of Life” and “E.R.” So his old friends at the Television Academy have decided to honor the philanthropic megastar. For the first time in six years, they will hand out a Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the Prime Time Emmy Awards on Sunday, August 29, to good old George.
The award was first handed out in 2002 and only three stars have received the prestigious honor–Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, and Danny Thomas (who received the award posthumously). Clooney certainly deserves to join the illustrious list.
Mario Batali Promotes Meatless Mondays
Everyone’s favorite authentic, Italian-American chef is putting the meatballs and spicy sausages aside. Well, at least for one day a week. Mario Batali is joining the Meatless Monday campaign in all fourteen of his restaurants across the United States.
As Mario explained on MeatlessMonday.com, “‘The fact is, most people in the U.S. eat way more meat than is good for them or the planet… Asking everyone to go vegetarian or vegan isn’t a realistic or attainable goal. But we can focus on a more plant-based diet. That’s why I’m such a big believer in the Meatless Monday movement!’”
So, Mario will highlight at least two vegetarian dishes every Monday night at his eateries, which will be noted with a special “MM” logo on the menus at many of his dining hot spots. And, in doing so, will join other celebrities for the cause including fellow celebrity chef Katie Lee, “American Idol” bad boy Simon Cowell, artist and activist Yoko Ono, Oscar winning supermom Gwenyth Paltrow, and uber-environmentalists Al Gore and Ed Begley, Jr.
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