CNN Heroes Tonite

.

Celebrities add star power honoring do-gooders in annual 'CNN Heroes' with host Anderson Cooper

By Richard Huff
Daily News TV Editor

Thursday, November 25th 2010, 4:00 AM


Shearer/WireImage
All 33 of the Chilean miners shared the stage during the 2010 'CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute' celebration,
which honors international heroic acts throughout the year.

It's not exactly a bait-and-switch deal, but Kelly Flynn, executive producer of "CNN Heroes," realizes that to get people to watch, she's got to sell the glitter.

"We draw people in with the glitz and hit them with the substance," Flynn says. "Come watch this show that has a lot of the trappings of an awards show, but has this undercurrent of meaning."

"CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" was recorded Saturday and will air Thursday at 8 p.m. CNN's Anderson Cooper is host.

The show features 10 heroes, selected by viewers, for the work they do around the world.

Among the top 10 are Texas home builder Dan Wallrath, who since 2005 has given injured veterans free homes.

During the show, Anuradha Koirala is named Hero of the Year for the work she's done with her group, Maiti Nepal, which has helped more than 12,000 victims of Nepal sex trafficking.

"In this show, we offer hope when we show these stories," Flynn says. "There is hope that one person can really effect change. That's what makes it digestible and interesting to our audiences."

Still, celebrities are on hand to draw casual viewers, who otherwise might not care about do-gooders.

Halle Berry, Kid Rock, Renee Zellweger, Jessica Alba, Marisa Tomei, Gerard Butler, Kiefer Sutherland, Aaron Eckhart and LL Cool J will be there. Likewise, Bon Jovi, Sugarland and John Legend, featuring Common & Melanie Fiona, all performed. Also on hand are all 33 of the rescued Chilean miners.

"What's always moving for this show is that the celebrities who come to present to these heroes always want to deflect to these folks," Flynn says. "These are people who have given their lives to make a change."

Yet, says Flynn, the celebrities are also there to balance the feel of the show. Rather than have a constant string of tough emotional stories, the celebrities and performers mix up the tone.

"I think we strike it right," she says.

Flynn takes pride in saying that all the heroes of past shows are still working hard in their fields. To that end, viewers can donate directly to their causes on facebook.com/cnnheroes.

Since Saturday, Flynn has been whittling down the show to get it ready to air.

She judges its success, she says, by how many times she cries - despite seeing the segments again and again.

"There are some lighthearted moments," she says. "We don't want to stick the knife in and twist it too hard. Just a little bit. But action comes from emotion."