Hollywood stars raise more than $300,000 for struggling comedians

With comedians losing work due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, Hollywood stars are raising money to keep them afloat during these difficult times.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis has put many industries at a standstill over the past month, and that’s left workers in numerous fields struggling to make ends meet. Creatives, especially those who depend on live performances, are being left without work — and with no clear timeline for how long restrictions on large gatherings will remain in place, the future is uncertain.

That’s why Hollywood comedians like Adam Sandler, Howie Mandel, and Whitney Cummings are stepping in to help those in need. According to The Hollywood Reporter, these comedians raised more than $300,000, all of which will be given to Comedy Gives Back’s COVID-19 Relief Fund, which strives to help unemployed and struggling comedians get through this health crisis.

This money was raised during a six-hour Laugh Aid live stream, which featured appearances by famous comedians like Drew Carey and Bob Saget attempting to provide some laughter during these difficult times. The Laugh Aid live stream also featured a number of other stars, including Bill Burr, David Spade, Amanda Seales, Jessica Kirson, and Dane Cook.

Watch the Laugh Aid live stream event here:

This remote event not only helped raise funds for struggling comedians, but it also provided viewers with some much-needed laughter. And both of those things seemed to be the goal, as Mandel expressed that, “We need to support these people that put a smile on strangers’ faces.”

If the comedy acts didn’t put a smile on viewers faces, though, the fact that stars are going out of their way to help their community during the health crisis should do the trick. With so many celebrities donating and fundraising for various types of COVID-19 relief, it’s clear that these trying times are bringing people together in new ways — and that’s the sort of humanity we need to be reminded of.

For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.